Welcome
Welcome to West Point, the United States Military Academy. Your assignment here promises to be unique, professionally rewarding and enjoyable. In addition to being a federal service academy with a full range of academic, military and athletic activities, West Point is America’s oldest continuously occupied military installation. Its long history and the critical nature of its role in developing commissioned leaders of character contribute to West Point’s stature as an American “national treasure.”
Since 1802, West Point has produced graduates who have contributed substantially to our nation’s growth and security in peace and war. Their service is so intertwined with American history that it is often said, “Much of the history we teach was made by people we taught.” Collectively, graduates of the U.S. Military Academy are known as the Long Gray Line.
U.S. Army Garrison West Point
The mission of U.S. Army Garrison West Point is to “provide base operations, community support programs and facilities while maintaining a safe and secure environment to enhance the well-being of the West Point community.” The garrison staff strives to provide West Point community members with services and facilities that not only support the development of future Army leaders, but also foster the well-being and morale of all community members.
West Point is home to numerous military personnel and their families. Along with the academy staff and faculty members, there are several tenant units and activities stationed here including the PX, Commissary, Defense Automated Printing Services, Army Corps of Engineers (NY District), Defense Military Pay Office, MEDDAC, DENTAC, American Red Cross, U.S. Mint and others.
Located just 50 miles north of New York City, along the west bank of the Hudson River, West Point has long been a popular place to visit. The installation was officially recognized for its historical significance and contributions to the country in 1960, when it was declared a National Historic Landmark. More than 500 thousand tourists from around the world visit West Point each year.
REPORTING IN
WEST POINT STAFF AND FACULTY: Personnel newly assigned to West Point will report in during duty hours to Bldg. 622. After duty hours, personnel must sign in with the MP Desk Sergeant. All Soldiers must have a copy of their PCS orders and original DA Form 31, Leave Request. In the event of an emergency, call 938-3786/8484 during duty hours and 938-3312 during non-duty hours. [NOTE: Area code for West Point and the surrounding area is 845. It is not included separately in all the phone numbers.]
WEST POINT BAND: Newly assigned personnel with the West Point Band will report to Egner Hall (Bldg. 685) upon arrival to West Point. All Soldiers must have a copy of their PCS orders and original DA Form 31, Leave Request. All Soldiers arriving after duty hours must call the band headquarters at 938-2445 to access the SDNCO message machine.
The message heard will include the emergency contact phone number for that day’s SDNCO. Call the SDNCO at the emergency telephone number to check in and receive further instructions.
DENTAC: All personnel assigned to the USA DENTAC will report to Saunders Dental Clinic (Bldg. 606) upon arrival at West Point. All Soldiers must have a copy of their PCS orders and original DA Form 31, Leave Request. Soldiers arriving after duty hours must report to Bldg. 620, or call 938-2508/2036. In the event of an emergency, please call 446-3245.
MEDDAC: All personnel assigned to the USA MEDDAC will report to Keller Army Hospital (Bldg. 900), Room 2E2, upon arrival at West Point. All Soldiers must have a copy of their PCS orders and original DA Form 31, Leave Request. Soldiers arriving after duty hours or on weekends must report to Bldg. 900, AOD Desk, main lobby of hospital. All Soldiers will report before 9 p.m. or call 938-5169. In the event of an emergency, please call 938-4004 for assistance.
LODGING
The Five Star Inn is housed in two buildings––Bldg. 785, which is located on West Point itself, and Bldg. 2113, which is located in the Pershing Center on the South Post, in the town of Highland Falls. The main office is located in Bldg. 2113. The front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offers the following services: reservations, check-in and checkout, information/message center and wake up service.
All rooms are equipped with a kitchenette, private bath, cable TV/extended programming to include HBO, VCR, microwave, air conditioning, coffee pot, dishes, glassware, silverware, toaster, iron/full sized ironing board, a phone/message service and data port.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served in both Bldgs. 785 and 2113 and ice machines, coin operated soda/snack machines and free laundry facilities are available to all our guests. An on-post shuttle bus is available for guest use Monday through Friday.
Temporary lodging is available at the Five Star Inn. The inn is available to active duty and retired military, Air National Guard and Reserve personnel, their family members and DOD and retired civilian employees who are eligible to use FMWR facilities.
