Stupid Questions People Ask about SAs

C

colorado416

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5-Year Member
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I've had my share of people obvious and stupid questions when I tell them I am interested in a service academy and I was wondering if anyone had some funny stories/conversations to share. :thumb:
 
colorado416 said:
I've had my share of people obvious and stupid questions when I tell them I am interested in a service academy and I was wondering if anyone had some funny stories/conversations to share. :thumb:
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I've been told there are no such things as stupid questions, but there are undeniably quite a few inquisitive idiots.

JB
 
"So what base will you be stationed at your first year then? I might want to apply but if it's too far from my girlfriend, I probably won't."
 
packermatt7 said:
"So what base will you be stationed at your first year then? I might want to apply but if it's too far from my girlfriend, I probably won't."
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HAHAHA!

Me: "I have six weeks of BCT at the Academy"

The other person: "O. Then you get deployed, right?"
 
A freshman I run with asked if I got the scholarship to the school with planes. I did confirm that I received an appointment to the AFA.
 
haha...so many people are clueless

I told my friends that I was interested in USNA, USAFA, etc and I explained briefly about the 4 years. After I told them I had to serve for 5 years all I got was wide eyes and "REALLY?!?" lol

Another friend I told asked me if I chose it because I don't have to pay for college....I didn't know he thought so little of me...
 
At least people know what the Army, the Navy, the Marines, and the Air Force do. Despite the large Coast Guard presence here (did I mention that I live in a "Coast Guard City"), there are an incredible number of people who have no clue what they are or what they do. A Coast Guard press release with a photograph automatically qualifies as front page news in the local papers yet people still have no clue what the Coast Guard does. I've gotten everything from "Oh! So you're joining the state police?" (Ok, so CHP does have a few boats) to "So you're going to rescue stranded sea lions!"

I don't mind that nearly as much as when someone tells me that I'm "wasting such a good education" or "not living up to my potential." Whatever.
 
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Wow thats pretty bad. Most people don't realize how hard it is to get into one of the academies. frustrating...
 
My sympathies, but there is good news. You will be joining one of the best fraternities in the world, that of the armed forces of the United States of America, with its various sub-sets of services, communities and branches. You will find instant acceptance and camaraderie amongst those who serve or who have served -- witness the good-natured kidding around on here. We all "get it," and have learned patience (mostly) with those who just aren't familiar with life in the military.

Inane comments will not cease from those not in the fraternity even after you are commissioned... I attended a huge military ball in Los Angeles some years ago, all spiffed up in mess dress. It was during a time Michael Jackson was wearing military-inspired costume jackets. Despite the hundreds of civilians around me dripping diamonds and gold Rolexes, I was proud to wear something I had earned the right to wear. In the ladies room, two ladies came up to me (looked like early refugees from The OC), and gushed over my "outfit." "Where did you get it? It's SO retro!" They didn't understand it was a naval uniform.

And some ladies from church back home, when hearing I was off to Naval Station Rota Spain as a Port Services Operations Officer, expressed concern about ruining my hands when pulling on dirty ropes, commenting I would get a better job if I used my college education...:yllol:
 
Capt MJ said:
And some ladies from church back home, when hearing I was off to Naval Station Rota Spain as a Port Services Operations Officer, expressed concern about ruining my hands when pulling on dirty ropes, commenting I would get a better job if I used my college education...:yllol:
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Old ladies from Church!!! Reminds me of the first time I brought my wife home. I'm from a very small town in Southern Louisiana. Now I live in California, and my wife who is Asian and was a Navy Corpsman went home with me back around '91.

A couple of old ladies went up to my mom and said "that daughter in law of yours....... what kind of people is she?

You just have to smile at ignorance. You can't do much about it I'm afraid. So whether it be what kind of people is she? Or, why not use your education, or the dirty hands thing, it's really just ignorance that you can't do much about unfortunately.

Capt MJ is right, just relish the thought of what you are getting and entering into, and don't let the ignorance get to you. Just smile and know better.

jb
 
Two days ago, I bumped into a lady I hadn't seen in a while. Here's how the conversation went:

Lady - "So how is the Jamz doing these days?"
Me - "Great. Its nearing graduation & he's going AF Intel"
Lady - "Wow. How'd he manage that? I thought he was a marine at West Point"

I saw her eyes glaze over when I said - "Kings Point = Merchant Marine then he went AF."

In the case of KP, I fully understand any & all confusion. :biggrin:
 
jamzmom said:
In the case of KP, I fully understand any & all confusion. :biggrin:
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No one has the "explaining" worse then KP parents. :biggrin:

"What? He's in the Marines? I thought he was going to college?"
"No, its the Merchant Marines, the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point."
"I thought it was at Parris Island?"
"It's not the Marines, it's a college."
"For Marines?"
"No, for merchant sailors, to educate them in engineering so they can go to sea and serve as officers on ships."
"Ships? So it's like the Navy?"
"Well, he can go in the Navy when he graduates, as an officer."
"I thought he had to be a college graduate to be an officer?"
"He will be, when he......Say, that's a nice car, did you just get it?"

:thumb:
 
:lolatyou: That cracks me up.

My first thought after reading that was "Who's on first?" LOL
 
When I was applying for my job I told my manager I would be leaving for VMI in a few months.

"Whats VMI?" he asked. I explained it was Virginia Military Institute.
Then he said :
"Is it in Virginia?", "You put on your application no military exp..",and this gem "I dont feel comfortable hiring someone who can be deployed without any warning"

Then one of my friends says "So your going to Iraq next semester? Thats so dumb!" This one really confused me and it took about 5 minutes to explain that VMI is not in or anywhere near Iraq.


:bang:
 
My DD has told people that she applied to the USCGA....

frequent response..........

"why do you want to kill people??" :confused:

Initially she tried to explain the role of the CG... then gave up.....
 
At last nights Varsity baseball game.....hey, I heard your son is going into the Navy.

He is going to the Naval Academy.

Wow, I thought he was doing well in school, doesn't he want to go to college?

He is going to college.

After he goes into the Navy? Why doesn't he want to go to college first and then the Navy? After college, he could try to be an officer if he wants to go into the Navy.

(Literally) Oh, isn't that your son up to bat.....
 
"So, you got into the Air Force Academy? Which one?"

"Uh...THE ONLY ONE."
 
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