>> welcome to fox news special. i am john scottment coming to you from the grounds of west point academy. >> west point is the oldest military post one of the country's most fabled university. even year more than 1,000 cadets become officers in the army. we get a rare glimpse of the living tradition of the united states military and we will also get to enjoy the music of the army's oldest band. the best point band is one of

america's finest military musical oringzation. through out the next hour we will hear them on the field, in the halls. and on stage as we perform in the public at the annual holiday concert. >> before we get to the music let's go to washington, d.c. for a special message from martin dempsey chairman of the joints chief of staff and 74 west point graduate. >> thank you for the opportunity to showcase this national treasure during the holidays and to hear the music of the west point band the army's oldest and one of the very best. i don't want to miss this opportunity to highlight the service and sacrifice of the millions of servicemen and women serving our nation at home and abroad during this holiday. i wish them and their family happy holidays. >> the holiday season would not be complete without the annual west point holiday concert in

ienz hour hall. >> named for the class of 1915 graduates and eisenhowers is one of the largest theaters in america designed to hold the entire core of cadets. >> let's get right to it. here is the west point band in the huntington valley holiday concert performing holiday presence. ♪ ♪

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♪ o >> we hudson holiday concert as well

as a behind the scenes look at the united states military academy. as we take a quick break here's the cadet glee club singing "mansions of the lord." ♪ ♪ ♪ could protect you from cancer?

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>> we are glad you are with us for our west point holiday special. i am john scott here p on the grounds of the united states military academy at west point to bring you the amazing sounds of the west point band. >> the academy sits on a plateau over looking new york's hudson river. its location chosen in 1778 is no accident. >> george washington founded west point because he knew it was incredibly important strategical strategically. >> general washington choose this location to stop advancement during the revolutionary war. signed jefferson in 1802 the college was established for training professional leaders in warfare. now more than 200 years later the cadets are well aware of the legacy placed on their shoulders. >> tradition is everything here. it permeates through everything we do.

our uniforms are the same as we were in 1802 when the school opened. it gives us background and something to draw from and our lives and experiences as cadets. >> since day one everyone has their hearts set on serving the country. it is not something you regret. you get reinspired and remote vated to serve your country. >> i think if the average person wanted to see what's right with america they would find it here with the cadets and sons and daughters. they are incredibly talented they have an intense desire to serve their country. duty, honor and country is the motto. they have already internalized the epthic of duty even before they come here. >> as long as there have been soldiers at west point there has been a band. >> there are musicians who are field musicians drummers and pipers that go back to the 1700s in the colonial army.

>> military drums were the primary form of communication from the revolution to the civil war. the bugle an important war in the mid 1800's for the ability of the bold brilliant sound to be heard above the noise of battle. through out history west point cadets marched to the beat of the field music group. >> we continue to try to inspire a sense of moral and core into the core of the cadets. >> it is same type of group even the same type of music, same instruments. they still play today. >> they march and the thing that you will sees daily formations. we march the formation to where we eat.

the drums keep everyone in step. >> you will see them all marching in to the beat of a drum. the entire core of cadets all at one time. >> in addition to keeping cadets on a precise military schedule that makes up light the field music group performs at football games military reviews and parades and countless other events. >> they play marching music to ensure we march and move as an army and as a unit. it is good order and discipline and the ability to maintain the standard of excellence that the family is known for. let's go to the hudson valley holiday concert. here are the hell cats and west point band performing christmas classic.

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>> we have plenty more from the west point holiday as we continue. holiday continues. ♪ ♪ ♪ i met a man who lived in tennessee ♪ and he was headed for pennsylvania and some home made pumpkin pie ♪ folks traveling from the dixie stunning shore from the ♪ ♪ ♪

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>> welcome back to fox news channel's west point holiday special. i am john scott. that was the west point glee club singing the west point alma mater. it is a special time around here when the future army officers look forward to a well deserved break from their studies and training. >> the holiday season is a very special time. they have bhn working very hard to go back home and sleep in their own beds and be with their moms and dads and brothers and sisters and local high school is something they are anticipating. >>s is it it is also a time tor those who have gone before them thousands of americans celebrating the who will days far from home. >> these are the highest quality of the young men and women in the world today selfishly standing in the gap between the evil. like generations that have gone

before them they are willing to stand in the reigns and do what is necessary. >> walking through the post the holiday spirit ispalpable. >> it is incredibly busy homework finals and tests. the people around you make you feel like the holidays. >> it is one of the grand moments where all 4,000 of us are really family. >> the december family tradition everyone looks forward to. >> every year they have a holiday dinner where they get dressed in their best uniforms. the hall will be deck crated beautifully. >> washington hall is no ordinary dining hall. >> the entire core of cadets all reefl 400 of us eat in the dining hall for every meal. >> christmas dinner is the best night. >> one of the traditions that happens at west point is police come into the mess hall.

