ABSTRACT
The mission of the United States Military Academy at West Point is "To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, and Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army". This mission is carried out through four coexisting areas of focus, including the Academic Program, the Physical Program, and the Military Program. The Department of English and Philosophy at West Point falls under the Academic Program, although influences from the other program areas are felt in the classroom on a daily basis. The key terms from this mission statement that apply most directly to the experience of teaching English at West Point are the words "educate, train, and inspire". In many ways, these concepts work well together, but at times tensions do arise between seemingly conflicting priorities.
