WASILLA — With a feeling of dedication and duty to serve his country, Dan Kurber left for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point after graduation from Houston High School in 2007.

“I wanted to serve, and it just felt like the right thing to do,” said Kurber, a Big Lake native. “And plus, West Point is a great school as well.”

As a junior he now acts as a member of the cadet public relations committee for West Point.

Houston High School graduate and West Point Cadet Dan Kurber. LANIER HUTCHESON/Frontiersman

“Basically what we do is go around to different organizations and high schools across the country and talk to students about what life is like at West Point and just answer any questions the students might have.”

Kurber said that there a lot of students who have never even heard of West Point, “so I just try and help answer questions.”

He is on extended leave for Thanksgiving break and has traveled to Wasilla High School and Houston High School to give his demonstration.

“I just have a PowerPoint that highlights what West Point is about,” he said. “And then do kind of a question and answer session.”

Kurber will also visit Anchorage schools, Colony High School and Palmer High School before flying back to West Point on Friday.

Coming from a military family, his father is a West Point graduate, Kurber says that Alaskans are quite common at West Point and usually succeed at the academy.

“Alaskans have a very high rate of service and several schools in the Valley have cadets at West Point,” he said.

Kurber attributes much of the Alaska lifestyle to easing his transition into West Point.

“When you first get there it is a little difficult, but coming from Alaska I am used to working hard and sleeping out on the ground.”

Kurber wants to branch into the infantry division in his senior year and hopes that will allow him to pursue his long-term goal of making the Army Ranger Battalion.

“While I do not know if I am going to get my 20 years, I would like to make the Army Ranger Battalion,” he said, adding the road is difficult. “You can be qualified as a Ranger, but there are just so few spots to fill it is hard to make the battalion.”

To fulfill his goals, Kurber will need to excel academically and graduate close the top of his class — something he is already doing.

To be a member of the public relation committee you must have good grades, he said.

If he continues to succeed, Kurber hopes he will get a posting at Hawaii or back home in Alaska.

Although the break has been nice for Kurber, he said he is excited about getting back to school.

“You know, I originally went to serve, but the people there are incredible,” he said. “From the teachers to my classmates, they all have been great to me. My classmates and I share a bond that is hard to describe.”

Contact Lanier Hutcheson at lanier.hutcheson@frontiersman.com or 352-2265.