Duty First: West Point & The Making Of American Leaders

In this penetrating account of a year inside one of the nation's premier schools for leaders, Ed Ruggero details the struggles of young men and women determined to become the U.S. Army officers who will lead the American soldiers of the future. Writing with deep insight and superb narrative skill, Ruggero follows their tumultuous lives: the initial, grueling training, the strict student hierarchy and the intense classroom work, and the interaction between the lowly first-year plebs and the upper-class cadets who train them. Ruggero shows the role played by the majors, captains, and sergeants, who oversee everything that happens at this unique institution. By taking a hard look at Academy standards and traditions, he examines the changes in West Points approach to leadership training that have sparked controversy among it's alumni. From the Superintendents office high above the Hudson River to the hot and humid barracks rooms where America's future captains struggle, Ruggero takes readers on a guided tour through the jarring, overwhelming, inspiring leadership school that is West Point.