A Singapore Armed Forces soldier has graduated as one of the top few in his cohort from the United States Military Academy at West Point after 48 months.
Lieutenant Soon Wei Kang from The Singapore Army graduated with an honors degree and was ranked top 15 percent in the overall order of merit.
The former Jurong Junior College student completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering at West Point.
The commencement on Saturday, June 13, was attended by 1,107 cadets from the Class of 2020.
The class had been scheduled to graduate on May 23, but the date was pushed back after the semester was thrown into turmoil by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The cadets were sent home in March.
Quarantined 2 weeks before attending graduation
To make it for the ceremony, cadets had to return during a five-day process beginning May 26.
They then entered a 14-day quarantine leading up to the graduation ceremony, while finishing the final tasks required of them as cadets.
It was an historic moment as the Class of 2020 became the first to have a delayed ceremony turning their traditional 47-month experience into a 48-month one.
On the day of the graduation, cadets had to sit six feet apart.
No friends and family were allowed to attend.
President Donald Trump addressed the graduates at their commencement.
At the close of the ceremony, they threw their hats in the air as helicopters from the 82nd Airborne Division flew overhead.
Background
The ceremony was not without its controversies.
For two weeks the graduating cadets returned to West Point before their ceremony, they were confined to their dorms, wearing masks and watching Zoom conferences on leadership as they waited for President Trump to speak at their commencement on Saturday, June 13, The New York Times reported.
The 1,107 newly minted second lieutenants were ordered back to campus after the president abruptly announced in mid-April that he wanted to proceed with his previously planned commencement address.
The speech by Trump on Saturday came during a breakdown in relations between the president and the nation’s top military leaders.
The military top brass have vehemently objected to Trump’s threats to use active-duty troops across the country to quell protests against police brutality.
In preparation for the president, the West Point cadets were divided into four groups of about 250, with strict orders not to mingle outside their cohort.
They even had to eat in shifts in the dining hall.
The cadets were tested for the virus when they arrived back on campus, with 15 of them initially tested positive but showed no symptoms.
They were subsequently well enough to graduate with the others.
No friends or family in attendance
The ceremony started at about 10am and did not include friends or family.
It was held on the main parade ground on campus, called the Plain.
Saturday’s commencement was the first since 1977 that was not be held in Michie Stadium, the West Point football stadium, as it did not have enough room on the field for keeping 1,107 cadets six feet apart.
Cadets were required to wear masks as they march in and take their seats, spaced about six feet apart.
Once seated, they will be allowed to unmask.
Protests against the president occurred at the nearby community.
The cheering cadets in full military dress will serve as a backdrop for a re-election campaign for Trump, NYT reported.
Top photo via Soon Wei Kang, others via West Point - The U.S. Military Academy