The hand-holding thing is dictated by the lowest common denominator folks, the ones who truly do need it, whether in leadership, maturity, responsibilities, whatever, while frustrating most of the other mids who are more advanced. Something you grads all share -- I enjoy the cross-class commiseration.
I've heard a lot over the years from can-you-believe-this incidents from company officers about mids in their company, and from the sponsor family.
Sea story... I had picked up some plebes at the Mid Store on a fall Saturday, enroute home, and had offered a stop at the CVS, Safeway, NEX, etc., for any errands. Sponsor son and roomie friend asked for Safeway, and bought about 20 Air Wick things and other room deodorant devices. I mulled it over a bit and finally asked, thinking there was a weird bet going on, or a prank in the works. Apparently roomie #3 tended to go days without showering (and this was before Bancroft had AC!); they had counted up to 16 one time. He didn't shower over at any of the gyms and wasn't a swimmer. He also did not send his laundry out, but sniffed his laundry bag for the least offensive set of skivvies and re-wore them. Several times. Ditto for bed linen and room towels. They had talked to him numerous times, but he said he'd rather sleep in the morning than shower. His mom had always taken care of the laundry and reminded him to shower, and he was just too busy to deal with it. We told them this was something they didn't have to live with, to go to their squad leader and get some help to resolve the situation. The roomie got put on a shower and laundry schedule that he had to get signed off. I envisioned a "sniff test!" I always wondered what happened to him. Not subs, I hope.
A small tendril away from the thread, an excellent one with many good posts about the core subject of the greatest challenges.