What is the Cadet Honor Code all about?
Cadets learn about and prepare for the ethical demands of officership by living under the dictates of an Honor Code. The code states: “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.” Its purpose is to foster a commitment to moral-ethical excellence and an insight into the more comprehensive military professional ethic. The exact origin of the Honor Code is unclear, but it may have evolved from the code of chivalry embraced by the Officer Corps when the Military Academy was established. Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, the Father of the Military Academy, and General Douglas MacArthur, helped make the code an essential vehicle for the development of character. The Honor Code demands and expects all members of the Corps of Cadets to conduct themselves with absolute integrity, both in word and deed. Cadets accept this obligation freely and with great pride.
