Advice For AIM 2011

USNA '16

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5-Year Member
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I was accepted into AIM Session 3. I am so excited but was wondering if anyone could give advice or guidance on what it's like, preparation, etc. I am a girl, so if any girls have any advice it would be highly appreciated! (I have read the Handbook cover to cover, but just wanted some more info.)
 
do not panic, and do not quit. aim is only one week, you can do anything for one week. aim is much more serious than the summer programs at the other service academies. the coast guard academy is trying to make you see if you have what it takes, so don't cheat yourself by slacking or quitting.

i could say more, but a lot of this you will need to just experience on your own, i don't want to ruin it for you.
 
AIM week is challenging and is definitely more serious than the summer seminars as brumuk said. You are pushed beyond your limits. It's all a game but you have to take it seriously. Although it may seem that the Cadre are there to scare you, they really are not. They want to see those who have a good attitude towards failure. You will make mistakes, but you have to move forward and forget about them.

The first day of AIM you will most likely ask yourself "Why am I here?" Just remember that if you were good enough to get selected to a program like this, you are good enough to make it through. Teamwork is key.

Good attitude! Be determined! And Perform!

This is one week in your lifetime, although you may be wanting to go to a different academy, use this week to your advantage to learn and to better yourself. Not many people can say they have gone through an experience like this.
 
AIM

As previous posters have said, it's a "game", but a "game" with rules. And one thing they want to find out is can you figure out the rules and can you play by the rules. And one of the biggest parts of this game is can you read the instructions that they send to you and follow them! If they say to bring things to AIM, bring them! If they say not to bring them, DON'T. If they say it's optional, that is what is meant...you don't need them but bring them if you want.

The only other things I would consider are:

make sure everything you bring can fit in a backpack, since you will be packing it around campus.

make sure you are wearing running shoes that are comfortable and are already broken in....don't bring new ones.

Promise yourself you won't make any USCGA decisions till after AIM is over.

As said previously, the USCGA runs AIM as a pretty serious camp, and lots of students have doubts during and even after AIM. But only after you have experienced it in it's entirety and after you have gone home and slept on it a little can you really judge your total experience. My daughter had no doubts going into AIM, but during AIM and right after wasn't sure. By the time we got home (2 day drive) she decided USCGA was where she wanted to be. Will be starting her senior (1st class) year this fall after finishing a summer term assigned to a USCG cutter.

It's a realistic camp that should give you a good idea of the life of a USCGA cadet.....have a great experience!
 
Keep in mind that last year, 38 LOAs were awarded based in part on AIM performance and attitude.
 
AIM last year was one of the best experiences of my life, and I'm now committed to getting into the academy no matter what (didnt happen this time around unfortunately). Some advice:

- Dont worry about fitting everything into a backpack, EVERYBODY has large bags...just make sure you can run with everything you have for a few minutes at least.

- Everybody will make mistakes, so don't get discouraged if you get yelled at or singled out.

- EVERYBODY else will be as confused and scared as you are once it starts, so youre not alone!

- once you start to learn the "rules", make SURE to help our you fellow aimsters! Everybody gets in trouble for everyone else, so look out for every little detail of your buddies and roommates.

- more practically, bring white socks! A cadre yelled at me for wearing black
socks (I tried to explain that it didn't say "white" socks, but, whatever)

- BE AS LOUD AS YOU CAN!!!! Some girls who couldn't/wouldn't
"sound off" (be loud) really pissed off the whole company and the cadre cuz they wouldn't yell loudly. I found out that being EXTREMELY LOUD is the best way to stay out of trouble, MAKE A REALLY GOOD IMPRESSION, and get on the cadre's good side, even if you messed up other things. At lunch one day I yelled so loud my face was throbbing and I couldn't speak, but a cadre told everyone to act like me and pulled me over and told me she was impressed and could tell how hard I was trying.

- Finally, your cadre are human beings lol. I was so scared of them for the
first 3 or 4 days, but by the very end they act like humans and they're really cool and you can talk to them sorta like friends or mentors .

Good luck, have fun, don't worry too much, stay determined, don't quit, and most importantly, find the funny side in everything you're doing! (just don't laugh...)
 
Don't write in your "thought of the day" that the Coast Guard isn't military and West Point is better than the Coast Guard Academy. An AIMster did that to my classmates while I was a swab summer cadre. The results were not pretty and the kid shed a tear or two*.






*= Far more than two.
 
Listem, pay atention most important have fun.

YOUR FUTURE BEGINS HERE,

RGK
 
So I couldn't help but notice this reoccurring pattern of lightning and sun at New London. In the event that there is lightning during session 1, will it change anything on the schedule?
 
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