Reservations may be made 24 hours a day. A reservation will only be confirmed with a credit card guarantee. All reservations are taken on a “first come, first served” basis, without regard to rank. All rooms are non-smoking and pets are not allowed in rooms, cars or on the grounds. However, pets can be boarded at Morgan Kennels. For more information or to make a reservation, call 446-5943.
EMPLOYMENT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS
CIVILIAN PERSONNEL ADVISORY CENTER: The West Point CPAC, located at 626 Swift Road, handles civilian employment for Department of the Army’s Appropriated Fund and Nonappropriated Fund (NAF) activities at West Point. Stop by the CPAC office Mon-Fri from 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for information on application procedures for part-time, full-time, permanent and temporary positions (CPAC Phone: 938-3943).
Civilian employees are authorized to use most of the Community Recreation Division facilities at West Point, and are eligible to join the West Point Club and the Pentagon Federal Credit Union, but are not entitled to use the PX or Commissary.
ARMY COMMUNICTY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT READINESS PROGRAM: The Employment Readiness Program offers a full range of employment assistance to Soldiers and family members with job search, career development and other related services including: career coaching and testing, resume writing assistance, job search assistance and executive transition workshops.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
West Point has extensive volunteer opportunities. The Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator serves as a centralized source of information on opportunities to volunteer within the community. The AVCC coordinates with recognized and authorized volunteer organizations who are seeking volunteers and individuals who would like to provide volunteer service. Volunteering offers everyone the opportunity to be involved in the community with the potential for personal and professional growth. The AVCC is located in the Volunteer Resource Center, Bldg. 622. For more information, call 938-3655.
NEW YORK STATE LAWS
New York State and West Point have laws that differ from other military installations. For more information on the following rules and regulations, community members should contact local law enforcement agencies.
BICYCLE HELMETS: New York State Law requires all children under the age of 14 to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. All personnel riding a bicycle at West Point must wear a helmet of good fit fastened securely upon the head with the helmet straps fastened under the chin.
Residents wishing to register bicycles must apply at the military police station and provide bicycle descriptions and serial numbers. Owners must bring the bicycles to the military police station for serial number verification and you will be issued a registration decal for the bicycle after completing the required forms.
MOTORCYCLES and MOPEDS: There is a mandatory motorcycle safety-training requirement before community members can ride or register a motorcycle or moped at West Point. All military and civilian community members wishing to ride or register motorcycles here must attend the Army Motorcycle Safety Course. Riders must also wear the following equipment – Department of Transportation approved helmets; eye protection to include impact or shatter resistant goggles, or full face shields properly attached to helmets; over-the-ankle shoes or boots; long-sleeved shirt or jacket; long trousers and full-fingered gloves or mittens designed for use on a motorcycle. A brightly colored outer upper garment during the day and a reflective upper garment at night are also required. Outer upper garments shall be clearly visible and not covered. Reflective belts do not satisfy this standard.
Each motorcycle must be registered and insured. Each driver, at a minimum, must have a learner’s permit or motorcycle license. All motorcycles must be able to pass a NYS inspection. Permit holders must be escorted by a licensed driver or arrive with bikes in tow (per NYS). For more information, contact the West Point Safety Office at 938-3717.
PRIVATELY OWNED WEAPONS: In New York, it is a criminal offense, punishable by a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, to possess a privately owned handgun in your residence, vehicle or on your person unless you have been issued a New York State pistol permit. The only exception is for unloaded antique and replica muzzle- loading pistols and cap-and-ball revolvers. All residents keeping or storing privately owned weapons (including authorized war trophies) and ammunition must register their weapons with the Provost Marshal’s Office within five days of arrival. Owners of weapons are responsible for compliance with USMA Regulation 190-3 and all laws and regulations of the United States and the state of New York regarding the possession, carrying and use of weapons.
TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
CAR SEATS: NYS requires all children under the age of four to ride in safety seats. In the event that the weight of a child under the age of four exceeds forty pounds, the child must be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system. NYS also requires all children until their eighth birthday to ride in child restraint systems. Both the safety seats and child restraint systems must be certified according to Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard 213.
CELL PHONES: NYS law prohibits the use of hand-held mobile telephones by vehicle operators except in emergencies. Federal law prohibits the use of hand-held mobile telephones without a hands-free device. Violators are subject to traffic tickets carrying a maximum fine of $100 and a mandatory surcharge of $25.
SPEED LIMIT: West Point’s speed limit is 25 mph, unless otherwise posted. All vehicles must slow to 10 mph when passing troops in formation.
