The Days Forward

West Point Class of 1969

Suzanne Rice

R-Day Memory

On June 30th, my 18th birthday, I went to Woo Poo and spent my night before Beast in the barracks at West Point, due to the “wisdom” of Coach Knight and the Basketball program. The theory was I would get a head start and be one of the first ones, (if not THE first one, I am not sure), to report in and go through the fitting for a uniform, (shoes were too small for me and I limped around for a week waiting for bigger ones to arrive, until an officer asked me what was wrong; good news, bad news again, as I caught s….. for walking instead of double-timing everywhere, even though I was authorized to do so), haircut, learn to march and salute, etc., etc., first day drill. However, my assessment is it just gave them more time to give you s….., and stress/hazing, (as so few new cadets there yet—I wanted to hide), and I would never recommend this as SOP thereafter, I told the coaches.  Looking back, it was the worst, and best experience of my life. It DOES BUILD CHARACTER!! BOTL ’69-

Getting the Correct Shoes

Men in Red Sashes

My story was about how my attitude was formed as I met the man in the red sash.  After about 4 times being directed to pick up and then drop my suitcase, I noticed that the man in the red sash had to bite his lip to keep from smiling (or laughing).  At that point, I realized that he was just doing the kind of hazing to me that he had gone through.  From then on, I had the attitude that if all those who had gone before me could do it, I could too.

Men In the Red Sashes

Trouser trouble

For the eight years before entering USMA, I lived at West Point, most of the time in the Lusk housing area.  The night before I entered, I swam in Lusk Reservoir, like my older brother had done.  Totally unauthorized, of course.  I forgot that something called “The Sound and Light Show” was going to be held that evening.  So, about two minutes into my swim, there was a lot of light in the sky, and I rushed to shore before somebody like the MP’s saw me. In the morning, my best friend from Highland Falls High School drove onto post, picked me up and drove me to Central Area.  As many know, I never made it to the Swearing-In Ceremony because my trousers were way too tight, I almost passed out, and I was dragged to the hospital.  So, only five of the six West Point-based New Cadets were there.

An Expert Fitting Trousers for a New Cadet

Gym at R-Day

Vividly recall sweating through our first long, slow line of the day, right after leaving the gym … still in civvies, with suitcase in hand and a bewildered expression. After ten or so minutes of the start-stop-start-again shuffle, the tall guy in front of me, clearly bored, turned around, stuck out his hand, grinned, and said, “Mike Krzyzewski, Chicago.” You would not believe the responses I still get telling this, “Guess who I met first at West Point?” story. 

Long, Slow Line of Cadets Carrying Their Bags

The Long Drive to R-Day

My parents drove me from Minnesota – a three-or four-day journey. Along the way, we stopped one night with my sister and brother-in-law in Princeton, N.J. They dropped me off in Highland Falls the night before. I stayed in some sort of boarding house with about 6 prospective cadets.  Not being from New York, we were anxious to take advantage of the drinking age of 18 and I had my first and probably last taste of Highland Falls.  Knowing virtually nothing about West Point and after a somewhat fitful sleep, we reported early to get a “head start” on the process and arrived when the cadre was truly full of piss and vinegar.  My second mistake was arriving in brown loafers sans low cut black shoes (we looked in Southern Minnesota, but they didn’t seem to exist there.), Upon arrival at the 1st New Cadet Company, I learned that I needed them that evening and my company was not to draw shoes for two days; thus it started.  I rapidly learned the value of “no excuse, sir”.  I survived reporting to the 1st Sergeant of the 1st New Cadet Company for the 1st time as ordered after a few garbled attempts, was later afforded the opportunity to stare at a crack in the pavement for an hour as I was caught “gazing around”. The cadre grudgingly took me for a special clothing formation to get some shoes.  Since I had arrived early, they were still busy with others when I had finished getting check marks on my tag.  Taking advantage of being in a room on the third floor of New South I went to my room and took a nap, fortunately the cadre didn’t catch me.  A somewhat faltering start to our four years together.

Cadets Learning to Listen