West Point Graduation: Texting while Marching

Good rule: when marching, no phones should ever be seen... let alone used!
 
Well, at least she wasn't carrying her shoes like some others were.
 
Another important life lesson learned.

You should always be aware of how your actions are perceived. This is especially true in the age of social media.

Not to pick on USMA. But with the whole pillow fight incident, the African-American female photo and now this, this hasn't been a good year for the Black Knights.
 
And don’t forget the cocaine incid……….oh, right. I forgot, that one is being swept under the rug and is not getting reported out to the media. But these other indiscretions………mutiny! Shut the place down!
 
Well, at least she wasn't carrying her shoes like some others were.

As long as female cadets have skirts as a uniform, they will be wearing uncomfortable heels. I've made that trek to Michie Stadium in comfortable shoes (hills and gravel), and would not want to walk it in heels of any sort. Not excusing the carrying of shoes, but maybe female cadets should wear slacks & low quarters for graduation.
 
Unless the rules are changed females actually aren't supposed to march in heels. It sucks. I don't blame the ladies for carrying shoes and wearing others. Not sure how long that trek is, but guessing it's not short. At USNA they don't March over, graduating 1/C are told to be at the stadium at X time and they show up.
 
And don’t forget the cocaine incid……….oh, right. I forgot, that one is being swept under the rug and is not getting reported out to the media. But these other indiscretions………mutiny! Shut the place down!

You are a second person that alluded to some sort of "cocaine incident." I don't know what the forum rule is but I would say at least something reported by media should be discussed on this forum.
 
Y'all are some sad, angry old people.

Unfortunately or unfortunately, we live in a different time. When I was a cadet, no smartphone, so texting was not an issue. The question is about complying with the system vs. doing something new. I think these are different mind set, not necessarily good or bad, rather why not. The common sense says, a cadet shouldn't text while "marching," but is there an actual regulation that prohibits texting while marching? Or what can USMA do to me while I am a few hours away from the graduation. Personally, carrying shoes while marching looks very unprofessional, but it might be practical to for whatever purposes.

I guess the future belongs to the new generation, so they can make their own rules and also accept the consequences of their new rules.
 
Some have suggested these cadets were in "route step" ("a style of marching in which troops maintain prescribed intervals but are not required to keep in step or to maintain silence") from the barracks to a staging location prior to entering Michie Stadium. It would explain why cadets were out of step, looking down, talking, carrying shoes.... Agreed that it does not look good....and someone caught it on video.
 
It looked to me like they were route stepping. That would be my guess and then they got to an area and probably stood around for a few hours (as any great military event would require) where they changed shoes, put gloves on, chatted, texted, Instagram'd and maybe even slept. We don't march to the stadium at USNA but we get there really early and stand around for a few hours. We actually enjoyed the last few hours being together.
 
Last edited:
Unfortunately or unfortunately, we live in a different time. When I was a cadet, no smartphone, so texting was not an issue. The question is about complying with the system vs. doing something new. I think these are different mind set, not necessarily good or bad, rather why not. The common sense says, a cadet shouldn't text while "marching," but is there an actual regulation that prohibits texting while marching? Or what can USMA do to me while I am a few hours away from the graduation. Personally, carrying shoes while marching looks very unprofessional, but it might be practical to for whatever purposes.

I guess the future belongs to the new generation, so they can make their own rules and also accept the consequences of their new rules.

I believe AR 670-1 addresses using cell phones while walking: "Soldiers will not walk while engaged in activities that would interfere with the hand salute and greeting of the day or detract from a professional image. Examples include, but are not limited to, walking while eating, using electronic devices, or smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes."

I doesn't address marching. I guess because, as you said, it is common sense.
 
I guess the future belongs to the new generation, so they can make their own rules and also accept the consequences of their new rules.

Just like every generation in the history of mankind.

The fauxtrage in this post is amazing.
 
I believe AR 670-1 addresses using cell phones while walking: "Soldiers will not walk while engaged in activities that would interfere with the hand salute and greeting of the day or detract from a professional image. Examples include, but are not limited to, walking while eating, using electronic devices, or smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes."

I doesn't address marching. I guess because, as you said, it is common sense.

You get no disagreement from me. However, the new generation might not have the same interpretation as you and I do. Counter arguments could be "I can simply switch my phone to my left hand and salute," "I am in a group so I don't have to salute or provide a greeting of the day," "there are numerous high ranking officials using phones is public, so I see nothing unprofessional."
 
Back
Top