By Rebecca Rose, WPAOG Multimedia Journalist

The West Point Class of 2025 attended the “Inspiration to Serve Cemetery Tour,” led by the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic (SCPME), during this year’s Projects Day.

The tour serves three different purposes. The tour honors and remembers fallen graduates while simultaneously inspiring cadets and allowing them to embody their place in the Long Gray Line. Lastly, cadets can reflect on their willingness to freely affirm their commitment to serve in the Profession of Arms at affirmation this August.

Cadets were provided a packet filled with the faces and stories they would hear about throughout the tour and then headed to the foot of the Old Cadet Chapel where the tour began. There, Peter Kilner ’90, John Hottell Chair for Character Development, briefed cadets and left them with a eulogy written by MAJ John Alexander Hottell ’64 who was Killed in Action in Vietnam on July 07, 1970.

Cadets met with friends and family members of fallen graduates as they shared personalized stories about their friends and loved ones lost too soon. The class motto, “Together We Thrive” was truly embodied. For the first time, the WPAOG 50-Year Affiliation Class participated in this meaningful event, gripping hands with the Class of 2025 following their generous gift of the Class of 1975 Cadet Character Development Program Endowment. Fifty-year affiliate LTC (R) John Furman ’75 was a stop on the tour, at which time he shared personal stories of fellow classmate COL (R) John McMullen ’75.

Check out more photo from Projects Day: