Do we contact BGO

BuckeyeGuy

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DS is a football player. Recently a group of players decided to have a party at a home with no adults present. There was an article in the paper and online. Alcohol was served and multiple players were taken into custody and released to their parents. DS BGO lives very close to us and receives/has access to the same newspaper and online access. DS was not at the party and can be verified by an independent adult. Do we contact the BGO and set the record straight? Do we contact the school superintendent/principal/counselor/AD/coach and request a letter stating that DS was not involved?

Thank you for your help and wisdom
 
DS is a football player. Recently a group of players decided to have a party at a home with no adults present. There was an article in the paper and online. Alcohol was served and multiple players were taken into custody and released to their parents. DS BGO lives very close to us and receives/has access to the same newspaper and online access. DS was not at the party and can be verified by an independent adult. Do we contact the BGO and set the record straight? Do we contact the school superintendent/principal/counselor/AD/coach and request a letter stating that DS was not involved?

Thank you for your help and wisdom

Did the article say he was there? If not, don't bother the BGO with it unless he or she asks. Just my opinion.
 
Agree with ^. Leave it alone unless it is asked about.
 
Personally would be prepared to discuss the issue at DS's interview with his BGO and possibly at MOC screening. USNA is becoming increasingly sensitive to activities of candidates that could be indicators of potential problems in the future. As most of you probably already know NAVY has been saddled with problems of this ilk in the past few years. Just a thought.
 
dont call now.

however, one interesting take...

My second son in his ROTC interview was asked about some challenge or adversity he had to overcome. He is solidly good at school, never been in trouble, middleclass suburban non ethnic, two parent, never deaths in the family etc etc etc. He somehow used the negative drug culture in his hockey locker room and what he does to remain part of the team but stay true to his ethical code...as his answer. This may be a way to address the OP issue...just a thought.
 
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My first thought is to leave it alone. I wonder, however, if three months or so down the road the coach/AD/principal may remember that he was not involved. I might be inclined to ask for a letter confirming his innocence while the incident is still fresh in everyone's minds, should the issue come up at a later date.
 
If I read the original post correctly, there were kids that police took into custody. Their DS was not there, nor was the principal (hopefully!)

JMPO and 0.0197532 cents, but the only thing I would do is have your DS shoot off an email acknowledging the incident, but telling the BGO where they exactly were the night of the incident.

The BGO will respect him for getting in front of this incident. It shows a mark of maturity, and understanding that the BGO is part of the appointment process. The principal is not part of the process. They are not a liaison between the academy and the candidate. If the BGO feels the need for backup paperwork, than go to the principal. Hence, the principal can only say to their knowledge he was not one of the students placed into custody. He can't say he wasn't there.

However, since the students were minors, I am not sure the school would be informed regarding everyone that was at the party. My graduating HS class had 843 students. These parties were common occurrence, and sophs, jrs and srs. attended. They ranged from 25 kids to 100+ kids. No way for the principal to know every single kid at the party.

It also appears that they were not charged with anything. Key words released to parents, not released on bond.

OBTW, I also agree 1964BGO. The SAs are very sensitive to drinking underage, and maybe even more so at USNA for FB players due to the latest sexual assault issues and FB players.

I also would be prepared if the Congressman/woman does interviews to address this question.

I.E. I see you attend XYZ HS. It has been in the news that there was an underage drinking incident, what is your opinion regarding the punishment for those that were placed into police custody.
~~~~ They are not implying that he was there, just how if he was in a leadership position, he would have handled the situation.
~ Slap on wrists?
~ Charge with a misdemeanor of underage drinking...resulting in the revocation of their Driver's license....think some of these kids need to drive for jobs or ECs because the folks may work full time.
~ Inform the school, and have it placed in their file for the GC regarding recs?

Our DS was asked varying questions when it came to his interview. There were 12 people, and they took turns. The questions varied from last book read not assigned to hypotheticals.
 
I would not proactively engage the BGO. Period.

IF you live in a small town where this incident has been prominent in the news, maybe your BGO has heard of it. However, I can promise that BGOs don't scour the local news for possible reports of miscreant behavior on the part of candidates. So it may well be that your BGO knows nothing of the incident in the first place.

If it is a big deal in your community such that "everyone" knows about it, I would still wait to see if your BGO asks about it. As '64 said, be prepared to discuss your lack of involvement in the incident but don't affirmatively raise it.

I can tell you as a BGO that, if I suddenly received an email or call from a candidate saying he/she hadn't been involved in some incident I'd never even heard about (or even if I had heard about it), I'd be . . . confused is probably the best word. I'd be thinking: Why is this person emailing/calling me to tell me he ISN'T involved in something when no one has even suggested he was? I might start to think: He doth protest too much. Maybe he WAS involved and is feeling guilty.

So, be prepared but, if it doesn't come up, don't bring it up. No one should/will assume you were involved if there is no evidence that you were. Instead, absent facts to the contrary, they will likely assume you were NOT involved and already be moving forward.

The same advice applies for MOC nominating committees. Let them bring it up and then deal with the question(s) you're asked.
 
"We" and "contact the BGO" shouldn't be in the same sentence. Any contact should be "our son" or "our daughter."

That said, I'm a little torn. I'm guessing USNA1985 doesn't live in a VERY small town, because people in those towns make it their business to know your business. If it's "our son the football player".... and there's ONE football team, MAYBE the BGO thinks about it... but maybe not.

Now, how would I take a call about this (if I was a BGO). I'm sitting there.... thinking about.... the NHL season.... and I get a call, from one of my HOPEFULLY future plebes (because how many people apply to USNA is a small town?)

"Mr. LITS, sir, earlier this week a number of my teammates were at a party, where alcohol was served to underage members of the team. Police were called and it was in the news. I want you to know that I did not attend that party. Attending the Naval Academy means so much to me that I would not want to put that dream in jeopardy. I just wanted you to know that, incase you had any questions of who was involved."

I would NOT be put off by this. Either the candidate just answered a question in the back of my small town mind, OR made me aware of how little I was informed about the goings-on of my community. Either way, I don't think any less of him for keeping me "in the know."

Of course, if I haven't heard about it... then my ignorance is all of our bliss.
 
I concur with LITS and Pima. I'd rather "know" about the incident from the candidate than to ponder whether he/she was involved. I think the way LITS framed the conversation is actually a good way to approach it.
 
so, just to play 'devil's advocate' for a minute.... how does one answer the follow up Q: 'why were you not at the football party? Are you part of the team or not?'
I imagine a whole bunch of answers, but I'm thinking that some version of: 'I had some other commitment that evening ... boy was I lucky' ... would not be putting one's self in the best light.
 
so, just to play 'devil's advocate' for a minute.... how does one answer the follow up Q: 'why were you not at the football party? Are you part of the team or not?'
I imagine a whole bunch of answers, but I'm thinking that some version of: 'I had some other commitment that evening ... boy was I lucky' ... would not be putting one's self in the best light.

I might answer with "the football I play is on a field absent drunk underage players and violations of state law. I'm here for he game, the competition. I'm not here for the sideshow"


But if a BGOs instinct is to ask why you weren't jumping off the bridge with every other idiot, USNA has bigger problems.
 
Thanks to all for your words of wisdom. To Mr. LITS, you are correct, I should not have said "we". With that said...even criminals have an advocate in their corner. I think we will pass on playing devil's advocate...he still wants to attend a service academy.

Both my DS and I read this forum regularly and we have learned a great deal. We, especially my son are hopeful for the future.

Thanks again for your insight and words of wisdom
 
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