Leadership Lessons from the United States Military Academy

West Point, formally known as the United States Military Academy (USMA) has been developing, motivating, and inspiring leaders of character for America for over 200 years.

The USMA is admired internationally for its academic, military, patriotic, and fitness programs. These are all built on the pillars of character, ethics, integrity, and leadership.

The West Point Mission is “To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country, and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.”

This mission statement is complimented by the Cadet Honor Code which states: "A Cadet will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do."

West Point Cadets: A Day to Remember

Although privileged to conduct numerous presentations for the United States Military Academy over the past twelve years, the following event has special significance.

On Thursday, April 14, 2016 I delivered the opening presentation for the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD) for West Point Cadets visiting Jersey City.

Their visit honored the principles of community policing, patriotism, and leadership through a unique program titled “Winning the Peace.” This program is a collaboration of the USMA, JCPD, government leaders, faith-based communities, and corporate partners.

The initiative started twelve years ago and has included presentations as well as cadet visits to historic landmark’s, Egyptian churches, various mosques and Islamic centers, Jewish synagogues, Mormon communities, and corporate facilities.

During my presentation titled “West Point Cadets: Honor, Leadership, America,” I thanked the cadets for their dedication to America. I also encouraged them in their commitment of developing deep-rooted values of character, ethics, and leadership.

This presentation honestly assessed critical issues facing America today and emphasized that ethical principles inspired by our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the West Point legacy are principles needed to transform the nation.

My agenda used a metaphor of a catastrophic head-on collision with two trains traveling at high speed. I used this metaphor with accompanying images to illuminate America’s crisis of character and its culture of violence.

America’s shattered communities, demonstrated through deteriorated families, substance abuse, and the gang culture, resulting in violence, prison, and death, were also depicted with my slide presentation.

After honestly addressing these issues, solutions were presented that included cultivating altruism, visionary leadership principles, a call to action, and the importance of always honoring America’s military sacrifices.

The visionary leadership portion of my presentation included these principles:

• Leadership must be grounded in moral self-confidence developed by understanding through study, hard work, and education
• Leadership must accept the diversity and talents of the team and forge partnerships, cohesion, and significance to a cause
• Leadership is aware of the efficacy of truth and the destructiveness of dishonesty
• Leadership opposes the immorality of injustice
• Leadership understands that there is no persuasion without credibility
• Leadership responds to the needs of the community with humility, appreciation, and selflessness
• Leadership overcomes every hardship, handicap, and challenge to achieve its goals

After my presentation, the JCPD escorted all attendees into the heart of American history with a tour of Ellis Island. This was followed by our visit to Empty Sky, the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial in Liberty State Park, Jersey City.

West Point: A History of Character Initiatives

This “Winning the Peace” program complemented 12 years of various initiatives I have had with the USMA.

These included three years of participation as a speaker, mentor, and senior leader for the National Conference on Ethics in America at the USMA.

Other initiatives included my speaking engagements with Lt. General Robert L. Caslen Jr., superintendent of the USMA. These involved our presentations for an FBI Newark Field Office management retreat, and also for an FBI New York Field Office leadership program.

Lt. General Caslen also kindly accepted by invitation to speak with me and other colleagues at “The Inaugural New Jersey Conference: Character, Ethics, Leadership.” This was a filled to capacity conference for over 250 law enforcement officials hosted by The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey on May 12, 2014.

Both these events encouraged ethical leadership for FBI management and law enforcement as highlighted by Lt. General Caslen. They are deserving of reflection, as their principles are vital not only to our military, but to law enforcement, and to all in society who appreciate the qualities of character:

• Honor — adherence to the highest standards of integrity
• Respect — treating people with dignity
• Servant Leadership — putting others before ourselves
• Integrity — doing what is morally and ethically right even when no one is watching

West Point’s Leader Development System

Since the intention of this article is not only to honor the ideals of our military, but to inspire American law enforcement, a commentary on West Point’s leadership development deserves attention.

The USMA utilizes the West Point Leader Development System (WPLDS) to accomplish their mission of developing leaders of character.
Character is also critical to American law enforcement, and therefore there is an indefatigable connection of the army ethic and the ideals of

“Duty, Honor, and Country” with law enforcement’s sacrosanct oath to protect and serve.
For both the USMA, and law enforcement, principles that contribute to the moral, civic, social, and leadership facets of character are in my opinion, inseparable.

The facets of the WPLDS offer an inspirational moral compass to the ethical protectors of law enforcement. These facets are essential not only to the ideals of our military, but to law enforcement and are as follows:

Facets of the West Point Leader Development System

1. Moral: Internalization of the Army Values that results in the knowledge, integrity, and awareness to assess the moral-ethical aspects of every situation and the personal courage to take appropriate action regardless of consequences.
2. Civic: Demonstrates the empathy, loyalty, respect, and humility that enable an individual to treat others with dignity and to display selflessness.
3. Social: Acts with proper decorum in all professional, social, and online environments.
4. Performance: Possesses the sense of duty, resilience, and grit necessary to accomplish the mission and get results.
5. Leadership: Establishes a safe, positive command climate where everyone thrives while achieving results.

Army Football: Field of Character

On Friday, August 30, 2019, I visited the USMA to attend the first Army football game of the season.

An Army football game is unparalleled to any American athletic experience. To begin, there is the inspirational Cadet Review and Parade on the plain.

This event is one of the honored traditions of an Army West Point home game. It features a full-dress parade of thousands of impeccable uniformed cadets, a paratrooper demonstration from army helicopters, and on this day, the U.S. Army Airborne Choir singing patriotic songs for enthralled spectators.

Following the review and parade is the football game, which also includes paratroopers jumping from helicopters, patriotic music, thousands of exuberant cadets, and the loyal Army football fans.

It’s exciting and fun, but important to remember that every Army player on the field is a cadet formed by character. They understand that competition on the field is an honor, but the bedrock of all their activities, including football, is always character.

Final Reflections

A day with the West Point Cadets was truly inspirational as these outstanding young men and women represent America’s ethical values. Their dedication to character, visionary leadership, and patriotism makes one proud of America and gives great hope for our future.

Note Well:

This article was published in The Chief of Police magazine, Fall 2019, and distributed to police chiefs and law enforcement nationwide. It is one of my 44 published articles for the magazine over the course of the last 10 years, including 14 cover stories.

Photos

1. U.S. Army Major Ryan Boeka (L) and U.S. Army Major Aaron Miller (R) lead West Point Cadets through Empty Sky, the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial, in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, on April 14, 2016. (Vincent J. Bove)
2. West Point Honor Code monument, USMA. (Vincent J. Bove)
3. General Dwight D. Eisenhower monument, USMA, Oct. 20, 2008. (Vincent J. Bove)
4. Army Football team time-out, Aug. 30, 2019, USMA. (Vincent J. Bove)
5. Army MP’s on post, Army Football game, Aug. 30, 2019. (Vincent J. Bove)