The members of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2026 had a chance to sit back, relax and take a breath from their hectic schedule to enjoy a banquet and dance during the Yearling Winter Weekend (YWW) event February 24 at the Cadet Mess Hall. The evening included words of wisdom from guest speaker CSM Brett Johnson, the Regimental Command Sergeant Major of the 75th Ranger Regiment, who reiterated to the future officers that they have “one shot” to make an impression in all the things they do in life.

Before Johnson’s speech, the evening’s master of ceremonies, CDT Daniel Kim ’26, kicked off the event by introducing the Ring and Crest Committee Chair and acting Class President, Class of 2026 CDT Luke Monk, who took the stage to welcome everyone who attended the evening’s festivities and discuss how far his class has come in such a short period of time.

“It is during these moments when you remember the small wins we get, one of those being tonight, and getting to celebrate our achievements as a class and with our guests,” Monk said. “So, take tonight, and the rest of the weekend as a time to relax. And remember that graduation will be just around the corner.”

In CSM Johnson’s speech, his mission was to tell a story about “Triumph, tragedy, a real story, my story,” he explained. Monk felt that the importance of training and execution in action were the noteworthy takeaways from Johnson’s speech.

“As future leaders, you must get it right. You have to get it right,” Johnson exclaimed. “You have to lead the American sons and daughters in our future. That is what this institution is. That is what it stands for. And that’s what you’re charged to do.”

Monk, as were many of his classmates, was inspired by Johnson’s words as he said, “It is always cool to hear how those experiences shape a proven leader’s mindset.” Read more.

Excerpt and image taken from https://www.westpoint.edu/.