A new Service Academy dad/Fox news correspondant's take on our experience

peskemom

10-Year Member
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Jun 9, 2006
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147
A new Service Academy dad/Fox news correspondant's take on our experience

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Came across it earlier today and as I read it I knew we ALL could
relate.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287909,00.html

Having a young adult at our Service Academies, today takes on an
entirely different meaning.

God Bless our children
God Bless our families
God Bless the United States of America

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA!
 
A nerve's been struck ...

Reading this brought back both long-term and recent memories. Fill in USNA for USMA.

And of course, there is the one major flaw/misnomer/outright lie in this story. :eek: Every right-minded person knows it's ...

GO NAVY! :thumb: :groupwave: :beer1:

P.S. Beat Army!! :rocket:

Othern that, right on!:wink:
 
Very nice read. Cracked up poor Pop, sitting there with his big 'ol serious sunday golf face. :shake: Hope Mr. Scott keeps up a few more of these as the years go by. A parent's perspective is something totally unique onto itself. Kinda scary for us at times me thinks. But one awesome experience on the other hand. I've got one on the high seas & another running around up in the air. I stay unsettled most days. Yesterday was a doozy with the one in the air. Had to sit thru the story of his emergency training & that whole stalling the engine at 4000 ft. thing. My nerves are shot. Since my special powers won't let me shrink them back down to age 4 & under my control, my wine cellar will stay fully stocked. :thumb:
 
Wow - yep Jamzmom - gotta keep that wine cellar stocked. :shake:
Both are very nice, espcially the supportive responses he received. Hope the kid will be ok with the cadre running around with Dad's article! I am sure he will be fine. :wink:
I too will be looking for updates as time goes on.:thumb:
 
I enjoyed both articles but I cringed when he said that the cadre had read the article. I'm sure his son will survive; I just hope he isn't ticked off at his dad.

Today is the halfway point of Beast! I am looking forward to hearing my son’s opinions of 2nd detail cadre vs. 1st detail.
 
wamom68....I am smiling because now when my kiddo complains about how much time I talk about things on these forums about her - I can show her - in true Yiddish style..."It could always be WORSE!" :shake:
 
I enjoyed both articles but I cringed when he said that the cadre had read the article.

I thought the first was a well-written article. I thought the second, explaining that the cadre had seen the first. and then continuining unabated, was a little arrogant.

Moms, don't be too upset about the cadre finding fuel for "roasting" the cadets/midshipmen. They are going to get yelled at for something. I think they would rather be flamed for out-of-control parents, over which they have no control, than, for example, being a dirt bag and not being able to keep their dress and room up to standards.
 
Moms, don't be too upset about the cadre finding fuel for "roasting" the cadets/midshipmen. They are going to get yelled at for something. I think they would rather be flamed for out-of-control parents, over which they have no control, than, for example, being a dirt bag and not being able to keep their dress and room up to standards.

I know my son will get "attention" from the cadre for one reason or another, but I prefer to NOT be the cause of it. I do not want to be known as an out-of-control parent. I've already seen a few on plebe-net. :eek:
 
I do not want to be known as an out-of-control parent. I've already seen a few on plebe-net. :eek:

HaHa! And "other" forums as well!

I think the point USNA69 was trying to make is that everyone understands that there are some things beyond a new cadet or plebe's control, especially his/her parents. They ARE gonna yell at them for something - yelling at them for something they can't control is better than yelling at them for that which they can control.
It means they are digging deep to find something and the new cadet or plebe is really doing OK!
Certainly, if the reporter's son was a complete screw-up they would yell at him for screwing up - not for his dad writing about R-Day.
These "experiences" teach the new cadets or plebes that sometimes you just gotta stand there and take what is thrown at you and suck it up.
 
Out of control......really????

Just read that other forum site for awhile!!! LOL

For whatever reason, this one doesn't seem to get as many people posting messages.

Actually I thought both articles were well written. He showed an awareness of the entire situation and was able to capture that in a relatively short article.

Will be interested to see if he continues to write more articles.
 
Out of control......really????

Actually I thought both articles were well written. He showed an awareness of the entire situation and was able to capture that in a relatively short article.

Will be interested to see if he continues to write more articles.

Wasn't pointing fingers at all. Just making a general observation that a plebe would probably much rather have the subject of the cadre's ire be a parent, over which he has no control, rather than a shortcoming of his own.

I agree that the articles were well written. However, after being notified by another parent that the article was being passed around the upper classmen, he chose to continue. I thought that was a little self serving, sacrificing his son at the mercy of his professional life. With that said, I really doubt the kid will suffer a lot for the articles.

Do you not think that these midshipmen deserve a modicum of privacy? Their rights are violated by having their pictures posted all over the internet without their permission and their innermost private thoughts are posted for all to read.
 
I also think the Military likes the free publicity that a journalist writing in the media will obviously attract. Difficult for him to hide his name and therefore, his son's name because of the byline that goes with most newspaper articles.

The internet provides a whole new way to post otherwise private pictures and thoughts in a means that allows a huge group of people to see them. I think most who attend a military academy recognize they are in somewhat of a 'fishbowl' anyway, so someone taking pictures, which anyone having access to the grounds is free to do, or writing articles comes with the territory.

I will be curious to see if he keeps writing periodic articles focusing on the Academy experience in general or more specifics about his son's good/bad experiences.
 
I agree that the articles were well written. However, after being notified by another parent that the article was being passed around the upper classmen, he chose to continue. I thought that was a little self serving, sacrificing his son at the mercy of his professional life. With that said, I really doubt the kid will suffer a lot for the articles.
Right, he won't suffer too much. Hopefully, the father/son relationship will remain intact - I am sure no father would write an article if he thought it would be received negatively by his own offspring.


