Recent content by ders_dad

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest a few possilble why's (knowing I am probably wrong and caviet on "it's all about your competition in your district in that particular year"), based (in part) on my middle class, non-minority kid, who did get an appointment several years ago: - 31 ACT...

Wife and I both went to PS graduation - it was nice. My wife went to prototype graduation (yes, it's on the Yorktown) but I couldn't attend. She said it was pretty cool. I wish I could have gone because that's pretty much the end of it as far as parental involvement in your DS/DD's Navy...

My understanding that this is also true for subs. If you are 1120 with PNEO (which is nearly every sub 03 by the time their div-o tour is nearing an end) and you sign a dept. head contract, you are pretty much going to be promoted 04 by second look and for sure spot-promoted 04 if you are Eng...

I shot myself with an arrow at scout camp - July 1972. Not kidding. It can be done. Actually got stuck in my foot and the camp "medic" had to pull it out. I was bandaged up and was not sent home. Times change.

Retention to Dept. Head should be factored in somehow - particularly nuclear trained. JO retention in subs is below targets and the approach is to flood the Div-o zone with more ensigns in the hope enough will retain to dept head tour. The percentage of female JOs signing up for dept head sea...

Bruce Fleming on the Hudson?

I've been actively involved in Scouts for 55 years. Most recently, I've been our district's Eagle Project coordinator and I am on every Eagle board of review in our district (and often other districts). I have not seen a drop-off in the "quality" of Eagles - in fact, I would say that the Eagle...

If this happened when my DS was considering and applying for an appointment, I would have done whatever I could to steer him away from USNA. Banning books in any form is un-American. There is no way to sugar coat it. What an utter embarrassment and another way to weaken us as a country and...

View the first time you take each test as an introduction to the test structure. Use that experience to begin to learn to take the tests. Focus on practice tests. Over and over and over and over and over. It’s the same approach as learning a new piece on piano, learning to see and hit a...

True. Lot of former mids did not like him (some of their complaints were not warranted, such as the rumor that 2/C parking fees at the stadium went into his pocket, which is silly). How he fired Coach Ken (not the why) lacked grace and respect for all Coach K accomplished.

Yes, it could have been a lot worse. It could have been one of our kids put in harm's way by this disregard for OPSEC.

The Signal text string reminds me of junior high kids texting each other on Steam while playing a video game. The lack of seriousness is stunning, as is the willingness to throw “low-level staffers” under the bus. The cost paid by the president to continue to support these people will start to...

I suppose officers should be putting their nose to the grindstone and focusing on the many tasks in front of them rather than goings on at the top of the CoC. But it turns out many grew up reading newspapers and being aware of current events and learning to form their own opinions. Turns out...

I thought the podcast with Filkens was thoughtful and well-balanced. He suggested in the podcast that the Future Soldier program can be successful and effective, which is more nuanced than the New Yorker article. I also think his discussion of US involvement in "endless wars" and the effect on...

Also, some sports-related ECAs are participated in rather than intramurals. They can involve D-3 competitions and tournaments that require frequent weekend travel, for which the participants’ travel and expenses are out of pocket. They can fundraise on the Yard with significant restrictions that...