With over 30 "turn-backs" Air Force Sinks Navy 40-7

SOFLO2024Dad

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Saturday Air Force played Navy with over 30 players from last year's team taking a "turn-back" leaving USAFA this semester. This left the the defense with just one returning starter from last season. Hats off to those C3C and doolies that stepped up and only allowed 7 points while scoring 40.
 
Saturday Air Force played Navy with over 30 players from last year's team taking a "turn-back" leaving USAFA this semester. This left the the defense with just one returning starter from last season. Hats off to those C3C and doolies that stepped up and only allowed 7 points while scoring 40.
does anyone know why they left?
 
Only speculating, but when the Mountain West Conference originally postponed the football season back in August, they may have thought playing a full season was more important then a two game season. By "turning back" this semester they would get that future "full" season. Problem is Mountain West voted to play last week.
 
They were given an opportunity to take a break from school as a one-time good deal for COVID to be sensitive to individuals who had a "concern" about the potential spread of the virus in a college environment.

From the athlete perspective, they did not want to lose a year of college athletics eligibility and opted to take the season off to preserve it and ensure they had a "full" college athletics experience. Almost all of the athletes are done with the sport after they graduate and they wanted to preserve as much playing time as possible. At the time the decision was made, it looked as if the entire season would be cancelled. However, as we have seen, the conference and the school changed their mind -- AFTER the decision by some to take the semester off was made. Considering the pace of USAFA academics, it would appear there is no reversing the decision by the individual to take the semester off. A gamble that really didn't pay off, but was based on the information they had at the time.

I see it as a great lesson because they will encounter more things like this in leadership. You make the best decision with the information presented at the time the decision is needed and you are open to pivot should the situation and/or information change.
 
Shiner said it perfectly.!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I'm curious about the logistics of this. Do they stay home a semester? They are probably from multiple class years, do they get commissioned in Dec of that year then? Seems like there could be issues with scheduling classes and getting pre-reqs needed or certain classes only being offered in 1st or 2nd semester.
 
I am unaware of classes only offered in a particular semester. Every year, there is a small group of students (roughly 4-5) that are commissioned and graduate in December. It is announced, but not widely covered. In most cases, these cadets experienced a major medical event that prevented on-time graduation. I would presume there are some special cases for academic issues in lieu of dismissal. Needless to say, the ripple effect of this optional elective PAUSE will cause some larger winter graduations for some time.

Quietly, each academy offers students the option to take a break to go on a religious mission, or be near a dying parent, or undergo cancer treatment, or other similar serious life events. There is a process to follow, but the important thing to know is that there is a way to do it if a cadet ever found themselves in that position.

For whatever reason the term "stomp out" comes to mind as a 1 year break between sophomore and junior year that is open to students who are not sure the military lifestyle is for them and they opt to step away for a year to evaluate options prior to formally disenrolling with no chance at re-entry. I could be "miss-remembering" this, but it is so rare that anyone does elect to take this option. It's existence skirts the line between real and imaginary. I have heard of it happening, but never knew anyone who did it --- kind of thing.


Class of 2019.5 Example:
 
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They were given an opportunity to take a break from school as a one-time good deal for COVID to be sensitive to individuals who had a "concern" about the potential spread of the virus in a college environment.
Did USAFA offer this to everyone?
 
Did USAFA offer this to everyone?
My understanding is that it was offered to all upperclassmen. I have been looking for a press release or anything that would have concrete details on the offer and limitations, but have been unsuccessful on either ESPN or USAFA or GOOGLE.

My memory also cleared up a bit - "Stop-out" was the name of the program I remember hearing about where you could take a leave of absence.
Dr Google served up this on the This Date in USAFA History website:
"Feb. 5, 1980 -- The Academy board approves a test Stop-Out program for third classmen indented to help control attrition. Participants resigned and were in a non-pay status for one year. The program was discontinued in January 1993."

I am unsure if anything similar has replaced it, but it would explain why I heard about it 1995-1999 but never knew anyone who had done it.
 
I have a DD in the class of 2021 with close friends on the squad, both turnbacks and those that stayed including the defensive starter mentioned above. In each case, it was a difficult decision and came down to graduating in May with the cadets that they started with and celebrating the milestones as a class, or preserving the last full season of football the last chapter for many. None knew at the time that staying meant playing close to a full season in the Fall. A difficult decision, one of many that each will make over the years as officers.
 
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