Legacy, Purpose, and the Future Ahead

Your final year at West Point—known as Firstie Year—is a powerful and emotional journey. As a first-class cadet, you are the senior leaders of the Corps, setting the example and shaping the culture for every cadet who follows.

This is the year when everything becomes real. You’ll proudly wear your class ring, discover your Army branch and duty station, and cement the lifelong friendships and mentorships that define the Long Gray Line. When graduation arrives, you’ll step onto the field at Michie Stadium and toss your white service cap into the sky, celebrating the culmination of 47 months of sacrifice, resilience, and transformation.

It goes fast—faster than you expect—and it’s filled with pride, confidence, and deep reflection. By the end of Firstie Year, you’ll understand what selfless service truly means and you’ll be ready to begin your career as an officer in the U.S. Army.

This is your moment. The future is waiting. Lead it.

Cadet Leader Development Training (CLDT)

Cadet Leader Development Training (CLDT)—also known as ML300—is one of the most challenging and transformative experiences of your West Point journey. Typically completed the summer before your firstie year (though about 20% of cadets complete it as cows), this four-week program puts your leadership to the test in realistic and demanding field environments.

During CLDT, you conduct platoon-level operations while being evaluated on three critical areas: leading under stress, tactical problem-solving, and individual technical proficiency. It’s designed to push you physically, mentally, and emotionally, preparing you for the responsibility of leading soldiers.

The training culminates in an intense 12-day, 10-night field problem, where you apply everything you’ve learned with precision and resilience.

Branch Night

Branch Night is one of the most exciting and emotional milestones of your firstie year. Held in Eisenhower Hall each November or December, this highly anticipated event is when you and your classmates discover the U.S. Army branch you will commission into; the career field where you will begin leading soldiers and shaping your future.

When the Director of Military Instruction gives the command to “Open Envelopes!”, the room erupts as firsties tear open their assignments, celebrating whether they received their first choice or a new challenge that will define their path. It’s a moment filled with energy, pride, and shared anticipation.

In another powerful connection to the Long Gray Line, the 50-Year Affiliation Class presents each cadet with the first brass of their new branch insignia, symbol of heritage, mentorship, and unity across generations of Army officers.

Branch Night is more than a ceremony.

It’s the night you take your next step into the Army, and into the leader you are becoming.

100th Night and 100th Night Show

100th Night is a cherished rite of passage dating back to 1871, marking the moment when you and your classmates have just 100 days remaining until graduation and commissioning. It’s a celebration of everything you’ve endured, achieved, and become during nearly four years at West Point.

The centerpiece of the weekend is the 100th Night Show, a full-stage musical production written and performed by members of the Firstie Class. With creativity and humor, the show looks back on your experiences, spotlighting memorable moments, traditions, inside jokes, challenges, and the unmistakable culture of cadet life. Faculty and staff often make cameo appearances as good-natured targets of playful jeers and heartfelt appreciation.

The 100th Night Banquet in the Cadet Mess Hall brings the class together in formal attire for an evening of reflection, camaraderie, and inspiration from a distinguished guest speaker.

But 100th Night Weekend is more than the banquet and the show.

It’s the moment you pause, celebrate how far you’ve come, reconnect with your classmates, and take a deep breath before the final 100 days race toward commissioning.

Post Night

Post Night takes place midway through your final semester and marks one of the most thrilling moments of your West Point experience. On this night, you and your classmates gather by branch to participate in a draft-style selection of your first Army post and duty assignment. One by one, in class rank order, each cadet chooses from the remaining billets at Army installations across the country and around the world.

Where you are stationed will determine not only where you move after graduation, but also the type of unit and mission you will join as a newly commissioned officer. The stakes feel real, the energy is intense, and the room is filled with anticipation, strategy, and last-minute calls between friends hoping to serve together.

When the final selection is made, the room erupts into celebration, because this night represents more than a location.

Post Night is when your Army future starts to take shape, and your next chapter becomes real.