Cadet Life questions?

cryosk8trboi

5-Year Member
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Dec 11, 2010
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For those of you who are cadets...

aside from the military protocol and the plebe hazing and everything...about how different is the academy life from any other college?


Also, could anybody go into detail about basic training after R Day?
 
I'm not sure how many cadets on here actually went to "regular" college before the academy. I mean I'm in a *civilian* college now, and what I can tell you is that the college experience varies depending on the person. How you act, your morals, your strength of character, study habits--all of that determines one's college experience.

College is what you make it. Aside from the protocols, hazing, and everything as you mentioned, based on what I have read or heard the difference is freedom. Freedom to go off on adventures vs. freedom to do push-ups. Freedom to sleep in vs. freedom to call out minutes.
 
Push-ups and minutes are 4dig things. After recognition, it's almost like a normal college. But BlackOps has it correct: college is what you make it. If you want to major in aero or physics or something, don't expect to get as much free time as a "fuzzy" major. Even our 3digs complain about some of the military stuff (lunch formations, SAMIs, etc.), but it's more of an annoyance for them and a chore for us.
 
Push-ups and minutes are 4dig things. After recognition, it's almost like a normal college. But BlackOps has it correct: college is what you make it. If you want to major in aero or physics or something, don't expect to get as much free time as a "fuzzy" major. Even our 3digs complain about some of the military stuff (lunch formations, SAMIs, etc.), but it's more of an annoyance for them and a chore for us.

Do freshmen still have to march/walk only on certain colored tiles or whatever in between buildings during the school year and stuff like that which I recall them having to do decades ago?
 
Yes, Luckymacy, they run the strips, and can carry their backpacks only in their left hands, never on their backs, etc.

After having kids both at USAFA and at assorted civilian colleges, of course, the 4* year is very different, and in some ways much more difficult. However, there are rewards at the service academies which are seldom found in civ colleges.

One of the rewards in this economic climate would be you don't have to hunt for a job, worry about benefits, or how you'll pay off those loans.

A lot will depend on YOU when you report for I-Day (I think it is R day at USMA), and certainly your attitude during your 4* year is critical. My sons at USAFA can't imagine being anywhere else - my kids in Civ college can't imagine being at USAFA.
 
So, if a current cadet could answer this please... what does your daily schedule consist of in detail? including weekends?
 
So, if a current cadet could answer this please... what does your daily schedule consist of in detail? including weekends?

Go to the link it’s the Fall 2010 Curriculum Handbook on the USAFA web site… on page 30 it has what an academic course schedule looks like… As for life after class I’m tapping out and letting some of the been there done bought the shirt and now using it to clean the car.

http://www.usafa.edu/df/dfr/curriculum/CHB.pdf
 
here is something I have been wondering:

I will be 21 & at the Academy come August (if all goes well). I heard that there is a bar on campus? Would I be allowed to drink if I wanted to? How about at the tailgates; what are the rules regarding "of age" drinking, and would being a 4* add other rules and limitations etc?
 
Hap's (the bar in Arnold Hall) is only open to firsties and 2 digs, except for special occasions.
 
and no one can drink at tailgates, period. 4 dig to firstie, over 21, and certainly not under.

so yes, 4* have added rules in the sense you can't go to Haps. Otherwise, no one under 21 drinks period. And if you are of age, you can drink out at bars on your own, but then again 4*s always must wear service dress out and you can't go to bars to drink in uniform (having a drink at a restaurant is different). And if you think you'll just wear civies to bars in C-Springs or Denver, they're probably crawling with upperclassmen anyway.
 
Are there limitations for weekend leave? or can you sometimes just go ahead and fly back home for a weekend and come back on sunday?
 
cryosk8trboi

I know as a 4* my son did not have a chance to fly home on weekends. (Oh he did get to fly back to Indiana for the Notre Dame Game with about 300 of his buddies)

Otherwise, he spent all of his time studying and applying himself for knowledge tests. I guess thats why he is in the top 10-15% of his class.

I would suggest to concentrate on the mission of USAFA as opposed to going home. Home is no longer....
 
Normal passes are only good for a 150mi. radius. If you want to go further, you need to do extra paperwork.
 
Alright. Also, what does a cadet bring to R day? I know that its very limited and all, but what CAN a cadet bring, theoretically?
 
Your boots, an electric razor, and necessary paperwork. You don't want to bring any more than that.
 
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