I would be interested to hear from a PMS at an SMC if they indeed recommend cadets that are in some way deficient. I personally spoke with PMSs at 4 of the 6 SMCs and each was quite clear that they would have no problem not recommending a cadet. The PMSs work for the Army, not the school. Here on the forum there are tales every year of cadets from SMCs not recommended. One PMS in particular told me that he may end up serving with the cadets in his program and he was not about to give anyone a "pass" just for being a nice guy.
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- Thread starter tibreaker
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There are 86 that didn't make the cut but still went AD simply because they were given the nod by a PMS. Clearly the "pass' happens at some of these institutions. While a PMS may say " no I wouldn't allow that to happen" the number 86 tells us all it happens. Even averaged out that is 14 below the line cadets that are allowed to go AD. Lets assume the 4 PMSs you personally spoke to did not use the "pass" this year, that means that 2 SMCs "passed" 86 below the line cadets? Houston, we have a problem!
All I'm saying is if you don't make the cut you don't make the cut, its just that simple.
All I'm saying is if you don't make the cut you don't make the cut, its just that simple.
According to the chart, the Active Duty Allocation was 2870 and the Nurse Allocation was 146, making the total Active Duty Allocation 3016.
Under Component Totals they listed 2878 Active Duty selected above the line, and 128 including the 86 SMC cadets that were below the line to total the 3016 Allocation listed.
Looking at these numbers it's pretty clear that those below the AD Line were not simply added to a set total but were part of that total. The argument can be made that had those below the line not received AD, there would have been an additional 86 cadets that were above the line that would have made AD.
It's hard to make a clear determination by just looking at the numbers they gave, it could be taken either way.
It is an entirely different discussion as to whether those at SMCs deserve this process of selection based on they type of school environment they must go through. an argument can be made that they have the added stress of a SMC that could factor in. You would really need to know the specifics of why these cadets were below the line, is it grades due to their major and added obligations of a SMC. Is it something else, APFT Scores, Ranking (which can have a large effect when the class size is so large as it is at some SMCs.
Cadets at traditional colleges do not have to deal with the 24 hour military lifestyle, they are not Nobs or Rats for the first year, this could all be part of the equation.
As the old saying goes, what do you call the person that graduates last in their class at West Point......."An Active Duty 2LT"
One thing for sure, any advantage a SMC or SA cadet has ends once they commission, from then on it's all one big pot.