New cadets will be arriving at the U.S. Military Academy on Monday, but preparations are needed ahead of time and were well underway.

“This is critical to any operation in the operational force,” said Regimental Tactical Officer Assigned to Cadet Basic Training Ian Kent.

More than 200 volunteers simulated what it’s like to be a new cadet on West Point’s campus ahead of Reception Day, also known as R-Day, when the new class of cadets arrive. 

“It was nerve-wracking, but it was it was also fun and exciting to be able to do it,” said Kristina Baideme.

Baideme is a first-time volunteer, but no stranger to West Point or military life. She teaches children attending school on the grounds, and her husband is a professor.   

“He talks a lot about his time as a cadet, so my daughter and I wanted to see what it was all about,” Baideme said.

From saying goodbye to their families to being escorted through stations where they conducted their oath, got medical checks, were given equipment, assigned to a company and led to report to the cadet in the red sash, the volunteers really experienced what it’s like to be a cadet for a day.

“I now understand why my husband is so detail-oriented. Like, when they say they want something done a specific way, it has to be done exactly that way,” Baideme said.

The class of 2028 arrives for R-Day on Monday, and the rehearsal allows the Corps of Cadets to practice assisting new cadets with transitioning from civilian to military life.

“This is a very common activity you do to make sure that the plan actually works because you want to identify those friction points before you execute, so rehearsals are a very necessary part of the operations process,” Kent said.

The volunteers also learned a thing or two along the way.

“My biggest message to the public for today would be for everyone to have some basic understanding of military life and everything that it includes, and how special that military academy is for our country,” Baideme said.

“This is just really a great example of how important the community is in ultimately developing leaders of character,” Kent said. “As the 61st superintendent says all the time, it really truly takes a village to develop a leader of character. That could be staff and faculty, that could be a tactical officer, but it could also be a community member and sponsor that live in the West Point surrounding area.”