Cadet’s days at USMA have been memorable

Cadet Sgt. Stephen Brightman visits classes at Barkalow

BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer

JEFF GRANIT staff Stephen Brightman, a third-year student at the U.S. Military Academy, visited Richard Barlaam's classes at Barkalow Middle School, Freehold Township, recently to speak about his training at West Point. JEFF GRANIT staff Stephen Brightman, a third-year student at the U.S. Military Academy, visited Richard Barlaam’s classes at Barkalow Middle School, Freehold Township, recently to speak about his training at West Point. FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Students in Richard Barlaam’s eighth-grade social studies classes at the Barkalow Middle School welcomed back one of their own on March 12.

Barkalow Middle School graduate Cadet Sgt. Stephen Brightman, 21, of Freehold Township, now in his third year at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., came in to visit Barlaam, his former teacher, and to speak with current students as part of the academy’s Cadet Hometown Recruitment Program.

Returning to the middle school where he spent two years was “great,” according to Brightman, who said he was happy to be able to meet with several of his former teachers.

He gave four 30-minute presentations about West Point and told students about the experiences he has had at the academy during the past three years.

Brightman, who expects to graduate from West Point on May 22, 2010, as a second lieutenant, will be required to give five years of service to the Army upon graduation.

Wearing his dress gray uniform, Brightman told the students what it is like to be a college student at West Point.

“Many students are aware of the Army- Navy football game, but they don’t really know a lot about West Point itself,” Brightman explained.

The cadet remarked that many students were interested in knowing about grenade throwing and were impressed at how heavy the grenades were.

“They wanted to know how it sounds when it blows up, as opposed to the ones they hear in a video game,” Brightman said. “I told them it was much, much louder.”

He also spoke about his best experience at the academy, which he said was flying in a helicopter.

When asked why it was the best experience, Brightman replied that the lift-off was great and said flying in the helicopter as it twisted and turned was amazing.

“I can’t explain it,” he added. “It was just very cool.”

Brightman said the students asked him many questions about the helicopter experience and about the weapons training he has received.

The cadet said he made the students aware of the free education the military academy offers. He estimated the value of that education at between $400,000 and $500,000.

Barlaam said he jumped at the opportunity to have his former student give the presentation to his current students. Barlaam, who has been teaching at the school for 22 years, said Brightman was a good student and very quiet.

“He knew what was going on then, and now he’s got it altogether as well,” the teacher said. Brightman described many of the activities in which cadets participate, including his first experience with tear gas.

“We had to gear up with rubber suits and gas masks, then get into this cement cinderblock chamber, which was not very big, where the gas was then dispersed,” he explained. “You could even see gold flecks all around. That’s how you know the gas is there.”

According to Brightman, the reason for this exercise is to become familiar with the mask and suits.

“We need to know how the tear gas feels and know how it affects us if it’s ever used on us,” he said. “In addition, we need to know how it will react on those we need to use it on.”

Even without inhaling the gas, he said the cadets still exited the chamber with their noses dripping and their eyes tearing.

“When we got out we had to flap our arms up and down in order to expel the gas. And we couldn’t touch our faces either. There were 14 of us and it looked pretty funny,” he said. “It was terrifying in the beginning, until you get into the groove of it.”

His training has also included the use of different types of guns and grenade launchers.

After a long day of classes and military training, the evening hours are reserved for studying from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Lights out occurs at midnight.

Brightman said it was good to come back to his former middle school. He remembered having a lot of good times at Barkalow.

“It was great seeing Mr. Barlaam and it was really a lot of fun being here again,” the cadet said.