Best Company at USNA?

DomerDad

DomerDad

Proud Dad of a USAFA 2026 DD
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Mar 4, 2021
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This post is for fun, but I am also curious. At my alma mater, there was no Greek system, which bred a very big dorm culture. Each dorm had sports teams that would play other dorms and each dorm had a special thing they were known for in order to raise money for dorm activities. My dorm runs an annual haunted house for Halloween. Another dorm performs annual comedy sketches etc.

I've noticed that the 13th Company at USNA does the annual football run for the Army-Navy game. Does each Company have a special "thing" they are known for? If so which Company is the "best"?
 
Many companies serve some function to help the Brigade. Examples include running Herndon, running the Army-Navy ball, manning the cannon for parades and football games, and taking care of the live Bill the Goat mascots. Purely luck of the draw on where a mid goes. Also, some activities involve the whole company like the ball run and others are a select few like the goat squad.

Each semester a color company is announced which is technically the best company. Everything under the sun goes into rankings (grades, PRT scores, intramurals, academic absences, conduct/honor offenses, etc.).

Color company does not always mean "best" company though. Yes, it means highest performing, but you never know the command climate within the company.

So best company is a loaded question. My personal take is the best company is the one with the best command climate. If everyone wants to help each other, then the metrics will take care of themselves.

My statement above on color company is not to imply color company is only earned through poor climates. Most companies are great places. I'm just saying that "best" doesn't always mean highest performing.
 
……aaaaand you may have a great company one year, and be shotgunned into a completely different culture climate the next year……
 
DD has been in the same company since plebe summer. But her roommates and other good friends since 2/C year have transferred in from other companies, for various reasons. Based on that, I believe DD would say that the best company is the one you’re in.
 
Lets hope for no shotgun again this year. Plebe DS loves his company that he has been with since PS which is in the 2nd Regiment. They each have their traditions and nuances. Based on DS his company is the best. But then again he is biased...
 
MidCakePa said:
DD has been in the same company since plebe summer. But her roommates and other good friends since 2/C year have transferred in from other companies, for various reasons. Based on that, I believe DD would say that the best company is the one you’re in.
Click to expand...
Can Mids choose which company the transfer into (for various reasons) or are they assigned by the administration?
 
DomerDad said:
Can Mids choose which company the transfer into (for various reasons) or are they assigned by the administration?
Click to expand...
I-Day is the first day that many MIDNs realize that they won't have a lot of say in anything that they do, for quite a while.
If it seems fair or can be construed as fun in any way, it's probably prohibited. ;)

By the time they have put up with four years of it, they come to the realization that it really wasn't that bad. Most will even end up saying something akin to "I would do it all over again!" and looking back from their time in The Fleet or The Corps, they will even utter silly things like "all in all it was pretty easy back then!"
 
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Each company has roughly 120 MIDNs, with about 40ish Plebes. Each person will find at least a few people to identify with and become a small family. It may their roommates or squad mate or teammate. It all works out.

DS company has forced room/roommate swaps for the Plebes. Since PS he has had 5 different roommates in 3 different rooms. They were supposed to change rooms after reform but COVID ROM squashed that plan. They are rumored to be moving rooms after Alpha next week. This roommate swapping has benefits: get to know more of your company, provides an out if you don't quite click, and preps for life in fleet. Youngster year they get to pick roommates.
 
Hands down 6th company. “Civie 6” as the brigade has nicknamed them. But also the current color company.
 
Initial assignments and reassignments/shotgunnings are done entirely by the military chain of command. In this current era of shotgunning, company moves are a guarantee. Besides shoutgunning, company reassignments do occur for love chits, hate chits, and some conduct/honor/other issues. While you can't choose where you go, I have seen love chits stay in the same battalion, anecdotally.
 
Currently, any company in 4th Battalion (companies 16,17,18,19,20) is the place you want to be. The Battalion Officer is extremely generous and gives out lots of extra weekends and other special privilege's. This leads to good morale in the Battalion. For example, every plebe in my company has 8+ weekends due to incentives the Battalion Officer handed out. Normally, plebes only have 1 weekend a semester.

In addition, 4th Battalion has very strong COs and SELs.

Overall, the best company has to be 18. Go Yard Dogs!
 
I'm familiar with chits, but I am unfamiliar with love chits and hate chits. Could someone kindly explain?
 
Love chit is when Mids date in the same company. One will have to transfer out. Hate chit I am not familiar with but assume its when two Mids can not settle their differences and one or both have to be moved. Hopefully someone with more experience can weigh in on this part.
 
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