650 Jewish Cadets Commissioned by U.S. Service Academies in 20 Years

Twenty-five Jewish cadets will be commissioned by United States service academies at graduation exercises on June 7. They will bring the total number who have become officers since 1947 to 650,Rabbi Selwyn D, Ruslander, chairman of the National Jewish Welfare Board Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy, reported today.

During this 20-year period, Rabbi Ruslander noted, 233 Jewish cadets will have been graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, 205 from the U.S. Naval Academy, 150 from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 38 from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and 24 from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The June 7 graduates will receive inscribed copies of the Bible from the JWB Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy at special baccalaureate services. The Bible presentations are part of the year-round religious program provided at the academies by Jewish chaplains recruited and served by the Commission on Jewish Chaplaincy.

The U.S. Military Academy at West Point will commission seven Jewish cadets as second lieutenants. The U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., will commission eight Jewish cadets as ensigns. The U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Col., will commission seven Jewish graduates as second lieutenants, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn., will graduate three Jewish ensigns. At commencement exercises on February 10, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y., commissioned five Jewish cadets as ensigns.