2014 profile

[Memphis9489]

Two privileged midshipmen, with advantages unavailable to the vast majority of the high school students in America declare their classmates ‘unworthy’.

"Unworthy" is your choice of words.

You're getting a little melodramatic about this whole thing.

Everybody is aware that midshipmen have varied backgrounds. Midshipmen sometimes talk amongst themselves about their ACT/SAT scores, what courses they took in high school, how they did on AP exams, what courses they validated, how well they're doing in their current courses, their impressions of how difficult the curriculum is, etc. They also are very aware who is struggling academically and who is not. They develop a pretty good sense of individual academic aptitudes amongst themselves.

I don't think observing that there seems to be a huge gap between the very-academically qualified and the not-so-academically qualified is the same as saying somebody is "unworthy." You've added a level of harshness to the observation that was never intended.

I think it goes without saying that those who enter the academy with rather modest academic achievements and who continue to struggle while at the academy can often become great officers with many admirable attributes. And, conversely, academic achievement does not necessarily translate to great leadership.

Maybe that's why the academy accepted them despite their less than stellar academic background. They saw something else in them. I think that's great!

In my day, I would have to say that I did not have a similar observation. Oh, sure, we had the academic superstars ... and we had those who always seemed to struggle ... but, for the most part, there was a huge body of midshipmen who were somewhere in between. Most midshipmen were typically average when compared to their peers at the academy. My sons simply expressed that it was their impression that the "in between" group is not very large and that most people fall into one of the more extreme categories. I guess, if you take the overall average it probably comes out pretty much the same, year after year, but that doesn't mean the distribution doesn't change in order to get that average.

We don't seem to be getting along very well, do we? And I don't even know you. I'm guessing you're a very nice and reasonable person. And I bet we would probably agree on much more than on which we disagree.

Let's declare a peace treaty and I'll try not to be so controversial and politically incorrect if you promise to not try and frame everything I say in such a stark and polarizing manner.

I get the impression I have somehow personally offended you. If so, I apologize.

You and I have different perspectives of life at the Naval Academy and what it means to be a Naval Academy parent. Perhaps that is a healthy thing. People can read what you have to say ... read what I have to say ... and decide for themselves. Maybe there is actually some acceptable middle ground in that neither of us necessarily has the "right" or "wrong" impression - simply different impressions.

Since everybody seems to be embracing "diversity" with such vigor (with the exception of the Class of 2014), perhaps we can celebrate the "diversity" of opinions as well, especially on such minor issues as to whether a public facility should be only banning the PARENTS of Plebes from PEP but not the general public. Especially when, in practice, they ban neither.

 

[Luigi59]

People can read what you have to say ... read what I have to say ... and decide for themselves.

Your thoughts, perspectives, insights, and comments are welcomed and enjoyed by many many members of this forum.

You tell it like it is, not the way it could be (or was back a long time ago), and you are not afraid to place blame where it belongs.

You give an honest answer to almost every question, and I'm certain your advice to all candidates, parents, and others is welcomed as a breath of fresh air.

I look forward to reading more of your posts.

 

[SeaMars]

I have never thrown out the race card and quite frankly my ancestors came from Europe which by default makes me a white male. I just feel that kids of color should be given a chance.

DevilDog, not sure which side of the question you're approaching from. If I recall, you have previously self-identified as minority-Hispanic, and mentioned the award your son was given as outstanding Hispanic male student. How do you think that has and has not affected your and his military careers?

 

[MIDNDAD]

OK, now that we have all pushed each other's buttons let's take a step back.

First of all, I believe that Academy admissions over all is doing a very good job in selecting candidates that will stay and be successful Midshipman at the Naval Academy. In its simplest form that is their mission, to find kids that will be successful at the Academy, no matter where they come from. No system is perfect but I cannot argue with over 150 years of success. What I also believe that Admissions is being proactive in seeking out future candidates from new and different sources and that this is a smart and good thing.

