Sponsor Parent Question: Political Preference

tvalday

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
5
It might be inconsequential to some, but I wouldn't want political beliefs to prevent me from establishing a relationship with my sponsor family. Would USNA honor my request for a sponsor family with the same political beliefs as mine?
 
Part of becoming an officer and an adult is negotiating living and working with people whose beliefs, attitudes, inclinations, or preferences are different than yours - sometimes very different. Regardless of your political, religious, or social beliefs, there will be people who differ from you; the real shocker comes when you figure out that people who you think you align with politically (or religiously, or socially) are not the kind of people you care for personally. Good officers figure out how to work with everyone in spite of their beliefs. Great officers and people figure out how to see the best in everyone.

If you don't "want political beliefs to prevent me from establishing a relationship with my sponsor family," then don't. The choice really is all yours.
 
Part of becoming an officer and an adult is negotiating living and working with people whose beliefs, attitudes, inclinations, or preferences are different than yours - sometimes very different. Regardless of your political, religious, or social beliefs, there will be people who differ from you; the real shocker comes when you figure out that people who you think you align with politically (or religiously, or socially) are not the kind of people you care for personally. Good officers figure out how to work with everyone in spite of their beliefs. Great officers and people figure out how to see the best in everyone.

If you don't "want political beliefs to prevent me from establishing a relationship with my sponsor family," then don't. The choice really is all yours.

Eloquent and absolutely on-point. Bravo, LongAgoPlebe. :thumb:
 
Eloquent and absolutely on-point. Bravo, LongAgoPlebe. :thumb:

Part of becoming an officer and an adult is negotiating living and working with people whose beliefs, attitudes, inclinations, or preferences are different than yours - sometimes very different. Regardless of your political, religious, or social beliefs, there will be people who differ from you; the real shocker comes when you figure out that people who you think you align with politically (or religiously, or socially) are not the kind of people you care for personally. Good officers figure out how to work with everyone in spite of their beliefs. Great officers and people figure out how to see the best in everyone.

If you don't "want political beliefs to prevent me from establishing a relationship with my sponsor family," then don't. The choice really is all yours.

Amen Brother!!
 
If politics do come up and you truly feel uncomfortable, then in a very nice/civil way, explain to them that you would prefer not to talk about politics at all. I am sure 99% of sponsor families would respect that, especially knowing the political constraints faced in the military. If they don't honor your wishes, you can always have the sponsor office re-assign you.
 
sponsor parents

I have a plebe with what is known as a "super sponsor"

I can only refer to them as a blessing. They are kind and wonderful and giving and special.

1. They are a home away from home on the odd days he can leave. He lays on their couch with headphones on and sleeps for hours, and get to play with their dog (my son is a dog lover).
2. They go to DS' games (his games typically START at 10:30 at night and end after MIDNIGHT. The only people in the stands are them and a few other super sponsor parents. My mid's sponsor parents hold up big posters announcing them as his #1 fans (even when my mid isnt even playing in that game)
3. They drive him and a truck full of his co mates to and from the airport over every single holiday (and spring break). On the way home, whoever is in the car they take to dinner.
4. when my mid got injured at practice and had to be taken to Bethesda they checked in on him after I had to leave to go back home
5. On the way home from christmas his sports gear got lost by the airlines. They repeatedly drove back and forth to the airport and finally physically searched a storage room, found it and hand delivered it to my son's locker room.
6. When I am visiting my mid in a few wks I am staying with them.


We have no idea their political affiliation...and we dont care. I just simply flat out love them.


However, if YOU care there is a comment section on your parent sponsor form you can put that down. You may like your sponsor or may not. There are lots of stories both ways. Most unhappy matches dont get officially reassigned, you just get unofficially "adopted" by a buddies sponsor parent.
 
Part of becoming an officer and an adult is negotiating living and working with people whose beliefs, attitudes, inclinations, or preferences are different than yours - sometimes very different. Regardless of your political, religious, or social beliefs, there will be people who differ from you; the real shocker comes when you figure out that people who you think you align with politically (or religiously, or socially) are not the kind of people you care for personally. Good officers figure out how to work with everyone in spite of their beliefs. Great officers and people figure out how to see the best in everyone.

If you don't "want political beliefs to prevent me from establishing a relationship with my sponsor family," then don't. The choice really is all yours.

+1
 
they are taking two new plebes next yr. (they currently have my son and another plebe boy from California)...Ill cross my fingers that you get them.
 
I have a plebe with what is known as a "super sponsor"

I can only refer to them as a blessing. They are kind and wonderful and giving and special.

1. They are a home away from home on the odd days he can leave. He lays on their couch with headphones on and sleeps for hours, and get to play with their dog (my son is a dog lover).
2. They go to DS' games (his games typically START at 10:30 at night and end after MIDNIGHT. The only people in the stands are them and a few other super sponsor parents. My mid's sponsor parents hold up big posters announcing them as his #1 fans (even when my mid isnt even playing in that game)
3. They drive him and a truck full of his co mates to and from the airport over every single holiday (and spring break). On the way home, whoever is in the car they take to dinner.
4. when my mid got injured at practice and had to be taken to Bethesda they checked in on him after I had to leave to go back home
5. On the way home from christmas his sports gear got lost by the airlines. They repeatedly drove back and forth to the airport and finally physically searched a storage room, found it and hand delivered it to my son's locker room.
6. When I am visiting my mid in a few wks I am staying with them.


We have no idea their political affiliation...and we dont care. I just simply flat out love them.


However, if YOU care there is a comment section on your parent sponsor form you can put that down. You may like your sponsor or may not. There are lots of stories both ways. Most unhappy matches dont get officially reassigned, you just get unofficially "adopted" by a buddies sponsor parent.


This makes me a bit teary eyed just reading it. We have been the home away from home house for folks now and then, but never a long term thing. What a blessing to have a sponsor family that becomes family. Especially when you feel so far away on the other coast.


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For the OP - interacting with a sponsor family on an adult level is part of learning to be out and about in the social world, especially learning how to be civil around others whose opinions differ from yours. You learn to navigate discussions and debates, perhaps learning how others think and feel along the way, finding points of agreement and even appreciation. If the sponsor family you are assigned to is not compatible for any reason, as another poster noted, you simply request another sponsor. More often than not, you will tag along with friends and class mates to their sponsors, and get "adopted" at a compatible home.

I would recommend against putting any special request like that on the sponsor form, because on the sponsor's version of the form, there isn't a place for that, nor are sponsors likely to specify political beliefs. Be open-minded, see if you luck into a good fit.

We have been sponsoring 5 plebes a year since 1996. There have been lively discussions between classes, with us, with tagalong friends, with parents, over the years. It's just like extended family - we would be boring clones if we all thought alike about every issue.
 
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