Senator Larkin And Assemblyman Skoufis Welcome The Long Gray Line To Albany For 65th Annual West Point Day

Senator Bill Larkin (R,C,I - Cornwall-On-Hudson) and Assemblyman James Skoufis (D – Woodbury) today hosted the 65th annual West Point Day at the New York State Capitol in Albany.  The day pays tribute to The Point, which is the nation’s oldest continuously operating Army post in the United States, while recognizing cadets from throughout New York State.

Senator Larkin, who served in the United States Army for 23 years and retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel said: “I thank Superintendent Caslen, our soldiers and our cadets from the bottom of my heart for their service and dedication to our country.  These fine young men and women who are on their way to becoming our future leaders embody all the qualities that are necessary to defend our great nation.  This day allows us to reflect the significance of West Point and celebrate what it means to our community.  Having Cadet Aidan Doyle of Cornwall representing us locally at The Point is very important to me.  Out of over 15,000 applicants from all over the country only a small percentage are accepted.  Cadet Doyle’s presence at the United States Military Academy is an accomplishment that his entire community is proud of and we look forward to watching him continue to grow as a leader.”

“It is an honor to represent the nation’s finest military and educational institution, “ said Assemblyman Skoufis.  “These cadets are, undeniably, the future leaders of our great state and nation.  We are profoundly grateful for their steadfast commitment to honor, duty and country and I salute all of our cadets not just on West Point day but every day.”

As part of West Point Day, Senator Larkin and Assemblyman Skoufis sponsored a legislative resolution in their respective chambers honoring the United States Military Academy at West Point.  They also joined several of their colleagues in acknowledging cadets from the districts they represent.  Cadets honored at the 65th West Point Day include:

First Captain Hugh McConnell
Cadet Aidan Doyle
Cadet Jared Rivera
Cadet Benjamin Denn
Cadet Morgan Aiken
Cadet Jenny Wang
Cadet James Murphy 
Cadet Preston Butler
Cadet Lili Ruland
Cadet Matthew Anderson
Cadet Jordan Johnson
Cadet Robert Spencer Cavotti

An estimated 1,200 new cadets enter the Academy each year.  Currently, there are over 4,000 cadets enrolled at West Point from every state in the U.S., as well as from several foreign countries.  After graduation, cadets are deployed throughout the world and serve on active duty for at least five years.