Family Legend

SwimMom78

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My husbands family has a long standing legend that because of my husband's great grandfather's exemplary service in the US Navy during both World Wars, his family is granted, in perpetuity, special recommendations as candidates for the USNA. Has anyone ever heard of this happening?
 
Never heard of this. As Capt MJ stayed and linked there are special nominations for POW, MIA, KIA, disabled and MOH. This only extends to the children of that person.
 
Never heard of it, and frankly doubt that it would carry much water now. I don't doubt that perhaps someone made a statement long ago, or maybe even wrote a letter, but unless the grandparent was Bull Halsey (or someone with similar name recognition) , Admissions will treat them like any other candidate.

The Navy has changed a lot in the years since WWII . The Officer Corps is more egalitarian, and USNA Admissions is based upon the individual applicants' record rather than who they know. I am sure there are exceptions, but there is plenty of evidence that being a legacy isn't any assurance of admission.
 
My husbands family has a long standing legend that because of my husband's great grandfather's exemplary service in the US Navy during both World Wars, his family is granted, in perpetuity, special recommendations as candidates for the USNA. Has anyone ever heard of this happening?

Even if great-great-grandfather was a Medal of Honor recipient, only his children would be extended an Offer of Appointment (assuming that they were fully qualified applicants).

As far as a "special recommendation" - I don't know what that would be - or from where it would come.
 
My husbands family has a long standing legend that because of my husband's great grandfather's exemplary service in the US Navy during both World Wars, his family is granted, in perpetuity, special recommendations as candidates for the USNA. Has anyone ever heard of this happening?
How would the great grandfather's service be any reflection on future generations? Fake News!:screwy:
 
I doubt this happens much anymore (wish it were true, my DS’s two granfathers and two of his greatgranfathers all served in the Navy during wartime), but years ago it must have happened. Ask John McCain, who was 894 out of 899 in his class at USNA and likely did not have an application worthy of appointment.
 
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Just because someone graduated near the bottom of the class does not mean they didn’t have a worthy ‘application.’ It also has little indication about their performance as officers. John McCain attended a very prestigious boarding school. If I recall from his books and other items, he did rather well academically and athletically. Attending boarding schools was actually not uncommon for many Mids of that generation, especially young men whose fathers were Naval Officers and at sea for a great deal of their childhood. Did his last name help... probably. But it doesn’t mean his appointment wasn’t earned either. None of us know, because none of us sat on the admissions board for him.
 
leg·end
/ˈlejənd/
Learn to pronounce
noun
  1. 1.
    a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.

    Highly doubtful that any special consideration will be given by admissions to any of his family today. His service record however sounds admirable, and as a Nation we are grateful for that.
 
My own DH admitted he could have been a lot higher in his class, but he ensured he was high enough to get Navy air, and took the approach to academics that worked for him, the “just enough.” He enjoyed his varsity sport, he loved performing and traveling with Glee Club, and he tells me, he loved playing cards and chasing women from Goucher and Hood Colleges. He also racked up a Black N (sweater in closet), which no doubt drove his OOM down. DH had a superb record from the well-regarded private school he attended (where apparently he chased the choir girls). I believe Sen McCain enjoyed restriction muster a few times.

Once DH got to flight school, he locked on and ensured he was top in his section and got one of the few jet seats. He had a distinguished career.

Class standing may or may not equate to the perceived quality of the application, HS achievements or later achievements in the Fleet or Corps. It’s always fascinating to watch the sponsor mids who roll through our home during their time at USNA and their careers in and out of uniform.

A good read:
“The Nightingale’s Song” by Robert Timberg, about USNA grads John McCain, James Webb, Robert McFarlane, Oliver North and John Poindexter.
 
If I remember correctly the Supe’s son was given a TWE.

I don't think the current Supe has a son -- or any child who applied to USNA. Recognize that most Supe's are in their mid-to-late 50s when they start their tour, so it's a bit unusual (obviously not impossible) to have an 18-year-old child. Much more likely for a 'Dant to have a kid who applies -- and I'm sure there have been occasions when one of those kids received a TWE.
 
Just because someone graduated near the bottom of the class does not mean they didn’t have a worthy ‘application.’ It also has little indication about their performance as officers. John McCain attended a very prestigious boarding school.

I agree that where a MIDN graduates in their class does not bear on their leadership characteristics. I was commenting on the days past in this country where there was more of a class system. Sons of mess stewards could not gain admittance to the academies and primarily only children of privilege could attend college at all, not to mention prestigious boarding schools. The officers corps was based in part on a class system, and if you were part of that class, you had every advantage. There were no SAT's or ACT's as objective measures of academic ability (although I believe there were entrance exams) or laws against discrimination. So, I was merely commenting that the OP's "family legend" story probably had some basis in truth. But those days are long gone, and were on their way out even when John McCain gained admission to the Academy. And, by the way, I am a HUGE admirer of Senator McCain. So no disrespect intended. Just saying, in the past some people in this country got the breaks based on identity and family connections. But what they did with those breaks, was still up to them. If John McCain "got a break," well, he certainly hit it out of the park with that break.
 
If I remember correctly the Supe’s son was given a TWE.

I don't think the current Supe has a son -- or any child who applied to USNA. Recognize that most Supe's are in their mid-to-late 50s when they start their tour, so it's a bit unusual (obviously not impossible) to have an 18-year-old child. Much more likely for a 'Dant to have a kid who applies -- and I'm sure there have been occasions when one of those kids received a TWE.
 
If I remember correctly the Supe’s son was given a TWE.

I don't think the current Supe has a son -- or any child who applied to USNA. Recognize that most Supe's are in their mid-to-late 50s when they start their tour, so it's a bit unusual (obviously not impossible) to have an 18-year-old child. Much more likely for a 'Dant to have a kid who applies -- and I'm sure there have been occasions when one of those kids received a TWE.
Jeff Fowler was 51 when he became Supe. Not sure if any of his kids applied but they all went elsewhere and FWIW, they all hit college age either while he was supe or afterward.
 
There has been a few Supts and Dants that I can remember with kids at USNA while they were there. It’s the exception rather than the norm, but it does happen time to time. I think the one right after I left had a son who was a 4/C when he took over as Supt.
 
There has been a few Supts and Dants that I can remember with kids at USNA while they were there. It’s the exception rather than the norm, but it does happen time to time. I think the one right after I left had a son who was a 4/C when he took over as Supt.
The Commandant when I graduated had a son in NROTC at Ga Tech who was the same yeargroup. He retired a couple of yrs ago as VJCS.
The Supe who came in right after I graduated had a daughter at USNA (Wendy Lawrence)
 
The point I was trying (ineffectively, it appears) to make is that not many Supe's have their child applying to USNA while they are the Supe, including VADM Lawrence (who became the Superintendent after his daughter was already at USNA). If the current Supe's son is now ~34 years old, he applied to USNA long, long, long before his father became the Superintendent.

Nonetheless, the (correct) point that folks are making is that having a father/mother who is an Admiral, is in a leadership position at USNA or is a senior government official is no guarantee of admission today. I also agree that in the past (probably at least 60 years ago), there was definitely a different approach as OldRetSWO states.
 
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