My 40th reunion at West Point is just over a year away and I’m looking forward to it. It will be great to reconnect with people that I don’t get to see nearly enough. That time at the Academy was ages ago, but I remember my first couple of hours like it was yesterday. Even now it all comes back – the pride, the fear, the doubt, the racing of my mind…

Mom and dad drove me from Illinois to West Point that summer, and we arrived the day before I was to inprocess. We’d arranged to meet Colin Willis, a guy that graduated from Ottawa High School three years before I did, and then went to West Point. Colin was about to become a First Classman (a Senior) at West Point. We had both played football and wrestled while at Ottawa, so we knew each other some. We met Colin at Grant Hall.

West Point is a beautiful place. Granite buildings, monuments, green fields, and the majestic Hudson River flowing around Trophy Point. Colin showed all of it to us, and we were impressed. Dad said something about how beautiful it was and Colin answered “It’s OK if you like Grey”.

At some point, Colin got me a bit away from my parents and said “Are you ready for this”? I told him that I thought I was, but was a bit nervous. He then said, and I’ll never forget this, “Just remember, it’s all a mental game”. And I said “What”? And he answered back “It’s all a mental game. As long as you remember that, you’ll do fine”. Mom and dad rejoined us about then, and he didn’t say anything more. We eventually said goodbye, and went back to our hotel.

The next morning, we ate a quick breakfast and my folks drove to the inprocessing point. We said our goodbyes, dad looking proud, mom crying, and me just wanting to get going. Inside I went.  

There were some preliminary things for checking in, and we changed from our civilian clothes into West Point gym clothes and black dress shoes. I think there was a tag attached to my shorts saying what company I was assigned to (6th New Cadet Company). So far, it was pretty easy…

We were driven in a bus to the central cadet area, and there, reported to “the man in the red sash”. After multiple corrections about my salute, my stance, foot angle and every other conceivable thing that I was doing wrong, I was told that “as a New Cadet, you have four answers, and four answers only. Yes sir.  No sir.  No excuse sir, and Sir, I do not understand”.  “Do you understand your answers”? After multiple practices, I finally got it, and he told me to report to the First Sergeant for the 6th New Cadet Company.  

I saluted, and left and then double-timed to the barracks, and then up the stairs to our floor (Plebes always double timed up and down stairs). I finally reached the First Sergeant’s office and reported: “Sir, New Cadet Hall reporting as ordered!”

The First Sergeant proceeded to ask me a question, which I attempted to answer, when he shouted “SMACKHEAD! DID I ASK FOR AN EXPLANATION?! WHAT ARE YOUR FOUR ANSWERS?!” At which point I promptly froze.

I racked my brain for my four answers, but couldn’t get past Yes Sir!and No Sir!. The First Sergeant spat out “OK BEANHEAD! GET OUT OF MY OFFICE, GO OVER TO THE WALL AND STARE AT THE WALL UNTIL YOU CAN REMEMBER YOUR FOUR ANSWERS! AND GET YOUR CHIN IN!”

I did an about face, went out of his office to the opposite wall, and stopped at attention about two inches from the wall. The First Sergeant came out of his office and again corrected me for my chin hanging out and several other faults that I had. After he left and went back in his office, I stood there sweating. All around me, I could hear shouting, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember my answers. I remember thinking “this is it. It’s over. I’ve been here two hours, and I’m about to fail”.

And then something happened. With my peripheral vision, I looked to my left and to my right, and for as far as I could see in either direction, were other “Beanheads”, standing at attention and staring at the wall. I thought to myself “I’m not alone”.  Then, Colin’s voice popped into my head , “Just remember, it’s all a mental game”….  And just as suddenly, I remembered my four answers. I reported back to the First Sergeant, got my answers right, and he sent me off to my room. At that moment, I knew I was going to be alright.

There were lots of other trials and tribulations over the course of that summer. Plebe duties, knowledge memorization, eating at attention, cutting my peas in half because I took bites that were too big; the rifle range, learning the spirit of the bayonet, attending etiquette classes (yes, we were to be Officers AND Gentlemen); and many other classes that I no longer remember. But I do remember that meeting with the First Sergeant, and the words “it’s all a mental game”. It turns out that was good advice for my time at West Point, and for most of my life since. Thanks Colin.