Summary

This chapter begins with a discussion of what it takes for applicants to be admitted to West Point, which selects only 1,200 people out of 14,000 total applicants. Applicants must not only receive nominations from a member of Congress, but they must also meet stringent physical and academic standards. However, even among this elite group, one out of five cadets will drop out before graduation. Many drop out even during the first summer during an intensive seven-week training course nicknamed "The Beast." The days at West Point are grueling. They begin with wake-up at 5 a.m. and end with Taps at 10 p.m. There are no breaks or vacations with families, and cadets are challenged mentally, physically, and emotionally.

In the second section of the chapter, Duckworth starts to examine why some cadets succeed while others do not. The Army has also...