USNA reality

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I hope several of you can recognize my MOS. My son is an 08 grad I await your comments on this post
R/18 Delta
 
Isn't USNA a great place to be from?

It is the student's decision where to go, not the parents; you make it seem like they can force their kid to go elsewhere since your post seems geared more towards parents and not prospective mids.

Has anyone actually told you that they would not do it over again, or is this just an observation of yours from the way your mid acts?

Very confused about this post considering how many alum I've heard say USNA was something they would do over again. :confused::confused::confused:

Edit: Well you edited a majority of your post so now the majority of my post is irrelevant.

Edit 2: Was looking at another thread that had virtually the same post by the OP (http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/showthread.php?t=30666&page=3)...in) the other thread, the OP also deleted his post, but someone quoted what he wrote, so here it is for those who want the full version:

I'm a parent of a current 2nd class. Let me tell you, I have met some of the best of kids, who are friends of my mid at USNA. Let me also tell you that to a man, not one of those mids would do it again. Not one. On the surface, they'll give you a dishonest 'things are going ok'. In reality, they WOULD NOT RECOMMEND USNA to any prospective student. My mid is a different person than the happy-go-lucky, personable guy he was before USNA. After 2 1/2 years: cynical, bereft of energy; disillusioned; unhappy; a shadow of his former self, who was a 4.00 GPA, 2 sport all conference athlete. "The all-American kid". Other parents I've come to know all have come to the same realization.

Parents, yes, you will be so proud to tell your co-workers, relatives, golf buddies and anyone else who sees your USNA car sticker and USNA sweatshirts, that your DS/DD is at THE USNA!! I qualify for parent of the year! But it's not about you. Gotta understand that ASAP.

The mind-bending time spent at USNA will change your DS/DD and not for the better; you will wonder what ever happened to my Johnny. Decisions made by the Supe, Dant, Company Officers, Brigade Officers, etc will spin your head. Designed to turn these bright, energetic kids into robots who slog through their days, resigned to not thinking on their own. {And you tough, macho, we had it so much harder in my day types, can now be dismissed}

Let me give you a case in point this week. A mid (not mine) who was overweight and therefore considered unsat, worked out to get in shape and lose some weight to get ready for the PRT last weekend; he lost the necessary wt to now be sat! He even passed his PRT! All is good right? No. He lost the necessary wt and passed the PRT. But no, he still is losing his spring break privileges......because he's unsat. Why is he unsat even though he's within weight and passed the PRT? Because the USNA says "he lost too much weight in the given time period". He did too good. That's the logic that mids are dealing with day in and day out. A myriad of such examples of irrational USNA life are there. To the point where they practically wave the white flag and resign themselves to giving up. Still great kids, but certainly not the same. Not changed for the better.

Think it over. Do you want to recognize your bright, optimistic, high-achieving DS/DD in 3 years? Then go elsewhere.
 
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I'm a parent of a current 2nd class. Let me tell you, I have met some of the best of kids, who are friends of my mid at USNA. Let me also tell you that to a man, not one of those mids would do it again. Not one. On the surface, they'll give you a dishonest 'things are going ok'. In reality, they WOULD NOT RECOMMEND USNA to any prospective student. My mid is a different person than the happy-go-lucky, personable guy he was before USNA. After 2 1/2 years: cynical, bereft of energy; disillusioned; unhappy; a shadow of his former self, who was a 4.00 GPA, 2 sport all conference athlete. "The all-American kid". Other parents I've come to know all have come to the same realization.

Parents, yes, you will be so proud to tell your co-workers, relatives, golf buddies and anyone else who sees your USNA car sticker and USNA sweatshirts, that your DS/DD is at THE USNA!! I qualify for parent of the year! But it's not about you. Gotta understand that ASAP.

The mind-bending time spent at USNA will change your DS/DD and not for the better; you will wonder what ever happened to my Johnny. Decisions made by the Supe, Dant, Company Officers, Brigade Officers, etc will spin your head. Designed to turn these bright, energetic kids into robots who slog through their days, resigned to not thinking on their own. {And you tough, macho, we had it so much harder in my day types, can now be dismissed}

Let me give you a case in point this week. A mid (not mine) who was overweight and therefore considered unsat, worked out to get in shape and lose some weight to get ready for the PRT last weekend; he lost the necessary wt to now be sat! He even passed his PRT! All is good right? No. He lost the necessary wt and passed the PRT. But no, he still is losing his spring break privileges......because he's unsat. Why is he unsat even though he's within weight and passed the PRT? Because the USNA says "he lost too much weight in the given time period". He did too good. That's the logic that mids are dealing with day in and day out. A myriad of such examples of irrational USNA life are there. To the point where they practically wave the white flag and resign themselves to giving up. Still great kids, but certainly not the same. Not changed for the better.

Think it over. Do you want to recognize your bright, optimistic, high-achieving DS/DD in 3 years? Then go elsewhere
Jomass: I'm not disagreeing with your assessment but I am interested in why your son chose to commit after his second year? Why not just bail then? Do you know whether the USNA is experiencing a large number (%) of mids leaving before commitment? It seems to me if things are that bad that more would leave.....but I could be wrong.
 
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This is an example why it takes a special breed

The rules of the academies can bewilder even the best of us at times. There are reasons for all of them, and I'm sure the test of time could give us examples.

