General salutes cadets with a song at West Point graduation

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Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, right, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a graduate of John S. Burke High School in Goshen and West Point, hands a traditional dollar along with a diploma to a graduate at West Point's graduation ceremony on Saturday. For more photos, go to recordonline.com. DAWN J. BENKO/FOR THE TIMES HERALD-RECORD
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• Class of '15 profile
  Graduates: 995
  
  
  Women: 162
  
  
  Black: 97
  
  
  Hispanic: 87
  
  
  Asian/Pacific Islanders: 66
  
  
  Native Americans: 10
  ...
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• By Michael Randall
  Times Herald-Record

  
  Posted May. 23, 2015 at 5:58 PM
  Updated May 23, 2015 at 6:12 PM 
  
  

  WEST POINT – Gen. Martin E. Dempsey was not your typical West Point graduation speaker.

  His speech Saturday morning was relatively brief. It was free of political commentary and observations. And he not only sang, he got the graduating cadets to join him.

  “Start spreading the news,” Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, began.

  “I’m leaving today,” the cadets replied in chorus.

  After a second rendition of those familiar opening lines of “New York, New York,” Dempsey proclaimed, “All right, you’re ready.”

  While making a point a short time later, Dempsey again employed music, this time a line from “Uptown Funk,” a song by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars: “Don’t believe me, just watch.”

  “Yes, the chairman just rhymed Bruno Mars at your graduation,” Dempsey said.

  Dempsey, a 1970 graduate of John S. Burke Catholic High School in Goshen and a member of West Point’s Class of 1974, also offered some serious observations to the graduates as they prepared to take their oaths and become second lieutenants in the Army.

  “As the guy who currently occupies one end of the Long Gray Line, let me offer you the highest compliment of our profession: Well done,” Dempsey said.

  Just as the graduates were repeatedly challenged during their four years at West Point, Dempsey said, they’ll face more of the same in their Army careers.

  “Those second lieutenant bars only weigh a few ounces, but the weight of what they represent is profound,” Dempsey said.

  After the traditional hat toss, graduates celebrated the conclusion of four tough years of academic, military and physical training by gathering with families and friends.

  “I feel awesome. It’s a surreal feeling,” said Michael Ugenyi of Atlanta, whose next stop will be Fort Bliss in Texas for field artillery training.

  “I feel relieved,” said Christmas Linzy of Houston, who also will be getting field artillery training, but at Fort Bragg, N.C. “I’m excited, and I’m a little bit nervous. I’m just grateful I had this opportunity, and for all the people who supported me. Lord knows, it wasn’t easy.”

  West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr. predicted that the Class of 2015 will “respond to the call of duty” like its predecessors from 50 and 100 years ago.

  The class of 1915 included future generals Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley, and the class of 1965 included future West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Daniel Christman, who was one of several members of that class in attendance Saturday.

  “They had no idea what history had in store for them. But they rose to the challenge,” Caslen said.