July 1, 2005

Timothy Eng graduates from West Point

Evergreen resident Timothy Eugene Eng graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, on Saturday, May 28.

Timothy Eng graduated from West Point in May and heads to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. on July 17.

In addition to many family members and friends, Eng’s former American history teacher from Independence High School, Jonathan Kerrick, also attended the West Point commencement ceremony.

His mom, Candice Eng, and Kerrick pinned Eng’s new lieutenant bars on his army uniform in a special ceremony held at the Academy immediately after the graduation exercises.

In addition to receiving his diploma for graduating with a bachelor’s degree in military history, Timothy received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.

Initially Eng is heading to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for a four-month engineering school assignment. As a member of the Army Corps of Engineers, he will then take a post with the 3rd Brigade 3rd Infantry stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. The 3rd Infantry was responsible for capturing Saddam Hussein.

Eng said that this unit is currently on their second tour in Iraq and that he will most likely serve in either Iraq or Afghanistan. He’s excited and anxious at the same time. “I just want to do my job to the best of my ability,” said Eng.

Reflecting on his four years at West Point, Eng viewed the grueling schedule of classes, drills and intramurals as a challenging experience “that will pay off in the end.” Although he enjoyed less of a social life than many of his friends attending other schools, Eng feels he will be well prepared for the working world.

“It was pretty demanding—we only had two weeks of summer leave,” said Eng. Yet the small class sizes never exceeding 14 students, the one-on-one interaction with highly qualified teachers and the absence of large, impersonal lecture halls were a definite plus.

For Eng, it provided an “Ivy League” type of experience on the opposite coast of the country. Yet he admits he can do without the snow in the winter and the humidity in the summer. He hopes to return to California in the future.

Eng grew up in Evergreen, attending Norwood Creek Elementary and Quimby Oak Middle School. In 1999, Timothy was chosen by Mayor Ron Gonzales to serve a three-year term as the city-wide member of the San Jose Youth Commission.

Eng graduated from the Teaching Academy at Independ-ence High School in 2001, and received a congressional nomination from Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren to confirm his appointment to become a member of West Point’s Class of 2005.

About West Point

West Point has a historic and rich tradition as this nation’s oldest service academy. General Washington selected this site for our country’s first service academy, and President Jefferson directed its formal opening on the Fourth of July in 1802.

Since its founding, West Point has provided this country with many of its finest leaders, in the military, government and industry. Two presidents, Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower, graduated from West Point.

Douglas MacArthur, the most decorated soldier in American History, as well as top military leaders such as Robert E. Lee, George Patton, Omar Bradley, and H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of the Allied Forces in the Persian Gulf War, also graduated from the prestigious school.

Six of the first 30 astronauts were West Point graduates, including Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins, Apollo 11 pilots who participated in the first manned landing on the moon. The three basic principles at the heart of the Academy are crystallized in the immortal words: “Duty, Honor, Country.”