“All Of A Sudden, I Was One Of Those Guys”: From The Honor Scandal To Service In Beirut And Desert Storm

W. Scott Anders grew up all over the world, living in California, Oklahoma, and England. He entered West Point with the Class of 1977, and relished the challenging environment of the Academy. He enjoyed developing relationships with his classmates, and met his future wife at SCUSA (Student Conference on US Affairs). He attended West Point during an interesting era: the Vietnam War was ending, women were admitted to the Academy in 1976, and the cheating scandal rocked his class. He was cleared in the honor investigation, and branched Armor. During his career in the military, he deployed to Beirut, Lebanon, and to Desert Storm. In this interview, Scott talks about his experiences at the Military Academy, and his service in the Army. He explains in detail how the honor scandal affected him, describes the climate at West Point following the end of the Vietnam War, and addresses the Academy’s preparation for the introduction of Women as Cadets in 1976. He discusses his operational experiences, focusing on his deployment to Beirut on a Mobile Training Team in 1983, and his role in Desert Storm. Finally, he reflects upon what West Point means to him.