SEAT BELTS: All drivers and passengers must wear seat belts.
REGISTRATION: All drivers and motor vehicles in New York must be properly licensed, registered and insured. Members of the military are not required to register cars in New York, as long as they hold a valid registration from another state. NYS does not recognize USAREUR driver’s licenses as valid.
DOD REGISTRATION: West Point requires all vehicles belonging to personnel who live or work here to be registered and display a DOD sticker on the windshield. Registration can be completed at the MP station. Call 938-3333 for hours of operation.
PARKING
Parking within the Central Post Area is very limited. Demand usually exceeds supply. All those working within the CPA are authorized a sticker to compete on an equal basis for parking. Several other practical options exist––using outlying parking areas such as Buffalo Soldier Field or the Old PX lot and taking the post shuttle buses, parking around the fringes of the CPA within walking distance of work areas, cycling or walking. Use of Visitor or two hour parking for a duration exceeding two hours is prohibited. Violators will be cited or possibly towed. Remember that the limited parking within the CPA is for sticker holders only.
SHUTTLE BUSES
In an effort to reduce traffic congestion in the CPA, West Point operates a post shuttle Monday through Friday from 6:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m. It runs every 30 minutes along a route that passes by most duty locations, as well as the PX, Commissary and hospital.
The express shuttle runs from Buffalo Soldier Field, through Central Post Area and ends at the old PX before making a loop back to BSF. This shuttle operates Monday through Friday from 5:45-9 a.m. and 3-6:30 p.m.
The 30-minute shuttle bus schedule is posted at the bus stops and in the public folders on the electronic mail system. Click on All Public Folders, Bulletin Boards, USMA Community Announcements, Official Academy Area and then scroll down to the bottom or call 938-2808.
VISITORS CENTER
The Visitors Center provides an excellent central starting point for all visitors and new arrivals to the U.S. Military Academy. The center offers historical and informational videos, parking, restrooms, a gift shop, pamphlets, a full-scale cadet barracks room and a movie theater. Access to the academy grounds is limited to guided bus tours that leave the Visitors Center daily.
The original Visitors Center officially opened May 1, 1952, in the field artillery sheds at the south end of post––a site now occupied by the provost marshal’s office. The current Visitors Center, which opened September 1, 1989, on the site of the former Ladycliff College Library, continues to attract, educate and inform the public about the academy and its environs.
More than half a million people visit West Point each year, including alumni, friends and families of West Point cadets, school groups, senior citizen groups and tourists from throughout America and the world. The U.S. Military Academy is one of the top three tourist attractions in New York, according to the New York State Department of Tourism.
The Visitors Center is open daily, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Operating hours are from 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Call 938-2638 for more information. For guided bus tours, please call 446-4724.
MUSEUM
The West Point Museum is located adjacent to the Visitors Center. The museum is in the renovated Olmsted Hall at Pershing Center on the grounds of the former Ladycliff College. The building is named after the museum’s primary donor, Major General George H. Olmsted, Class of 1922.
The West Point Museum’s collections represent all major categories of military study from arms, armor and artillery to uniforms, military art and objects reflecting West Point’s diverse history. Originally opened to the public in 1854, the West Point Museum is the oldest and largest diversified military museum in the country. It contains some of our most interesting National military treasures and one of the finest collections of military small arms available for public viewing. Every American armed conflict is represented in the 135 exhibits. A sampling of the four floors of exhibition galleries include––one gallery that portrays the history of the United States Army during peacetime and its role as a formative nation builder of our country and another gallery that recounts West Point’s history during and after the Revolutionary War, as well as the institutional history of the military academy. The museum also provides exhibits in memorial halls, banquet halls and in Thayer Hall to support the Department of History’s cadet curriculum, with exhibit themes ranging from ancient to modern civilization.
The West Point Museum is open daily, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Operating hours are 10:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Admission is free. For additional information, call 938-3590.
The USMA at Westpoint Guide is published by Benchmark Publications Incorporated, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Army, under exclusive written contract with USMA at Westpoint. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts and supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army or Benchmark Publications, Incorporated of the products or services advertised.
Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. The USMA at Westpoint Guide is an unofficial publication authorized by AR 360-81. Editorial content is prepared, edited and provided by the Public Affairs Office of USMA at Westpoint. All photos are provided by the Public Affairs Office unless stated otherwise.
