EXCLUSIVE: Taiwanese West Point Academy graduate shares experience, leadership vision

獨家：台灣西點軍校畢業生分享經驗和領導願景

Second Lieutenant Hu Chia-chi is Taiwan’s second female West Point graduate


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Having just returned to Taiwan after graduating from four years of study at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Hu Chia-chi (胡家琪) shared her experience at the school as well as her vision for leading Taiwan’s troops.

Hu enrolled at the U.S. Military Academy in 2018 after attending the Republic of China Military Academy for a year. She was admitted after a selection process consisting of several rounds of interviews both within Taiwan and internationally.

In an exclusive interview with Taiwan News, Hu shared that at West Point, four pillars form the program’s structure: academic, military, physical, and character. Despite the mental and physical challenges, Hu said she was able to persist by telling herself, “I represent my country.”

“My country believed in me and sent me here,” Hu said. “I told myself that I can never fail my people, my country, my parents, my friends, or it’s just too much for me to lose."

According to Hu, West Point sends cadets to travel around the world because it believes a leader must have all-round knowledge to command platoons properly. Physically, cadets train for and go through several programs, which include the army combat fitness test, an indoor obstacle course test, and survival swimming.

In terms of cultural differences and language barriers she encountered at West Point, Hu said she had trouble blending in initially due to the professional military terms instructors and other cadets used. Though she did make many mistakes, they later became fond memories.

Aside from having to get used to the military culture, Hu said she did not experience any difference in treatment due to her being Taiwanese. “People really focused on your personality instead of your skin color.”

Hu comes from a military family. Her father is a retired army sergeant first-class, her mother worked in the military, while her two older sisters also attended military academies in the U.S. under the government’s recommendation.

Hu said though part of the reason she chose a career in the military is to fulfill her father’s dream, she has always been interested in outdoor activities. “So why not go into the army? Because doing some cool stuff, shooting big guns must be fun.”

For Hu, this is also her way of contributing to the country. When asked if her experience at West Point changed how she saw Taiwan, she told a story about being saluted and thanked by a little boy in the U.S. for her service.

“I’m not even American, but I [was] so touched by what he had done,” Hu said. After the incident, she began thinking that Taiwan could use more shows of appreciation towards those who serve, including teachers, the police, and soldiers.

Hu said she believes communication is key to a strong military. “Conversation is something that can make people understand what you are thinking about and what you should do to make this troop better.”

This is something she wants to emphasize after joining the Taiwan military, because without conversation, people follow orders without knowing the reason or purpose of what they are being told to do. She said, “If we actually are going to go into a war, I need them to know who their enemy is and who they’re fighting for. I just need to make sure that I am the bridge to connect my subordinates and my superiors.”