Recognition

[usmma2020z]

So everybody asks this question but everybody is reluctant to answer because it's the cool thing to do, or some other ego/traditional thing. Well I'm here to say that I want to prepare myself. We hear that you have to prove yourselves to people, but there's obviously checkboxes. I would like to know what all those checkboxes are. I'd greatly appreciate answers to that question rather than a lecture on why I'll see when I get there or something related to that. Thank you in advance!

 

[KP Eng]

The last checkbox is, "when we think you're ready", and it gets checked by the 1/C under guidance from the Commandant's staff. Once they check it, none of the other boxes matter. Don't worry about things that you can't control.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

You will have many boxes to check...you will have PKT's weekly, spirit missions, training, marching, and much much more. You can try to prepare but it is not just you...or your company, but the entire class of 2020 will have to "pass". You will meet many different people and some may not be as committed or as dedicated as you to be prepared...it's part of life that you will see more of when you graduate and enter the working world. You may want to get used to "lectures" as you will get a few during Indoc and plebe year and your best response should be, yes sir or yes ma'am. Good luck.

 

[MMA19kid]

We were just actually recognized today....(M/N 4/C). The truth is that unless your class is absolute garbage, which it won't be, although every class has some bad apples. We had our fair share of screw ups, and an alcohol offense the day before recognition it's a set date that's set in Feb or March for early to mid April by the commandant's staff. My honest advice is to stop thinking about recognition at all. The whole point of Kings Point is to put you into different phases (following superiors 100% of the time), then stepping up and being a leader as a 1/C. Juxtaposed is the fact that your training staff wants your life to suck in many aspects so that you know what it's like to be at the bottom and they will prolong that to at least April 1st no matter what you or your class does.

 

[cmakin]

We were just actually recognized today....(M/N 4/C). The truth is that unless your class is absolute garbage, which it won't be, although every class has some bad apples. We had our fair share of screw ups, and an alcohol offense the day before recognition it's a set date that's set in Feb or March for early to mid April by the commandant's staff. My honest advice is to stop thinking about recognition at all. The whole point of Kings Point is to put you into different phases (following superiors 100% of the time), then stepping up and being a leader as a 1/C. Juxtaposed is the fact that your training staff wants your life to suck in many aspects so that you know what it's like to be at the bottom and they will prolong that to at least April 1st no matter what you or your class does.

It varies. I am pretty sure my class was recognized in January (snow on the ground during the run, and I left that weekend for a ski trip in New England). Can't really recall when the underclass had theirs during my tenure, largely because it wasn't important, to be honest. . . . I remember hearing about other classes before us not getting recognized until the spring. . . . I do remember it being a big relief, but we still had Cleaning Stations and KP. . . .

 

[FloaterOFsteel08]

There are a lot of "traditional things" at USMMA. And these traditional things are what makes the school so great and the graduates out of there so dependable. Not trying to bring down your spirits, but I don't think anyone here has an "ego" problem but the way you wrote your post makes it look like you do. And to be honest, there isn't really a sheet of paper that lists each recognition point; rather, its based on your performance as a class. One thing you will learn (probably the hard way) is that you will not achieve a thing unless you work as a team. What good would any of us giving some of the things on this "checklist" do for you personally? You cant do anything to prepare for any of the requirements at home right now. The best thing you can do is have an open mind and be prepared for your life to change 180 degrees. This will be the hardest thing you have ever done up until this point in your life and your mind-set has to be thinking like that. You can, however, be in the best physical shape entering indoctrination and be mentally prepared to endure some long nights, early mornings, and being put in your place.

 

[KPEngineer]

Follow the rules. You may not understand them, they may seem trivial and unimportant, it may seem like no one cares. Regardless, follow the rules. Pass your PKTs, square your corners, greet/salute as warranted, keep the barracks clean.

Its not just the M/N officers that matter but zombos too. You can have the zombo of all zombos who seems like he doesn’t give the slightest care about anything regimental and may be seen as the ultimate slacker but he/she will care about bestowing recognition and will speak up if he/she thinks you don’t deserve it.

Show me I can trust you in the little things and I will trust you with the big things. This will apply in many areas throughout your life.

