LET 2013 RING!!!!! KP Parents, Alumni and All Concerned Please Read

wac2013

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Bell Ringing 2013: Administration Stomping on KP Traditions- PLEASE READ

As any Kings Pointer knows, the greatest symbol of the completion of four years of academic and regimental struggle is the ringing of the bell in the Oval after passing license. This tradition is not only a high point for the newly licensed 1/c, but the general air of celebration and accomplishment serves as a motivation for the members of the lower classes who witness bell ringing, clearly illustrating the "light at the end of the tunnel" which at times can seem very dim. Bell ringing is without a doubt one of the most highly anticipated moments of any Kings Pointer's time at the Academy.


However, this year, things may be very different. The current Academy command staff, ALL OF WHOM ARE NEW THIS YEAR AND NONE OF WHOM HAVE EVER WITNESSED A BELL RINGING, have decided that bell ringing for 2013 should be carried out in a "regimented" fashion. As spelled out in the Operations Order reproduced below, gone is the celebratory atmosphere and jubilation, replaced with an abomination more akin to Lunch Muster than the symbolic culmination of four years of hard work.

This tradition is not the property of the Superintendent, the Commandant, or any of the staff so hell-bent on destroying it. It is OURS. It belongs to the Midshipmen. For each it symbolizes something different; the accomplishment of a lifetime, the end of years of struggle, a dogged determination to not be beaten by a system which seems at ever opportunity to beat down those who live under it. But for each it is equally important.

For my friends who have graduated in years past: PLEASE read the below operations order and see what outsiders and people too weak to protect their own traditions are doing to your alma mater. Please, for the sake of us all, help the members of the class of 2013 to regain what we and all past graduates have earned. A simple email to the command staff, a word to anyone who can help, or any other way to make yourself heard, would be greatly appreciated by us all.

Kings Pointers have throughout history have distinguished themselves for our determination, our adherence to our own set of beliefs and values, and an unwillingness to let ourselves be walked upon. Now is the time to show these traits and demonstrate just what MERCHANT MARINERS, not the outsiders assigned to "lead" us, stand for.


Acta non Verba, my friends. But in this case, either or both applied properly will work.

FROM: Regimental Commander
TO: Regiment of Midshipmen
VIA: Commandant of Midshipman

SUBJ: BELL RINGING CEREMONY 31 MAY 2013

SITUATION: Following the successful completion of license it is a Kings Point tradition to ring the bell in the middle of the oval to signify having completed the course of education at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Following the Bell Ringing the Class of 2013 will commence their leave period between license and graduation.

MISSION: This ceremony is to signify the successful completion of license and academics at the Merchant Marine Academy for the Class of 2013. The event should be enjoyable for the midshipman while at the same time be carried out in a dignified manner that is in keeping with the traditions, rules, and regulations that govern the Regiment of Midshipmen.

UNIFORM: Bell Ringing Formation/Ceremony: Khaki’s with garrison cover.
Cookout: Issued PT gear/ running suits

TIMELINE: 1100-1330: Cookout for the Class of 2013 at Land Hall.

TBD: Licensing Exam Grades are posted.

NLT 20 Minutes following the posting of the license exam results midshipman from the class of 2013, who successfully passed licensing, will muster by companies in the Oval.

POLICY/PROCEDURES.

Leave/Liberty. Commences AFTER the completion of the Bell-Ringing
Ceremony. Specific policy for the period 31 May to 12 June to be published in a separate Commandant Notice.

Bell-Ringing Ceremony Formation. First Company, Second Company, and the
Regimental Staff will form up on the South Side of the Oval. Third, Fourth, and Band Company will form up on the North Side of the Oval. The ceremony will begin when the RC calls the Companies to attention. Following remarks by the Superintendent and the Dean, the RC will announce commencement of the bell-ringing. Midshipmen must remain in the complete Uniform of the Day throughout formation and the actual bell-ringing.
Cookout. The cookout will be coordinated by the Class Presidents from the Class
of 2013 and 2014. Starting at 1030 popcorn and wing will be available in Land Hall. At 1100 burgers and hotdogs will be available on the patio facing the waterfront. The Class of 2014, Delano Staff, along with ED midshipman will cook the burgers and hotdogs on the grills outside of Land Hall.

No food or beverages will be allowed to leave Land Hall or the patio areas. At 1330 food service
will cease and clean-up will begin. By 1400 Land Hall will be cleared; clean-up will be
completed by the Class of 2014 and ED midshipman.

Land Hall will be off-limits from 1000 to 1430 to all underclass not directly supporting the event
or the clean-up.

As directed by:

MIDN CAPT [Name Withheld], 1/C Regimental Commander
MIDN LCDR [Name Withheld], 1/C Regimental Honor Board Chair and First Class President

Any questions should be directed up the Chain of Command or to the Class Officers


Respectfully Submitted,



M/N CAPT [Name Withheld], 1/C M/N LCDR [Name Withheld], 1/C
Regimental Commander Regimental Honor Board Chair
First Class President
 
Sometimes when your on fire the best thing to do is "stop, drop and roll"

Stop to take a deep breadth
Drop the call to arms
Roll with the punches

Congrats on your pending graduation, sprint to the finish line.
 
Sometimes when your on fire the best thing to do is "stop, drop and roll"

Stop to take a deep breadth
Drop the call to arms
Roll with the punches

Congrats on your pending graduation, sprint to the finish line.

