General Eric K. Shinseki
Chief of Staff
United States Army
201 Army Pentagon, RM 3E666
Washington, D.C. 20310-0201                                      Bonn, den   Oktober 2001 United States of America

n 2002, the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, will celebrate 200 years of existence. Since its foundation, the Academy has had the primary mission of developing military leaders imbued with the ideals of devotion to duty honour, character, and integrity, as exemplified in its motto: DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY.
         Throughout the history of West Point, its graduates have made a unique contribution to the development of American society as a whole, to making the US Army into one of the most capable Armies in the world, as well as to science, and the economy.
         The Military Academy has supported the development of generations of military leaders, who have contributed decisively on many occasions to the establishment of peace and the maintenance of freedom and democracy in many parts of the world. Such august names as Mahan, McArthur, Eisenhower and, more recently, Schwarzkopf - to name just a few - have all borne witness to a noble military and democratic ethos and now serve as shining examples for countless younger officers in many armies throughout the world.
         Today, the ideals of West Point are even more important to us as we all face new, and unprecedented challenges to our societies, our way of life and our freedom.
         After 200 years of educating successive generations of officers at the Military Academy, the United States is justly proud of this outstandingly successful institution. I am sure that the U.S. Army and the Military Academy will be more than equal to the new challenges the world faces in the future and will go on successfully developing the education of young cadets, maintaining those values which have proven to be timeless: DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY!
         On behalf of the German Army, I wish the U.S. Army and the United States Military Academy many more centuries of excellent service to democracy and to the United States of America.