I don't know--24 concussions with one person knocked unconscious among a group of very select future officers is quite a price to pay for a prank.
Some of these cadets need to be expelled. They recklessly endangered their fellow cadets, and caused harm to them, and created real costs to the American taxpayers.
They are not officer material.
Many armies through history have had similar sorts of things among junior officers. In the British army regimental “mess games” could get rough. The games they played in school and on leave were rougher. The Germans, as students, slashed at each other with sabres, looking to acquire scars.
Male bonding rituals are often rough.
This business of the pillows is mild.
“They are not officer material.”
Not even good enough to be officers and far, far below grade for enlisted men in the Navy I knew fifty three years ago. Anyone who pulled that kind of stunt in Navy boot in ‘62 would have been out on a dishonorable and likely doing a spell behind bars. In the real world outside of West Point that sort of thing is called ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO DO SERIOUS BODILY HARM, not a pillow fight. Are these dingbats so stupid they didn’t know the danger involved?
I would be inclined to expel the entire class. Group punishment is often used early in military training. Expel the entire class sends a good message to future classes. Now if the “cheaters” are turned promptly I might rethink the entire class thing.
Pussifying them will make it all better.