Thirds get their hays thrown into the courtyard every year by the Rats.
In the past, there have been times when property has been destroyed during a "Rat Riot." During my Rat year (during second semester in the month or so before Breakout), some plates in Crozet got smashed and the class had to pay the bill from funds generated from dues and fund-raising. Usually, a series of sweat parties also soon follows. If they can determine who the "ring leader" of the riot was, that cadet may also get special punishment from the class system and/or the Commandant's office. I remember they made a couple of Rats go to BRC formation in Coatee, full dyke with arms, every day for a week after one of these events (I'm sure they also had PTs and confinement).
It's immature, and I never did understand what point "rioting" served. Ostensibly, it promotes "unity" and shows that the Rats are gelling together. I think there are better ways than smashing a few plates, but these are 18-year-olds. I'm betting that these so-called "Riots" are fairly tepid in comparison to shenanigans at other colleges. They seem to be part of the VMI experience.
Rat riots can be a lot of fun, but they can also go overboard very quickly. Based on what I've heard from my rats and grandrats, the one on Sunday got more out of hand than any rat riot I saw in my four years there.
When I was a rat, we staged a (successful) rat rescue mission. When rats go to an RDC trial (usually on a Sunday night), they go down to the courtyard, uniform: grey blouse. When the RDC was getting ready to take our BRs up to the fifth stoop for their trial, we ran down into the courtyard in grey blouse so they wouldn't be able to tell who was supposed to be there and who wasn't, and then we all ran back up to the fourth stoop. The plan was for our entire ratmass to do 20+3 pushups together and then run to our rooms, but the Thirds decided to take matters into their own hands and try to pick rats off as we were running back up the stairs. We weren't even tossing their hays that time, but rats got clotheslined on the way back up to stoop. We had a sweat party with Cadre and RDC the next morning, but because they went overboard, the Third Class also lost some of their privileges for three days. They did not, however, lose their push privileges--and they made sure we knew it over the course of those three days.
For several years now, the Sunday night of Parents Weekend has traditionally been when the Thirds get their first sweat party. After they have their sweat party, they earn their push privileges the following day. The same thing goes for the Seconds, but they get their sweat party (and push privileges) earlier in the school year.
Instead of going down for the sweat party on Sunday night, the rats decided to take the third stoop by storm and toss hays, which is a very traditional rat riot. I'm sure it's happened before, but I've never heard of rats tossing hays instead of turning out for a sweat party. I'm not sure the timing of the riot, but apparently there was an all out brawl between the rats and the Thirds on the third stoop. A ton of rats and upperclassmen alike were injured.
The Thirds didn't get to have their sweat party on Sunday night, but they still got their push privileges yesterday. They also had their sweat party last night, instead. I haven't heard what the other consequences will be, but it usually involves more sweat parties, fewer dyke privileges, and sometimes they make the entire ratmass march PTs.
My First Class year, we also made the rats wear grey blouse everywhere unless they were going straight to and from Rat Challenge, NCAA practice, or an RDC gross misconduct workout. They had to wear grey blouse to and from the shower and even for late night bathroom runs after Taps, or they could be sent up to the GC for taking an upperclass privilege.
In general, I agree with sprog. Rat riots make for funny stories, but more often than not, they get really out of hand.
Jackie M. Briski '09
First Class PVT (Ret.)
Thanks Jackie: Sitting afar here in my office, an all out brawl sounds bad. Parental units generally don't like to hear of black eyes and gashes and injuries. Are the thirds and upper classmen and cadre authorized to use force to prevent a rat riot?
It doesn't matter if other schools have the same problems in Fraternities or what not, what I'm hearing from my DS sounds a lot like assault. Do any of the lawyers on this board disagree?
According to my DS, many cadets were taken to the post hospital and some had to go into town for treatment. One girl apparently broke a rib when knocked into the barracks wall by an RDC member. Another Rat was punched in the forehead by an RDC member wearing his class ring. It opened up a big gash.
VMI is one of my sons top two choices. Seeing reports like this does give me pause. I thought they were training officers there. If this is how the RDC deals with situations perhaps their training has been lacking.
Now I know there is more to the story than I will ever see here but it still gives me pause. Any justification by saying "the same stuff happens at fraternities at other colleges" lowers VMI to a level that they do not want to be at.
VMI is one of my sons top two choices. Seeing reports like this does give me pause. I thought they were training officers there. If this is how the RDC deals with situations perhaps their training has been lacking.
Now I know there is more to the story than I will ever see here but it still gives me pause. Any justification by saying "the same stuff happens at fraternities at other colleges" lowers VMI to a level that they do not want to be at.
VMI is one of my sons top two choices. Seeing reports like this does give me pause. I thought they were training officers there. If this is how the RDC deals with situations perhaps their training has been lacking.
Now I know there is more to the story than I will ever see here but it still gives me pause. Any justification by saying "the same stuff happens at fraternities at other colleges" lowers VMI to a level that they do not want to be at.
I fully understand the 19-21 year old deal. I remember that time very well. I also know it only takes a couple with poor judgement to screw up the whole deal. My son can take care of himself and his personal safety is not what gives me pause. It is concern about the lessons learned. I am not worried about my son being on the receiving end of that punch but if he was in a position of authority and delivered that punch, assuming he was not defending himself, I would be disappointed.
I am sure VMI will deal with it appropriately.