AcademyFriend1
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2010
- Messages
- 200
Along with summer seminars, another great resource for young people interested in the academies is the "R-Day Rehearsal" (or "Mock R-Day") held at West Point. The Friday before the new plebe class reports for R-Day, USMA holds a "dress rehearsal" in which volunteers play the role of the cadet candidates -- learning to march, salute, say their "four responses," and even report to the immortal Cadet in the Red Sash! You can't do it if you're in the incoming plebe class, but it would be a great activity for those going into their junior year in high school and looking at USMA. Also an excellent activity to give family members just the tiniest taste of the experience. I enjoyed it very much myself, and realized that it is surprisingly difficult to remember and correctly recite even short military sentences under pressure! I do still remember the formula though . . .("Sir! New Cadet Clueless reports to the Cadet in the Red Sash for the first time as ordered!") Call the Academy Public Affairs office in late May to find out about signing up.