West Point – The Purpose Behind The Hard Work: Reflections Of A USMA ’24 Graduate

Anna Huh was born in December 2001 in Seoul, South Korea, but moved to New Jersey with her mother when she was 9. Arriving in the United States as a 4th grader, she felt that she was readily accepted in her new school and found her new life “exciting.” Due to her mother’s job, she spent evenings at the YMCA playing and developing friendships, which she credits with helping her improve her English. She felt that high school was stressful, but she kept busy with dance, lacrosse, and fencing. Attending a college fair, she was interested in the Ivys, but noticed the table for West Point and talked with the field force representative. She became interested in attending the Military Academy because she thought, “Why not try this unique opportunity.” Her mother researched West Point and recommended she become an R-Day volunteer (to allow the Cadre to rehearse) and attend SLE (Summer Leader Experience). SLE sold her on the Academy. She recalls feeling that she had to work hard in high school so she could get into a good college so she could get a good job where she could work hard to earn money, and was beginning to worry that there was no point to all of the hard work. West Point, she reasoned, could give her a purpose that she felt was lacking. During her senior year in high school, COVID 19 swept the nation and all of the milestone events of her final year were cancelled. She reported for R-Day on July 14 during the COVID summer of 2020. Her R-Day had New Cadets report over a three-day period. They had to wear masks all summer, and based on the pandemic, Beast was shortened to 4 weeks. During Beast she felt that the New Cadets “were always in the wrong.” Due to the shortened Beast, the Cadre did not switch out mid-cycle, so the New Cadets did not experience a normal “ice cream social,” and she remembers eating ice cream in silence on the Plain during Beast. She has done well academically, and was able to spend a semester abroad in Taiwan as a Chinese language major. She realized that after a few months of freedom in a civilian university, she began to miss West Point. Later, she was able to participate in a foreign language exchange to the South Korean Military Academy. She has done well in the military pillar, and was selected to be the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment Commander during her Firstie year. She also participated in an Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) to London with the English Department. At West Point she has remained active with clubs and activities, including the club for Korean-American Cadets and the Mounger Writing Center. She appreciates the diversity of perspectives at West Point and how the Academy challenges everyone. She selected Quartermaster as a branch after positive experiences during her leadership detail as the Regimental S4 for Beast 1, remarking she loves “serving Soldiers who serve.” After BOLC she will be assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade. When asked to provide advice to future Cadets, she said, “Be a good person; things are easier if you are a good person.” Reflecting on West Point, she notes, “West Point is growth” and it “makes you mature.”