The kids at Purdue, USC, and virtually all other civilian colleges wouldn't understand. Our kids know it is tougher. They know it isn't always logical, and they know that the government way is not open to argument or debate. But still they work so hard for the chance to endure it all.

This is why I love these kids. Everytime I walk the yard I marvel at the straight, strong young men and women. They could have chosen the easier way, but they chose a noble way.

***and as an edit, I just saw the quote posted at the same time I was posting. I say hogwash to most of it. I know a GREAT number of mids, and I don't know any that are worse for their experience at USNA. Maybe my sons just hung around happier people at the academy.

And oh yes, I have TWO sons that graduated... and they are a complete joy to me. Also, I have never considered myself "parent of the year" but I sure am proud of them.
 
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Interesting situation, and I will disagree with Jomass' conclusion that "he did too good."

There's a reason this Mid's behavior, even tho the end points might seem to be good, they may be less than well. It may rightly be deemed unacceptable behavior to lose too much weight too quickly. They watch this carefully with Mids during Plebe summer. So the real issue is that his unsat behavior was allowing himself to get into a situation in which he put his health AND consequently his responsibilities at risk. This is totally comprehensible.

What is the REAL issue here? A Mid let himself go and had to "cram" for the final. The only problem and major diff is that unlike doing that at State U., Mids are in training to learn how to lead and model right behavior.

USNA actions are not always logical or sensible. This scenario sounds to me like quite appropriate action might have been taken to address this unsat Midshipman.
 
I am a bit perplexed at why you would post something like this concerning telling parents not to send their sons or daughters to unsna and then completely delete your entire post. What was the motive behind it? My DS is a second class and DD is awaiting an appointment. I am sure some mids share this cynical view but I can't imagine the majority do. I am going upstairs to put on my USNA sweats now.:smile:
 
I am a bit perplexed at why you would post something like this concerning telling parents not to send their sons or daughters to unsna and then completely delete your entire post.
Maybe he thought better of it and decided to step away from the keyboard. The problem with the Internet is that it is almost impossible to "undo" something once it has been posted.
 
Beg to differ

I'm a parent of a current 2nd class. Let me tell you, I have met some of the best of kids, who are friends of my mid at USNA. Let me also tell you that to a man, not one of those mids would do it again. Not one. On the surface, they'll give you a dishonest 'things are going ok'. In reality, they WOULD NOT RECOMMEND USNA to any prospective student. My mid is a different person than the happy-go-lucky, personable guy he was before USNA. After 2 1/2 years: cynical, bereft of energy; disillusioned; unhappy; a shadow of his former self, who was a 4.00 GPA, 2 sport all conference athlete. "The all-American kid". Other parents I've come to know all have come to the same realization.

Parents, yes, you will be so proud to tell your co-workers, relatives, golf buddies and anyone else who sees your USNA car sticker and USNA sweatshirts, that your DS/DD is at THE USNA!! I qualify for parent of the year! But it's not about you. Gotta understand that ASAP.

The mind-bending time spent at USNA will change your DS/DD and not for the better; you will wonder what ever happened to my Johnny. Decisions made by the Supe, Dant, Company Officers, Brigade Officers, etc will spin your head. Designed to turn these bright, energetic kids into robots who slog through their days, resigned to not thinking on their own. {And you tough, macho, we had it so much harder in my day types, can now be dismissed}

Let me give you a case in point this week. A mid (not mine) who was overweight and therefore considered unsat, worked out to get in shape and lose some weight to get ready for the PRT last weekend; he lost the necessary wt to now be sat! He even passed his PRT! All is good right? No. He lost the necessary wt and passed the PRT. But no, he still is losing his spring break privileges......because he's unsat. Why is he unsat even though he's within weight and passed the PRT? Because the USNA says "he lost too much weight in the given time period". He did too good. That's the logic that mids are dealing with day in and day out. A myriad of such examples of irrational USNA life are there. To the point where they practically wave the white flag and resign themselves to giving up. Still great kids, but certainly not the same. Not changed for the better.

Think it over. Do you want to recognize your bright, optimistic, high-achieving DS/DD in 3 years? Then go elsewhere.

If anyone has read my posts they can clearly see that i am a clown. I find an enormous amount of humor in viewing how others think. I am endlessly laughing at myself when i am responding to these posts. You on the other hand are the first for me. I found no humor in your post. You weren't arrogant or obnoxious. You didn't express a simple thought with a 1000 word essay, grammatically and punctually perfect. You didn't even correct someone from a past post. You are the first. To wipe the smile off of my face. To make me question whether or not I have prepared my children to eagerly challenge adversity. If I have taught them to understand the difference between an opportunity and an obstruction. In no way can I claim to know why the military/Academy does things the in the manner in which it does. But I can tell you that unskilled, unprepared, and untrained people can make a mess out of things. I have been only fortunate enough to know two mids at the Academy. They both complained their plebe year but I never heard them complain again. Whenever I would see them theywould share how they were a part of something special and that they couldn't wait for the upcoming year.They also encouraged me to to do whatever i could to get my children interested. I'm being long winded here but you touched me. In finishing I don't want my children to return home from college or the military the same as they were when they left. Best wishes you, your son, and those other disillusioned mids. Hopefully better times are ahead for you all.
 
Folks,

Given that the OP has deleted his/her post, it makes no sense to continue this thread as no one (including me) who didn't read the original has any real idea what's going on. Thus, I'm going to close it.

If people want to restart the topic (whatever it may be) in another thread, feel free to do so.

Your friendly mod
 
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