In April , I got the chance to volunteer at the Academy Admissions Outreach event held on the USS Hornet. The Event attracted several hundred kids from all socio economic backgrounds in the greater Bay Area. Yes, the majority were white, but the Hispanic and Asian contingents were strong and representative of the Bay Area's demographics. In listening to the presentation the speaker made it plain that USNA was an elite educational institution with a strong emphasis on engineering. Therefore to be considered for admittance the members of the audience should be diving into their math and science courses in their local high schools. No real surprise here.

What did surprise me was the concerted effort of Academy Admissions to start contacting prospective candidates as early as the 7th grade. Actually had a chance to speak to the outreach director and he explained the following:

Historically the Academy gets a significant amount applications from really smart kids but they have been taking the wrong subjects in high school, a lot of humanities but not much math and science. By the time these kids apply at the end of their junior years it's too late for them to shift their focus. and the reality is they do not have much of a chance in the application process. Part of the outreach process is to find these kids early and start guiding them towards more math and science courses if they want to pursue an academy dream. This is a smart move.

Outreach is putting effort into minority communities. What they are looking for are mailing lists but unfortunately a lot of minority school districts have an aversion to the military and have rules in place preventing the distribution of mailing list to a military related institution. Again, they want to start catching these kids early and guide them into math and science programs so they meet the requirements to apply. Again, this is a smart move.

What I heard from the Outreach program was they wanted to broaden their nets to attract a wider and more diverse audience. This naturally will encompass larger and more minority populations. To help accomplish this Outreach wants to reach out to a much younger audience and help guide them towards math and science course to help make them viable admissions candidates when they apply. What I heard was Outreach wants to help raise the level of their candidates, not lower the bar for admission. I am 100% behind their efforts.

Lastly, I left that event feeling pretty positive about the future. I spent 15 minutes talking to a 7th grader that had made his mom drive 100 miles one way to be at that event. His plan was to be part of the class of 2020. According to mom, he was a very good student and was already planning for high school and being ready to tackle those math and science courses. Thinking back on it I think the kid was Hispanic but what I know I saw was a kid with a dream and a plan. It was good.

 

[Memphis9489]

OK, now that we have all pushed each other's buttons let's take a step back.

First of all, I believe that Academy admissions over all is doing a very good job in selecting candidates that will stay and be successful Midshipman at the Naval Academy. In its simplest form that is their mission, to find kids that will be successful at the Academy, no matter where they come from. No system is perfect but I cannot argue with over 150 years of success. What I also believe that Admissions is being proactive in seeking out future candidates from new and different sources and that this is a smart and good thing.

In April , I got the chance to volunteer at the Academy Admissions Outreach event held on the USS Hornet. The Event attracted several hundred kids from all socio economic backgrounds in the greater Bay Area. Yes, the majority were white, but the Hispanic and Asian contingents were strong and representative of the Bay Area's demographics. In listening to the presentation the speaker made it plain that USNA was an elite educational institution with a strong emphasis on engineering. Therefore to be considered for admittance the members of the audience should be diving into their math and science courses in their local high schools. No real surprise here.

What did surprise me was the concerted effort of Academy Admissions to start contacting prospective candidates as early as the 7th grade. Actually had a chance to speak to the outreach director and he explained the following:

Historically the Academy gets a significant amount applications from really smart kids but they have been taking the wrong subjects in high school, a lot of humanities but not much math and science. By the time these kids apply at the end of their junior years it's too late for them to shift their focus. and the reality is they do not have much of a chance in the application process. Part of the outreach process is to find these kids early and start guiding them towards more math and science courses if they want to pursue an academy dream. This is a smart move.

Outreach is putting effort into minority communities. What they are looking for are mailing lists but unfortunately a lot of minority school districts have an aversion to the military and have rules in place preventing the distribution of mailing list to a military related institution. Again, they want to start catching these kids early and guide them into math and science programs so they meet the requirements to apply. Again, this is a smart move.