>> they wrap everything in wrapping paper some bring gifts and lights. >> they decorate the christmas table with the most christmas decorations. >> they use their creativity to decorate the table for us. >> it is amaze to go see the thousands of cadets up to 4600 in 20 minutes will be served. it is a great first class meal. >> everybody is sitting in a table of 10 family style meals passing food around talkling getting to know your classmates. >> you just laugh and have fun and talk and exchange jokes>> it is an opportunity for cadets young and old. >> massive washington hall is indeed the most impressive structure at west .1 of the most awe inspiring campuses in america. it was the first institution in the country to adopt the gothic style of architecture.

they form an enclosing granite fortress symbolic of the strength and tenacity needed to lead them into the future. among the many great structures is the cadet chapel which resembles a medieval fortress over the campus. >> the building was built in 1909 and was finished in 1910. it was gee signed to sit here on the hill and watch over the core of cadets. >> the chapel is one of five on the post each providing a spiritual home for cadets with a religious background. this amazing building took more than a year to complete. >> they had the irish and italian immigrants who were stonemasons and they had been brought in to be the special artisans to work on the chapel. they were told if they complete the chapel in five years they would get citizenship. they completed it in 14 months so i say they were motivated to get it done. >> each stain glassed memorial

is given in memory of fallen classmates. >> as you go through the sanctuary there are 192 windows. they are each dedicated to one of the graduating classes beginning in 1802 up until 1976 when they ran out of space for doing any more windows. ♪ ♪

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♪ ♪ >> our west point holiday special continues now. let's join the holiday concert

as the band performs "oh come oh come emanuel." emannuel" ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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>> we will have much more from the west point band holiday concert. stick around. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

>> jon: west point >> our west point holiday special continues now. we are at west point where cadets send four pressure packed years to spend years to become officers in the army. >> for members of the freshman class it's their first chance to take a break as they report to post right after high school graduation. there are official few welcome and reception day. r day. the start of rig louse training and education that will continue

through out their time here. >> our job is to train them, educate them and inspire them for a life 250i time of service. lifetime service to the nation. but to be young men and women and officers of character. the character development is based on the values of duty, honor and country and values of the army. it is integrated in all that we do in all of the programs here. >> back now to the music of the west point band as we rejoin the hudson valley holiday concert for winter days. valley concert for winter games. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ > as a drum major i get to lead the greatest man in the world doing many different functions here at west point. working with cadets is also really great. my favorite parade of the year is the graduation parade. all of the music we play is very traditional, it is all marching music. it is music that is dated as far back as 1838. all of that music is the fabric the west point just like the building.

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take the comcast business speed test. get faster speeds or more savings, or we'll give you $150. comcast business. built for business. ♪ >> to continue our westay point holiday special let's go back inside eisenhower hall and rejoin the westpoin point band for "sleigh

ride." ♪ ♪ just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring, ting, tingling too ♪ ♪ come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you ♪ ♪ outside the snow is falling and friends are calling yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with

you ♪ ♪ ♪ gid yap, gid yap, gid yap, let's go ♪ ♪ it's grand just holding your hand ♪ ♪ we're gliding along with a song of a wintry wonderland ♪ ♪ we snuggle up together as two birds of a feather would be ♪ ♪ come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ there's a birthday party at the home of farmer gray ♪ ♪ it will be the perfect ending of a perfect day ♪ ♪ we'll be singing the songs we love to sing without a single stop ♪ ♪ at the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop ♪ ♪ pop, pop, pop, pop ♪ there's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy ♪ ♪ when they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie ♪ ♪ it will really be like a picture print from currier and ives ♪

♪ these wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives ♪ ♪ just hear those it sleigh bells jingling, ring, ting, tingling too ♪ ♪ come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you ♪ ♪ outside the snow is falling and friends are calling yoo-hoo ♪ ♪ come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you ♪ ♪ gid yap, gid yap, gid yap, let's go ♪ ♪ it's grand just holding your hand ♪ ♪ we're gliding along with the song of a wintry fairy land ♪

♪ our cheeks are rosie ♪ and cozy are we ♪ we'll snuggle up together like two birds of a feather would be ♪ ♪ let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two ♪ ♪ come on, it's lovely weather, wonderful weather, perfect weather for a sleigh ride with you ♪ ♪you ♪ you ♪ [ applause ] >> and that brings to a close

our west point holiday special. we'd like to thank everyone here at west point for allowing >> hi everyone. good morning. today is christmas. merry christmas. it is the 25th of december 2014. i'm anna kooiman in for elisabeth hasselbeck. pope francis delivers his christmas blessings to the world. the pope urging people to darkness.d even in moments we'll bring you to rome and bethlehem straight ahead. >> today "the interview" will be shown in theaters across the country after sony reverses its decision standing up to north korea refusing to cave in to the country. but if you are heading to the movie today, is it even worth seeing? that is the big question. or was the wait just a