Through the Gray

Allison grew up in a Military family. Military service, especially service through the Military Academies was a prominent option early in her life. Allison was active in the outdoors and in sports during her childhood and successful in school. West Point was able to increase her academic breadth and develop her interpersonal and leadership skills. Allison branched Adjutant General and posted to So...

Mohamed was recruited for college basketball by West Point and two colleges in Kentucky. West Point was out of state, challenging, and different. Mohamed was sold. Mohamed didn’t have much exposure to the military prior to West Point, but had many of the basic characteristics necessary to be successful. Injuries and competing Academic requirements impacted Mohamed’s time on the Basketball Team, bu...

James grew up in Virginia into a family of air traffic controllers and history buffs. Inspired to lead and serve in the military. James’ experiences in Boy Scouting grew and nurtured the desire to join the military, and shaped his decision to apply to West Point. James was accepted and prepared to enter West Point, but the separation from his home town support network had him looking to build anot...

Marshall’s father and older brother attended the Citadel. Marshall’s father also served in the Air Force. Marshall saw himself gravitating towards West Point. It wasn’t one thing, one master plan, but a confluence of opportunity and effort. Marshall was humbled by the challenges of West Point. It showed him areas for improvement he hadn’t seen in high school or at home. Tennis, Academics, and Mili...

Matt was interested in the Service Academy’s at an early age. This early interest drove him to focus on sports and grades and being well rounded. Matt had family in the Marine Corps, but he was drawn towards West Point. Matt was accepted into West Point and walked into Beast barracks with the Class of 1999. After Matt’s Yearling Year in the Summer of 1997, he resigned West Point and went to Taiwan...

Sindie followed in the footsteps of her father who served in Vietnam and her sister who attended West Point two years ahead of her. Sindie was prepared for West Point and for military service, but had to learn through direct experience for the lessons to stick. Once they stuck, once she learned the processes and procedures and got in the groove, she had success. This pattern repeated itself at fli...

McKinley’s love of history and military leaders drew him towards service, but it was his mentors in JROTC that recognized his potential and helped set the conditions for his entrance to West Point. McKinley was given opportunities to succeed, but he earned his success. Through late nights of studying and harassing his roommates for assistance McKinley demonstrated his drive to never quit and his u...

Jimmy’s family has a long history of service. WWII to Vietnam his family has answered the call when the country went to war. Jimmy applied to West Point and before he knew it he was reporting to 4th Squad, 2nd Platoon, Echo Company Cadet Basic Training. During the tough times at West Point Jimmy leaned upon his close friends, and the words of his father. “Find something that makes you feel good ab...

In the second half of my interview with Greg we discuss his experience at Harvard and his experience of returning to college and starting his family while he and his wife earn masters degrees. Greg also discusses the seeds of Stabilitas and his partnership with Chris Hurst. Greg walks through many of their early decisions and the process of bringing a business to life and the difficulties associat...

Greg was an Eagle Scout (an elite paramilitary organization), his father was a West Point graduate, and he grew up around the military. Greg knew he was going to the Army. West Point was a path to serve. West Point felt chaotic and Greg struggled to find his rhythm at first, but he leaned into computers, math, and physics as means to create order and mountaineering as a way to gain perspective. Gr...

Ashling applied to West Point on a dare, but she’d been preparing herself for service for years. Ashling was active throughout highschool, in her community, and overseas service. Ashling’s interest in West Point was piqued when she saw a VHS tape of the Academy and learned of its engineering pedigree and female lacrosse team. Ashling has a passion for life and embraced the physical and mental rigo...

This is the second half of the interview with Boyce Buckner. We discuss Simon Bolivar Buckner and the legacy of the Buckner name. We also talk about Boyce’s father and grandfather, suicide, and the fragility of one person and the resiliency of family and friendship. This is the next chapter of his story.

Boyce was born into a military family with a multi-generational affiliation to West Point. Boyce performed well in high school and had several strong options for college, but ultimately chose West Point. Boyce was accepted to the West Point Preparatory school and created strong bonds with his classmates and built a strong foundation for future success at the academy and throughout his life. Boyce...

