Grannie is spot-on with her comments. If I may, I'll add to them a bit.
I want to preface this with the caveat that I don't like enumerating things about myself. It smacks of the behavior of some others on this forum who take every opportunity to list every accolade their DS/DD/DH has ever received. But, I think there are some worried parents out there so bear with me.
I was a great student in high school. Football and wrestling and academic challenge captain. NHS, AP classes, community awards, all that jazz. In short, I was like many of your children: a "great kid" according to our standard metrics for assessing young folks.
On June 29, 2000 I said my 90-second goodbye to my folks and walked across the field at Michie Stadium. At that moment, I immediately became a failure. Yes, really!
My roommate and I tried very hard to have the cleanest room, so we got up at 0300 to clean. At 0530, we were snatched from our room to take the APFT. I failed. Miserably. MISERABLY. Failed two out of three events.
Two days later we were issued our rifle cards for our M-14s, the card that cadets keep for 4 years. Within five minutes of getting it, I dropped it on the ground in North Area. How did I get it back? My Tac Officer and CBT Company commander came to my room and chewed me up like cheap bubble gum. A major and a cadet captain. If MacArthur barracks had larger windows, I think I might have jumped, as it would have been preferable at the time.
My squad leader thought I had a bad attitude (In his defense, well, I probably did). He sent the company XO over at every formation to rip into me. I still remember her...CDT LT Sayles. She was as vicious as the day is long (In her defense, I needed it, and in the end she turned out to be a really sweet and wonderful person).
Reorgy Week I didn't eat a single meal because my tablemates and I were so bad at duties, the firsties wouldn't give us permission to eat. That's after 7 weeks of doing those duties! Talk about three kids who could screw up a one-car parade. Thank god my team leader smuggled me food.
Let's fast-forward to the academic year. My first World History paper? Failed. 30%. Wrong documentation format. I had to re-do the paper, but not for any more points. DDS pop quizzes? I failed those suckers like it was going out of style. The IOCT...well, I think it only took me 8 or 9 tries to pass it. Again, the barracks windows must be made so small for a reason...
Over the years, things ebbed and flowed. Highs and lows. I got picked for some pretty prestigious stuff. I also did just shy of 100 hours on the area in my time. I had a Tac NCO who loved me. I also had a Tac NCO who hated my guts. I had some great personal victories. I also had some really fantastic down-in-flames defeats.
By the end, I could bench press 325 pounds and run a 13:24 2-mile. Not bad for a kid who tubed his first APFT.
I was selected three times for SCUSA, twice for FAEP, and once for an Olmsted Foundation summer fellowship. I've been an honor graduate of my OBC course, my Career Course, and Pathfinder school. I was the distinguished honor graduate of Air Assault school and the Joint Firepower Controller course. I had regular sit-downs with two division commanders (MG Caslen and then MG Cucolo) and their one-star sidekicks to brief them on our activities at the Special Operations Task Force. Not bad for a kid who couldn't even document a paper about the "Sea People" in the right format.
Years ago, I made pilot-in-command before any other LT in my first squadron. Not bad for a kid who couldn't handle a DDS pop quiz.
What's the moral of this? If you're failing, you're "on-path, on-glideslope" (Mongo will get that). Hard to believe, I know. Read Colin Powell's leadership lessons, and you'll find a great story about how, as a LT, he lost his .45 pistol on a mission in West Germany. I'd say things turned out alright for Colin Powell. CJCS ADM Mike Mullen graduated 611th out of 836th in his class. He's done alright in the ensuing years, too.
Like Grannie pointed out, most of the mistakes you make aren't big or even really consequential in the long run. But when you've been a big fish in a little pond for years, it's hard to find yourself suddenly in the ocean. Achievers don't like to fail. If he was failing and didn't give a rat's ass, then you'd have a problem. The fact that little mistakes eat him up is a good thing.
My name's ScoutPilot and I'm living proof that you can @#*! up by the numbers and still have a pretty darn good time and a really exciting and rewarding career.
The road is long. Very long. The failures are what will make him succeed later on.
Neither us, as parents, nor them, as NCs, are accustomed to them receiving much criticism. Remember too, what once was your little one is now on their own. Thank goodness he cares if he is doing things "right"! Frankly, if his infractions are as small as described, he's doing really well.