West Point and the Military Academy (by Edward Farrow) • Chapter 6

Each Congressional District and Territory — also the District of Columbia — is entitled to have one Cadet at the Academy. Ten are also annually appointed at large. The appointments (excepting those at large) are made by the Secretary of War at the request of the Representative, or Delegate, in Congress, from the District, or Territory; and the person appointed must be an actual resident of the District, or Territory, from which the appointment is made. The appointments at large are specially conferred by the President of the United States.

Applications can be made at any time by letter to the Secretary of War to have the name of the applicant placed upon the register, that it may be furnished to the proper Representative, or Delegate, when a vacancy occurs. The application must exhibit the full name, exact age, and permanent abode of the applicant, with the number of the Congressional District in which his residence is situated.

Appointments are required by law to be made one year in advance of the date of admission, except in cases where, by reason of death or other cause, a vacancy occurs which cannot be provided for by such appointment in advance. These

The Representative, or Delegate, in Congress may nominate a legally qualified second candidate, to be designated the alternate. The alternate will receive p19 from the War Department a letter of appointment, and Will be examined with the regular appointee, and if duly qualified will be admitted to the Academy in the event of the failure of the principle to pass the prescribed preliminary examinations. The alternate will not be allowed to do for his reporting at West Point until the results of the examination of the regular appointee is known, but must report at the time designated in his letter of appointment. The alternate, like the nominee, should be designated as nearly one year in advance of the date of admission as possible.

Candidates selected by the war department are instructed to appear for mental and physical examination before boards of Army Officers to be convened at such places as the War Department may select on the first date of March annually (except when that day comes on Sunday, in which case the examinations will commence on the following Tuesday). The candidates who passed successfully are admitted to the Academy, without further examination, upon reporting in person to the Superintendent at West Point before 12 o'clock M. on the 15th day of June.

Candidates selected to fill the vacancies on provided for at the examinations held in March, and those which may occur after that time, are instructed to report at West Point for mental and physical examination early in June. The candidates who passed successfully this examination are admitted, at once, to the Academy, without returning to their homes. No candidate can be examined at any other time, unless prevented from presenting himself by sickness, or some other unavoidable cause, in which case he may be examined during the last three days in August.

Each candidate who passes in a satisfactory manner the examination by the caps on academic board must, as soon thereafter as practicable, with the consent of his parent or guardian if he be a minor, and if any he have, sign an engagement for service in the following form, in the presence of the Superintendent, or of some officer deputed by him.

I blank blank, of the State (or Territory) of blank, aged blank years blank months, do hereby engage (with the consent of my parent or guardian) that, from the date of my admission as a Cadet of the United States Military Academy, I will serve in the Army of the United States for eight years, unless sooner discharged by competent authority." In the presence of blank

And the candidate must then take and subscribe an oath or affirmation in the following form:

"I, blank blank, I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and bear true allegiance to the National Government; that I will maintain and defend the sovereignty of the United States, paramount to any and all allegiance, or fealty I may owe to any State or country whatsoever; and that I will at all times obey the legal orders of my superior officers, and the rules and articles governing the Armies of the United States. Blank blank "Sworn and subscribed, at blank, this blank day of blank, eighteen hundred and blank, before me. Blank"

Upon having fully conformed in all respects to the requirements set forth in the preceding paragraphs of this article, the candidate is admitted as a Cadet of the United States Military Academy, and will receive his warrant as soon as practicable.

p18 Chapter VI Mode of Entering

p18 Chapter VI

Mode of Entering