Hank Keirsey’s father served in WWII as a Company Commander and fought at Sicily and continued to serve after. Hank grew up exposed to the military lifestyle, hearing about leadership, and inspiring soldiers. Hank entered West Point in the Summer of 1972 and graduated in 1976. Hank’s experience at West Point was shaped by the actions of the upperclassmen in 1st Regiment and the Instructors and Tac...

Dan Christman applied to West Point because of the quality of the leaders it had produced and the respect he had for veterans he knew in his local community. Dan arrived to West Point in the Summer of 1961 and experienced the sophomoric behavior of some of the upper classmen and West Point’s development through attrition model, but also had access to some of the most influential leaders of his era...

Tony applied to West Point out of high school, but was not selected. Tony enlisted as a medic in the Army and reapplied during his initial entry training. Tony was accepted into the United States Military Academy Preparatory School and stayed at West Point until the beginning of Sophomore Academic year. Perceptions of Tony’s physical fitness created a cloud over his performance as a cadet and as a...

April grew up in a military family and knew that she wanted to attend West Point at an early age. April was challenged by the physical and mental aspects of West Point, she found support from multiple sources and success on the West Point Pistol team. April branched Adjutant General because she wanted to serve soldiers in a direct and tangible way that impacted their daily lives. April did that th...

Blayne attended West Point because he wanted the challenge that a traditional university wouldn’t give him. At West Point Blayne leaned into his talents and interests. The structure of program and the talent of his peers and instructors pushed him to grow. In the military Blayne was eager to push himself and pull his weight. As a Tank Platoon Leader, Brigade Reconnaissance Platoon Leader, and as a...

Katie joined West Point inspired by the service of her father and her grandfathers. Katie had a strong work ethic and a structured and disciplined childhood. She participated in athletics and was academically challenged in highschool. Katie was prepared for the tangible rigors of West Point, but initially struggled to build a community to sustain her at the Academy. Katie learned to build and inve...

David Chiappinelli: Bella’s Bakery - the Secret Recipe Dave’s older Brother and Lacrosse Coaches were instrumental in inspiring him to apply to West Point. The physical and academic rigors of West Point put a lot of stress on Dave, but his family and the lacrosse community helped keep him motivated and focused. Dave graduated from West Point as an Armor Officer and served in South Korea and at Joi...

Jeff assumes Company Command in Hawaii and returns to Iraq for a third and fourth tour. Jeff is accepted for an Olmsted Scholarship and is sent to Western China, where he learns his family history in the region and builds his own. Jeff returns to the United States for jobs and opportunities in Kansas with Army and in California with Marines before taking Battalion Command in Georgia. Jeff returns...

Jeff grew up in a small town in Ohio with big dreams to see and experience the world. Jeff was exposed to West Point early in life, and even visited the barracks when his uncle was a cadet. His early preparation and focus earned him a nomination and acceptance to the academy, but it did not prepare him for the breadth of the journey he was about to embark on. Jeff branched Field Artillery and post...

Roscoe joined the Army as a means to go to college. Roscoe enlisted as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal soldier. A military occupational specialty with a challenging curriculum and a high training attrition rate. Roscoe succeeded in that path, and made Non-Commissioned Officer in a short period of time just before the opportunity to attend West Point presented itself. Roscoe attended the United Stat...

Nate returned to his home of upstate New York and started a new phase of life. Getting married, getting a civilian job, and joining the National Guard. Nate left the active force, but couldn’t leave his frenetic work ethic. As life intensifies Nate leans heavily on the experience and capabilities of his senior NCOs in the Guard. Nate finds that many of the lessons he learns in the Guard can be app...

Nate was inspired to apply to West Point based off of its history, but he earned his entrance based off of his frenetic work ethic. Nate grew up in a small town in upstate New York, participating in every school event possible, working construction with his uncle, and working on farms for cash. Nate was not recruited to play football at West Point, but when he failed to walk on to the team he was...