Superintendent’s Annual Fund: Why I Give

I am asking you to join me in supporting the Margin of Excellence at West Point and our Corps of Cadets. The Superintendent’s Annual Fund is a critical resource for the Academy’s leadership as it ensures that our Nation’s future leaders of character are prepared for a career dedicated to military service for our Army and our country. Your investment in this fund, West Point’s #1 campaign priority, is not only about maintaining the excellence of West Point’s military, academic, character, and physical programs but also about offering cadets the full range of opportunities and experiences needed for them to serve and lead with distinction in a complex, fast-paced, global environment.

I grew up living around the world as part of an Army family. My first exposure to West Point was when my father, LTC (R) Richard Clarke ’61, taught in the physical education department, and I attended elementary school in Cornwall. He had keys to Arvin Gymnasium, and we spent a lot of time in the pool and on the courts playing basketball with my brothers. This is why, decades later, I still enjoy physical fitness and consider myself a “gym rat.” My family was living in Germany when it was time to apply for college. I considered various ROTC and Academy options, but once I was accepted at USMA, I made my decision quickly. A few years later, my brother Scott Clarke ’88 decided to attend as well, deepening our family’s ties to West Point.

I commissioned as an Infantry Officer in 1984. During my nearly four-decade-long military career, including nearly 15 years stationed overseas, with 12 combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I was fortunate to lead Soldiers in a wide variety of assignments. West Point gave me foundational leadership skills and a drive to excel that I built on with subsequent exposure to seasoned leaders. Upon graduation, I did not believe that a military career was in the cards for me, but the power of the Long Gray Line shaped my leadership framework and ultimately inspired my decision to remain in the Army.

In 1988, LTC Bob St. Onge ’69 (now MG Retired), and LTC Terry Young ’70 (now COL Retired), supported and encouraged me to serve with the 2-504, 101st Airborne. If not for the bonds of West Point and these extraordinary demonstrations of leadership, I would not have remained in the Army.

Along the way, I continued to reinforce the fundamental lessons I learned at the Academy and from so many tremendous leaders like COL Young: take care of your people, focus on the mission, continue to grow, develop, do the harder right over the easier wrong, and remain disciplined. I have tried to dedicate my career to taking care of those who report to me and doing everything within my power to provide resources and guidance. I have endeavored to be a leader for my Soldiers and their families, not just during times of crisis but at all times. I have always viewed my rank as an opportunity to support and ensure the success of others.

The Academy taught me to value hard work, determination, grit, and true friendships forged through hardship. As I have often discussed with my classmates, I have no doubt that in a time of need, all of us would come to each other’s aid. My network of classmates with shared USMA values has been something that has sustained and grounded me throughout my life. I’m truly fortunate to have been a member of the Corps of Cadets and that is why I continue to support West Point.

In 2013/14, I had the honor of serving as West Point’s 74th Commandant of Cadets. It was not a position that I sought or envisioned having, as my entire career up to that point had been in operational assignments. When the assignment officer called to tell me that the Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN Raymond Odierno ’76, had named me to the position,

I asked him if the Chief knew about my mediocre cadet records—I was not sure that I was the right person for the job!

I ended up loving the position, as every single day was an opportunity to intersect with and further develop an amazingly talented, intelligent, and focused group of cadets. I tried to meet them where they were, in the barracks, mess hall, sports fields, gyms, club rooms, and in the classroom, and always found them motivated and inquisitive. The most significant moment I experienced was leading the commissioning oath at Michie Stadium for more than 1,000 new second lieutenants, with the President and Commander-in-Chief also on stage. It was powerful and underscored the critical responsibility of developing each newly commissioned West Point graduate.

As an all-volunteer Army, we must ensure that we use all 47 months to train our cadets to be warfighters, leading our Soldiers in some of the most difficult and challenging missions to defend our Nation. I personally saw cadets grow and develop their leadership skills through Margin of Excellence opportunities made possible by the Superintendent’s Annual Fund. These opportunities expose cadets to emerging technologies, help them develop critical thinking skills, and deepen their commitment to the ethos of Duty, Honor, Country.

Please consider joining me in strengthening our country’s next generation of leaders through a gift to the Superintendent’s Annual Fund. Let’s demonstrate our gratitude for their commitment to defending our Nation and upholding the Constitution. The Corps of Cadets has been entrusted with the national treasure that is the United States of America, and stands ready to serve and ready to lead.

Grip Hands,

GEN Richard D. Clarke, USA, Retired
Class of 1984

GEN Richard D. Clarke, USA, Retired,
Class of 1984 — “Best of the Corps”
Retired Commander, US Special Operations
74th Commandant, US Corps of Cadets

Superintendent’s Annual Fund Distribution

Number Represents a Five-Year Average