Herndon

Status
Not open for further replies.
2013MidDad said:
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/nav/2010/05/27-79/Heat-sickens-midshipmen-spectators-at-Color-Parade.html

For the love of God, stop this Color Parade madness. This silly 143 year tradition serves no legitimate purpose (training, leadership, or otherwise). After all, if problem solving and working as a team to accomplish the task of climbing a greased monument serves no purposes, then what can we really say about getting dressed up in what amount to costumes and marching around and standing out on a field? Why must we always cater to the demands and desires of parents, alums and townspeople and expose these good Midshipmen to the unnecessary risk of unusual amounts of sunshine, yes, sunshine, for the sole purpose of simply showing them off and having them salute? Maintaining this tradition, merely for the sake of tradition, and without regard for the possibility of change? -- I think not!! The Supe should have looked up from that field, felt the sun on his face, and made the decision now to restore some semblence of order and stop endangering those in his charge. Why not simply reschedule the Ring Dance to a later date and allow it to be a replacement for this more risky Color Parade? You know, indoors ... with air conditioning. I feel sorry for the next Supe who will later have to face this issue.
Click to expand...

You get my vote for Post-of-the-Year.

The article says 6 midshipmen were taken to the hospital and 50 (FIFTY!) passed out.

Promise me you'll mention this on the parents list-serv. If you don't - I will!
 
^^^^

I heard that 64 passed out in the Color Parade.

If we're worried about injury, USNA should definitely end all athletics. Think of the number of ACL and MCL tears, broken bones, and other injuries from football, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, etc. When I was at USNA, I would estimate that 95% of injuries were sustained from athletics. My roommate tore her ACL 3 times in 4 yrs.

And, I've heard there are injuries during Sea Trials. Better get rid of that too.:rolleyes:
 
Ditto. Like I said earlier, better cancel the football contest. Of course, risk of injury is NOT the issue here. Simply the smoke screen. This is pure PC, nothing more, nothing less.

Word came down the Supe claimed "no Plebes expressed any 'interest' in the climb."

What's that got to do with anything? As noted, they REALLY hate the parades. But Herndon? That's the hour of greatest need for them!

Get real.
 
Whistle Pig said:
Word came down the Supe claimed "no Plebes expressed any 'interest' in the climb."
Click to expand...

Suddenly the Plebes are in charge and get to decide what they do and don't do? Had to laugh when I read this. What if the Plebes show no interest in chopping, rates or bracing agains the wall? Just wondering . . .

GoNavyMom
 
Someone got hit by a cover during the hat toss. I hear that it is going to be discontinued next year.
 
GoNavyMom said:
Suddenly the Plebes are in charge and get to decide what they do and don't do? Had to laugh when I read this. What if the Plebes show no interest in chopping, rates or bracing agains the wall? Just wondering . . .

GoNavyMom
Click to expand...

I wonder if the lack of interest was before or after the Supe announced the monument wouldn't be greased. If I'd been told we'd be just about the only class in the last 70 yrs to have an ungreased monument, I wouldn't have been much interested either!:rolleyes:
 
Herndon was kind of silly anyways. You can really only have so many people climbing it, so most of the class looks on either in support or boredom. Sea Trials doesn't have the length of tradition and can be a bit hokey at times, but it at least has some value. Culminating the year with your company is better than with "your class" anyways (which I put in quotes cause like Herndon is hardly a class exercise - like I said, you can only have so many people climbing).

Getting rid of it because of injury is stupid (although comparing sports/Sea Trials injuries with Herndon injuries is also pretty stupid - hurting yourself doing something useless and pretty dumb is not the same as hurting yourself in Sea Trials or athletics), but getting rid of it because it's kinda stupid and Sea Trials is better is something I can get behind.
 
I'm not sure about the statement that Sea Trials would replace Herndon. I know that's what was said, but haven't they been doing both? Not sure it would be considered a replacement in light of that fact. I personally think both are valuable.
 
Let's ask the Plebes/Class of 2014 to decide because as of July 1 they will be in charge.
 
