Fit For /Duty Linc Bradham’s Journey to West Point
By Todd Wood | May/June 2009
John Lincoln Sheffield Bradham of Pooler, better known as “Linc” to his
family and friends, has begun a journey he never dreamed of. After
responding to a series of events that some might call fate, his life took
on a new direction, and he’ll soon become a cadet at the renowned West
Point Military Academy.
Before considering West Point, his career aspirations had headed in an
entirely different direction. He was seriously planning a career as a
musician.
“He’s a natural musician,” said his mother Becky Bradham. “We absolutely
thought he would have a career in music. Linc taught himself to play the
guitar and keyboards. He plays by ear, and he is very good,” she
emphasized.
Her son continued, “I taught myself theory, which is really important,
scales and things and all that kind of stuff, and I went to music camp. I
just fell in love with it.” Bradham’s been in a band and played gigs in
Savannah, but he says his ‘niche’ is playing worship music at church. “I
thought for a long time that I wanted to go to Berklee College of Music
and major in music production and minor in business management,” he
continued.
School had never been a challenge for Bradham, and he decided to home
school for his last two years of high school so he could finish quicker,
and he did. Eight months was all it took for him to complete his junior
and senior years, and he had just turned seventeen.
During those eight months, home school did not challenge him enough
either. Bradham found himself with extra time on his hands, and he began
working out at the YMCA. His mother had been working out, and he noticed
a change in her fitness. He wanted to do the same.
“I didn’t realized how big I’d gotten until I saw a picture of myself,”
he said. That’s what started his personal fitness program, and although
he didn’t know it at the time, his decision to work out was his first
step in a new direction. That step started him on the path to West
Point.
“One of the requirements of being accepted to West Point is that
applicants pass a rigorous physical fitness test,” Bradham said, “If I
had not lost 70 pounds I never,” he emphasized, “would have been
accepted.”
Since he finished high school early, he decided to stay at home, attend
Armstrong
Atlantic University to get an associate’s degree in business, then
transfer to another school to study music production and business
management. By the time Bradham entered Armstrong, he had become dedicated
to his fitness program. He was a Power Lifter and a teacher of Spin
classes.
Then came the next event that changed his career path. The ease with which
he had finished high school was reflected in his high SAT scores, and had
many schools vying for his attention. Letters from different colleges and
universities began arriving in his mailbox asking him to consider
attending their schools.
One day as he was opening letters from schools, he held up one from West
Point.
“I had never heard of West Point,” he said laughing, seemingly amazed at
the fact. “I asked, ‘Who’s this from?’”
My dad said, “That’s a really good school, Linc. You should look into
it.” What Bradham didn’t know was that his father had once received a
Principal Nomination to West Point, but because of strict physical
requirements, a broken collar bone had prevented him from attending the
academy. He never told this to his son, “Because,” he said, “I knew that
to become a West Point Cadet, the desire must come from within.”
“I had never even heard of West Point,” Bradham said again, still
laughing. “It could have been North Point or Pencil Point and I wouldn’t
have known the difference!”
The letter was an invitation to attend a West Point orientation session
in Pooler. Bradham had been chosen to attend because of his high SAT
scores. He and his father attended the session which was led by Regional
Missions Representative, Major McBride.
The West Point Motto of “Duty, Honor, Country,” left quite an impression
on Bradham. “My dad and I stayed after everyone had left and talked for
about an hour and a half to Major McBride. After I heard about West
Point’s history and their wanting to instill a sense of duty to your
country in the officers they are making,” said Bradham, “a lot of what he
(Major McBride) was saying really kinda hit home. Wheels just started
turning in my head, and I started thinking this might be really something
I want to look into. I never would’ve thought in a million years that I’d
be going into the Army, but it definitely seems like the road to be going
on right now.”
After attending the orientation session, Bradham did some more research
about West Point and began working through the admission process.
Although he had begun his second semester at Armstrong, he decided to
withdraw and focus one hundred percent on getting into West Point
Many of the candidates for West Point had begun the application process
when they were in their junior year of high school, and they were given
guidance by counselors. Linc was in a nontraditional setting, but he
forged ahead to reach his goal of being accepted into West Point.
“The application process was arduous,” said Bradham’s mother. It began on
October 14, 2008 when Bradham attended the West Point orientation meeting,
and then he had only ten days to receive a Congressional Nomination. Every
candidate must get a nomination from the President, Vice President or a
member of Congress, and cannot be admitted into West Point without one.
“Each congressman can have only ten candidates at any time, and
Congressman John Barrow had only one slot open,” she continued.
On November 15, Bradham and other outstanding candidates were interviewed
to vie for that one opening.
On November 18, Bradham and his family listened to a telephone message
from Congressman Barrow saying that Bradham had won the nomination.
Bradham forged ahead through the application process which included
physicals, fitness tests and recommendations. Then another unusual thing
happened. “People started coming out of the woodwork….20 or 30 people I
had never met helped me (throughout his application to West Point) in
different ways. Some of the ways were small things, like a man who gave me
an American Flag pin to wear during my Congressional Interview. This made
me feel that this was something that was past the point of me just wanting
to do it. I felt it was almost ‘divine influence’”. It must have been
“meant to be,” because on March 12, 2009, Bradham received an Appointment
to West Point Military Academy.
Bradham and his father traveled to West Point for an overnight visit. A
cadet escorted them around the campus and showed them what an average day
in cadet life is like. “The trip confirmed to me that this is what I
wanted to do, and this is the right place for me,” he said. “I really
knew, 100% that I fit in.”
June 29 will be Bradham’s first day at West Point, and it will begin with
“Beast Barracks” which is Cadet Basic Training. The name sounds grueling,
but it sounds like Bradham is ready for it.
“I’m one of those people where I can do anything I set my mind to,” said
Bradham, “but ‘I’ have to set my mind to it.” His father reinforced
Bradham’s statement, explaining why he let his son reach his own
conclusions about pursuing an appointment to West Point.
When asked what advice Bradham would give to others, he said, “You need to
get quiet with God. You need to listen to your heart, and the main thing
you need to do is find out what your calling is in life. If you’re really
called to do it, nothing can stand in your way.”
Bradham set his mind to become a musician without any formal training. He
did, and he plays in a band.
Bradham set his mind to finish his high school years early. He did, and
his SAT scores earned him recognition.
Bradham set his mind to become physically fit. He did, and he trains
others to do the same.
Bradham set his mind to become a West Point Cadet. He succeeded and he’s
an inspiration.
SIDEBAR:
The History of West Point is integral to the history of the United States
of America. From the day of its founding on March 16,1802, a favorite
expression at West Point is that “Much of the history we teach was made by
people we taught.”
SIDEBAR:
The West Point Mission
“To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate
is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty,
Honor, Country; professional development as a career officer in the United
States Army; and a lifetime of selfless service to the Nation.”
For more information about West Point Military Academy: www.usma.edu
SOURCE FOR THE SIDEBARS – THE WEST POINT WEBSITE: www.usma.edu
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