VMI going soft?

[bruno]

I had the pleasure of actually marching PTs only twice during my time at VMI. That isn't to say that I didn't receive them more than twice, just that I was able to "detail" them and/or use merits to get rid of them. PT details are "volunteer" jobs that you can do to work off your punishment. I helped out at a Ranger Challenge event once (loading 5.56mm rounds into magazines for the Hooah guys to shoot). Another time, I think I worked handing out cookies at the blood drive. As a side benefit to getting rid of PTs (besides the altruistic motives), giving blood used to get you hay down and optional BRC.

Of the two times I marched, I was an NCO once, so I had a sabre. That was a FAR superior experience to walking PTs with a rifle. Above all, I remember that having Ac. Stars meant you got merits, and those could counteract PTs. Yet another reason to have good grades-a lesson future Keydets should take in stride.

I recall similar from my days-I think though that they have cut way back on PT details these days though. The number of guys out there marching off PTs was pretty high- especally given that school is 2 weeks into the semester- Bet there were 70 or so - 2 solid platoons looping the bricks in front of barracks- all of them most excited about life!Character building!

 

[bruno]

HA! That's Funny Bruno.

Ok, so did you read above about how my daughter informed me that she had yet to receive any demerits? Well that changed. Somewhere between 8am and 4pm….she received 5.

Tsk Tsk- should have gotten up earlier to shine those shoes or GI that room! Demerits are part of life!
My son has a heavy beard- (one of those at least 2x daily shavers) & the reason I didn't get to spend much time with him on Saturday at the Football game was because I was talking with the Dep Cmdt who is a classmate- and sluggo had shaved early that morning with an electric razor (I don't care what Norelco says- you can't get a close shave with one of those things!). By the end of the game he looked like Nixon after a hard night and he figured that coming down to be with me was a sure ticket to yet another round of specials to be answered in the commandants office. Better to miss Dad than more PTs or demerits!

 

[sprog]

I have a shaving story from VMI- I remember being like two days from graduation and a certain Marine Corps SGM from the Commandant's Office (whose booming cries of "Young Man...Halt," still echo in my nightmares) came up to me in formation and said, "Young man, you must come with me after formation." Needless to say, I was about ready to defecate a brick, as I fear some event has transpired which could interfere with my imminent graduation. No....it was just a nice 15 minute ass-chewing on why I'm a poor human being for not having shaved before SRC (dinner formation). Lesson learned-I guess you don't leave the Corps of Cadets until the diploma is in hand. Ah, memories.

 

[RahVaMil2009]

I love the irony that this came up in a thread about VMI going soft.

Yeah... Rat and Third Class year, I'd get a 5-1-5 on Monday and have all five of the PTs worked off well before the next PT formation on Wednesday afternoon. During my Second Class year, there were many changes.

The first change was the number of demerits you're allowed to accrue before getting PTs for excess demerits. The rule was that rats were allowed a total of 80 demerits per semester before getting on conduct probation, and upperclassmen could only get 75 per semester. Over 100 in one semester regardless of how long you'd been there would get you suspended. Somewhere along the line they realized that since the limit was 15 demerits per demerit period before earning PTs for excess demos meant you could get excess demo PTs every single period and still not be on con pro. So they magically changed it to a max of 20 demos per period before excess PTs.

However, at the same time, they decided PTs were not painful enough for cadets. There are still PT details available from time to time, but they are reserved for only those with 20+ PTs. Once you hit the 19 mark, you're marching every last one of them. And 2-for-1s are almost nonexistent.

I marched many PTs over the course of my cadetship, but I never had more than a 5-1-5 at any given time. You just have to be smart enough not to get caught.

 

[RahVaMil2009]

A couple demos is a small price to pay for a 98. Good on her for keeping her priorities straight.

One of the simple joys of a military education is that you have way too much to do in way too little time. They plan it that way to force you to learn how to prioritize things. At VMI, you have to roll your hay (mattress) and put your wooden rack up against the wall every morning before formation. If you put it down again before noon and you get caught, it's 5 demerits. If you don't get caught, it was just a good nap.

As demonstrated by the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, sometimes you have to concede the battle in order to win the war. You can either take the 5 demos for the unauthorized haydown while catching 20 mins extra sleep, or you can skip the demos and then sleep through class and miss information that will be on your test next Tuesday. Sometimes you just need to eat the demos and not worry about it.

Yes, demos add up and will eventually you into all kinds of trouble, but generally not as quickly as failing your classes will.

 

[TurkishRunner]

A couple demos is a small price to pay for a 98. Good on her for keeping her priorities straight.

One of the simple joys of a military education is that you have way too much to do in way too little time. They plan it that way to force you to learn how to prioritize things. At VMI, you have to roll your hay (mattress) and put your wooden rack up against the wall every morning before formation. If you put it down again before noon and you get caught, it's 5 demerits. If you don't get caught, it was just a good nap.

As demonstrated by the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, sometimes you have to concede the battle in order to win the war. You can either take the 5 demos for the unauthorized haydown while catching 20 mins extra sleep, or you can skip the demos and then sleep through class and miss information that will be on your test next Tuesday. Sometimes you just need to eat the demos and not worry about it.

Yes, demos add up and will eventually you into all kinds of trouble, but generally not as quickly as failing your classes will.

That's good advice, they talked a lot about time management when I visited VMI and it's definitely something I find attractive about the school. They are basically building well rounded adults, or it seems.

 

[cwgvmimd]

"VMI isn't what it used to be but then again it never was" Obviously some truth to the old saw.