Gold shimmered on the fields of The Plain as the Class of 2024 Cadets donned their class rings to the roaring excitement of family and friends during the Ring Weekend Ceremony on Aug. 25 at the U.S. Military Academy.
The rings signify the Class of 2024's commencement into their Firstie (senior) year and is an achievement that forever binds them to the Long Gray Line upon graduation.
The milestone also adds to the 188-year legacy of USMA graduates who have left their steadfast mark on the Long Gray Line through military service.
Since its inception in 1835, the tradition of class rings at West Point has symbolized each respective class year, with the exceptions of the Class of 1836, who forwent rings, and the Class of 1879, who chose cuff links instead of rings. Over time, new customs evolved, culminating in the time-honored tradition that is known and cherished today. In a demonstration of camaraderie and pride, 67 rings were generously donated to the Class of 2024, with five of those donors sitting in attendance with their families during the event. Sayana Lopes, a Cadet of the Class of 2024 and the Chair of the Class Ring and Crest, emphasized the symbolic importance of these rings.
"Our class leadership, along with our regimental and company ring and crest representatives, melted these donated rings with the (West Point) Association of Graduates," Lopes said. "The gold melted on these rings was mixed with new gold to form our rings, connecting us with the Long Gray Line. The people, courage, and honor that these rings represent are now permanently tied to us. Now, we take this responsibility with pride." Rings donated spanned the years 1924 to 2006, with one ring donated from a member of the 100-year affiliate class of 1924 and 11 rings from members of their 50-year affiliate class of 1974. Addressing the donors, Lopes conveyed gratitude, promising to honor their generosity through daily actions. She also extended appreciation to the Class of 1974 for their mentorship."Donors, we thank you for your generous gift and hope to honor your gift every day with our actions. To the Class of 1974, thank you for your guidance and mentorship throughout our time at West Point," Lopes said. "We present these rings as a testament to the hard work, commitment and dedication that our class has put into the last three years. For the next 274 days, our class crest will face our hearts as we cherish the last few days we have with our peers." Cadet Martin Park, a member of the Class of 2024, expressed that although his 47-month experience felt like a long journey, all of the obstacles and challenges better prepared him for the opportunity to explore the medical field as an Army officer. "With donning my ring, I can finally see the end of this journey and how far I've come. I'm trying to go to medical school, so I'll be in the (U.S. Army Medical Corps) after medical school," Park said. "I'm actually a (platoon leader) right now and I love it. I love the job. I love helping people out, so I just look forward to the future and using what I learned at West Point in the big Army." Cadet Chase Campbell, another member of the Class of 2024, described the experience as "surreal," recognizing the privilege of this milestone. "I'm incredibly lucky, grateful, and blessed for this opportunity. I know that not many people have this opportunity, so we're going take these last 274 days very seriously," Chase said. Chase's mother, Barbara Campbell, herself a USMA graduate, rejoiced in her daughter's achievement. She could not help but praise her daughter for reaching the tail end of her West Point journey. "This is unbelievable--what an incredible experience. I'm so proud of her!" Barbara shouted with joy. With both parents also having a storied military career that began at West Point, Chase was happy to continue their legacy and add a new family member to the Long Gray Line. She also left a few words of advice for future candidates who wish to begin their service to the country at the academy. "Don't be so hard on yourself. Lean on your friends and colleagues and believe in yourself no matter what," she said. As the ceremony concluded, cadets and their families, along with USMA graduates, congregated to celebrate and compare their class rings. Amidst the celebration, firsties made their way to Central Area and were bombarded by plebes (freshmen), who upheld their tradition of chasing fleeing firsties to admire their class rings by reciting the 'Ring Poop.' "What a crass mass of brass and glass! What a bold mold of rolled gold! What a cool jewel you got from your school! See how it sparkles and shines? It must have cost you a fortune! May I touch it, may I touch it please, Sir/Ma'am?" During the event, the 80th Commandant of the Corps of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Lori Robinson, imparted words of wisdom meant to resonate with cadets during their remaining months at the academy and throughout their military service. "There's a good chance that someone in the future will ask you about your ring and your alma mater and what it represents. I challenge you to think about what you're going to say. You could give the technical West Point description that it is a crass mass of brass and glass," Robinson said. "But you can also talk about what it means to be a member of Long Gray Line. "That your ring identifies you as a standard bearer and the leader of character committed to something bigger than yourself," She concluded. "That your ring is a symbol of the commitment you made to our nation through an oath that reassures our citizens they can always count on you to defend our Constitution against all enemies and that your ring is a symbol of pride that you feel in being graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point ..."