<p>You all need to seriously look inward if you are considering coming here and realize that this is for real and it is not going anywhere any time soon. The military is not for everyone, especially not in a time of war. My class (2006) was the first to enter the Academy during a time of war since Vietnam, and we started with over 1200. In May, we will graduate under 850. A lot has changed in the world since we came here, and some people realized, for the well being of both themselves and the Army, that this is not for them. There is no shame in realizing it’s not what you want to do, but if you are like most people that come here, you come to terms that it is part of the job. When you start knowing the people whose names get read over the poop deck at breakfast, it puts the world in a new perspective. You will be entering a time honored profession where people die. There is no way to sanitize that. I’ve lost two classmates while at the Academy, and we havent even left yet. It is a shame that some of America’s best and brightest must be lost like this, at such a young age, with such promising lives and families ahead of them, but we would not have it any other way. Just think about it.</p>
<p>Here is a list of every graduate killed in action since 9/11; their stories should help provide some insight or possibly motivation.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.aogusma.org/as/admin/remembrance.htm[/url]”>http://www.aogusma.org/as/admin/remembrance.htm</a></p>
<p>May it be said Well Done, be thou at Peace…</p>