Appointee son says "No More Standing Ovations!"

singaporemom

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After congressional visits, senior night, NJROTC night, grad party, etc etc, son declined to go to the district BGO dinner and parent group BBQ. Being busy busy this last week, I didn't worry too much about it and took the break in schedule as a relief. Yesterday I asked him why he didnt want to go. He said he was tired of standing ovations and wanted to just spend time with his brother and friends.

He and his big brother (Army ROTC, Junior in college), girlfriend and friends have been having that great all-American summer. Rope swing in the lake, volleyball, movies, hammocks, bike rides to the hot dog stand, chasing down the ice cream man.

I actually agree with him and feel he should just have a blast this summer. Has any one else's appointee had this shift in opinion regarding the accolades?
 
He should be very proud of his accomplishments :thumb:
At their age, all the attention and accolades can be very overwhelming.
Just wish things were the same all across this great Nation. There are schools where there are no standing O's, no mention permitted at graduation, no phone calls from community leaders, no newspaper write-ups, and fellow grads who won't support you and can't understand why you'd go into the military. :frown:
 
Should have come. No individual standing ovations, just one for the whole group. After all, everyone was more or less the same. BGOs were all very welcoming, parents were terrific. I think there were four mids there, including one plebe-no-more. DD really appreciated talking to her.:thumb:

Tell him the BBQ/pool party is to be: kids play in the pool, parents get questions answered, etc.

(I do remember you are in Houston, right?:redface:)
 
I need to check the date again of the pool party...he's leaving town for a week's vacation....

I think he might be grabbing all the friend and family memories he can before he leaves.
 
I think he is proud at what he has accomplished and now its time to have a summer vacation and then get serious about whats coming up. A month of 'you're so great!' has worn him down, especially when he hears about kids who didn't get in that have amazing credentials.
I can tell that his feelings have shifted, and is looking at things differently, It's not all about him...he's a part of something bigger now.
 
I know how he feels. I had my grad party last weekend, and by the second hour I was so embarrassed I could barely make eye contact with anyone anymore. I have awards night for my school on Monday, where my appointment will be presented, and I know I'm going to be embarrassed by the attention again. I just don't feel it is deserved; I haven't done anything yet. I still have to slay the BEAST before I am a cadet.
 
We didn't go to our area's welcome aboard picnic last year. My daughter survived Plebe year without it. On the other hand, I probably would have benefited from the camaraderie. If your Plebe to Be doesn't want to or can't go, there's no rule to say you as the parent of a soon to be plebe can't still go.

In terms of attention, they have to get used to it and they do. The Mids live in a fish bowl. The Yard is open to the public and the Visitor center conducts tours, pointing out the Plebes, explaining the purpose of an activity. There will be people on these tours taking pictures all summer long (and all year long). People line up in T-Court to watch meal formations and watch the parades (practice and formal).

The uniform (which the Plebes will wear almost every day for the next year) will attract attention and I am just grateful that for the most part it is positive. I have been with my daughter when random people have come up, said nothing to her but stuck a camera in her face, snapped a picture and then walked away. I have also been with my daughter when somone has walked up politely, shook her hand, thanked her and explained their connection to a branch of the military. Initially she had the same reaction, "what are they thanking me for, all I am doing is going to school" but I see a difference a year later, in how she listens and relates.

I understand, believe and agree the kids need some down time from the attention (especially with the year they have ahead of them). If I learned anything this year, I know when my daughter tells me she has had enough, she means she's had enough.

GoNavyMom
 
I think that the prospective cadets should look at this a little differently. It is not just about them, but about a community proud to be sending one of their own to such an honored school. A lot of different people helped mold these kids: Parents, teachers, coaches, clergy, etc...and everyone deserves a chance to celebrate their success. Oh, and a little tip: You will still get a lot of attention when you return on breaks, walking through airports, etc...
 
I think that the prospective cadets should look at this a little differently. It is not just about them, but about a community proud to be sending one of their own to such an honored school. A lot of different people helped mold these kids: Parents, teachers, coaches, clergy, etc...and everyone deserves a chance to celebrate their success. Oh, and a little tip: You will still get a lot of attention when you return on breaks, walking through airports, etc...

Spot on Pedro :thumb:
 
I have to agree with Pedro4. Our community is very small and we have 3 service academy appointments in a class of 53. This has caused a alot of media hoopla, interviews, etc. Our son is very low key and embarrassed with all of the attention. We finally had to tell him that it was important for people to recognize him and to just go with the flow. I think that in the next couple of weeks it will come to pass that he is just so ready to move on and be a plebe like everyone else...
 
The two appointees from DD's class of 119 both received a standing O last night at Senior Awards Night. (Unlike some here have reported, the faculty were the first to rise.) She was slightly embarrassed by the attention but glowed nonetheless.

She had many folks come up to her afterwards (some she knew but many that she did not) to tell her directly how grateful they were for her committment and to wish her congratulations and good luck.

I could not have been more proud.
 
Oh, please dont get me wrong.... The Senior awards night was fabulous, but after a couple weeks of the attention, my son was tired. He simply wanted to step aside and be with his friends who are all going off to college also. The limelight got a bit too bright and it was time to have a vacation!

A couple of weeks swimming and tubing in the lake has brought the happiness back and erased the stress!:smile:
 
In terms of attention, they have to get used to it and they do. The Mids live in a fish bowl. The Yard is open to the public and the Visitor center conducts tours, pointing out the Plebes, explaining the purpose of an activity. There will be people on these tours taking pictures all summer long (and all year long). People line up in T-Court to watch meal formations and watch the parades (practice and formal).

When I took my son to his STEM session last week the Midshipman that escorted him was saying that he was in many photo albums across the nation!! :yllol: I guess I probably never thought about it....but he probably is...including mine!!!:thumb:
 
I just don't know how to handle compliments well. Criticism I'm good with; compliments make me quiet and unsure how to respond.
 
Anyone in uniform walking through the airport in Houston will get a "thank you for serving" from airport personnel. It is sincere.

I have also seen people in first class give up their seat for a kid in uniform.

It's a wonderful thing to see- given our history and how the military was treated during Vietnam. I am glad to see these kids being honored. They may think that they haven't done anything, however, just their decision and willingness to serve is being recognized by a grateful nation.:smile:
 
He said he was tired of standing ovations and wanted to just spend time with his brother and friends.

Leave him be. He knows what's coming and doesn't need to be reminded of it, even if those doing the applauding are doing so with the best of intentions.

I seem to have written something about this once..... :thumb:
 
Thanks Zaphod.
It's a bit calmer around here now. He spent a week in Kentucky on a lake with friends and jet skis, tubing and fishing. Now, he's got about 2 weeks left and accomplishing daily one task towards leaving for USNA. The rest of his time is spent having fun.

I think we need to remember that it's HIM leaving for USNA, not us. We just go by his beat.
 
It's funny because our town of only about 5000 souls took absolutely NO notice of twin brothers going to the USAFA. When the local vets group said something to the local paper, they were told they "the paper doesn't want to appear to be supporting the wars in the Middle East."

So, for my sons, because they didn't go to a brick-and-mortar school, there really wasn't any bru-ha-ha about them going (their parents' pride maybe made up for this a bit! :cool:).

So, when my son was home on leave last summer and we went to the Parents' Group Picnic, he was a little overwhelmed at the folks patting him on the back, wanting to hear about CST, BCT, etc.

Still, it seems many of these kids are not looking for accolades exactly, but just want to do their very best at everything.
 
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