M


MATTHEW MCCLARY doesn’t fit the profile of a typical Army cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. McClary’s classmates refer to him as “Grandpa McClary” because at 25, he’s a bit older than most of them and he has combat experience. “Someone will say, ‘Tell us a war story, Grandpa McClary,’ and I’m always happy to,” he says.


McClary spent four years as


an enlisted Army reservist before entering the academy. While most cadets compete for congressio- nal appointments, he entered as a prior-service soldier after receiv- ing an endorsement from his com- mander and spending a year at the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School in Fort Monmouth, N.J. His previous deployment was in 2004 and included service with the 324th Psychological Operations Battalion in Fallujah, Iraq, during Operation Vigilant Resolve. Once McClary graduates and re-


ceives his commission, he’ll join the “long gray line” of U.S. presidents, generals, engineers, astronauts, and


6 6 MI L I T A R Y O F F I C E R AU G U S T 2 0 1 0


Matthew McClary (above) served prior to entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.


Rhodes scholars that West Point has produced since it was founded in 1802. But right now, McClary is fo- cused on maintaining his high GPA, which earned him West Point’s Dis- tinguished Cadet Award and a spot on the dean’s list. He’s also eager to lead soldiers


as an infantry officer and test the skills he’s acquired during the past four years. “I have no qualms about deploy-


ing at all,” says McClary. “For me, that’s the next challenge I look for- ward to. That’s probably one of the


PHOTOS: ABOVE, SEAN SHANAHAN; RIGHT, KEVIN REMMINGTON


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