Doc’s Manifesto

OMG -- I received a PM from Devil Doc this weekend, and it said he came of the ledge, but didn't realize that he was leaving SAF. (I've been preoccupied the last few weeks with daughter wedding coming up this week). I've sent him a PM, but publicly, I want to say that Devil Doc is one of a kind and has brought a lot of great wisdom and insight to SAF. Here's to you Devil Doc ...🍺🍺 !
 
I must say, it is great embarrassment and humility with which I read this thread.

I had an overwhelming sense of ... too much to do I guess, a few days ago and made a snap decision to pick the low hanging fruit and walk away from things that I thought would lighten my load. I hadn't even planned on making the grand announcement here of my application to the BGO program. The announcement of course was when I let everybody know I wasn't going to do it. Yeah, that made a lot of sense. And as @TheRightStuff said, you'll be back, so I am. I wanted to sneak in the back door late last night but my eyes were blurry and fingers stiff from keyboarding most of the day.

Every year there seems to be more training requirements before the school year starts. In education they call it professional development, PD. Yeah, right. That and a personal project plus the grandsons, had my head spinning. I regretted hitting "post reply" as soon as I did it the other day. I've written on here before that this is the only message board community I've stayed on for more than a few months due to either boredom or getting kicked off. I even came back here after I got kicked off.

I became interested in the BGO program because of the awesome members here who volunteer their time to do that and the USAF ALO. I looked into the requirements and contacted the area coordinator. He sent me the application which I sent back right away and USNA admissions sent me the exam. Yes, it's open book but the book is 100 pages. I then had my moment and wrote this ridiculous post and emailed the AC and admissions asking them to withdraw my application. Admissions said, OK have a nice life, or something like that. The AC wrote a nice email saying the door is always open, etc. and asked me to reconsider. I wrote back telling him I thought it best if I didn't continue with the application. He wrote back again saying he will reassign the BGO currently assigned to the school where I teach and put me there. He was persistent but very professional and told me how much I have to offer applicants, etc.

My school is just down the river from the Pentagon and regardless of how much school leadership likes to brag about how diverse the school is, forty percent of the demographic is from the neighborhood that the majority of service academy applicants come from. I've made my living and reputation however with the students who come from the other neighborhoods. The kind I grew up in. I teach in the health sciences academy attached to the school and we have students bused in from their base school. About eight of them. Last year 93 percent of my students were minority, many recent immigrants, and several spoke very little English. Despite my appearance and Appalachian drawl, I get along superbly with these students and have found success in helping with their success. I know that most of my candidates will be from the obvious pool of service academy applicants but some of my best students throughout the years have been the ones who have to work hardest. Some have to work hard just to translate in their minds what's happening in class so as to keep up. When the bell rings, they have to go and do it again in somebody else's room. That's working hard.

Anyway, I don't mean to keep you from your busy day. Just wanted to drop in and say I'm back but will try to read and learn more instead of jump in on every conversation. Maybe. It's not official yet but I suppose as a member of the Naval Academy admissions team I'll have to end every conversation with "Beat Army." Y'all have a good one.
 
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Devil Doc said:
I must say, it is great embarrassment and humility with which I read this thread.

I had an overwhelming sense of ... too much to do I guess, a few days ago and made a snap decision to pick the low hanging fruit and walk away from things that I thought would lighten my load. I hadn't even planned on making the grand announcement here of my application to the BGO program. The announcement of course was when I let everybody know I wasn't going to do it. Yeah, that made a lot of sense. And as @TheRightStuff said, you'll be back, so I am. I wanted to sneak in the back door late last night but my eyes were blurry and fingers stiff from keyboarding most of the day.

Every year there seems to be more training requirements before the school year starts. In education they call it professional development, PD. Yeah, right. That and a personal project plus the grandsons, had my head spinning. I regretted hitting "post reply" as soon as I did it the other day. I've written on here before that this is the only message board community I've stayed on for more than a few months due to either boredom or getting kicked off. I even came back here after I got kicked off.

I became interested in the BGO program because of the awesome members here who volunteer their time to do that and the USAF ALO. I looked into the requirements and contacted the area coordinator. He sent me the application which I sent back right away and USNA admissions sent me the exam. Yes, it's open book but the book is 100 pages. I then had my moment and wrote this ridiculous post and emailed the AC and admissions asking them to withdraw my application. Admissions said, OK have a nice life, or something like that. The AC wrote a nice email saying the door is always open, etc. and asked me to reconsider. I wrote back telling him I thought it best if I didn't continue with the application. He wrote back again saying he will reassign the BGO currently assigned to the school where I teach and put me there. He was persistent but very professional and told me how much I have to offer applicants, etc.

My school is just down the river from the Pentagon and regardless of how much school leadership likes to brag about how diverse the school is, forty percent of the demographic is from the neighborhood that the majority of service academy applicants come from. I've made my living and reputation however with the students who come from the other neighborhoods. The kind I grew up in. I teach in the health sciences academy attached to the school and we have students bused in from their base school. About eight of them. Last year 93 percent of my students were minority, many recent immigrants, and several spoke very little English. Despite my appearance and Appalachian drawl, I get along superbly with these students and have found success in helping with their success. I know that most of my candidates will be from the obvious pool of service academy applicants but some of my best students throughout the years have been the ones who have to work hardest. Some have to work hard just to translate in their minds what's happening in class so as to keep up. When the bell rings, they have to go and do it again in somebody else's room. That's working hard.

