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futurecadet

futurecadet

5-Year Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
30
Hello forum community,
I would really like to attend AFA in 2013, but I have run across some troubling reports of the way several female cadets were treated at the academy. I am referring to the rape scandals of a several years ago. Though I suspect the media of dramatizing these incidents as it often does, and I am confident these incidents were a rare occurrence condemned universally by all the honorable men and women at the Academy, as a female I still have to ask if any changes have been made in the way these incidents are handled and about the female experience in general at the academy. I would especially like to hear from former female cadets as to whether they felt respected or at any time threatened.

Again, I would like to stress that I sincerely believe in the justice and honor of the Academy and its supervisors. I would not be asking such a question if I had not come upon such reports, and as a female I have to know about the environment before I commit myself to that institution for 4 years. I am sorry to be asking such a question.
 
Short answer, yes, the system has been improved dramatically.

I'll let some people with female perspectives fill in the rest.
 
I am a Female cadet in the class of 2012 (GRADUATING THIS YEAR) and I feel incredibly safe at the Academy. I have never felt threatened and what you need to keep in perspective is the scrutiny the Academy receives. Any small incident gets blown way out of proportion. I am not saying the problems you are referring to were unimportant or anything, I am just saying that compared to any other college, I would say the Academy is one of the safest environments out there. Freshman year I felt like I had 28 brothers protecting me. Of course there are a few with attitude problems, but I barely notice them. If you have any more specific questions or want specific details in a certain area let me know. Also try searching this forum. I am pretty sure I have written a lot on this topic already.
 
I am very glad to hear that. Thanks for the reassurance, and good luck with the rest of senior year! (I geuss ya'll call it 1st degree year?)
 
actually, that one is different, we just say firstie year
 
I have met several female cadets over the years and one actually expressed to me how glad she was to be at USAFA and not at her State Flagship U, since rape was more of a problem there (statistically, anyway).

Of course, this problem isn't limited to female rape, as the recent PennState and Syracuse scandals have dramatized.
 
futurecadet said:
Hello forum community,
I would really like to attend AFA in 2013, but I have run across some troubling reports of the way several female cadets were treated at the academy. I am referring to the rape scandals of a several years ago. Though I suspect the media of dramatizing these incidents as it often does, and I am confident these incidents were a rare occurrence condemned universally by all the honorable men and women at the Academy, as a female I still have to ask if any changes have been made in the way these incidents are handled and about the female experience in general at the academy. I would especially like to hear from former female cadets as to whether they felt respected or at any time threatened.

Again, I would like to stress that I sincerely believe in the justice and honor of the Academy and its supervisors. I would not be asking such a question if I had not come upon such reports, and as a female I have to know about the environment before I commit myself to that institution for 4 years. I am sorry to be asking such a question.
Click to expand...

You should search the forums, there are tons of others who have asked the same question. USAFA10s is definitely right, the Academy is way safer than most civilian schools, but because it is a service academy, anything that goes on there is brought more to light than it would be at another college. If you look into the news about your top choice civvy schools, they will have lots of problems that no one knows until they either research carefully or are already living there.
I am hoping for class of 2017 as well, hope you get in!
And apply to summer seminar to find out more about the academy.
http://www.academyadmissions.com/?m=2011AFA&pl=Google&med=search#Page/Summer_Seminar
 
As USAFA10s said, I feel so safe here at USAFA. I am a freshmen and I have yet to see anything or hear about anything, let alone experience anything. The freshmen guys in my squad are my brothers and they are amazing. The upperclassmen look out for everyone in our squad because we are like a family and they don't want anything to happen. If something were to happen, that sticks with the whole squadron and tarnishes the squad and they don't want that. There have been a few nights on the weekend when I went out for runs at 11pm and the thought of something potentially happening to me never crossed my mind. You couldn't do that on a civilian campus. Plus, if you ever have a situation where lines of professionalism start to get blurred, there are so many resources here to turn to. Don't let your fear of what may happen because of what happened a while ago stop you from enjoying this amazing school.
 
cadet15, well said and kudos to your squadron leadership for fostering that environment. As firsties that is the kind of tone we strive to set in the squad. Many people focus on the negatives at USAFA. But I LOVE IT here, and while I can't wait to graduate, I will be sad to leave. I just want to reiterate, don't let fear of what you have heard in the past stop you taking advantage of what USAFA offers.
 
Thank You!

I would like to thank everyone who has replied to my question. Your insight has really helped me with my concerns. I am very glad to know that the Academy is every bit as awesome as I have heard :)
 
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