If the young midshipman wants to complain and needs an outlet then allow them to complain. A complaining mariner is a happy mariner.
 
There is so much anal-retentiveness to this on several levels.

I would be embarrased that anyone with the same number on their A-Jacket as me would have a role in such an abomination and I would encourage as many of my CLASSMATES to boycott the whole thing.
 
Oh, but there is a cook out. . . . I wonder if any kegs will be tapped. . .
 
"NLT 20 Minutes following the posting of the license exam results midshipman from the class of 2013, who successfully passed licensing, will muster by companies in the Oval."

...So who will be guarding the bell during that 20 minutes...? :eek:
 
Bell Ringing

As an aside observation: I find it refreshing to peruse a thread relating to KP without having to read through pages and pages of dribble posted by another SA's alumni. O-Oh, I hope I didn't just open the floodgates!!!
 
Wow. That's effed-up. :thumbdown:
I think you took that out of context. I think SpaceCoast was just wondering what's to prevent someone from ringing the bell prior to the "approved" and heretofore unheard of bell ringing muster for the "ceremony".
 
While perhaps this is an attempt to create a more clear tradition or elevate the recognition of the accomplishement that is "passing lisence" it is indeed misguided and wrongheaded. The spontaneous nature of the tradition with First Classman who have just recieved the news running to the oval and ringing the bell, in whatever they are wearing and often these days with a cell phone in hand letting a loved one who shared their journey share the exact moment of listening when THIER midshipman reings the bell, etc. is as noted one of the moments that pretty much every Kings Pointer remembers even years later.

Regimenting the process only lessens the joy and the total symbolism that the graduating midshipmen attach to it.

That said I'm sure that a group of 200+ smart, inventive, creative midshipmen in the Class of 2013 can figure out ways to "turn this around" and make it even more special, even if that means thei Class has to "go over the wall" for liberty, etc. a few times between lisence and graduation... for example maybe it's time to turn the 9 inch gun around again so it's facing towards rather than away from Wiley Hall, etc. :wink:
 
Do you guys realize this is a PUBLIC forum openly available to everyone in the world and permanently recorded? This is not your own private playground. There is a right way to do things and a wrong way. Some incredibly poor decision making going on here. Perhaps the curriculum should be upgraded to include some leadership classes.
 
I think you took that out of context. I think SpaceCoast was just wondering what's to prevent someone from ringing the bell prior to the "approved" and heretofore unheard of bell ringing muster for the "ceremony".

Huh? No, I wasn't replying to Space Coast. I'm in full agreement with the OP and probably just about every other alum.


Homeland's under attack and you're worried about a freaking bell?

There are other places to discuss that. This is the bell-ringing thread. What did you think the discussion would be about when you clicked on this?
 
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Do you guys realize this is a PUBLIC forum openly available to everyone in the world and permanently recorded? This is not your own private playground. There is a right way to do things and a wrong way. Some incredibly poor decision making going on here. Perhaps the curriculum should be upgraded to include some leadership classes.

Pretty sure when the author Henry David Thoreau wrote his essay Civil Disobedience, and later when Gandhi embraced Civil Disobedience in his doctrine of Satyagrahaaid similar admonishments and warnings were likely issued. Leadership is not always blindly following directives or orders, nor is doing so a garuntee that those who behave as such own all rights to any moral imperative.

In the words of Thoreau:

"Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it."

If as has been speculated the concern and issue with recent bell ringing "events" has been the fact that many of the successful midshipment ringing the bell were not in official uniform of the day, and looked "unmilitary" on live webcam then my vote is don't broadcast it via a webcam. In general wearing civies on your way to or from liberty - liberty which in the past years has turned to "free gangway" until graduation weekend for first classmen upon successful passing their last lisence exam; then why make what should be a fun, stress-free day one filled with procedure and rules? It was 32 years ago for me, but I still remember the stressful MONTHS of liscence prep leading up to the week long set of lisence exams in O'Hara hall - a building that on "warm" spring days can be oppressive, etc.

This whole tradition started long before I got to KP and has continued as one that was spontaneous and fun. It's always been something that First Classman cherish and celebrate joyfully together. Whether it's going and watching someone, a friend do it after their last retake, or doing it "en mass" wit the first group of classmates who see their results posted and running down to the oval.

The reason this change and imposition of rules to what is truly until tis point, has been each "midshipman's" climatic moment on theiir journey to and through USMMA is simply because that is what the moment has meant to so many and because evey midshipman and graduate I know looks forward to the day. To Kings Pointers, ringing the bell, means more than taking your diploma and shaking the Supe's hand on Graduation Day. Further as true Kings Pointers, it's important to do THAT moment in your own way without a bunch of procedure, etc. Graduation Day, Weekend, etc. are for others, Parents, the Public, etc. Ringing the Bell that is for the midshipman him or herself, if you are a lucky parent, friend or significant other then you are the one on the other end of the first call we made back in the day to tell of the event or in today's world the other end of the cell phone that is held up by the Mid ringing the bell.

There was no reason to mess with or change this event or tradition and I hope the administration reconsiders the directive and simply turns off the webcam that was started two years ago.
 
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I second Jasper ... again.

It took me three years to get in and six years to get out. I was RFDed several times. I was part of the "KP Brain Trust", seven of us that had to retake all seven section of the license exams. There was no one who was going to stop me ringing that bell on MY terms and I would have happily spent the rest of the year on restriction to do it.

"You are not truly a Leader until you can tell your boss to pack sand" - KPEngineer
 
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