Anyway, I don't mean to keep you from your busy day. Just wanted to drop in and say I'm back but will try to read and learn more instead of jump in on every conversation. Maybe. It's not official yet but I suppose as a member of the Naval Academy admissions team I'll have to end every conversation with "Beat Army." Y'all have a good one.
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Does this mean we're back together? ❤❤❤


Happy to see that you've changed your mind, and decided to stick around. The forum is a much better place to be, with you IN it.

Beat Navy.
 
Devil Doc said:
I must say, it is great embarrassment and humility with which I read this thread.

I had an overwhelming sense of ... too much to do I guess, a few days ago and made a snap decision to pick the low hanging fruit and walk away from things that I thought would lighten my load. I hadn't even planned on making the grand announcement here of my application to the BGO program. The announcement of course was when I let everybody know I wasn't going to do it. Yeah, that made a lot of sense. And as @TheRightStuff said, you'll be back, so I am. I wanted to sneak in the back door late last night but my eyes were blurry and fingers stiff from keyboarding most of the day.

Every year there seems to be more training requirements before the school year starts. In education they call it professional development, PD. Yeah, right. That and a personal project plus the grandsons, had my head spinning. I regretted hitting "post reply" as soon as I did it the other day. I've written on here before that this is the only message board community I've stayed on for more than a few months due to either boredom or getting kicked off. I even came back here after I got kicked off.

I became interested in the BGO program because of the awesome members here who volunteer their time to do that and the USAF ALO. I looked into the requirements and contacted the area coordinator. He sent me the application which I sent back right away and USNA admissions sent me the exam. Yes, it's open book but the book is 100 pages. I then had my moment and wrote this ridiculous post and emailed the AC and admissions asking them to withdraw my application. Admissions said, OK have a nice life, or something like that. The AC wrote a nice email saying the door is always open, etc. and asked me to reconsider. I wrote back telling him I thought it best if I didn't continue with the application. He wrote back again saying he will reassign the BGO currently assigned to the school where I teach and put me there. He was persistent but very professional and told me how much I have to offer applicants, etc.

My school is just down the river from the Pentagon and regardless of how much school leadership likes to brag about how diverse the school is, forty percent of the demographic is from the neighborhood that the majority of service academy applicants come from. I've made my living and reputation however with the students who come from the other neighborhoods. The kind I grew up in. I teach in the health sciences academy attached to the school and we have students bused in from their base school. About eight of them. Last year 93 percent of my students were minority, many recent immigrants, and several spoke very little English. Despite my appearance and Appalachian drawl, I get along superbly with these students and have found success in helping with their success. I know that most of my candidates will be from the obvious pool of service academy applicants but some of my best students throughout the years have been the ones who have to work hardest. Some have to work hard just to translate in their minds what's happening in class so as to keep up. When the bell rings, they have to go and do it again in somebody else's room. That's working hard.

Anyway, I don't mean to keep you from your busy day. Just wanted to drop in and say I'm back but will try to read and learn more instead of jump in on every conversation. Maybe. It's not official yet but I suppose as a member of the Naval Academy admissions team I'll have to end every conversation with "Beat Army." Y'all have a good one.
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What an awesome post to read first thing in the morning out here on the west coast!

Glad you are back, Doc. SAF is better for it.
 
Well, to be honest, you NEED to be here. Period. It’s exactly that diversity you speak about at your school, that is needed here.

It’s easy to caught up in the moments here, feel like we are chatting with ‘friends’, and loose focus of the true mission and sense of what this is all about: helping candidates. And you are certainly a piece of that Big Picture! You are needed here. And needed to help admissions find those little gemstones 💎 in your area.

Glad you came to your senses. What were you thinking 😂!!

WELCOME HOME. Always.
 
Devil Doc said:
I even came back here after I got kicked off.
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Wait....I thought you were on vacation in some remote location?
Devil Doc said:
Last year 93 percent of my students were minority, many recent immigrants, and several spoke very little English. Despite my appearance and Appalachian drawl, I get along superbly with these students and have found success in helping with their success. I know that most of my candidates will be from the obvious pool of service academy applicants but some of my best students throughout the years have been the ones who have to work hardest. Some have to work hard just to translate in their minds what's happening in class so as to keep up. When the bell rings, they have to go and do it again in somebody else's room. That's working hard.
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And that is where you are needed most. To show those students what may be possible for their future. To help them dream of something they may not otherwise dare to dream of. That is true leadership.
 
Heatherg21 said:
So glad the Doc is back in the house.
You’re experience and sense of humor are appreciated and contribute to the forum in many ways.
Your candidates and students are lucky to have you. As are we.
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Your experience (not you're). Auto correct isn't that smart.
 
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