“To Live A Life For Others”: Excelling At West Point And Embarking On A Path For Lifelong Learning

Langdon Ogburn grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and while he did play sports during his childhood, he gravitated towards more intellectual pursuits and service to others. Attending Boy’s State and Boy’s Nation exposed him to new opportunities for service, and a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with veterans opened his eyes to the option of West Point for college. On R-Day, he learned the value of teamwork with his classmates and an appreciation for others’ skills. He attended an excellent high school in Raleigh, and his strong educational foundation led him to volunteer as a tutor and a writing fellow with the Mounger Writing Center. He has excelled academically, taking advantage of every opportunity available at the Academy, including a semester abroad in France (unfortunately, his semester was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Additionally, he has been actively involved with the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, participating in conferences, writing and publishing papers, and helping develop the Mass Atrocity Prevention App. Throughout his Cadet experiences, he has continually reflected on how he could help others. Langdon has been selected as a Marshall Scholar, and plans to attend King’s College in London to earn a Master of Arts in Conflict, Development, and Security following graduation from West Point. In this interview, he talks about his childhood, his West Point experiences, and his plans for the future. He highlights the academic and military opportunities he’s seized, including completing Air Assault and SERE schools, and developing a Corps-wide Mental Health Survey with a classmate following a Cadet’s suicide in 2019. He recalls quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic, returning home from his semester abroad in France, and continuing his French coursework via computer in Raleigh. He was thankful to spend time at home during the pandemic, because his father had just been diagnosed with cancer, and he valued the unexpected family time. Finally, he talks about what West Point means to him.