What I heard from the Outreach program was they wanted to broaden their nets to attract a wider and more diverse audience. This naturally will encompass larger and more minority populations. To help accomplish this Outreach wants to reach out to a much younger audience and help guide them towards math and science course to help make them viable admissions candidates when they apply. What I heard was Outreach wants to help raise the level of their candidates, not lower the bar for admission. I am 100% behind their efforts.

Lastly, I left that event feeling pretty positive about the future. I spent 15 minutes talking to a 7th grader that had made his mom drive 100 miles one way to be at that event. His plan was to be part of the class of 2020. According to mom, he was a very good student and was already planning for high school and being ready to tackle those math and science courses. Thinking back on it I think the kid was Hispanic but what I know I saw was a kid with a dream and a plan. It was good.

That's pretty impressive. Good job.

My understanding is that there is a REASON why the "under-represented districts" have been under-represented.

The answer does not lie in that the Naval Academy is a racist institution.

Again, I'll allow the Blue & Gold Officers correct me if this is false information. But I know a lot of B&G Officers, and this is what they have told me.

Some districts do not even offer the 10-per-vacancy number of nominees. For some of you candidates, that may be difficult to imagine - but it's true. There is virtually no awareness or appreciation of the service academies in these districts. It's not so much that they are all being turned down. They're not even applying!

And the few that do apply are sometimes marginally qualified and not the least bit competitive on a national scale. Consequently, few of the nominees can be offered admission. Even a "principal nominee", if unqualified, cannot be admitted. Some of these candidates cannot even get as far as earning candidate numbers they are so completely unqualified.

Notice, I haven't said anything about race. I'm talking about qualifications here.

I'll allow somebody else to speculate as to why a disproportionate number of these "under-represented districts" are also, coincidentally, highly racially "diverse."

MIDNDAD - I think you've hit the nail on the head when it comes to getting an adequately technical high school education. It's good to see that the Naval Academy is putting its efforts in this area. After all, even the English majors are going to be earning a Bachelor of SCIENCE degree.

However, if the Naval Academy is just now targeting the likes of 7th graders for the future, it's somewhat puzzling how they have so rapidly achieved their diversity goals. Or, maybe they haven't! Perhaps the goal is actually 50%. I don't know.

Everybody understands that there are candidates who get offers of admission who are not as qualified as another candidate, who does not get an offer, because of the geographic diversity mandate. That has always been the case. That's why it's just tough luck to be trying to get an appointment from Alexandria, Virginia as opposed to Meeteetse, Wyoming. It's simple math, less competition. That kind of seeming "injustice" has always been in place - but it never had anything to do with racial bias.

 

[osdad]

MIDNDAD brings up a good point: based on my recent experience minority kids may very well lack the opportunity to focus on math and science; so important to gaining academy attention.

I spent a year in the desert SW where the local high school (of >2300) was >85% Hispanic. They offered at most a handful of AP class. Compare that to my local HS (of <350 and 90% white) that offers AP Math up through Calc BC, Physics, Chem, Bio, Hist, Psych, English (2 years), plus I'm sure there are others that I can't recall. My D even took a university level physics class at the HS.

 

[parentalunit2]

Even with all the emphasis on diversity coming from the academies, what I always find funny is that the truth is plainly told when the TV camera sweeps the corps and the brigade each year during the Army-Navy game. What do you find there? Generally speaking, a sea of good-looking, white, male faces. You can doll up your color guard for the camera close-ups as much as you want, but a simple sweep of the crowd reveals the make-up of our officer corps in training.

 

[Memphis9489]

Even with all the emphasis on diversity coming from the academies, what I always find funny is that the truth is plainly told when the TV camera sweeps the corps and the brigade each year during the Army-Navy game. What do you find there? Generally speaking, a sea of good-looking, white, male faces. You can doll up your color guard for the camera close-ups as much as you want, but a simple sweep of the crowd reveals the make-up of our officer corps in training.

