McCluer senior accepted to Military Academy
Of the St. Louis American
Dustin Patton, a McCluer High School senior, is a young man of few words, but he has developed into a respected leader.
The few words that begin a letter to Patton dated March 20 will change his life forever.
“Congratulations! The Admissions Committee has recommended you for an appointment to the United States Military Academy.”
Patton is headed to West Point to serve his nation and pursue one of the finest military educations in the world.
“It’s exciting,” Patton said of an appointment that many seek and few achieve.
“I’m really looking forward to learning to be a leader, to be able to direct others and have them follow my orders.”
Actually, many McCluer students have been following Patton’s direction for years.
He is McCluer’s National Honor Society president and is a member of the school’s Science Club and Team’s Jets organization.
Patton himself has been marching to the orders of his mother, Gwendolyn Patton, throughout his life. While the appointment to the Military Academy is an honor, Patton’s mom was not immediately on board.
“She wasn’t really happy at first,” Patton said. Now, she has accepted it.”
His mother shared the fear of all military parents – war.
“Dustin came home from a college night and told me, ‘I’m going to apply for West Point,’” Patton’s mother said.
“It certainly got my attention, and I asked him, ‘Do you know what that is?’ So we began looking into it, seeing what it took and all it had to offer.”
She said, “I was really proud of him for wanting to do this, but I’m thinking like any other parent because it is kind of scary.”
Following that college night introduction to West Point, Patton went to work on achieving admittance.
“I worked a long time on that application,” he said, “and then I waited.”
He received his commission the third week in March – “and, yeah, I was excited.”
Patton, who shares the surname of one of the nation’s greatest military leaders, Gen. George Patton, said he realizes that there could be war zone service.
“I really need to do whatever I need to do,” he said. “If that means I have to go to Iraq, I’m ready to go.”
Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay sponsored Patton’s application and will host a reception for the soon-to-be cadet on Saturday
“Dustin is a terrific young man and it was my pleasure to sponsor his appointment to attend the U.S. Military Academy,” Clay said.
“This year, I have eight nominees to our service academies, which is an all-time record. We are very proud of all of them.”
Patton will head to West Point on July 2 to begin training. The academic year starts in August. He could declare a major as a freshman, “but I’m not sure what I’m going to major in, so I’m going to wait,” he said.
He adds that he is anxious to tackle the rigorous demands of being a cadet and “being physically fit through the training and all that goes with it.”
“He’s a real leader at McCluer,” said Nancy Pollock, director of public information for the Ferguson-Florissant School District.
“He’s received all kinds of achievement awards, and we will be proud to have him represent us at West Point.”
After graduation from West Point, Patton would be obligated to five years of active military service and four years in the Army Reserve.
After leaving the military, Patton said he wants to continue serving the public in a different way.
“I’m going to run for public office,” he said. “I’d like to be a congressman.”
