Oklahoma Woman Breaks Barriers At West Point Military Academy

The year was 1980, the United States had shocked the Soviet Union in Olympic hockey, the Rubik’s Cube made its debut on the market and West Point graduated its first ever co-ed class. 

“My father was a retired military, and I knew that it was a great option for me,” said retired Army Colonel Kelly Zachgo.  

Her first choice was to be in the Texas A&M band.  

“They wrote a letter back and said nope,” said Zachgo.  

In December of her senior year of high school, West Point announced they would for the first time ever accept women into the prestigious military academy, so she applied.  

“I got the phone call, and I was very excited, I’m like, this is great. Alright here I go,” said Zachgo.  

Zachgo wasn’t an athlete in school and outside of her father, she had very little military exposure of her own.  

“Being a flute player in the band, I had to learn to do a lot of physical activity,” said Zachgo.  

There were 1,400 students in the initial co-ed class, 119 of them women, but by graduation, there were only 960 students and only 62 women.  

She expected and overcame the challenges.  

“During your first year you’re called a plebe, you’re the lowest of the low. They’re trying to break you. They’re trying to make sure that you can handle stress,” said Zachgo.  

She recalls a conversation with her dad, a 1956 West Point graduate.  

“Dad, how come you didn’t tell me, all the things I was going to have to do? And he said I thought I would have scared you off,” said Zachgo.  

She graduated in 1980 and retired from the military in 2008 as a colonel. The mother of three works with many organizations including The Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.  

“One of the things I’m most proud of doing and have a great passion for is honoring our military heroes,” said Zachgo.  

She lives her life by a stanza from the cadet prayer.  

“Do the harder right instead of the easier wrong. And that’s one that when you read or you say, it’s like ok,” said Zachgo.  

Zachgo is active in her church and still loves music and can even be caught still playing her flute with the church orchestra.  

For information about the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame visit their website www.okmhf.org