David Bernstein

West Point, 2001

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Reis Brandon Ritz on November 3, 2003:

I met Dave my plebe year at West Point when he returned second semester from the Air Force Academy as my Platoon Sergeant. Despite our relationship as plebe and platoon sergeant, Dave and I became friends. He would tease me and give me a hard time with that witty sense of humor that only Dave possessed. Dave was the earliset inspiration for me to not only strive to do my best at West Point, but in life in general. Dave was an inspiration to work hard in class, to work hard physically, and to go for whatever I wanted. When I talked to Dave about possibly going to USAFA for a semester I remember him saying like it was yesterday, "You can do anything you want to..." and he meant it. Although I never talked to Dave after he graduated, I was always aware of what he was doing through my roommate James Stultz. I continued to admire Dave for his role as a mentor to James on the swim team and through Scuba tryouts. Forever after Dave's graduation I knew him simply as an amazing individual, in both ability and generosity. Today I am at medical school at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN and I feel like I am in a different world from my classmates. I wish that I had the opportunity to get out and give back, in the way that many of them are right now. It's not often that we meet people like Dave, and I am thankful that there are people like him in this world. Without the Dave Bernsteins our country would not be a special place. Dave is a magnificent tribute to his parents, his family, friends, and all that is good in this world. Sincerely, Reis Brandon Ritz, USMA 2003; VUSM 2007

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