Firstie yearU.S. Military Academy (West Point) · First class

Duties

Firsties are cadet officers who lead the Corps¹².

Other milestones

Ring Weekend, 100th Night, and Graduation Week, ending with the hat toss at Michie Stadium².

Summer training

Cadet Leader Development Training (CLDT, ML300) is usually done the summer before firstie year. It's four weeks of platoon-level operations ending in a 12-day, 10-night field problem².

Privileges

West Point's public pages don't spell out firstie-specific privileges beyond those above, so we don't list any. Upperclass cadets and their guests can use Grant Hall's bar service³.

Branch selection

At the start of firstie year, cadets update preferences and interview by the end of Branch Week. A Talent-Based Branching Model weighs skills, preferences, and Army needs⁴. Branch Night (November or December) is when cadets open envelopes to learn their branch². On Post Night, midway through the final semester, cadets pick their first duty station "in class rank order"².

When it becomes binding: At the Affirmation Oath, the night before cow (junior) classes begin. Before then, cadets "may leave... without incurring a service obligation"⁵.

After graduation: Army second lieutenant⁶. Minimum obligation: 5 years active plus 3 years reserve or IRR⁵.