Sgt. Story

pedro4

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Dec 16, 2008
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For those of you who have Facebook, check out the Sgt. Story page. He is becoming a legend at the Academy, for all the wrong reasons.
 
Can't find it on a search. Can you post a link?
 
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#/group.php?gid=276141228582&ref=ts

He took his Cow Loan and disappeared. His facebook status was the norse word for Sweden so the rumor is that he is there. The girl that works at the bookstore also disappeared at the same time so it is rumored she is with him. She was his date for 500th night. He had pending honor boards and allegation.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,584360,00.html?test=latestnews

This article conveniently came at the perfect time to spur some more rumors regarding SGT Story.
 
I was wondering when someone was gonna mention this. I have talked to two cadets about this and viewed the fb group. The fox news article about North korea is not possible because Sgt. Story was not AWOL on Monday. I have heard Sweden, Mexico, and North Korea as possibilities.

However, Sweden's embassy in North Korea does handle US relations there because the US does not have any "official" diplomatic ties. Probably just a coincidence though.


Best post on facebook from the Sgt. Story group:

Cow loan: $32,000

One way ticket to Sweden: $1,500

Getting the book store girl to go with you: priceless
 
I was wondering when someone was gonna mention this. I have talked to two cadets about this and viewed the fb group. The fox news article about North korea is not possible because Sgt. Story was not AWOL on Monday. I have heard Sweden, Mexico, and North Korea as possibilities.

However, Sweden's embassy in North Korea does handle US relations there because the US does not have any "official" diplomatic ties. Probably just a coincidence though.


Best post on facebook from the Sgt. Story group:

Cow loan: $32,000

One way ticket to Sweden: $1,500

Getting the book store girl to go with you: priceless

Obviously, the article isn't about him but the time of the article makes it rather funny.
 
AF, I completely agree. the whole i dont wanna be cannon fodder in a capitalist army is ironic. Because if he was found guilty by the honor boards he woulda owed two years as a specialist right?
 
I was wondering when this news would hit the SAF! Can't let USNA have the ONLY scandal right now. :biggrin:
Word from my Plebe is that the girl did not go with him.
This was quite the news Friday night. Mystery, intrigue, romance, danger... All the trappings of a great (Sgt) Story. :shake: This guy has some BIG problems ahead of him when he is caught.

Cow Loan: A sum of money provided to Cows ( Juniors) by a lending institution at a very low interest rate. Payments do not begin until ninety days after graduation. The amounts and rates vary. Repayment on the Cadet's loan occurs over 60 equal monthly payments. Heard this year the loan was for $32,500.
 
Cow Loan: A sum of money provided to Cows ( Juniors) by a lending institution at a very low interest rate. Payments do not begin until ninety days after graduation. The amounts and rates vary. Repayment on the Cadet's loan occurs over 60 equal monthly payments. Heard this year the loan was for $32,500.

Actually they had two choices this year:
NavyFed = $32,500 at 1.25% interest
USAA = $30,000 at 1.99% interest
 
This is not a scandal. it is a missing cadet. I understand the "humor" but this could very well be a tragedy.

A couple of years ago on Christmas break a cadet from MN went out for a run. He never returned. There were articles written about his disappearance and some comments suggested he was AWOL.
The eventually found him - in April, I think - when the ice melted. He had fallen through on his run and drowned.

AF - I *think* the "bookstore girl" has been exonerated.
 
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Actually they had two choices this year:
NavyFed = $32,500 at 1.25% interest
USAA = $30,000 at 1.99% interest

Why would someone want the USAA loan which is smaller and has a higher rate?
 
I wondered the same thing; maybe it has to do w/ bank loyalty? USAA has a huge presence at USMA, so maybe the cadets preferred to to stick w/ the bank they already use. Although, to the untrained eye, it appears to be a "no brainer."
 
The Cow loan has gone up. Two years ago, if I remember it correctly, it was 1% 30k.

Don't know if they still do, but two years ago USAA offered 20k cows for 0 interest at 36%. Maybe USAA is cheaper for the smaller loans, more expensive for the bigger?
 
Can you decline to accept the Cow loan? I know the interest rates are pretty low, but I have this big fear inside me of debt (I'm afraid of debt).
 
Many cadets decline the loan. Many take it and put it in a CD, some spend it all, some invest. Many buy a car. It's all optional--no one forces you to take the $.
 
