*Author's note:  the following is my "Pershing Essay which is: "the annual USCC event for first class cadets to "remind all West Pointers of the relevance and practical meaning of what the Academy stands for in their lives."  Referencing GEN Pershing's thoughts on the importance of West Point on his career, reflect on your West Point experience and write a short essay about what it means to you as you approach graduation."  While in no way does it relate to hockey I believe my teammates share the same opinion based on their eating habits.  Enjoy!

Reflecting on my experience at West Point is no small task. This "Pershing Essay" is supposed to give me an opportunity to do just that.  However, I find it difficult to reflect on, "What graduating from West Point means to me" before I have actually graduated.  As it currently stands I am about four months away from receiving my diploma from this prestigious academy and yet the only thing I think about is what I am eating for lunch tomorrow.  I guess the euphoric feeling of donning my cap and gown (or full dress over white as we will wear here) has not set in yet and therefore I have no idea how it is going to feel to graduate.  What I do know, coincidentally, is what I am having for lunch tomorrow.  And like every day at West Point lunch consists of something - and peanut butter. 

Writing on what it means to graduate from West Point and the "relevant and practical meaning West Point has in my life," as the prompt suggests seems irrelevant and unpractical to me.  It is much more fitting to ask that question after graduation.  With that in mind I find it much more appropriate to write about how I managed to get this far along at West Point - and hopefully to graduation.  Answering that question provides more accurate and pertinent substance than that of the previous prompt for two reasons.  First, because of the aforementioned fact that I have not graduated.   And second, because understanding how I will graduate is far more interesting than what graduating means to me.  Luckily, tracing the source to my alleged success (AKA: graduating) here is easy.  I need to look no further than a jar of peanut butter.

Any visitor to West Point has surely seen the many statues of famous Americans.  Grant, MacArthur, Patton, Thayer etc...  However, the giant statue of George Washington outside the Cadet Mess Hall is one monument that is difficult for visitors to see up close.  It lies within the sacred land known as "Cadet Area."  Stay Out!  For visitors are not allowed in this area unless accompanied by a cadet.  At least so says the sign (Mom, the generals are going to catch you).  Anyways, Washington sits atop his horse in full view of 'The Plain' so he can posthumously review the Corps of Cadets during parade with the strong 'stone' like bearing of a general.  As the first president of the United States and the first commander and chief he is of obvious importance to the nation and the United States Military Academy.  Without him we may not exist as we Americans presently do.  His presence at West Point is certainly justified.  But it is my fervent belief that George Washington's statue has been misplaced and should be moved. 

You may be asking yourself at this juncture, "Where is he going with this?"  So far I have rejected the original prompt and replaced it with my own.  I have brought up the subject of peanut butter and its importance to me.  Then I suddenly halt that discussion to suggest that George Washington's statue should be moved.  Bear with me.  I am taking this somewhere.    

I had a vision the other day that the horse President Washington abides on spontaneously emerged to life and galloped to the front gates.  He stopped, regained statue form (not too dissimilar from that of a gargoyle) and assumed a much more noticeable position for all visitors to view.  He deserves it.  I do not know the name of Washington's horse, but his initiative and boldness for this act is commendable.  Someone give him a medal, please! 

As for the hole Washington leaves by the Cadet Mess Hall...I have the perfect replacement and this is where peanut butter comes back into play. 

George Washington Carver - the creator of peanut butter - will fill that hole.  His invention of the creamy sometimes crunchy substance is worthy of a monument.    

I am not alone when I say that peanut butter has made my time at West Point a success.  It has made the bad days tolerable, the mediocre days better, the good days great and the best days incredible.  Peanut butter is a quality of life enhancer.  It is consistent.  It is always there for me -everyday, every meal, every bite. 

According to Wikipedia, the renowned and reliable academic journal, Peanut Butter is: "a food paste made primarily from ground roasted peanuts, with or without added oil. It is popular throughout the world.  Its primary use is as a sandwich spread."  While this definition may be accurate and scientifically informative it is certainly not all encompassing.  Wikipedia forgot to add that peanut butter is "a godsend and a savior; it can be used for anything (not just as a sandwich spread)."  Personally, it is the base of my diet.  I heard a rumor that its nutrients encompass all the aspects of the food pyramid - though I'll need to check the source. 

In order to understand the relevance and importance of peanut butter and its subsequent catalyzing of my success at West Point one must understand the basis of success.  Amongst the essential contributors to success is motivation.  Motivation is fueled by many things.  One of those things is high morale.  High morale equals high performance.  High performance equals success.  It is my belief, and hopefully I am not alone, that a hearty meal is a substantial contributor to a morale boost.  Peanut butter is hearty.  It is no surprise then that every time I leave the mess hall I am highly motivated and ready for action surely because of the copious amounts of peanut butter I just consumed. 

I once went a day without eating peanut butter.  The results were catastrophic.  I failed a quiz, absolutely stunk at hockey practice and to cap it off I nearly crashed into a cop car as I was running errands.  Conversely, I once went a day in which I ate peanut butter at every meal (even snack time) and the results were magnificent.  I aced my military history quiz, was placed on the power play at hockey practice and received a "good room standard" note on my room correction card - a feat rarely achieved. 

So, as I reflect on my journey through West Point I need to only delve into the plastic confines of a Skippy Jar, immerse myself into the buttery goodness and reap the rewards.  Thank you to George Washington Carver for making my time at West Point tolerable successful and fulfilling.

Thanks for reading,

#7