Not A Punishment – An Opportunity: Honor Redemption Through The Army Mentorship Program

In December 2013, during his Cow (Junior) Year, Cadet Henry Guerra committed an honor violation by using someone else’s data in Analytical Chemistry without documentation. At first, he fought the accusation, but he soon admitted his guilt and went before a Cadet Advisory Board. Initially, the board determined that he should be a one-year-turnback, but the Commandant, BG Richard D. Clarke (now LTG Clarke), recommended the Army Mentorship Program (AMP), and the Superintendent concurred. Henry was able to select Infantry, but his AMP Mentor recommended that he be assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. After completing OSUT (One Station Unit Training) as an Infantryman, he joined C / 1-325 Infantry, and had the opportunity to attend several Army schools, including Airborne and Ranger, before deploying to Iraq. During his deployment, he was accepted back into West Point, and he returned to the Military Academy. Currently, he is on track to graduate in December 2018. In this interview, Henry talks about his honor violation, and being selected for the Army Mentorship Program. He describes his experiences as an enlisted Soldier, and discusses the difficult choice of remaining enlisted or returning to West Point. He reflects on the circumstances that led him to the Army Mentorship Program, what he learned in his unit, and how he expects his experiences to make him a stronger leader in the future.