The journey to the West Point: a boy’s story. 通往西点军校之路：一个男孩的故事

A boy said to his father, “I want to go to West Point.” It was a sunny afternoon when his father picked him up from high school. In the car, the father casually asked about his plans for college applications.

The boy’s answer didn’t surprise his father, who didn’t take it seriously. He felt that the boy’s chatter was merely a few nice words intended to appease him, reminiscent of when he had said, “I want to go to MIT” ten years ago during a visit to MIT and Harvard with his cousin.

“Yes, it is a great school with a beautiful campus and the best military training in the world,” the father replied. He recalled taking the boy and his brother to West Point several times over the past few years. The college, situated in a valley in the small town of West Point, New York, boasts breathtaking scenery, especially in the fall. Overlooking the Hudson River, with blue skies and white clouds above, witnessing the river curve gracefully at Trophy Point is truly a pleasure.

The father soon forgot about the conversation, but the boy did not. He devised his own plan, scouring the internet for West Point’s admissions requirements. He learned that to gain admission, he needed to demonstrate interest in the college, maintain a high GPA, develop a strong physique, and secure a nomination from a senator, congressman, or the Vice President of the United States. While the first two requirements seemed manageable, the latter two posed a significant challenge.

Determined, the boy took action. He joined the school track team to build endurance, bought a gym membership, and started exercising regularly. At home, he did pull-ups on the door frame and push-ups on the floor. His father was aware that physical exercise wasn’t the boy’s hobby—video games were—but he had played tennis for years.

The boy also discovered that to be nominated by a senator, congressman, or vice president, he needed to demonstrate leadership potential and volunteer experience to showcase his character. Initially feeling lost without a track record, he resolved to give it a try. At high school, he ran for a leadership position in an educational club and succeeded. He and his friends organized a youth club to collect shoes for African children, eventually bringing the shoes to Senegal two years later. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while his classmates stayed home, he volunteered at a COVID-19 testing center and later at a vaccination center. Thanks to his courage and hard work, he received a volunteer award from a national organization of physicians.

After preparing diligently, he submitted his application. By this time, his father and others who had thought the boy was merely dreaming began to realize he was serious. When his father asked why he was so determined to attend West Point, the boy replied, “I want to serve my country in my own way.” These words reminded the father of his own ambitions and ideals at the same age.

Everything seemed to be going well. The boy’s GPA and ACT scores exceeded the minimum requirements, and he passed the medical examination. However, his application was temporarily put on hold due to a reported childhood history of heat stroke (a bit too honest, perhaps). Eventually, the Department of Defense cleared this issue, and the application process continued. A few months later, he received a letter of encouragement from West Point, leaving only one last hurdle: securing a nomination from a senator, congressman, or vice president.

What followed was an anxious wait for a response from the congressman’s office. It didn’t take long for the boy to receive a call, inviting him for an interview. After the interview, he felt nervous and checked his email daily. Thankfully, within a week, he received a nomination email filled with positive comments and praise. He dubiously asked his father, “Am I the one he was talking about?” and “Is that really me?” “Of course it’s you,” his dad replied with a smile. “But you still need to prove yourself in the future.”

By early January, all application steps for West Point were complete, and the boy could only wait for news. In early February, he received an email with either good or bad news: he had been placed on the national waitlist, which meant he was qualified but would need to be patient.

Days turned into weeks until the last weekend of March, when the boy’s parents returned home to find a large, heavy envelope in the mailbox. It was priority mail from the U.S. Military Academy. The parents knew this must be the culmination of the boy’s hard work, so they refrained from opening it, wanting him to experience the joy of discovery first.

When the boy arrived home with friends, he opened the envelope. In an instant, he jumped up and shouted, “Ahhh! I’m accepted! I’m in!”

The joy of that moment was indescribable, and words felt superfluous. It was the happiest moment for the boy, his family, and all those who had supported him throughout his journey to West Point. The father gave his son a big hug and said, “You made it!”

“Yes,” the boy replied, “I’m starting on the path of my own life.”

But was this truly the end of the boy’s journey to West Point? Not quite. He would face unexpected tests before his official admission.

A week later, the boy received a message from the local CIA office, informing him that an agent would like to meet with him at a local public library. Surprised and nervous, he asked his father to accompany him to meet the agent. It turned out to be a routine background check for potential cadets. The boy, aware of the process, answered questions like, “What was your grandfather’s job?” “Do your parents live with you, and where do they work?” and “Why do you travel abroad so frequently?” with cleverness and ease.

Next came the anticipated event: six weeks of rigorous training at West Point. Although the boy had read about the training, he was uncertain of what to expect on the unfamiliar campus. Fortunately, he had the chance to participate in an overnight event at the military academy the following month, which would help him understand life at West Point.