Just so you know they also made Sea Trials a lot easier. They cut 4? hours off of the whole thing, they cut the Dong Ha bridge, and we weren't allowed to get into the water during the wet and sandy phase.
 
SteveHolt243 said:
Herndon was kind of silly anyways. You can really only have so many people climbing it, so most of the class looks on either in support or boredom. Sea Trials doesn't have the length of tradition and can be a bit hokey at times, but it at least has some value. Culminating the year with your company is better than with "your class" anyways (which I put in quotes cause like Herndon is hardly a class exercise - like I said, you can only have so many people climbing).
Click to expand...

True, only so many can participate at any one time. However, out of necessity, there has to be shifts. You can't have the SAME guys provide the base, time and time again, through multiple failed attempts. Exhaustion sets in.

I've witnessed many Herndon climbs that have taken over 90 minutes (the average), and have seen beleaguered Plebes off to the side being offered water by the onlookers, having to excuse themselves from the mass due to fatigue. Over a period of time, just about everybody who wants to play a role will play a role - provided it lasts long enough.

The Herndon climb is a poignant metaphor in action. It is an excellent example of how independent & impulsive action fails and how it must yield to group organization & persistence.

This past year, a grand and proud Naval Academy tradition was made into a mockery. A true travesty, in my opinion.

If VADM Fowler wanted to end the tradition, he should have done it during his tenure as the Superintendent instead of tarnishing the tradition and passing off the difficult choice of terminating it altogether to his successor.
 
Just returned from Graduation and Hendon. Herndon was a joke. The Class of 2013 lined up with no where to go as the climb was over almost instantly. Many expressed the feeling of being "cheated"
Our Mid, now an Ensign, said their Class was leaving at a good time. We'll see.
 
wannabe2013 said:
Just so you know they also made Sea Trials a lot easier. They cut 4? hours off of the whole thing, they cut the Dong Ha bridge, and we weren't allowed to get into the water during the wet and sandy phase.
Click to expand...

Good Lord..... :frown:
 
I think they cut it short because of some weather issues.:rolleyes: Water too cold. What class had the real PLEBE SUMMER! Just chime in. I was enlisted so have no dog in the hunt.
 
Back in the way-back day, spouse had Herndon AFTER graduation, at which point they were recognized as 4th class.
 
It was planned to be shorter. We went from 0400-1600, this was followed by us waiting for an hour and a half for the "closing ceremony". The "closing ceremony" consisted of us taking off our boots and putting on tennis shoes so that we didn't tear up rip miller field, then we did 4 round trips in front of everybody watching (possibly the most embarassing thing I have ever done), then the Supe got up and bragged about us having the lowest attrition rate of any plebe class in history at which point the class of '63 started laughing at us (2nd most embarassing moment in my life), and it closed with us stretching performing a regimental close ranks maneuver in our utilities and tennis shoes and having the Dant say we're plebes no more and tell the Sea Trials squad leaders to give us our youngster anchors as we leave the field.

So in reality, we had 12 hours of Sea Trials followed by 2 hours of the class wanting to bury its head in the sand from embarassment.
 
Capt MJ said:
Back in the way-back day, spouse had Herndon AFTER graduation, at which point they were recognized as 4th class.
Click to expand...
3rd class, I think. And they didn't become Youngsters until sighting the Chapel Dome on return from cruise.
 
Memphis9489 said:
I ran across this Herndon article link over on another forum.

Although a little inflated, I think the writer makes a many good points. It's worth reading, if for no other reason, to develop some perspective of how others think.

http://trulove4all.blogspot.com/2010/06/killing-herndon-open-letter-to.html
Click to expand...

Posted eight hours previously on another thread:

Memphis9489 said:
I'll try not to be so controversial
Click to expand...

From the article:
And it makes me wonder if Mr. Fowler was ever a soldier in the first place...............................................
despite his service, is not welcome amongst us....................................
No promotion, no operational command. Give him two options: retire now with your pension, or retire now without it.
Click to expand...

Not controversial??? I can only surmise you were not serious about your proposal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top