“Pure Officership – Not A Job But A Profession”: A German International Cadet At West Point

Jesse Luknowsky was born in July 2004 in the Ruhr Valley near Cologne. He is the youngest of three boys whose father is an ice hockey player and agent and mother is a social worker and teacher. His two older brothers followed their father’s example and play ice hockey, but Jesse chose a different path. Growing up, Jesse spoke English with his Canadian father and German with his mother. His mother encouraged him to read as a child and the family enjoyed traveling, which Jesse credits for his open-mindedness. He describes the COVID-19 restrictions he faced in Germany, noting his country was “restrictive.” After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Bundeswehr as a Reconnaissance Soldier. In the German Army, all Officers start out as enlisted before getting the opportunity to attend an Academy and commission. Basic training consisted of two “tough weeks” but then the sergeants were very professional even if their tone was rough. After basic training with a mechanized infantry battalion, he was assigned to the 7th Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Company, and he enjoyed his role as a scout. He then attended the Basic Cadet school because he had been identified as a future officer and learned the duties of an NCO. A culminating event for him was a five-week FTX (Field Training Exercise) that exposed hidden weaknesses. The brutally honest feedback he received at the end of the exercise, while not immediately appreciated, has become increasingly valuable to him. He jumped at the opportunity to attend West Point as an International Cadet when it was offered, although he had to push hard to complete all the required portions of his application. He reported to the United States Military Academy a week before R-Day for some orientation to America, which included the Broadway musical Hamilton. On R-Day he had some issues with the language (specific military terms) and because he was an International Cadet, he had two huge suitcases and a bag on his chest, which he had to carry around for an extended period. He has had a little trouble adjusting to essay writing and math, and he feels pressure to perform well academically because he is representing Germany. He appreciates Additional Instruction and attends frequently to improve his grades. He was on the I-3 Sandhurst Team and his company did better this year than they had in a long time, which was a great source of pride. He was glad to see the German Sandhurst Team and reconnected with a few comrades he had served with in the Bundeswehr. He was especially proud of the German team for stopping during the competition to render first-aid to a Mexican Cadet who was injured on the course. Their humanity at the expense of their score was a demonstration of their values. Jesse states that the culture at West Point impresses him the most, especially how the Cadets live the Honor Code. Jesse notes, “I can trust everyone to follow the code.” He was also surprised how hard everyone fights to help Cadets succeed, remarking “nobody wants to see you fail.” Once he graduates from West Point, he will return to Germany to finish his schooling, and he plans to commission into Reconnaissance because he likes the autonomy of that branch. If his grades are good enough, perhaps he will be able to get into graduate school right away. When asked if he has any advice to offer future Cadets, he says, “Respect your chain of command, think autonomously, and be a bulldog when fighting for what you want.” Reflecting on what West Point means to him, he states, “West Point means pure officership… When people see you in uniform they see the culture of the Army mirrored in your face.”