"For
Your Freedom and Mine"
Every
year, the cadets of the fourth-class at the United States
Military Academy create a singular image to symbolize
their values, their aspirations, and their legacy as cadets
and future Army officers. The class crest encapsulated
the traditions of the Long Gray Line, the Army, and the
United States. The elements of the crest represent our
commitment and dedication in our goal to defend "your
freedom and mine."
The class of 2009's crest is distinctive in both its reverence
of American determination and will and the mission it
sets forth for its graduates. The class year lies in silver
at the bottom, opposite the initials of the Military Academy
in gold at the top. These two symbols are flanked by the
cadet and Army officer sabers, representing our loyalty
and vigilance to serve and defend the Academy and the
Army.
In the background lies the American flag, which stands
as the symbol of our nation. The red and white stripes
signify the spirit of unity in which our country was formed
from the colonies. The multitude of stars in their blue
field brightens the dark times we must assuredly enter
into upon graduation. The history of our country and its
great achievements, in both peace and wartime, serves
as a constant reminder of our obligation to fulfill the
role West Point graduates have always assumed, as defenders
of all the free peoples of the world.
To the center stands the eagle, vigilant and fierce, cradling
the world in its wings. This symbolizes not global hegemony,
but rather global commitment to all those in the world
who seek to free themselves from the shackles of tyranny.
The eagle's eyes keep close watch over the world and its
people, signifying our mission to defend both the Americans
and all those who would seek freedom.
Across the eagle's breast flows the class motto: "For
Your Freedom and Mine". This motto is the very culmination
of our mission and our hopes for the future, to protect
the liberties of all peoples, especially our own. The
new age of global commitment that our nation has embarked
upon obligates our class's graduates to keep this motto
in their hearts and always remember our role as defenders
of the free. It is this sentiment which drives and will
ever drive our class, the class of 2009, onward to success
in defending the liberty of the American people and granting
the same freedom to those who struggle to obtain it. |