一个男孩对他的父亲说：“我想去读西点军校”。 这是一个阳光明媚的下午，父亲从高中接他回家。 在车上，父亲随意地问他大学申请的计划是什么。

男孩的回答并没有让父亲感到意外，因为父亲并没有当真。他可能觉得，孩子只是随口一说， 也许只是几句好话，试图堵住父亲的嘴或满足他的期望，就像他十年前他和表姐一起参观麻省理工和哈佛时说的“我想上麻省理工”一样。

是的, 这是一所很棒的学校，有美丽的校园，是世界最好的军校，父亲回答说。 他记得在过去的几年里，他曾多次带男孩和他的哥哥去西点军校参观。 学院位于纽约州北部的一个小镇西点镇的一个山谷中。军校周边的景色令人叹为观止，尤其是在秋天，俯瞰哈德逊河，蓝天白云之下，看着哈德逊河在学院内的纪念杯点右转弯，赏心悦目。

父亲很快就忘记了这番谈话。 但男孩没有。 男孩制定了自己的计划。 他搜索了西点军校的录取要求，知道了要上西点需要的完成的事项：表现出你对西点军校的兴趣，获得优异的学习成绩（GPA），强壮的体格，及参议员、国会议员或美国副总统的提名。 前两个比较容易达到，但后两个对他来说意味着巨大的挑战。

男孩开始了自己的计划。他加入学校田径队开始跑步， 训练耐力；购买了健身房会员资格，开始定期进行身体锻炼；回家后在门梁上做引体向上， 地板上做俯卧撑。 父亲清楚，除了他坚持多年的网球，体育锻炼原不是他的爱好 （玩电脑游戏才是）。

男孩也知道为了获得参议员、国会议员或美国副总统的提名，他需要有领导能力或潜力的证明和志愿活动的经历以展示其个人品格。 一开始他觉得有点失落，因为他没有这方面的记录，但他想努力一下。 在学校里，他竞选一个教育俱乐部的领导职位并取得了成功。 他和他的朋友们组织了一个俱乐部，为非洲男孩和女孩的鞋子募捐。 两年后，他和他的朋友把鞋子送到了塞内加尔。在 新冠大流行期间，当他的同学和朋友们呆在家里还在担心感染时，他借此机会在 新冠检测中心和疫苗接种中做志愿者。 由于他的勇气和努力，他获得了一家全国性医师组织的志愿者大奖。

等他做好了各方面的准备后，很快就发出了申请。 至此，父亲和其他原先觉得男孩说说而已的都相信，他对这件事是很认真的。 当父亲问他为什么如此钟情于西点军校时，他说，我想以我的方式为我的国家服务。 这番话，让父亲想起了自己在他那样年纪时的抱负和理想。

似乎一切都很顺利。他的 GPA 和 ACT 分数不成问题。 他通过了体检，但因为他报告了童年时期有过的的中暑病史 (太诚实了），被暂时放在一边。后来国防部免除了该病史的影响，申请才得以继续。 几个月后，他收到了西点军校的鼓励信。 现在，只剩最后一步，即获得参议员、国会议员或副总统的提名。

接下来就是焦急地等待参议员或众议员办公室的答复。 没多久，男孩接到了众议员办公室的电话，要他面试。 面试后，紧张的他每天都查看通知。谢天谢地，一周之内他就收到了一封满满好评的提名邮件。 他半信半疑地问父亲，我是他说的那个人吗？ 这是我吗？ 哈哈，爸爸说，当然是你，但你今后需要证明自己。

一月初，西点的申请步骤已经全部完成，现在只能眼巴巴得等待消息。 二月初，传来了一个既是好， 又是个坏的消息：他被列入了国家候补名单，这意味着他够格了，但需要更多的耐心等待。

三月底的一个周末，男孩的父母从外面回来，发现信箱里有一个又大又重的信封。 这是一封来自美国军事学院的优先邮件。父母知道这一定是给这个男孩的一份最棒的礼物 , 为这份礼物他努力了很久，付出了很大的心血。父母没有打开信封，他们要留给男孩，让他享受开启这个信封后兴奋的第一刻。

当男孩带着他的朋友们回到家，打开信封后的一瞬间， 他跳了起来，喊道，啊啊，我被录取了，我进了。

这一刻的感觉，所有的语言都无法形容，都是多余的。 这是男孩和他的家人、朋友以及所有支持他去西点的最快乐的时光。 父亲给了他一个紧紧的拥抱，对他说，你成功了。

男孩说，是的，我正在开始走我自己的生活之路。

男孩去西点军校的故事就这样结束了吗？ 还没。 在他正式进入西点军校之前，他必须通过一些想到和想不到的测试。

一周后，男孩收到当地中央情报局办公室的电话留言，告诉他中央情报局特工想在当地公共图书馆与他交谈。他不知道这是为什么，有点紧张，所以父亲陪着他去见特工。事后才明白，这是对将来学员的例行背景调查。 男孩知道其中的诀窍，聪明地回答了诸如“你祖父的工作是什么？” “你父母和你住在一起吗？他们在哪里工作？” “你怎么那么频繁地去国外”之类的问题。

