Ivey graduates from West Point
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on July 3, 2016 1:45 AM
Full SizeCade Ivey may not have been born on the Fourth of July, but when it comes to patriotic ties, he has plenty.
He was born 22 years ago, on July 2, a date with just as much historical significance as Independence Day, says his mother, Dr. Tracey Ivey, vice president of institutional effectiveness and innovation at Wayne Community College.
"July 2, 1776, is actually when the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence," she explained. "July 4 may be celebrated as Independence Day but the actual vote was taken July 2."
The son of Tracey and Mitch Ivey of Goldsboro is a 2012 graduate of Charles B. Aycock High School. He recently graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point.
But Mrs. Ivey said his interest in the prestigious college started much earlier.
"Our family went to the 1999 West Point graduation for my cousin, Will Marm," she said. "He is the son of Col. (retired) Joe Marm and wife, Deborah, of Fremont. Joe is a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.
"It was at the 1999 graduation that Cade, then 4, stated that he wanted to come to West Point -- 'I want to come here one day, Mama.' He has now realized that dream."
The recent graduation ceremony was a full circle moment in other ways, as Will Marm, now a Lt. Colonel, flew in from Germany with his two oldest sons to attend Cade's graduation and commission him as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
"A clear representation of the Long Gray Line," Mrs. Ivey said.
Her son has limited recollection of that first visit.
"I remember being very impressed with everything I saw when I was there, but because I was 4, I don't remember a whole lot of it," he said. "Since then it's been a part of my life.
"I have always been really active like in sports or Scouting. I always enjoyed going on camping trips, the whole outdoor thing, played Army as a kid."
In his junior year of high school, he started the application process for West Point -- "You have to turn it in a full year in advance," he said.
Reflecting on the experience, he admits now that it was much different than he had imagined.
"West Point is hard," he said. "I met some awesome people, but it was difficult. It was long."
Currently on leave, he reports to Fort Benning, Ga. on Aug. 20 for basic officers leadership training. He will be there for a year before heading to Fort Bliss, Texas.
"There are 17 different branches in the Army. I will be working with Armor," he said of the area that includes such components as tanks and cavalry scouts.
Eventually, he said, he has an eye toward transferring to be a foreign-area officer, working as a liaison in Germany or Europe. But that field is very challenging, he said, and also very competitive.
Now that the arduous preparation at West Point is behind him, what is he looking forward to?
"This is probably random," he said. "To be able to cook my own meals, that kind of thing, living like an adult, because when you're a cadet, there's a lot of people. There's not really a kitchen area for you to cook."
He is also working on some professional aspirations.
"Just graduating from West Point was like my life goal," he said. "Now I have got to figure out a new life goal -- just be the best soldier, the best officer I can be.
"Graduation was probably the happiest day of my life."