Pillow fights at the US Military Academy are illegal effective immediately following such an event on August 20 in which 30 people were injured.
Col. Karl Meyer, who led an investigation into the incident, recommended that the Academy discontinue the event in future years through written guidance that would include warnings of possible disciplinary actions against cadets who “have been a part of initiating, coordinating or taking part in the event in any capacity.”
Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen ordered the probe after 30 cadets were injured in a large-scale pillow fight between members of the school’s first-year class, known as plebes. The injured cadets were treated at Keller Army Community Hospital for a range of injuries, including 24 diagnosed with concussions.
“I said at the time that we are committed to the development of leaders of character, and this investigation showed that this event has no place in the future of the academy or the development of the Army’s next generation of leaders,” Caslen said. “While never officially sanctioned, it is now officially banned, and we will take appropriate action to ensure that all faculty, staff, leaders, the Corps of Cadets and everyone at West Point knows that it will not be tolerated.”
Following the August incident, there were allegations that some cadets were injured by hard objects like helmets, lock boxes, flashlights or other things were in the pillow cases, the report stated. Many injuries were the results of cadets being hit by elbows or other body parts during the scuffle of the pillow fight or from falling or being knocked to the ground, it read. If cadets had been struck by hard objects “they would have expected to see fractures, hematomas or lacerations,” according to the report.
