Class of 2020 Shotgunned

It was announced to the entire brigade by the Dant at the start of noon meal.
 
I was in the company "next door" down the hall from Col. "Zeus" Liszewski when he was a 2nd Class. He was friends with my 2nd Class that year. From my understanding back then, they were scrambled after plebe year then stayed with that company the remainder of the time. Someone correct me if I am wrong please. My class was not shotgunned, as we stayed with our plebe year company as youngsters. But then got scrambled to another company for 2nd Class and Firstie years. Worked out pretty well both ways in my opinion.
 
I'm just curious - what would be the reasoning to announcing this more than a year in advance? For a class that has not yet even started? It's like the Dant is telling the incoming Plebes "don't bother bonding, you're going to get shot gunned next year anyway."

While I can see the reasoning at the end of a year, this just perplexes me.
 
It's managing the grumble. Get it announced as one ac year ends, give everyone a chance to absorb, digest, express opinions, everyone has a summer away, old news by Reform, older news by this time next year, and builds in a year to plan for orderly execution.

I don't know whether this is all plebes scattered across the Brigade method or batch swaps by company. There have been variations when it occurs after youngster year. It also allows for incoming midshipman leadership to take ownership of the change and be challenged to plan and execute it in a positive manner. Dant is likely looking at this as a developmental opportunity for new stripers.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
 
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They will bond, it forces you to. It's a long year and won't make it through without that.

USNA has two terms...

Shotgun - all Plebes mixed up and sent to new company

Scramble - take the entire Plebe year class of 1 company and send them to another.
 
hthp37 said:
So, USNA doesn't have cadets. They are midshipmen.
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Sorry, midshipmen :)
Ok so at USAFA they usually switch squadrons at the end of 3/C year. Sometimes after 4/C. But 'everybody' moves at some point. Is this not the case at USNA. Do most mids stay in the same company all 4 years?
 
Sam2018 said:
Sorry, midshipmen :)
Ok so at USAFA they usually switch squadrons at the end of 3/C year. Sometimes after 4/C. But 'everybody' moves at some point. Is this not the case at USNA. Do most mids stay in the same company all 4 years?
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For the past several years, mids spent 4 years in the same company. Prior to that, they were changed. Cyclical policy - if a new Dant or Supe likes one method over another, back they go.
 
Or Hate Chit.

One of the many things when I arrived, as a non-grad, for duty at USNA, that made me say "what?!"
 
MiddyB said:
Fair warning to the incoming class, the Dant just announced that you will all be shotgunned at the conclusion of your Plebe year.

USNA Definition of Shotgunning: Being placed in a different company from the one you were originally assigned.
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That's good news for a lot of Plebes. Not sure when they stopped it, but I was a Plebe in '84-85 and we were dispersed throughout the Brigade after Plebe year. It might have been nice to have the same classmates you bonded with Plebe year, all 4 years, but for those that get "branded" a certain way under duress by the upper class during plebe year, it's nice to start fresh somewhere else. My roommate Plebe year and I were the only ones in our company that actually got moved to the same company (so apparently it's very random), so we actually roomed together all 4 years. In hindsight when I go back for reunions I have 4 groups I identify with now... 1. Napsters, 2. Plebe Year Classmates, 3. 3/C - 1/C years classmates, and 4. football team.
 
It only makes sense that the Class of 2019 will be shotgunned. Finals are over, sea trials is in a few days, and maybe it will surprise some that they will be shotgunned. Shotgunning works as a surprise because it's unexpected all year long.

It's not something that would be announced to a class that didn't even make their first step into the USNA (in other words, "hey new plebes, don't worry if you screw up/mess up. You'll have a second chance in a year. Don't take things too seriously/don't work too hard. You all have another chance"). It's dumb to believe that '20 will get shotgunned.

It seems like the overall atmosphere of the campus is in denial of the possibility of '19 getting shotgunned. But if you think about it, the Dant did not have the proper time to make such a huge announcement. It will happen to '19. Just be prepared for the unexpected and adapt to it. Finals are over, sea trials will serve as a capstone for their plebe year, and the new shift will only make them versatile and competent.
 
Not true MooseGoose...

As stated above, the Dant spoke with the 2019s a few weeks ago and clearly told them they are not being shotgunned and that the 2020s will be next year.

I heard this from my plebe and his two roommates over Mother's Day dinner in DTA. :). It was mentioned above and also all over the parent FB page as well.
 
I don't see this as a big deal. As someone stated, the Class of '16 is about to be "shotgunned". Teams constantly change and evolve in the military regardless of branch. I wouldn't worry about this.
 
I know this thread is a few months old, but for what it's worth, I heard again recently that word is 2020 will get shotgunned. Anyone have any intel? It would make sense. 2020 was described on PPW as "spirited" and "maybe too spirited". I would think shotgunning would be a step toward addressing that.
 
'94 got scrambled en masse after Youngster Year; we went from a 1st Wing Company (1st Bn) to a 2nd Wing Company (4th Bn).

Never understood why it happened, all wee did was change upperclass. We who started the journey stayed together.
 
They won't be shotgunned because they are 'too spirited.' Not trying to burst bubbles, but every class during Plebe Summer is spirited. It's now Oct... when they realize Plebe Summer was much easier than the Ac easier. But a weeeknd after every home football win and a 4 day weekend certainly do help. They will be shotgunned because the Supt/Dant staff wants them to experience what it's like to change leadership, expand their relationships within the Brigade, and gives the leadership a chance to lead with changing personnel. All things they will face in the fleet. It's as much a challenge to leadership as it is those moving companies. It's one of those things you learn quickly as a Plebe... you can't control it, so you don't worry about it.
 
At the Parent Club meeting last weekend, the Dant said the class will be shotgunned. They are debating moving each plebe company en masses or doing a complete scramble.
 
Although I don't believe they call it "shotgunned", USAFA moves the cadets to new squadrons after their first two years. Also, I don't know how long they have been doing this. One benefit, if you want to call it that, is that if a cadet is the son/daughter of a USAFA grad, they can choose to move to their parent's legacy squadron so the cadet can graduate from the same squadron as their parent(s) did.
 
Although DD loved being in the same Company with the same roommates for four years this shotgun procedure might give them a taste of PCS. It can be stressful but they can learn to acclimate. Loved my last one hate my new one or hated my last one love my new one.
 
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