Breakout and Brotherhood – VMI 1st Class President Reflects

Breakout marks one of the most defining moments of the Rat Line, symbolizing both the culmination of challenging months and the beginning of a cadet’s life in the Corps. Behind the scenes, its success depends on deliberate leadership, careful planning, and a shared commitment from upperclass cadets to uphold tradition while supporting the Rat Mass. In this Q&A, the 1st Class President Maximus Ankrah ‘26 reflects on the responsibility of guiding rats through the Rat Line, the priorities behind planning Breakout, and the pride that comes with welcoming the newest cadets into the Corps.

Q: There are a lot of moving pieces and responsibilities placed on leadership within the Corps during the Rat Line and on the day itself. How would you define what is expected of upperclass cadets to support these traditions?

Ankrah: For the upperclassmen, their role is to ensure the Rat Line is as challenging and up to standard as possible. Correcting rats, encouraging them, and pushing them to their max potential is their obligation. If we’re not doing that as upperclassmen, we’re doing the rats a disservice. That goes for Breakout too; the culmination of hard work throughout the months deserves to be celebrated not just alongside rat’s brother rats, but also the Corps. It takes a village to develop the next generation of new cadets.

Q: As 1st Class President and General Committee president, what were your top priorities for a successful Breakout?

Ankrah: As my team and I were narrowing down Breakout dates, we had to weigh the priorities of choosing a weekend or maximizing the amount of personnel that would be attending Breakout. This was a difficult dilemma at the time of deciding, as we wanted Breakout on a Saturday rather than a weekday  — as it was in years past. It was important to ensure that everyone had at least the opportunity to participate in this important event.

I was asked this hypothetical question: When the rats one day have their 5, 10, 50-year reunions, will they be able to share this sacred memory together or only most of them? At the end of the day, Breakout isn’t what defines the Rat Line; it’s one’s brother rats. We wanted to ensure that the mass can all share the memory of Breakout and ensure the BR spirit doesn’t end at the Rat Line but only marks the beginning of other joyous memories.

Q: You had some powerful words of wisdom for the Rat Mass following their Fakeout: “Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure.” How do you think VMI helps develop and nurture that drive to keep pushing and keep succeeding?

Ankrah: There is a quote I’ve heard that applies to VMI: “We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, excellence isn’t an action but a habit.” Everyone goes through personal trials and tribulations, but it’s important to keep pushing. Nothing great in life ever came without facing adversity. You must overcome obstacles continuously and that’s exactly what VMI provides. It’s going through those tough times that build character and overcoming adversity that keeps you resilient.

Q: How would you describe the atmosphere in Barracks during that first Old Yell?

Ankrah: It’s an extremely rewarding feeling. To put in many hours, days, and weeks into such a big event and have it come out flawlessly was amazing to see. I love my position as class president because I get to be part of such important moments. Besides Ring Figure and graduation, Breakout is one of the moments that everyone cherishes during one’s cadetship, and it was humbling to be part of that.

Q: What emotions were you feeling as you stood and looked out over the latest rats to become cadets?

Ankrah: Immense pride. To be the one to initiate a class’s first Old Yell, where more than 400 rats yell their class number and pump their fists in the air, together; in perfect synchronization — you can’t describe that feeling. I’m extremely honored to have led such fine men and women who’ve come from all different walks of life. I’m proud of them. 

They’ve accomplished something so big. To enter VMI is one thing, but to have earned Breakout is another. Proud of these rats, now cadets, and I look forward to seeing them grow.

Q: Looking back at the Class of 2029’s Breakout and your own Breakout, how do you think it encapsulates the VMI experience and the tradition of shared suffering?

Ankrah: Breakout is just the beginning of one’s cadetship, but it’s the Rat Line that proves you can overcome anything during your cadetship. VMI is what it is because of the people. The people are what make it worth coming back, and it’s the people that you must lean on, specifically one’s Brother Rats, to excel at VMI — this is what The Rat Line and Breakout symbolize. There can be no brotherhood without shared suffering, and the new cadets now understand what this means.