Session one
My son just returned from session one and LOVED it! He admits that the first day was a shock and a blur to him
However, he has not stopped talking about all of the things that they did while he was there. From everything that he has mentioned, the cadre did their best to give the AIMsters a brief snapshot of what swab summer would entail. I have laughed at his tales of many of the "mistakes" that he and others in his company made. On Friday, when we saw him for the first time, I mentioned to my husband that in that short amount of time, he seemed to have a more confident demeanor and much better posture
As a mom, I was nervous about his experience ,esp. after running into a swab company (Bravo?) on the way out after dropping him off. I most definitely did not have to worry. He didn't want to leave on Sat! I feel much better about his decision to pursue a military education after seeing how much he enjoyed AIM. Although it is significantly more rigorous than other summer programs, my son felt that he has a more realistic idea of what swab summer would entail and is better prepared now.
I also was extremely impressed with the superintendant and the cadre's speeches at AIM graduation. Each person made it a point to emphasis that there are many options and that each AIMster must decide what is the right path for them. They all stated that the USCGA may not be the right place for them and that they needed to find the best fit whether it is CGA, another academy or a civilian college.
For my son, AIM served its purpose to help him determine if this is the path that he wants to pursue.
Your son will come out of session two tired, sleepy and more determined than ever to pursue a military education