Yet, the numbers don't lie. The last two classes have been back-to-back record breakers in the area of diversity, with over a third of the class being classified as a minority.

[According to Bruce Fleming, all a candidate has to do is check one of the boxes that categorizes them as a minority. No fact checking is done. I do not know if that is true or not. i.e. My great, great, great grandfather was part Cherokee. Oh - reeeeally?]

That isn't true for the Classes of 2010 & 2011. So, at least half the Brigade hadn't experienced the impact of this "#1 priority."

Whenever I see a photograph of just the Class of 2013 or just the Class of 2014 - it sure looks like a melting pot to me.

Plus, the upperclassmen usually get the best seats, down toward the front. After the first touchdown and the Plebes leave the stands to start doing push-ups on the sideline, the upperclassmen move down and take their spots. Unless, of course, it is raining, then everybody tries to get the seats in the very back, using the upper tier as a roof.

 

[AcademyFriend1]

I went to a briefing for teachers last year and they spoke about minority applicant outreach. One officer basically said that, with respect to African-Americans and Latinos, there is a high proportion in the enlisted ranks of the Navy and the powers that be believe that it is important to the morale and unity and fighting ability of the Fleet to also have minority officers. He said Annapolis is such a showcase--Army-Navy Game, etc.--that it helps their overall minority officer recruiting exponentially to have mids of color on the TV screen. He also said that in his view this was the 21st century equivalent of the 50 state requirement that was done to build support for the Navy all throughout the USA, and that if they just picked on highest grades/scores a lot of rural white kids would lose out to kids from the coastal states. I know this is such a tricky issue but what he said seemed pretty reasonable in terms of building a cohesive high-functioning Navy. Congrats by the way, to all parents of mids--you should be very proud of your exceptional young people.

 

[Memphis9489]

I went to a briefing for teachers last year and they spoke about minority applicant outreach. One officer basically said that, with respect to African-Americans and Latinos, there is a high proportion in the enlisted ranks of the Navy and the powers that be believe that it is important to the morale and unity and fighting ability of the Fleet to also have minority officers. He said Annapolis is such a showcase--Army-Navy Game, etc.--that it helps their overall minority officer recruiting exponentially to have mids of color on the TV screen. He also said that in his view this was the 21st century equivalent of the 50 state requirement that was done to build support for the Navy all throughout the USA, and that if they just picked on highest grades/scores a lot of rural white kids would lose out to kids from the coastal states. I know this is such a tricky issue but what he said seemed pretty reasonable in terms of building a cohesive high-functioning Navy. Congrats by the way, to all parents of mids--you should be very proud of your exceptional young people.

Yes, I agree - but the geographic diversity is mandated by law. You're probably right - if this mandate was not in effect the academy would be loaded with kids from Massachusetts, Connecticut, California and very few from Kansas, Arkansas, and Idaho.

However, there is no law that mandates racial diversity other than the Navy's own, self-imposed, policy. I think it is a good policy to try to reach out to more minorities. I also think there is a certain logic in having the officer corps "look" more like the enlisted corps. (Which makes we wonder why the enlisted corps is so disproportionately "diverse" in the first place.) Apparently, after all these years of the Navy operating and getting the mission done, a morale crisis has been identified - apparently precipitated by the fact that officers were a different color than the enlisted. Has there been some kind of study or survey done that has indicated this burgeoning morale crisis within the ranks based on this issue?

I know that the military has recently conducted a rather comprehensive survey of military personnel about the anticipated impact of the proposed repeal of the 1993 "Don't Ask - Don't Tell" policy with regards to homosexuals serving in the military. Has something similar been done that has highlighted the racial officer-enlisted disparity issue? Maybe there was - I seriously don't know.

I'm curious - maybe somebody knows. Is this happening at West Point and Colorado Springs? Or, are their enlisted ranks less diverse than the Navy's? Or, maybe their enlisted personnel's morale is not suffering on account of this issue. Or, maybe the Army and Air Force leadership just doesn't think it deserves "#1 priority" status.

