Lynbrook West Point grad earns prestigious scholarship to study in Israel

In the near future, Anthony Marco will be jumping out of flying planes to land in dangerous combat zones in service to the U.S. military — but first, a quick pit stop.

The Lynbrook native, who graduated 10th in a graduating class of over 1,000 from West Point Academy, has earned a prestigious scholarship to study government and homeland security in Israel.

“I wanted to be amongst the best,” Marco said. “Amongst a group of people that everything that they’re going to do, they’re going to do at 110 percent.”

Marco is the kind of man that sets his sights on a goal and does not waver — which is why his travel plans remain unchanged despite the recent declaration of war between Israel and Hamas.

His military aspirations date back to the eighth grade. He had a passion for reading about history, and noticed that all the best generals had gone to West Point. Marco made his decision to pursue military leadership — all that was left was the work it takes to get there.

“I wanted to lead,” Marco said. “You want to build and develop other people, you want to be at the center of the planning and decision making and executing plans.”

Marco decided early on that he wanted to be in the Army branch because of the culture he said seemed to be unique to infantry soldiers.

“That environment resonated with me, that idea of camaraderie, and a real team effort is on steroids in the army, and even in a combat environment,” Marco said. “I just wanted to be in that culture.”

Getting into West Point is an achievement in itself, let alone succeeding in the rigorous environment. Every day would begin at 7 a.m., and the next nine hours of the day were filled with classes and followed by intramural sports and other extracurriculars. By his senior year, Marco’s superiors also assigned him to be the Executive Battalion Officer, where he was responsible for around 350 cadets.

When all was said and done, Marco would return back to his dorm around 7:30 p.m. to start on the homework he had. He’d go to bed around midnight, and repeat the process the next day. He said the most challenging part was maintaining the balance of his intense academic, physical, and military responsibilities.

“There's an expectation for you to perform in multiple different settings and environments,” Marco said. “The purpose is that when you're in the operational army now as a commissioned officer, that in whatever capacity that you're serving, you're going to be dealing in environments that are just as arduous and time consuming.”

Marco didn’t just meet expectations, but excelled. He was president of the History Club, Editor In Chief of West Point's renowned undergraduate review “The Report,” and founder and co-host of the podcast for the Irregular Warfare Initiative. And somehow, he found time in between to publish six scholarly articles about military history and defense policy, including an award-winning undergraduate thesis.

“If I’m going to do something, I want to do it to the best of my ability,” Marco said. “Pursuing excellence is really an attempt, not to distinguish yourself, but to earn yourself a spot, a place, amongst the best.”

Marco has clearly earned that place. He graduated summa cum laude and won awards for being the top History cadet in his graduating class and for performing in the top 5 percent of all three programs — academic, physical and military. Graduating in such high esteem gave Marco the opportunity to pick his military placement.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Marco decided on one of the most rigorous units there is: the 173 Airborne Brigade, where cadets parachute into active combat zones.

Marco had secured a spot in his dream placement. There was just one problem — he had also won a scholarship to spend a year getting a master’s degree from Reichman University in Israel. He was on the fence — begin the operational army service that he’s so excited to join, or delay it for the scholarship?

Israel offered a unique opportunity that he couldn’t turn down. With its unique security environment, its complicated regional tensions and its impressive defense force, the country would provide an opportunity for Marco to study one of the most complicated and pressing international relations issues of today. He said the insight into human interaction and cross-cultural competencies that he’ll gain through the experience will help him better serve the military.

“The way to approach the pursuit of excellence,” Marco said, “is not what it really does for you, but what it does for the people around you and the organization.”

Despite the recent declaration of war between Israel and Hamas, Marco will still be pursuing his Homeland Defense studies in Israel. Reichman University os offering the program online.

“I am incredibly proud of him, and of course, very worried about the situation there to be honest,” Marco’s mother Anita Marco said. “I give it to God because this life of service will be one of sacrifice and fear at times.”

The online story reflects edits made after it was published in the Herald.