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Three generations of service: Jonah Zimmer to continue West Point legacy
Zimmer, a standout student and athlete from Mt. Pleasant, is set to join the nation’s most elite military academy after years of determined preparation and leadership
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MT. PLEASANT — Mt. Pleasant High School senior Jonah Zimmer will soon embark on a journey steeped in family tradition and national service. Earning an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, Jonah will become the third generation of Zimmer men to attend the prestigious institution.
After finding out about his appointment early in the process, Jonah said he “was really excited.”
“Finally, I was able to realize that all the hard work I’ve done was worth it, and I was able to accomplish what I wanted to,” Jonah said.
Jonah is the grandson of Leon Zimmer, who graduated from West Point in 1953, and the son of John Zimmer, who graduated in 1999. Jonah's acceptance marks a rare legacy: three generations of West Point graduates, a distinction few American families can claim.
“Jonah will be a part of the incoming class of 2029,” John said. “This has been a dream of his since [early in life] — to attend West Point and to serve his country.”
Leon Zimmer began his military career as an enlisted soldier in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, where his technical acumen stood out.
“At the age of 19, he had his own radio repair shop,” John said. “His chain of command saw the potential in my father and had him fill out paperwork to compete for an appointment to West Point.”
Leon not only graduated from the Academy but returned years later to teach Electrical and Computer Engineering. He retired as a lieutenant colonel and is buried at West Point.
John followed his father’s path both to West Point and into a distinguished Army career.
“I was a recruited athlete, and I played Division I soccer for Army,” he said. “But it’s very rigorous at the Academy—the academics, the physical demands—balancing both was difficult.”
John retired as a lieutenant colonel after over two decades of active-duty service, including deployments to Afghanistan and Kosovo, and now works as a program manager at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant.
“Now I make the same stuff I used to blow up,” he said, referring to the C4 products his plant manufactures for the U.S. military and allies.
Jonah has not only inherited his family's commitment to military service, but also its drive, discipline, and determination. His résumé reflects years of preparation: team captain of the varsity soccer team, Eagle Scout at 13, officer in the National Honor Society, over 160 hours of community service, and recipient of both the Rotary Youth Leadership Award and a selection for Boys State. He will also earn his Silver Cord award for service at graduation next month and boasts a 31 on the ACT.
“I took honors and AP—the highest level of each subject I could,” Jonah said. “I also had to take a fitness test and qualify physically, academically, and medically. Once I was 3Q qualified, they looked at my extracurriculars and leadership roles.”
The application process to West Point is one of the most competitive in the nation.
“About 9% of applicants get in,” John said. “Jonah found out on the very first day the appointments went out. That means he was one of the top candidates in the country.”
Jonah’s appointment was supported by a nomination from Senator Chuck Grassley and eligibility through his father’s service-connected disability.
“He also earned a presidential nomination,” John explained, noting that Jonah is currently the only Iowa student who has accepted an appointment to West Point for the class of 2029.
At Mt. Pleasant High School, Jonah’s dedication and quiet leadership left a lasting impression.
“Jonah is kind of a quiet young man, but a very good and dedicated student,” MPCHS Principal Mike Wilson said. “He has always demonstrated dedication, trustworthiness, and hard work.”
Wilson also emphasized the impact of Jonah’s success on the school and the community.
“It shows me that we are empowering students to achieve without limits,” he said. “When you can see all the great things our students get to experience here at MPCHS and then where that leads them—it should make our community proud.”
Wilson acknowledged Jonah’s leadership extending beyond the classroom.
“He is a team captain on the soccer team and part of the National Honor Society, to name a few,” Wilson said. “The thing I like most about Jonah is how he handles himself. He never seems rattled or off—really even-keeled and goal driven.”
Jonah’s own sense of direction is deeply rooted in his upbringing and basically a part of his DNA.
“Living on military installations for most of my life and being around the culture of the Army—I think that’s just something I want to continue being a part of,” he said.
That preparation continues as Jonah gears up for Cadet Basic Training, which begins June 30.
“They’re going to break you down and then build you up,” John said. “You’ll go through physical training, rappelling, the gas chamber, rifle qualification—it’s a lot like basic training for enlisted soldiers but also includes learning how to be an officer and cadet.”
John plans to join Jonah in the final leg of Cadet Basic Training: a 12-mile road march from Lake Frederick to West Point.
“That’s the culminating training event,” he said. “Grads—especially those who are parents—can march with their cadet. I’m looking forward to doing that road march back with Jonah.”
Upon completion of training, Jonah and his classmates will choose a class motto to carry with them.
“Mine was ‘With Duty in Mind, 1999,’” John said. “Jonah and his classmates will decide theirs—and that will stay with them forever.”
While Jonah has not hesitated to follow in the footsteps of the Zimmer men and attend West Point and hopefully branch into the Corps of Engineers like his father, his plans differ when it comes to his major. He intends to major in economics at West Point.
Jonah says he cultivated an interest in economics after taking classes with Jeff Batty, a recently-retired school teacher and veteran at MPCHS.
“I want to serve my country and continue to learn more about leadership,” he said. “I’m a little nervous, but I think I’m prepared.”
As his time at home winds down, the Zimmers are soaking in every moment—from prom preparations to a planned graduation trip to Germany, where Jonah was born during his father’s deployment.
“We’re trying to savor these moments,” John said. “But we’re also looking ahead to what lies on Jonah’s path.”
When asked what advice he gives his son, John replied: “Other people have done this before, and you can do it too.”
For a young man raised on military bases and steeped in Army tradition, those words aren’t just encouragement—they’re a calling.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
