josieallred
Midshipman Candidate- NAPS
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2021
- Messages
- 15
Here are some thoughts on AIM:
Before I begin, I'm going to note that our cadre told us that in some ways AIM is harder than Swab Summer because they only have to keep us going for 6 days vs. 8 weeks.
I would encourage every person who wants to go to a service academy, regardless of whether its Coast Guard or not, to apply to AIM. It's a realistic program that will show you if service academy life is right for you or not. The standards are high at Academies and everybody needs to make sure they're up for that before they're on day 1 of Plebe Summer or BCT.
I'm not gonna start off on what happened at AIM because it's secretive for a reason. Part of the program is about not knowing what's going on. If you know everything, it takes the shell-shock away. On the first night, I (who has wanted to go to USNA for 3 years) wanted to go home and was hit with an array of thoughts like: I can't do an academy, I couldn't do this for 6 weeks, I want to do ROTC, how could I ever do this for so long at 18 years old, etc. I didn't know if I was going to make it for the week. I felt like this for the first 2 days, and my roommate and I cried each night together. However, it got easier everyday and you DO start to adjust. The initial awfulness fades, I promise.
With that being said, be ready to run/march everywhere, get yelled at constantly, take 2 minute showers and wake up at 5:30 am to screaming and beating on doors. You'll square meals and corners alike and the cadre will make you do some pretty funny/stupid stuff- ex: my cadre made me walk into a closet and tell them if the red-eyed monster was in there. (And you had to do these things without laughing or get yelled at).
This brings me to packing list. Make sure you bring at least 6 civilian shirts and pairs of pants, rather than 4 like it says on the packing list. Apparently the list was wrong and we all had to wear dirty clothes on the last 2 days to PT in/sleep in. Also, bring more than one towel. The humidity is so bad that nothing dries, so my towel had soured on the first night.
BE PREPARED TO RUN UPHILL EVERYWHERE WITH BACKPACKS THAT MAY WEIGH UP TO 20 POUNDS. I can't stress this enough. Double timing in formation is not fun. That's all the tips I have for you. For the last 3 years, I have been deadset on Navy and now am trying to decide which school is my #1. AIM was a hard yet rewarding experience and my entire outlook has changed.
Before I begin, I'm going to note that our cadre told us that in some ways AIM is harder than Swab Summer because they only have to keep us going for 6 days vs. 8 weeks.
I would encourage every person who wants to go to a service academy, regardless of whether its Coast Guard or not, to apply to AIM. It's a realistic program that will show you if service academy life is right for you or not. The standards are high at Academies and everybody needs to make sure they're up for that before they're on day 1 of Plebe Summer or BCT.
I'm not gonna start off on what happened at AIM because it's secretive for a reason. Part of the program is about not knowing what's going on. If you know everything, it takes the shell-shock away. On the first night, I (who has wanted to go to USNA for 3 years) wanted to go home and was hit with an array of thoughts like: I can't do an academy, I couldn't do this for 6 weeks, I want to do ROTC, how could I ever do this for so long at 18 years old, etc. I didn't know if I was going to make it for the week. I felt like this for the first 2 days, and my roommate and I cried each night together. However, it got easier everyday and you DO start to adjust. The initial awfulness fades, I promise.
With that being said, be ready to run/march everywhere, get yelled at constantly, take 2 minute showers and wake up at 5:30 am to screaming and beating on doors. You'll square meals and corners alike and the cadre will make you do some pretty funny/stupid stuff- ex: my cadre made me walk into a closet and tell them if the red-eyed monster was in there. (And you had to do these things without laughing or get yelled at).
This brings me to packing list. Make sure you bring at least 6 civilian shirts and pairs of pants, rather than 4 like it says on the packing list. Apparently the list was wrong and we all had to wear dirty clothes on the last 2 days to PT in/sleep in. Also, bring more than one towel. The humidity is so bad that nothing dries, so my towel had soured on the first night.
BE PREPARED TO RUN UPHILL EVERYWHERE WITH BACKPACKS THAT MAY WEIGH UP TO 20 POUNDS. I can't stress this enough. Double timing in formation is not fun. That's all the tips I have for you. For the last 3 years, I have been deadset on Navy and now am trying to decide which school is my #1. AIM was a hard yet rewarding experience and my entire outlook has changed.