Nonetheless, the Naval Academy is doing something right because they have been producing outstanding officers for the fleet and Marine Corps for a very long time. I suspect they will continue to do so - even if their methods are not fully understandable to all people.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

My understanding is that there is a REASON why the "under-represented districts" have been under-represented.
Lack of visibility and outreach.
The answer does not lie in that the Naval Academy is a racist institution.
I agree and I don't think anyone is saying they are racist.
Again, I'll allow the Blue & Gold Officers correct me if this is false information. But I know a lot of B&G Officers, and this is what they have told me.

Some districts do not even offer the 10-per-vacancy number of nominees. For some of you candidates, that may be difficult to imagine - but it's true. There is virtually no awareness or appreciation of the service academies in these districts. It's not so much that they are all being turned down. They're not even applying!
This is true. Most Americans have NEVER heard of the Naval Academy. Or West Point.
And the few that do apply are sometimes marginally qualified and not the least bit competitive on a national scale. Consequently, few of the nominees can be offered admission. Even a "principal nominee", if unqualified, cannot be admitted. Some of these candidates cannot even get as far as earning candidate numbers they are so completely unqualified
Also true, hence the outreach going down to middle school.

Is this happening at West Point and Colorado Springs?

Yes at least at West Point. West Point just admitted their most diverse class ever. They also have an Admissions Officer dedicated to Minority Outreach.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

Imagine this.....
you wake up one morning and discover life is not what you thought it was.
Half of all high school students are forbidden from even applying to the Naval Academy. They can't even do the preliminary application. Can't apply for a Congressional Nomination. It's not that any of them are not qualified. It is simply because of the circumstances of their birth - their gender.
But no one notices, for decades. USNA and West Point, they have applicants; plenty of them. They are filling classes with good students who wish to be groomed into military officers. Suddenly - the social strata changes; seemingly overnight. There was first the whisper. Then the buzz. The naysayers said it would never happen. Some said it might happen but it surely would never work.
In the Fall of 1975 Congress issued the decree. Four Service Academies would be REQUIRED to admit women (USMMA had already begun admitting women).
Nearly overnight Admissions had to act. Not only were they required to accept applications; they were required to actually admit females.

At that time few high school women had access to athletics. Some suspected the female body would not be able to stand up to the physical expectations of a service academy. They were smaller, slower and weaker. High school women had fewer opportunities to take advance math courses in high school. Where Calculus was found; few women were encouraged. Women had significantly lower Math SAT's than the men. Many thought the math required would be too difficult for the female brain. Few women were encouraged to take math and science and fewer encouraged to become engineers.
The good ole' boys were insulted. Women would 'weaken' the program and put our National Security at risk. They simply could not imagine any female high school senior wanting to apply, much less actually graduating. But the Law prevailed. The Service Academies thought about this major transition and decided to do it well and enable females to succeed and graduate.
The "politically correct" of the day figured they needed a certain number of women to make the transition successful. Admitting just a 'token' few would not work.
The next fall nearly 120 women were admitted to West Point and 81 were admitted to the Naval Academy. These women were carefully selected scholars and athletes but the men were furious. They were taking the place of another well qualified male.

Can you believe it? When women were admitted - they, through no fault of their own, had less scholastic, athletic and leadership opportunities than their male peers. Yet, today most would argue that this great 'social experiment' worked. Sounds vaguely familiar..........
Those of you who are younger than 50 may think I am exaggerating, but I assure you; I am not. Not even a little.

 

[Mongo]

You and I have different perspectives of life at the Naval Academy and what it means to be a Naval Academy parent. Perhaps that is a healthy thing. People can read what you have to say ... read what I have to say ... and decide for themselves. Maybe there is actually some acceptable middle ground in that neither of us necessarily has the "right" or "wrong" impression - simply different impressions.

