Cadet Kyle Staron is a junior at the United States Military Academy and a native of Dyersburg. He will graduate May 29, 2010. [Click to enlarge]

It is the oldest military academy in the United States. Forbes magazine recently named it the sixth overall best university in the United States.

Its list of graduates reads like a Who's Who list. People such as Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Norman Schwarzkopf and Buzz Aldrin have all graduated from there.

Candidates seeking admission must either have a recommendation from a member of the United States Congress or from the Department of the Army. They are then evaluated on their physical, academic and leadership potential. Needless to say, only those that are truly qualified are allowed entry. West Point has 4,000 students and the total cost of a cadet's education there is estimated at $435,000.

Dyersburg now has one of its own currently attending the academy.

Kyle Staron is a native of Dyersburg and is a junior at West Point. His parents are Brian and Carol Staron. His grandmother is Reba Dial of Dyersburg. Kyle also has a younger brother Casey who is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Kyle and his family moved to Orlando, Fla. due to his father's job, while Kyle was in the 10th grade. Soon his thoughts turned to what he wanted to do with his life; the obvious choice was West Point Military Academy.

When asked why he chose West Point, Kyle jokingly said, "I heard that McDonald's delivers here so I had to come see what that was about."

However, Kyle said his ultimate reason was that he "liked that the school focuses on complete personal development". He also enjoys the camaraderie of his fellow cadets. "Everyone cares for each other," he said.

Kyle has gained a wealth of life experience since becoming a West Point cadet.

He has traveled to South Africa and toured nine colonial battlefields with a South African colonel.

This past summer he interned with the Department of Homeland Security in the Immigration and Custom division. While interning he met Secretary Michael Chertoff.

During an Immigration and Customs meeting Kyle was given the responsibility of solving a difficult problem plaguing the department. He and a fellow cadet evaluated the problem for a month. Afterward, they gave a lengthy presentation for a solution to the problem.

Last summer, Kyle went to Fort Knox and was able to fire off rounds from heavy artillery and tanks.

Kyle said, "This is something that I wouldn't have gotten to do had I gone to a regular college."

Kyle enjoys reading and writing whenever he has spare time. He has also managed to write and publish a book of short stories called "Gonzo Baptism". One of the stories is a humorous look at the "religion" of Little League Baseball in Dyersburg. This was a Mother's Day gift for his mother, Carol.

He is also starting a writing club for the cadets. The club members will help one another write stories and get their writing published. Kyle is also on the debate team.

A typical day for Kyle and is as follows: He wakes up between 5 and 6:40 a.m. He then has 15 minutes for breakfast, which is mandatory. From 7:30-11:55 a.m. he has classes, and then he eats lunch, which is also mandatory. From 1-4 p.m. he has the remainder of his classes.

At 4 p.m. he goes to a drill practice or an intramural sport. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and after 7:30 is study time. Finally, it is lights out at midnight.

On weekends Kyle says he sometimes has military training events he must attend. During football season if Army has a home game he says he "goes to watch Army beat whoever they are playing that weekend."

Upon graduation cadets are required to serve for five years of active duty and three years in the reserves.

There have recently been over 50 West Point graduates killed in current conflicts overseas. When Kyle was asked had he attended any funerals of cadets that were killed he said, he "hasn't known any cadets personally that have died."

"When a former cadet is killed, they announce it over the intercom in the mornings. You can tell that one has died when the 1st captain takes over the announcements and the mood changes. He then reads off the news about the cadet," Kyle said. Afterward, they have a moment of silence. From 2006-2007 the announcements of a former cadet's death were a weekly occurrence, but now they rarely happen.

Before Kyle, the last cadet from Dyersburg graduated in 1992. Kyle said, "It's been awhile since we've had a cadet from Dyersburg, so I would like for more people from Dyersburg to apply to the academy."

Kyle will gradate on May 29, 2010, at which time he will be commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army.