接下来是预期的大事，即在西点军校进行为期 6 周的严格训练。 虽然男孩读了一些有关训练的内容，但他不知道在陌生的校园里究竟会发生什么。 幸运的是，接下来的一个月，他有机会参加在军校举办的过夜活动，帮助他了解了西点军校的生活。

Several weeks after preparing for college, the boy finally arrived at Reception Day, or R-Day, at West Point. R-Day marks the beginning of the cadet candidates’ journey and is not an admission day. From this day forward, candidates will undergo six weeks of rigorous training to transform from civilians into military personnel. If a candidate fails to complete the training or encounters issues, they may not be admitted to the Academy. This is the final step toward West Point.

In the morning, the family joyfully accompanied the boy to West Point. Inside the Eisenhower Auditorium, he was welcomed by the alumni association, members of the parent club, and school officials. After a brief orientation, the boy hugged each family member and, without hesitation, quickly made his way through the door on the other side of the hall, where he was met with loud shouts from senior cadets. His military career began from that moment.

Over the next few hours, like all the other candidates, the boy underwent a buzz cut and changed into military uniform. By 4:00 PM, he emerged as one of a thousand new cadets, wearing a crisp white top and gray pants. The new cadets assembled and marched onto the Plain, the largest field in front of the expansive academy complex. There, they took the Oath of Allegiance from the U.S. Military Academy Commandant of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Mark Quander, in front of their parents and friends.

Surrounded by the inspiring music played by the West Point Military Academy Band, the parents watched in awe as their son and the other cadets, now transformed, walked together in a somewhat uncoordinated manner. They felt an indescribable mix of emotions as they witnessed this significant moment in their son’s life.

From this day forward, the boy would begin his six weeks of training (Detained 6-Week Training: see below YouTube). During the first four weeks, he was not permitted to make or receive phone calls; the only means of communication with the outside world was through letters. His family sent him letters almost every day, encouraging him to overcome the challenges and complete the training successfully. When he finally had the opportunity to call home near the end of his training, he sounded tired but confident.

The following YouTube video provides a detailed overview of the training received by the new cadets during these six months.

经过几周准备后，男孩终于迎来了西点军校的接收日或R日。 R-Day 是学员向西点军校报到并标志着在那里生活的开始，但它还不算是真正的入学日。 从这天开始，候选人必须接受为期6周的严格训练，把自己从一介平民转变为军人。 如果培训不及格，或者有其它问题，他或她不能被学院录取。 这是前往西点军校的最后一步。

早上，一家人兴冲冲地陪着男孩去了西点。 在艾森豪威尔礼堂，男孩受到了校友会、家长俱乐部成员和学校官员的欢迎。经简短的指示后，男孩拥抱了每个家庭成员，转身就毫不犹豫地从另一侧的门出去，在那里，他受到了高年级学员的大声叫喊的欢迎。 他的军旅生涯就从此从那里开始了。

在接下来的几个小时里，他和其他人一样，将被剃光头，换上军装。 当男孩再次出来时，他是一千名穿着白色上衣和灰色裤子的新学员中的一员。 下午 4 点钟，新学员在学院大建筑群前的大操场上集合游行。他们在父母和朋友面前跟着学员指挥官马克·昆德准将向国家和军队宣誓效忠。在西点军校乐队演奏的鼓舞人心的音乐环绕下，看着这个男孩和其他学员脱胎换骨似的改变，迈着不那么整齐的步伐大家一起绕场一周， 坐在看台上的父母百感交集。

从这天开始，男孩将继续他的 6 周训练。 在最初的四周里，他们不被允许打电话或接电话。与外界的唯一交流是信件。 家人几乎每天都给他发信，鼓励他克服困难，顺利通过训练。 当他终于在训练接近尾声时有机会打电话回家时，他听起来很累，但很自信。

下面的YouTube详细介绍了这六个 月里新学员受到的训练。

The six weeks of grueling training were finally over. This day marked a traditional celebration at West Point Military Academy known as “March Back Day.” Early in the morning, all new cadets, along with their cadres, faculty, and staff, departed from Frederick Lakes Training Camp and marched 12 to 14 miles back to the academy. After ringing the alarm bell and taking the oath, each new cadet, carrying a 50-pound marching bag, marched in formation through Washington Gate and onto the campus.

