West Point Leadership Experience Paper

During plebe year, I had a lot of trouble understanding why West Point was called “the premier leadership institution”. While my experiences consisted only of Cadet Basic Training and the lusterless life of a fourth class cadet, I felt that the academy had done little for my development as a leader. However, after spending a summer at Buckner and a semester as a yearling, I noticed a significant change in my behavior. While I did not immediately understand how the West Point Leader Development System had an influence on me, honest reflection on my time at the academy has led me to a greater understanding of what West Point aims to do. Of the many WPLDS outcomes, I find that the two I have improved in the most are “liv[ing] honorably and build[ing] trust” and “seek[ing] balance, be [eing] resilient, and demonstrate[ing] a strong and winning spirit”.
I did my best to keep up with academics, duties, and avoided getting into trouble. At the end of the semester, my team leader and I both received a military grade of A. However, second semester took a turn for the worse. The change of command, gray period and a myriad of other troubles tested my resolve to stay at the academy. Aside from my new team leader, I did not get along well with my new chain of command. As a result, my relationship with the company greatly declined and although I was taking fewer courses, my grades declined as well. Academically deficient and apathetic, I was at risk of failing out of the academy.
With encouragement from my mentors and friends, I did not give up or give in to the ill-conceived opinions of my chain of command. From the negative experiences, I learned that I am capable of overcoming difficult circumstances with proper preparation and diligent effort. This of newfound resilience would then carry over into the first semester of yearling