Yearling Year Cadets entering their second year at West Point are called "Yearlings" or "Third Class Cadets." Yearling Year Cadets entering their second year at West Point are called "Yearlings" or "Third Class Cadets." Breadcrumb cadet journey yearling milestones USMA_pillars MENU Leadership Development Cadet Life Cadet Support Clubs and Activities Cadet Milestones Plebe Milestones Yearling Milestones Cow Milestones Firstie Milestones Cadet Community The Journey Continues Sophomore, Third Class, Yearling. Cadets in their second year at West Point are called many things! The Yearling year starts with three weeks of summer fun called Cadet Field Training (CFT), which serves as the formal introduction to a summer spent at Camp Buckner (often referred to as just “Buckner”). Upon completion of CFT and other summer requirements, cadets are officially promoted to the rank of Cadet Corporal and head back to the Academy for another year of learning and camaraderie. Cadet Field Training (CFT) / Camp Buckner Cadet Field Training is a rite of passage for all Third Class cadets. The first summer at West Point you learned how to be a cadet, the next summer you learn how to be a Soldier in the United States Army. CFT has a heavy emphasis on field training, to include numerous nights spent out in the 13,000+ acre training area of the West Point Military Reservation. Some of your skills from Cadet Basic Training will be further developed, such as Land Navigation, Basic Rifle Marksmanship, and fieldcraft while new competencies will be introduced, such as Platoon maneuvers, weapons familiarization, and water obstacles like the Slide for Life. Class Flag Presentation At the end of Cadet field Training, the 50-year Affiliate class of the Third Class will present the cadet Class President with your class flag embroidered with your Class Crest. Besides the large crest hanging in Eisenhower Hall, the portable Class Flag is now a focal point of class functions both before and after graduation. Yearling Winter Weekend The highlight of Yearling year is the Winter Weekend Banquet. There is a formal banquet and a dance on Saturday where the Yearlings can invite their guests. Dances at West Point are called Hops. All formal class banquets start with a receiving line so that the Academy leadership can meet your guests and you can practice protocol and etiquette. https://www.youtube.com/embed/QH6DD0Nirqs Inspiration to Serve TAC Teams lead their 3rd Class Cadets through the West Point Cemetery to hear from graveside speakers who provide personalized stories of West Point graduates who died during training or who were killed in action in support and defense of the Constitution. At designated reflection sites in the cemetery, TAC Teams then lead a discussion on the inherent risks and sacrifices of the profession of arms. This formative experience is designed to honor our fallen graduates, connect cadets to the Long Gray Line, and inspire 3rd Class Cadets’ decision to affirm and enter the profession of arms.