 

[usmma2020z]

To Buckeye and KPEngineer, pkt's must be an acronym for something. What is that? And what are spirit missions if you can sum it up or even give an example? And thank you so very much for informing me!

 

[KPEngineer]

Plebe Knowledge Test. Weekly test of required plebe knowledge. Can be facts and history of the academy, chain of command, M/N officers, maritime knowledge etc. A required percentage of the class must pass the test in order to get credit and move on. It is a group test and the group passes or fails together.

Spirit missions can be pretty much anything that reflects class/academy spirit. Hanging banners, chalk murals on the grinder, etc. I won't regale you with stories of my class as those spirit missions will likely get you in more trouble these days than anything else.

When it comes to recognition, spirit missions are low on the priority list. Focus on being good plebes and passing PKTs. Spirit missions are just icing on the cake.

 

[MMA19kid]

It varies. I am pretty sure my class was recognized in January (snow on the ground during the run, and I left that weekend for a ski trip in New England).

Yeah, with the new commandant, there's absolutely no shot that there will be recognition before April 1 anymore.

My class only legitimately passed 6 or 7 of the PKT's.

 

[KPEngineer]

Yeah, with the new commandant, there's absolutely no shot that there will be recognition before April 1 anymore.

The setting of arbitrary "not before" dates only serves to disincentive effort. "Why should I bother if I won't be recognized anyway" My class was early February but we were rock stars, we worked for it because the opportunity was there. The year earlier wasn't till May because the 1/C kept jerking their chain(s) and the plebes eventually stopped caring. Finally Wiley Hall had to step in and order it so goes the rumor.

 

[MMA19kid]

The setting of arbitrary "not before" dates only serves to disincentive effort. "Why should I bother if I won't be recognized anyway" My class was early February but we were rock stars, we worked for it because the opportunity was there. The year earlier wasn't till May because the 1/C kept jerking their chain(s) and the plebes eventually stopped caring. Finally Wiley Hall had to step in and order it so goes the rumor.

Well, like it or not, even if the class of 2020 were robotic in showing class unity and working hard towards recognition, it would not happen prior to April 1. And the 1/C. Oddly enough I feel like this was the right amount of time. June 30th to April 10th to be a plebe. But in the grand scheme of things, recognition is irrelevant. Yeah, we can talk outside now.

 

[beyond]

Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way... but recognition wasn't really that big of a deal to me. Having a little bit of the regimental pressure gone was nice, but there were way bigger fish to fry. I was down at the waterfront before some of my classmates had a chance to shower.

There are a lot of things I'm happy I accomplished at KP, passing everything on the first go (Captain Hard, Cohn, Sea Projects), going 7/7 on license, graduating, and some of the waterfronty things. But the regiment was this dumb little hindrance of a game I had to play and not much more. Not to pooh-pooh anyone elses accomplishments, but when I'm an old man telling stories about 'the good ole days' to my grand kids I don't think anything relating to the regiment will ever come up.

 

[usmma2020z]

Plebe Knowledge Test. Weekly test of required plebe knowledge. Can be facts and history of the academy, chain of command, M/N officers, maritime knowledge etc. A required percentage of the class must pass the test in order to get credit and move on. It is a group test and the group passes or fails together.

Spirit missions can be pretty much anything that reflects class/academy spirit. Hanging banners, chalk murals on the grinder, etc. I won't regale you with stories of my class as those spirit missions will likely get you in more trouble these days than anything else.

When it comes to recognition, spirit missions are low on the priority list. Focus on being good plebes and passing PKTs. Spirit missions are just icing on the cake.

Great stuff to know heading in! Thank you! Guess we'll see what happens.

 

[cmakin]

The setting of arbitrary "not before" dates only serves to disincentive effort. "Why should I bother if I won't be recognized anyway" My class was early February but we were rock stars, we worked for it because the opportunity was there. The year earlier wasn't till May because the 1/C kept jerking their chain(s) and the plebes eventually stopped caring. Finally Wiley Hall had to step in and order it so goes the rumor.

I don't know that we were rock stars. . . .but I do remember sneaking in to Reg Row one night with a few others and a bunch of cinder blocks from the CAORF construction and stacking them in front of the RX's door. . . wishing we had mortar. . . no one squealed. . . and that went a long way for the spirit effort. . . .