Former national swimmer and Olympian Britany Van Lange was recently presented with a certificate of appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.
According to a statement from the United States Embassy in Georgetown, the presentation was made to Van Lange, now a Guyana Defence Force Officer Candidate, at a small ceremony held at Base Camp Stephenson, on Monday, April 20th.
Van Lange will join her older brother, Errol, who is currently enrolled at West Point in the Class of 2016.
She received her appointment from the US Embassy’s Senior Defence Official, LCDR Robert Novotny.
The Embassy said West Point is universally regarded as one of the finest universities in the United States and selection for admission is incredibly difficult, as each year only 1200 of over 13,000 applicants are offered appointments to join the incoming class, which represents an acceptance rate of just 9%.
According to the statement, the ceremony was presided over by the Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, who noted that he and many of his officers and enlisted ranks have benefitted from training in the United States over the years, but an appointment to West Point is “at the top of the list.”
The United States Military Academy, the statement noted, serves to prepare students, known as the Corps of Cadets, for service in the United States Army. “The mission of West Point is to educate, train and inspire the Corps so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character, committed to the values of Duty, Honor, and Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to their nation,” it says.
“West Point provides a superb four-year education which focuses on the leadership development of the Corps of Cadets, all underwritten by adherence to a code of honour. Ethical and moral development is emphasised as is selfless service to one’s country,” it adds.
The academic programme also grants a Bachelor of Science degree with a curriculum that grades cadets’ performance upon a broad academic programme, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics. In addition, cadets are required to adhere to the Cadet Honour Code, which states that “a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”
Van Lange, then only 15, represented Guyana as a swimmer at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
