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    West Point pilot program held at JBLM

    West Point pilot program held at JBLM

    Photo By Staff Sgt. Patricia McMurphy | Nearly 60 Soldiers assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., await the start of the...... read more read more

    FORT LEWIS, WA, UNITED STATES

    02.26.2016

    Story by Staff Sgt. Patricia McMurphy 

    28th Public Affairs Detachment

    JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD, Wash. - 7th Infantry Division, hosted its first Rapid Application Completion Exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, Feb. 24, 2016, with nearly 60 soldiers on hand to tackle a deceptively simple task – apply to West Point.

    Soldiers started with the six-event Candidate Fitness Assessment, that consisted of a basketball throw from kneeling position, pullups or the flexed-arm hang, shuttle sprints, modified situps, pushups and a one-mile run. The six-test events of the CFA were administered consecutively with set start, finish and rest times.

    Pfc. Stephen Kaufman, a corrections specialist with 42nd Military Police Brigade, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, found out about the opportunity from his squad leader and felt ready for the challenge.

    “I did really well at the basketball throw and the sprint,” said Kaufman. “I did pretty well overall I think.”
    The Garnett, Kansas, native said he has wanted to go to West Point and become an officer since joining the military and took advantage of the chance to participate in RACE.

    “I have always thought that West Point would be a challenge for me, and I like to challenge myself,” said Kaufman. “It is a great opportunity to become an officer and to make a career out of it.”

    Maj. Jason Dupuis, Soldier admissions officer for West Point, said this program has been years in the making, but now there is a faster way to seek out potential candidates.

    "This new program is where a Soldier can finish the entire application in one day, which is pretty remarkable," he said. “JBLM was selected because it is a very unique base with diverse set of talent and many different types of units of Soldiers, who meet the basic eligibility requirements.”

    A West Point graduate himself, Dupuis said he went through the application process as an enlisted Soldier and finishing the application in a timely manner was the biggest setback.

    “It is still the same application process,” said Dupuis. “It’s just reducing the hurdles, like the medical review board, and getting everything done in as short a period of time as possible.”

    During the course of RACE, unit sponsors helped the Soldiers fill out their online paperwork and even register to take or re-take required standardized tests. Soldiers also benefited from having West Point admissions experts on site to offer advice.

    “You have to do well on the SAT or ACT test,” said Dupuis. “Soldiers spend money on other things, so a test or test prep is worth the money.”

    “Also taking full length practice tests to timed standards and knowing your score, it’s important,” he added.

    Ideally, Dupuis said, soldiers would enter RACE day with ACT or SAT scores already on file with West Point, a nomination from their company commander (necessary for admission) and some prep time for the CFA.

    Those who don’t make the cut can reapply as long as the still meet the requirement or may be eligible for the United Stated Military Academy Preparatory School, which provides 10 months of focused academic work and counts as a year of service toward retirement, 9/11 G.I. Bill eligibility and other benefits.

    Even soldiers who fall short could realize long-term benefits from opening an application file and participating in the RACE program, Dupuis said. The physical exam required for USMA entry is the same for those who may consider the Green-to-Gold Program as a path to a commission.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 02.26.2016
    Date Posted: 02.26.2016 15:22
    Story ID: 190270
    Location: FORT LEWIS, WA, US
    Hometown: GARNETT, KS, US

    Web Views: 121
    Downloads: 0

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