West Point Day Honors Cadets at State Capitol, Highlighting Academy's Orange County Ties

Eleven cadets with ties to Orange County stood inside the New York State Capitol in Albany on March 19 as legislators unanimously passed resolutions declaring the date West Point Day, marking the 74th consecutive year the state has held the tradition honoring the U.S. Military Academy.

Col. Daniel R. Stuewe, commander of U.S. Army Garrison West Point, led the delegation to Albany, which included officers, noncommissioned officers, Department of Defense civilians, the cadet first captain, and the 11 local cadets. The group formally accepted the New York State Legislature's resolution proclamation at the Capitol Building.

Sen. James Skoufis, D-Orange County, and Assemblyman Chris Eachus, D-New Windsor, introduced the resolutions in their respective chambers. Both passed without a single dissenting vote. The adopted resolutions will not be filed away: they are set to be displayed at West Point's Fourth of July celebration later this year.

"The men and women who have chosen to join West Point's ranks in service to our nation are some of the finest citizens among us," Skoufis said. "These cadets represent the bright future of American diplomacy and strength. As their representative in the State Senate, I will never lose sight of their commitment or their sacrifices."

Eachus, whose New Windsor district sits at the Academy's doorstep, called the annual event among his most meaningful obligations in office. "The cadets that come before us each year represent the best and brightest: the next generation of leaders that will continue to defend our values at home and abroad," he said. "Their tenacity and spirit for our country is a shining example to us all, and a stark reminder of what it means to serve."

The ceremony gives Hudson Valley lawmakers a formal occasion to recognize West Point's role in the region and the nation, and to put on record, in the Legislature's own chambers, the commitment of the cadets who train along the banks of the Hudson.