Overview

The United States Military Academy at WestPoint is one of America’s oldest and most reveredinstitutions. Founded in 1802, its first and onlymission is to prepare young men—and, since1976, young women—to be leaders of characterfor service as commissioned officers in the UnitedStates Army. Carved from Granite is the story of how West Pointgoes about producing military leaders of character.As scholar and Academy graduate Lance Betrosshows, West Point’s early history is interestingand colorful, but its history since then is far morerelevant to the issues—and problems—that face theAcademy today. Betros describes and assesses how well West Point hasaccomplished its mission— not hesitating to exposeproblems and challenge long-held assumptions.Here is the most authoritative history of the modernUnited States Military Academy written to date.

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9781623494278

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Reviews

Lance Betros is exhaustive, interesting, and direct in his discussions of the problems that he identifies. Betro's history will be of interest beyond West Point, relevant to the other service academies as well as to all other officer-production pipelines. -- The Historian --Bruce Flemming The Historian (04/10/2014)

The author, himself a 1977 graduate of the Academy, praises the institution but also points out flaws that may impede its future success. --Military Heritage-- (10/01/2012) Lance Betros is exhaustive, interesting, and direct in his discussions of the problems that he identifies. Betro's history will be of interest beyond West Point, relevant to the other service academies as well as to all other officer-production pipelines. --The Historian-- (04/10/2014) Betros deserves kudos for confronting the problems that he perceives are hindering West Point's full potential. The result is a tour de force - an outstanding example of historical research, interpretation, and fair-minded analysis. Betros's brilliantly researched analysis demonstrates conclusively that change, not continuity, best describes the history of West Point since the centennial. 'These problems, most evident in the areas of governance, admissions, and intercollegiate athletics, have blurred the Academy's focus on character and intellect as the key developmental goals.' --Parameters-- (11/28/2012) Carved from Granite is truly an insider's look at the institutional history of the USMA. The organization of Carved from Granite provides an in-depth history of the USMA and a detailed analysis of its core programs. While Carved from Granite is directed at the larger West Point community, its appeal should extend to all educational institutions, as it calls for setting priorities so that the focus of academic leaders is on students' intellectual and moral developments. --The Hudson River Valley Review-- (11/28/2012) Betros has crafted an impressive study of the second century of the academy. Deeply researched, the book surveys the evolution of the institution as it grappled with the forces of change that the 20th century forced on its curriculum and leadership. Betros is not shy in his criticism of his employer and has deep concerns about the impact of athletics on the academic integrity of the school. Betros's work certainly compares favorably. An excellent history of one of the US's most venerable military institutions. --Choice-- (08/31/2012)

Author Information

Lance Betros is professor and head of the historydepartment at West Point. Serving as a colonel in theUnited States Army, he is also the editor of the academy’sbicentennial publication, West Point: Two Centuries andBeyond, published in 2004.

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