Do you not think that these midshipmen deserve a modicum of privacy? Their rights are violated by having their pictures posted all over the internet without their permission and their innermost private thoughts are posted for all to read.

This is entirely a different subject and probably deserves separate discussion. Apparently, you are referring to the "monkey in the zoo" like atmosphere at USNA. I do agree with you there - I have no idea what the atmosphere is like or access is like at the USAFA but USNA and USMA are like night and day. The freedom that the public is given and apparently certain parent photographers at USNA surprises me. I don't know of anyone who would want to go to work/school all day with a camera shoved in their face or knowing a telephoto lens was capturing every special moment for mom and dad - unless one was on a Reality TV show.


time2:
I think most who attend a military academy recognize they are in somewhat of a 'fishbowl' anyway, so someone taking pictures, which anyone having access to the grounds is free to do, or writing articles comes with the territory.
I don't think most who attend a military academy have any notion of being in a 'fishbowl'. They are there to do a job and get an education - not entertain tourists. This atmosphere has not been evident at any visit I have ever had at USMA.
 
Being in a "fishbowl" is a term I used to indicate that what you are doing is highly visible to others. The very nature of a military academy with its history and professional significance attracts a certain amount of public attention.

The times I have visited the USNA, anyone with a photo ID can get access to the grounds (other than off limit areas like the dorms, etc.) and can walk around unescorted, take pictures, talk to midshipman, etc. Haven't been to WP, so I can't compare the access you are given.

Wearing a military uniform makes you stand out in a crowd, that's reality, whether on campus or off.

I certainly didn't get the idea that anyone felt as though there were there to provide 'entertainment' and it seemed the vast majority of people I met and talked with (both midshipman as well as visitors) truly understood the significance of their surroundings.
 
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Just_A_Mom, I think all these issues are interrelated in that they are, in one form are another, an invasion of the privacy of the midshipmen.


time2 said:
I certainly didn't get the idea that anyone felt as though there were there to provide 'entertainment' and it seemed the vast majority of people I met and talked with (both midshipman as well as visitors) truly understood the significance of their surroundings.

I cannot imagine what a visitor’s importance of the significance of their surroundings has to do with anything but as far as the midshipmen are concerned, I am positive that it is more resignation than acceptance. I am reminded of the story of the plebe who, several years ago, was rushing up Stribling toward Bancroft Hall where he was stopped by a woman wanting a picture of him with her young daughter. His reply was; “WTF lady, I have chow call in five minutes.” Even though she reported his name to the main office and he was “fried”, he became somewhat of a legend within the Brigade.


time2 said:
The times I have visited the USNA, anyone with a photo ID can get access to the grounds…..

Remember, we are in a war on terrorism. We have no idea where the next attack will be. USNA is most likely the only US military base in the world with this lax of security. Civilians cannot enter unescorted any of our other military war and staff colleges or our enlisted training facilities. Why should USNA be any different? Hopefully, Admiral Fowler, knowing the Navy’s sense of accountability, that he would be relieved immediately in the event of a terrorist security breach, will look long and hard at this policy.


time2 said:
Wearing a military uniform makes you stand out in a crowd, that's reality, whether on campus or off.

Being a movie actress causes Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, et al, to stand out in a crowd. Does the fact that midshipmen are constantly being observed in a fishbowl and having their pictures taken cause them to think they are something special? Does this, in turn make them think that they are maybe a little above what is expected as normal behavior, causing boorish behavior? We have certainly had more than our share of this type of conduct over the past few years.


There are many reasons to prohibit public access and unlimited photography in the Yard, especially during plebe summer. Many of the plebe summer evolutions require constant supervision, some are even dangerous. You cannot tell me that the cadre is not aware of photographers and has one eye out for their wherabouts, leaving only one eye for the events at hand.

There is a privacy issue. Sure, midshipmen relinquish some of this to USNA when they take the oath. However, USNA has a responsibility to uphold the tenets of this privacy. A private person is protected by law from having his picture published without his approval. There has been a lot of discussion about out-of-control parents on I-Day. How would you feel if I went up next year and took thousands of pictures of parents behaving poorly and, more important, capturing all those sad tear-laden private goodbyes and publishing them on the web?

Remember, we are in a war on terrorism. About half the class will select either aviation or special warfare. After graduation, at one of their first security briefs they will be told to guard their privacy, that in the event of capture, each and every thing that the enemy can gather from public records will be used against them. Numerous examples of Vietnam POWs will be given. Privacy is very similiar to honor. Once lost, it is extremely difificult to regain. Also, we do not know where the next terrorist attack will be. An attack on all the families of a Navy attack squadron's pilots would do wonders for morale, huh? Go to the Navy websites. They have completely sanitized their sites of critical names. Midshipmen need to be taught to zealously guard this privacy from the first day of plebe summer.

We aren’t training our future officers for the benefits of tourists. Security and the war on terrorism demands a relook at present procedures. Someone has to suffer. It will probably be tourists and parents.
 
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"Just_A_Mom, I think all these issues are interrelated in that they are, in one form are another, an invasion of the privacy of the midshipmen."

If the Navy wanted the midshipmen to have privacy, they would have issued them privacy!
 
Anyway, the person who wrote the newspaper article was talking about WP not the USNA (although many of the same thoughts apply to other Military Academies). That was what we were originally talking about with this thread and are now off in some other direction. I still think his article was well written and captured the true impression he had of being there for that first day.

I will leave it to the military to best decide how to balance public access against security concerns for their own facilities. If they allow public access and let you bring cameras, it shouldn't come as a surprise that people will take pictures.

To me that is an entirely different issue than someone who jumps a fence or otherwise bypasses security to observe/photograph something when they should not be there.
 
My understanding is that the cadets/mids can't stand feeling like toy soldiers/sailors on display.
 
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