A new Service Academy dad/Fox news correspondant's take on our experience

[nosmileysforme]

I'm a bit surprised at the public's unfettered access to the USNA, for a variety of reasons. I've not yet had the pleasure of visiting the USNA but I can say that at the USMA the general public is restricted to a bus tour of the perimeter of the facility, and that they have essentially no real access to the cadets other than by telephoto lens.

As a parent of a cadet access is far better and it's relatively easy to stroll among the cadets - particularly when they're sprinting between classes - but access is certainly not unlimited by any means. It sounds like at the USNA everyone is treated as a family member; that's good for the visitors and sounds bad for the mids.

Let's hope it doesn't take a serious incident before the Administration reevaluates their public access policy the USNA.

 

[Just_A_Mom]

I agree with you - I visited USNA last summer. Since the visitor's center is inside the Yard, anyone can walk onto the yard with a photo ID. You don't have to take the tour but if you do you are granted access to even Bancroft Hall - I kept thinking it wouldn't take much to slip away and act like you belong there to be in the cadet's living quarters.

USMA - security is much tighter. Even while on an admissions visit when we were granted access to walk freely, there are signs posted to keep visitors out of certain areas. One comes away with the sense that this place is an active Military Post (it is) and that business is being conducted and the general public better not get in the way.

 

[time2]

Don't think it would be that easy. There are midshipman on patrol/duty in the living quarters and without a uniform I would expect you would be immediately challenged by anyone in uniform as to exactly what you were doing there.

 

[USNA69]

One comes away with the sense that this place is an active Military Post (it is) and that business is being conducted and the general public better not get in the way.

I agree and I think for many different reasons, USNA would do well to emulate WP.