On the sidewalks lining the main road, a large group of family, friends, alumni, and supporters waved banners and signs in various languages, saluting and welcoming the future defenders of the country back to the Academy. Applause, shouts, and cheers mingled with the joyful music of the band, creating an inspiring atmosphere.

Though almost every new cadet looked tired and sun-kissed, they all appeared in good spirits. The boy’s parents spotted him in the G5 team. Although they couldn’t speak or make physical contact, the eye contact they shared conveyed more than a thousand words. The boy’s parents followed him along the sidewalk until he entered the gate. With this final test for West Point behind him, the boy could now look forward to his official admission day after a week of rest.

为期 6 周的严酷训练总算结束了。这一天是西点军校的一个传统庆典日，称为“行军归来日”。所有的新学员， 加上干部，教职员工一大早从弗雷德里克湖训练营地出发，行军12-14 英里，返回学院。每个新学员敲过警钟并宣誓后，身背50磅的行军包， 列队行军， 穿过华盛顿门，进入校区。

在校区大马路的人行道上，大群家人、朋友、校友和支持者，挥舞着不同语言的横幅和标语，向那些未来的国家的保卫者们致敬，欢迎他们回到学院。一路上，掌声、叫喊、欢呼伴随着乐队演奏的高昂军乐，鼓舞人心。

尽管几乎每个学员看起来都有点疲惫，脸晒得黝黑，但他们都显得精神抖擞。男孩的父母大部队里找到了他。虽然他们之间无法交谈或有身体接触，但他们之间的眼神交流就已经是千言万语。 男孩的父母在人行道上一路小跑追随，直到他最后进了大门。男孩终于又完成了进入军校的最后测试，就等着修整一周后的正式入学的日子。

This was the day the boy and all the others were officially accepted as cadets and soldiers. To reach this moment, he had worked hard for a long time, and now his determination and persistence had finally paid off.

The grand ceremony of Acceptance Day took place on the Plain in front of the building complex. The surrounding stands were filled with hundreds of spectators, primarily family members and friends of the new cadets. At 4 p.m., the new cadets marched out from the six gates of the buildings as the college band played military music. Each team emerging from a different gate represented one of six companies, with the boy belonging to the 5th company.

After six weeks of training, the order, uniformity, and coordination of their marching were significantly improved compared to Reception Day. Spectators in the stands applauded and cheered as the cadets walked by with neat and majestic strides. The boy’s parents searched for him in the marching team but struggled to find him among the sea of similarly dressed cadets. Nevertheless, they felt a swell of pride knowing their son was among those energetic and strong young men.

After the ceremony, the boy joyfully reunited with his family and friends to celebrate. He had a large supporting crowd: his grandmother, parents, brother, two cousins, uncle, aunt, and best friends from high school. The boy looked happy, stronger, and in better spirits than before, though his face was noticeably tanned.

Surrounding them were hundreds of proud families gathered to celebrate their own daughters and sons. When people saw these young men and women, beaming with smiles, confidence, ideals, and dreams for the future, it was clear that the world belonged to the younger generation.

What a day it was! On this day, the boy finally stepped through the door of West Point, marking the beginning of his dream journey.

这一天是男孩和所有其他新生被正式被接纳为学员又是军人的日子。为了这一天， 男孩努力了很久。如今， 他的决心和坚持终于得到了回报。

录取日的大庆典在建筑群前的大操场举行。周边的的看台上坐满了成百上千的观众，他们主要是新学员的家人和朋友。下午4点庆典开始，乐队演奏军乐， 新学员从建筑群的六个门鱼贯而出。 每个门里出来的队伍代表六个不同的连队, 男孩则是在第五连。

这些孩子经过 6 周的培训，他们的行军秩序、整齐度和协调性明显要比报到时要好得多。当他们迈着整齐雄壮的步伐走过时，看台上的观众鼓掌为他们加油。男孩的父母在努力在队伍中寻找，可惜找不到他，因为他们穿着一样，长得似乎很像。他们知道儿子是在那些精力充沛，孔武有力的年轻人当中， 就已经很欣慰了。

庆典仪式结束后，男孩兴高采烈地来到家人中间和大家欢聚。在美国所有的家人和亲戚，姥姥、父母、哥哥、堂姐、表哥、舅舅和舅妈，都来了。 他在高中时最好的朋友也来看他，支持他。 男孩看起来很快乐，比以前更强壮，精神更好，只是脸上晒得黝黑。

在现场，有数百个自豪的家庭也为他们的女儿和儿子而来。 当人们看到那些微笑、自信、有理想、对未来充满梦想的青年男女时，你就知道，整个未来世界是属于年轻一代的。

多么难忘的一天。 这一天，男孩终于踏进了西点军校的大门。 他的梦想之旅由此开始。