We can certainly nitpick about the definition of 'scandal' - 'rumor or malicious gossip about events or actions.' I feel that this incident falls within the boundaries of that definition. Like the USNA situation, we don't have all the facts. Unlike the USNA situation, it only reflects poorly on this cadet and not the Academy. Have heard many updates to this story. None which point to an unintentional disappearance by the cadet. Again, rumors not facts. The only fact that can be substantiated is if 'bookstore girl' showed up for work today. :thumb:
 
We can certainly nitpick about the definition of 'scandal' - 'rumor or malicious gossip about events or actions.' I feel that this incident falls within the boundaries of that definition. Like the USNA situation, we don't have all the facts. Unlike the USNA situation, it only reflects poorly on this cadet and not the Academy. Have heard many updates to this story. None which point to an unintentional disappearance by the cadet. Again, rumors not facts. The only fact that can be substantiated is if 'bookstore girl' showed up for work today. :thumb:

Thats wishful thinking, unfortunately :frown:

I wish I could agree with you, but its not how the world really works nowadays. Although its true that he's only one bad apple, most people tend to think otherwise. Its only human nature to generalize and perceive members of a larger community, organization, or a nation to be representatives of that greater body. If we can hypothesize that President Obama were to commit an embarrassing and unprofessional act, the rest of the world would view America negatively and consider our image tarnished, even if it was an individual's character that determined that reaction. When people begin to take on more responsibilities, more public roles or more prestigious roles, I think they are put on a higher standard than average citizens. Especially coming from West Point, an institution widely held in high regard, the cadet is only a blemish on its image. Same goes for the USNA fiasco. And even if the rumors turn out to be false, the damage is done - negative publicity can wreck peoples' lives and careers and can definitely hurt USMA's reputation.

Frankly, I'm saddened to hear such stories, especially the controversies surrounding multiple individuals at USNA as well. I'm sure the screening procedures are heavy and the acceptance rates low and I'm baffled that such people of low moral character could manage to get in :scratch:
 
Why would someone want the USAA loan which is smaller and has a higher rate?

My son went with the USAA loan. His main reason was customer service. He had a bad experience with the person giving the pitch for NavyFed. USAA has always gone out of their way to help him with whatever questions or problems he has had. He felt that paying a slightly higher rate was worth it. He also did not want to deal with having an account at another bank, he already has two accounts, one at our hometown credit union and one with USAA.

He took the loan with plans to spend some on a used vehicle (nothing fancy or flashy), put the max in an IRA, invest some, keep some for after graduation expenses, and a little for travel/fun money. He has already worked with the financial advisor on post (available for free to cadets) to budget his money.

I agree with JAM - I hope Sgt. Story is not AWOL because something bad has happened. I read a book about a cadet that went missing from West Point in 1950 and has never been located. The title is "Oblivion: The Mystery of West Point Cadet Richard Cox."
 
Chockstock - do you personally know Cadet Story?

If not you might want to knock that chip off your shoulder. If you want to go to a service academy and you think that every cadet is perfect you need to take the blinders off. Last year a Cadet went missing and he turned up dead. A few weeks later his best friend went missing and he fortunately turned up, though he was suicidal.
There is a lot of stress at West Point. Making this facebook page and the posts that are on it are just a way for the Cadets to release the stress and not think of the worst.
 
Chockstock - do you personally know Cadet Story?

If not you might want to knock that chip off your shoulder. If you want to go to a service academy and you think that every cadet is perfect you need to take the blinders off. Last year a Cadet went missing and he turned up dead. A few weeks later his best friend went missing and he fortunately turned up, though he was suicidal.
There is a lot of stress at West Point. Making this facebook page and the posts that are on it are just a way for the Cadets to release the stress and not think of the worst.

I'm not quite understanding why me personally knowing the said cadet has anything to do with this - I think we're all watching and giving opinions from the sidelines.

I never said I believe cadets are all "perfect". Like most people, I'm merely putting them up at a higher standard, which I find perfectly appropriate. I know I'm going off at a tangent here, but in the midst of corruption in our financial and political system, I think its really important that service academies can help make a difference in American leadership and repair our reputation and trust. Its my hope that current and future cadets can turn it around for the country and it just disappoints and saddens me to hear about things like this.

You write very definitively. I hope your observations are more accurate than mine, since it would have been a disaster for something like this to really happen.

Many cadets decline the loan. Many take it and put it in a CD, some spend it all, some invest. Many buy a car. It's all optional--no one forces you to take the $.

If you can speak from your son's experience, would you recommend future cadets from taking the loan? I know making that decision is far off but I want to know about this from someone on the inside - I've heard something about this roughly 30K being given to third year cadets but from what I've read on this forum is completely different from what I've been told.
 
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