Is talking about who may or may not have a privilege really what our society has come to? My almost 50 year old mind can't come to terms with the fact that 35 years after the fall or the Soviet Union, we have adopted Marxism hook line and sinker in the country.Was having this discussion with another grad recently. What are your thoughts?
I agree a lot with that last sentence. I go to a pretty big high school (3000+ kids) and a lot of them don't understand how great of an option a service academy is. A good friend of mine was giving me some trouble for choosing the Naval Academy over ROTC at Notre Dame but yesterday he got an invite to apply from West Point and that made him realize how great a service academy education is and the unparalleled opportunities it provides, he even asked me "why don't more people from our school apply to these?" He even told me he's gonna apply to the academies now hahaI agree with all of you, for the record. Yes, we were fortunate that we were accepted to the Academy. That also came with earning our spots through academics, athletics, and standardized test scores. Congressional nominations for 4/5 of the Service Academies.
Perhaps some grads, cadets, and mids were also afforded "privilege" that they were in a position to excel in school and athletics. I know I certainly wasn't with the working class family I grew up in.
Essentially, this other grad said we wouldn't have our jobs today if it wasn't for our service, and the tuition-free education that the Academy gave us. While that is true, and it was an honor to serve, I feel we earned it. It wasn't simply given.
Like many of you said, many people paid with their lives. It's not my fault that other people didn't know about the opportunities a service academy education confers.
Where do you get that 100K number? Don't O-2s make around 70k a year?I wouldnt call it a privilege because its earned. Absolutely it isn't a free education because many have paid with their lives. Having said that, if you take the loss of life or limb or emotional scarring out of the equation, the reality is that once you graduate you don't work for free and while the money will not life changing isn't bad. So I call it a gift that you worked for. You go to school for free and you have a guaranteed job waiting for you that after 4 years will pay you over 100K. Of course there are sacrifices besides your health. You don't get to live where you want, you don't necessarily get the job that you want and so on. On the other hand you get 4 weeks off vacation, free health insurance and other perks only given to those in the military. Lets be honest, its a gift most people will never have.
O-1s in Pensacola make almost 70kWhere do you get that 100K number? Don't O-2s make around 70k a year?
Maybe the ones that you know are but plenty do not. My high school was very bad and certainly not a good academic environment. I took a total of zero AP courses and was not a recruited athlete. I just wanted the opportunity that USNA offered. I fought like hell to handle the academics and made it into the upper half of the class while being a varsity athlete for all four years. My two roommates from Youngster year through graduation came from places that were similar to mine as well. I knew plenty of classmates from "Bugtussle" or "Middle of Nowhereville" as well as Inner cities.So are SA grads coming from a better place than most people? Yes.
This is the greatest privilege and my wife and I remind our kids of this a lot (especially when one gets up on their high horse). The privilege of growing up with standards and expectations (and consequences), The privilege of having certain behaviors and norms modeled by adults, every day. The privilege of knowing we have their backs - but only so far.Was I fortunate to have a family that encouraged me to do the things that set me up to succeed? Definitely!
Everyone has their cross to bear. I am fond of telling my son that about 2% +/- of the population are "aliens". In academics and athletics (and sometimes both) some people just "have it". It is important to note that this spans across all color lines, ethnicities and income groups. The rest of the 98% or so are in some way just trying to make it happen with what we were given. If you are not in the elite percentage of society, there is no amount of coaching, working out, or studying that will get you into that cohort.The amount of determination to make up for shortcomings in intelligence or athleticism is not at all common and is in itself something of a gift. For those with dyslexia or ADHD, grit isn't always enough to push past the interference and get good grades. For those with asthma or other chronic diseases it's often more than just wanting something that gets you across the finish line. Many people have vision that's outside the specs, or a disease like eczema that DQs them. When I say "a better place" it's not a matter of neighborhood or money, it's the idea that you were at least average intelligence and health and athleticism and had the extra something to move toward your goals. It's not common, and this "if I could do it anyone can" notion is both a lovely sentiment and clearly not true. Many, many people cannot get into an academy.
... just another angle on privilege:Was having this discussion with another grad recently. What are your thoughts?