When the U.S. Military Academy graduated over 980 cadets in the Class of 2019 at its commencement last Saturday, it was a “season of firsts’ for the academy.
The class included:
• the highest number of African-American women;
• the highest number of women to graduate for any class (since 1980);
• the most diversity with regards to ethnicity and gender;
• the 5000th woman graduate;
• the 1000th Jewish cadet to graduate;
• the football seniors were the first to have earned the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy back-to-back and win three consecutive bowl games; and the
• first international student from the Netherlands graduated; the international program has been in existence since 1889.
“After this 47-month journey, over 980 second lieutenants shaped by rigorous military, physical, academic and character development have joined the proud ranks of the U.S. Army ready to fight and win,” Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, U.S. Military Academy superintendent, said.
