Carved from Granite West Point Since 1902

The US Military Academy at West Point is one of America’s oldest and most revered institutions. Carved from Granite is the story of how West Point goes about producing military leaders of character. As Lance Betros shows, West Point’s early history is interesting and colourful, but its history since then is far more relevant to the issues that face the Academy today.



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.