The USMA team was the first to demonstrate its techniques. The black and colored belts showed multiple spin kicks from the inside and outside, including an array of technical hook kicks. The top students then demonstrated some of Tae Kwon Do’s infamous aerial attacks. The highlight was one of the female students who demonstrated her martial arts experience by executing a hurricane kick after jumping off another cadet’s body and finally breaking a wooden board.

Not to be outdone, USMAPS fired back with a demonstration by CCs Eugene Lee and Arron Conley. The two CCs both jumped over five other cadets to break a wooden board. In addition, they also demonstrated a variety of other board breaking strikes and kicks.

Following this, USMA gave a demonstration on sport Tae Kwon Do sparring. The cadets all went easy on each other and included some humorous demonstrations, such as pulling off the other one’s protective equipment or repeatedly kicking the backside of the opponent. The team captain explained to all the participants in the PFC how the point system worked in Tae Kwon Do and what the rules were.

For the finale, the head of Tae Kwon Do at West Point graded both the cadets and cadet candidates for any students wishing to advance in rank. The rigorous demonstration included board breaking, form demonstration, individual technique demonstration, self-defense demonstrations, and free-form sparring. All involved were noticeably drenched, as their uniforms slowly changed from sparkling white to sweaty-gray.

Despite the fatigue, the team held it together to the very end. Master Choi, one of the highest ranking Tae Kwon Do instructors on the East Coast, congratulated the cadet candidates on their excellent conditioning and training. The demonstration and belt promotion proved an effective testament both to the will of future officers and the effectiveness of Tae Kwon Do for promoting the Army values. We all hope to see such demonstrations again in the future.

Congratulations to the following Cadets and Cadet Candidates for earning the right of promotion in the art of Tae Kwon Do to the following belt level:

Red Belt Cadet Candidate Richard Tran
Blue Belt Cadet Candidate Erron Taylor
Cadet Summerfelt
Cadet White
Green Belt Cadet Candidate Ryan Cameron
Cadet Candidate Ehren Gruber
Cadet Candidate Sang-wook Han
Cadet Candidate Jeremy Huggins
Cadet Candidate Adam Karalius
Cadet Candidate Edward Lash
Cadet Candidate Patrick Tennis
Yellow Belt Cadet Candidate Marco Medellin
Cadet Candidate Andrew Sauceda
Cadet Minshew
Cadet White