Most assuredly, we have a different perspective. A little background. I came to USNA from the rural South. I was ill-prepared. Academics were a struggle but I did well. Actually, my roommate with two year of college behind him who came back later to teach Calculus, credits me with his graduation. I helped him with Calculus. I am the only person in the entire history of that blue collar rural now economically depressed county to graduate from the Academy.

I spent two tours in Vietnam, one on Yankee Station and one in country. Thanks to this, I am a totally disabled Veteran. I have paid my dues.

I didn't bail out to the airlines. My career in the Navy included the racial unrest of the ‘70s. I, along with Admirals Mullen and Roughed, know the hazards of a non humongous mixture between officers and enlisted. I had the pleasure of having the first women graduates of USNA work for me in the ‘80s. The artificial barriers and the prejudices that they had to overcome to succeed. And succeed they did. Two became astronauts. My entire career I lived the consequences of dozens of USNA prepared officers. I know first hand how Academy training effects leadership.

My son entered the Academy in the early ‘90s. I had classmates, company mates, and squadron mates who were Commandants, Admissions Officers, and Candidate Guidance Officers. They asked me to become a BGO and mentored me thoroughly. Mostly over too much beer. I learned a lot. My son was from a privileged school system. AP everything. Early admissions (what they used to call an LOA). Validated History, one year of Calculus, one year of Chemistry, and a semester of Physics. Cat I major, aero. Baseball player. Graduated in the top 10% of his class. Did not do VEGEP because he wanted to get to the fleet as quickly as possible and fly fighters. (when his BGO asked him what he would do if he couldn’t fly jets, he said he would shoot his foot off so he would not have to serve). And a very successful career, in jets, thus far.

I have seen it all for the past 50 years. Been there. Observed the output. Molded the input.

Now to the present:

Pendulums swing. They always have. They always will. A EE cheating scandal in the early ‘90s under Rear Admiral Lynch’s command resulted in a much needed tightening down. The result was FULL ADM Larson returning for his second tour, and a resulting law that requires all Supts to be twilight tour Vice Admirals. The pendulum continued to swing. By the mid ‘00s, under VAdm Rempt, things were pretty loose. VAdm Fowler’s marching orders were to tighten things up. One of his first news releases was that USNA was no longer a Service Academy but a country club. He earned my undying support. Of course he has been unpopular. If he has a fault, it is that he is slightly arrogant. Perhaps some of his mandates were not clearly explained. Perhaps this was intentional. But a very necessary pendulum correction.

As a BGO, I have helped over 40 candidates enter the Academy, many through NAPS and the foundation. And also even steered quite a few to WP. Again from a rural, economically depressed blue collar community. With the exception of three, two of which I felt didn’t have the proper motivation, by the way, they have all graduated. So, no, I do not have a lot of patience for those who feel that the Academy is losing its focus if any but the 1500 most academically superior are offered appointments. I see the chasm between USNA grads and the enlisted they serve as disastrously widening. Anything anyone does to narrow it in any way receives my praise and support.

This summary pretty much explains my perspective on every post that I make. I will challenge anyone to present a more diverse one. And I will fiercely defend what I believe.

 

[Luigi59]

3. The profile release makes the following statistically misleading claims for the Class of 2013.

• Hispanics average top 5% scores for all college
bound Hispanic students.
•African Americans average top 6% for all college
bound African American students.
•Caucasians average top 11% for all college bound
Caucasian students.​

Why not tell us where the Hispanic candidates rank amongst all college bound students, not "college bound Hispanic students"?

Why not tell us where the African American students rank amongst all college bound students, not "college bound African American students"?

I'll even levy the same criticism for their description of Caucasian students.

Why are they comparing them to themselves instead of the general college-bound population, irrespective of race?

That's the only way you can demonstrate that you are truly picking the best candidates in the nation.

