Hundreds of young men and women said goodbye to their civilian lives Monday as they became cadets on their first day at West Point Military Academy.

The class of 2023 endured a grueling Reception Day - or R-Day - just like the generations of young cadet candidates before them at the oldest military academy in the United States.

The group, made up of 1,200 men and women, including 285 women and 400 minorities from throughout the country, will now begin six weeks of basic training toward eventually becoming an officer in the Army.