ARLINGTON, Va. - Army Pfc. Mitchell Valenza, a member of the New York Army National Guard, is now Cadet Valenza and was among the approximately 1,200 cadet candidates who reported to the United States Military Academy at West Point July 1 to begin the four-year journey to earn both a college degree and their commissions as second lieutenants.
Valenza, who enlisted in the Army National Guard at age 17 and completed basic training in August 2013, was admitted to West Point though a program that sets aside 85 slots in each class for Army Reserve or Army National Guard Soldiers, said Army Maj. Michael Bedryk, the Army National Guard liaison officer at West Point.
Those in the Army Guard who desire to attend West Point through the program still must meet the academy's stringent physical fitness and academic requirements, Bedryk said, adding that means they have to be a good Soldier with demonstrated leadership potential.
"For a Soldier to do well at West Point, they need to have a good academic foundation in math and science," said Bedryk. "Appointment to West Point is a competitive process, so your performance in high school, as well as your results on your SATs (or) ACTs, are the most significant factors in determining competitiveness for an offer."
Additionally, those who apply must also be a U.S. citizen, younger than age 23 on July 1 of the year they enter the academy, unmarried and have no legal obligation to support children. Like other cadets at the academy, upon graduation those who come from the Army Guard have a five-year obligation to serve on active duty.
Earning admission to West Point through the program is still a competitive one, Bedryk said.
West Point had about 400 Army Guard members apply to the program in 2012, according to academy officials. Of those, about 30 were selected for entrance to the academy while another 25 were chosen for the USMA Preparatory School, an intensive 10-month program designed to aid applicants who may need an academic boost to enter the academy itself.
The application process itself is broken down into two parts. The first is a pre-screening to determine if the potential cadet meets the basic qualifications and could be competitive for an appointment. During this phase, applicants should have their high school and any college transcripts in order, as well as scores for the SAT or ACT with a writing score.
If they are determined to be eligible, applicants move to the second phase where they will be asked to provide personal information related to academic and extracurricular activities, a medical physical and physical fitness test scores.
West Point isn't for everyone and those who earn an admission appointment have attained many academic and other noteworthy achievements. According to academy statistics, the most recent class at the academy saw 71 percent among the top fifth of their high school graduating class and more than 90 percent taking part in a varsity level sport. Additionally, many have earned the Boy Scouts' Eagle Scout award or the Girl Scouts' Gold Award and others were valedictorians or members of the National Honor Society.
Valenza was all of the above and participated in varsity soccer, baseball, track and football in addition to being a member of the National Honor Society. He also earned the Eagle Scout award by working on a community service project refurbishing a bus for the Saratoga National Cemetery honor guard.
Army Guard Soldiers who have attended West Point through the program have generally performed well at the academy and bring with them many skills that other cadets may not have, said Bedryk.
"A majority of cadets entering West Point are high school graduates without military experience," he said. "(Army Guard) Soldiers who come already have the military aspect down as well as good resiliency skills."
But that doesn't mean there aren't other challenges faced.
"The main challenge is academics," said Bedryk. "The curriculum is very challenging as everyone takes calculus, chemistry, statistics, physics and engineering courses."
One of 25 Soldiers from throughout the Army Guard to be admitted into the West Point class of 2018, Valenza isn't the only Soldier from the New York Army Guard to attend the academy in recent years. Cadet Erin Colburn, formerly a specialist with the New York Army Guard's 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, entered the academy in 2013.
Those who may be thinking about attending West Point need to be strongly committed to that goal, said Bedryk.
"For those interested in West Point, I recommend that if they have any doubts about whether they should apply or accept an offer, then they probably should look at other opportunities," he said.
"This is a big commitment that doesn't end here. However, if they choose this route, they will eventually graduate from one of the top academic institutions in America and commission as second lieutenants in the greatest Army the world has seen. It's an awesome opportunity."
For those interested in applying to West Point, more information can be found at www.usma.edu/applynow. A similar program exists that sets aside 60 seats for members of the Air National Guard to attend the Air Force Academy. Those interested in attending the Air Force Academy can visit www.academyadmissions.com for more information.