From The Annapolis Capital
July 13, 2010

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/ne...-transparent-on-how-they-spend-our-taxes.html

....When the administration can't dodge facts, it answers other questions or sends questioners down fruitless paths. For example, the official Profile of last year's entering Plebe class, for the first time, gave minority SAT scores only by comparison to minority averages. What it didn't tell you was this still put African-American averages almost l00 points per section below the white midshipmen averages.

A FOIA request by Navy Academy graduate Dave Quint produced the information that was withheld: 70 percent of African-American midshipmen scored below 600 on the verbal SAT, and 25 percent of whites.

 

[Mongo]

A FOIA request by Navy Academy graduate Dave Quint produced the information that was withheld: 70 percent of African-American midshipmen scored below 600 on the verbal SAT, and 25 percent of whites.

The SAT scores included NAPS of which virtually everyone scores below 600 and which is disproportionally African-American. Remove the NAPSters from the data and the percentages are virtually the same.

 

[MakeItHappen]

Does anyone get to NAPS with scores over 600 on math and verbal?

 

[Mongo]

^^^^^^^Very very few.

 

[aglages]

...70 percent of African-American midshipmen scored below 600 on the verbal SAT, and 25 percent of whites.

Is the class profile for Naps also 70% AA, 25% white and 5% "other"?
How many Napsters go on to enter the USNA?
Do the Napsters need noms from their MOCs either before or after NAPS, or can they gain entry through a different nomination source?

 

[MIDNDAD]

Thank you for the post. As a grad and a parent USNA is your school.

Your pendulum comments, I believe are very accurate. Found your Adm. Fowler comments intriguing. I agree with you that Fowler did do a significant amount of positive changes during his tenure. However there were the following;

1. Changing the ROE for plebe summer to a goal of zero failures or drop outs. Starting in 2012 the Mids have used the name "Camp Techcumsah" label for plebe summer
2. The Marcus Curry incident - Overriding an honor board and the Commandants recommendation to dismiss was an interesting call
3. The IG inspection which resulted in Fowler leaving a year early and potentially costing him retirement rank.

Just curious as to your thoughts and opinions.

 

[Mongo]

However there were the following;

1. Changing the ROE for plebe summer to a goal of zero failures or drop outs. Starting in 2012 the Mids have used the name "Camp Techcumsah" label for plebe summer
2. The Marcus Curry incident - Overriding an honor board and the Commandants recommendation to dismiss was an interesting call
3. The IG inspection which resulted in Fowler leaving a year early and potentially costing him retirement rank.

Just curious as to your thoughts and opinions.

Many moons ago, it was ALL physical. With the arrival of women, there was a lot more mental stress. Physical things were deemphasized. However, it's the overall mixture of everything in its entirety that is the killer, in my opinion. And reports from this summer is that it is a tough one. Maybe the weather is the hidden factor that was absent the past few years. Admissions is getting really good. However, a few will fall through the cracks. The one true issue that Admissions has difficulty evaluating is character and I think it takes longer than Plebe summer to evaluate that particular aspect. Everyone comes from a different background and education is required before expectations can be demanded. Kinda disjointed but I don't see running out plebes for the sake of running them out. If they truly met the entrance requirements, are not grossly out of shape, and have the ability to succeed, give then the benefit of the doubt.

I would really really like to believe that there is more to the Marcus Curry incident than made it to the public eye. Of course we don't know all the facts, but the latest honor violation report, the fact that he reversed a decision in favor of a football player kind of bothers me. Was it because he was a football player or because he received glowing endorsements from the coach and others. Hard to ascertain. Hope it was the endorsements.

Ther loneliness of command. In the Navy, the Captain is always accountable. It started before he was there. I'm almost positive that he never knew that it was illegial. But he is accountable. I don't think the Navy accounting system is designed for donations and schmoozing donors to the extent required by a major college. The BS accuses Adm Fowler of sitting on the results. I honestly believe that he and his staff was working all that time on a solution so that they could tell the board of visitors, here is the problem and here is the solution. Very unfortunate. But not keeping proper accounting records has ruined more than one career.