FORT LIBERTY — Oziel Carrillo never planned to go to college.
But after seeing some of his Army buddies gain entry into the Preparatory Academy at West Point, he changed his thinking.
And at an admissions information session Thursday, admissions officers from the U.S. Military Academy visiting Fort Liberty surprised Carrillo with a letter of assurance that will all but guarantee him entrance to West Point.
A letter of assurance from the Military Academy — commonly known as West Point — says that as long as a cadet candidate maintains meeting the requirements for admission, he will be able to enroll at West Point.
Carrillo had been working on gaining admission for the past three months. Thursday’s presentation of the letter was a surprise to him.
“There’s a difference that we see with (noncommissioned) leaders and officer leaders,” said Sgt. Antony Knight, Carrillo’s platoon sergeant. “He always showed the difference of being an officer.”
Soldiers are eligible to apply for admission to West Point alongside high school students. They must pass physical examinations and a fitness test, according to the West Point admissions website. Unlike high school students, though, they don’t need a letter of recommendation from a member of Congress. Instead, someone from the chain of command can write a recommendation letter.
About 170 spots at West Point are open for soldiers under age 23 each year. At least 5% of the total incoming class is made up of active-duty and reserve soldiers.
Some qualified soldiers who don’t quite make the cut can attend Preparatory School at West Point, a one-year experience to prepare soldiers to reapply for the academy.
That’s how Carillo — who Capt. Billy White, an admissions officer at West Point, described as “an awesome soldier” — made the list.
“He came highly recommended from his chain of command, and we were super-excited to offer him the letter of assurance today,” said White.
White said all that’s left to do is take Carrillo’s application packet to the admissions team later this fall and seal his acceptance.
“I saw that (West Point) was more than just an education,” Carrillo said. “It’s a way to network with people, as well as show others that you can set your mind toward a goal, a long-term goal, and actually complete it.”
Char Morrisson can be contacted at cmorrisson@cityviewnc.com.
