Riroka, I am not sure what to say…..I would be shocked as well.
My son’s interview was three weeks ago today at a SMC. His interview was 180 degrees in the opposite direction as your son’s. We arrived 30 minutes early and the Lieutenant Colonel that my son was to meet was not in his office. As DS was knocking on the door the interviewer walked up behind him while texting on his phone and in a gruff voice asked “can I help you”? DS responded he was looking for Colonel XX and the interviewer responded “you found him”. As the interviewer continued texting on his phone, DS explained he was there for his interview and stated he knew he was early. The interviewer respond with an “oh yeah” called DS by his last name and escorted him into his office. It was hard to tell but one could have thought his approach was part of a “test” to see how DS responded. I went to sit in the lobby but to my surprise he called me in also. The interviewer apologized for being distracted and from this point on the interviewer was nothing but courteous, polite, helpful and etc. Everything you would expect from an officer and a gentleman. I observed the interview (yes, I had to bite my tongue HARD once or twice, but DS pulled it through with no help from dad). It was obvious that the interviewer had reviewed DS’s file before we arrived and it was it was very obvious that high school athletics was very important to the interviewer in my son’s case. As he checked off blocks on his form it was obvious that he was making notes about details not on the form. (DS plays football and baseball, lettered in baseball in 10th and 11th grade, football in the 11th grade, and received an award in baseball in the 11th grade. DS also runs 5Ks in addition to the high schools sports and runs 3-4 miles three times a week after football or baseball practice. He is in no way a college athletic prospect, just a decent all around athlete.) There was some discussion on how athletics, competition and etc translate into Army training and personal development. After the standard questions where completed the interviewer talked a lot about the particular SMC we where at, their AROTC program and even a little about DS’s second and third choice schools. DS asked questions about summer training opportunities, leadership roles in the program and etc. After all this, the interviewer leans back and obviously relaxed a little and guess what we start to talk about? Football. College football, pro football and etc. It was very obvious that organized team sports are very important in this process.
While DS had not practiced a mock one on one interview he had prepared in other ways such as reviewing possible questions he found on-line, studying Army core values and etc. In addition, one of DS’ best friend's father is a Colonel in the Army Reserve, one of my close business associates in a JAG Colonel in the Army Reserve and a member of our church is a Major General in the Army Reserve. I think through his association and conversations with these gentlemen helped DS feel relaxed and confident going into the interview. In addition and I think a very big plus, DS had communicated with the interviewer several times over the preceding month via email so there at least a little connection going in. DS had planned on wearing a blazer, tie and etc; however, upon arriving and seeing everyone on campus in ACUs DS decided to leave the blazer in the car. He still wore a tie because in his words “I feel good in this”. DS had his resume and other material with him to refer to in the interview. Again, as I mentioned earlier it did feel that DS was being tested when he first arrived for the interview but overall it was a very professional situation from start to finish. In fact, everyone we have dealt with along the way so far at two different SMCs has been professional and I am hopeful your son’s experience was an isolated incident.
I will add this. If this is what your son really wants, he needs to keep fighting for it. I have been very active with Boy Scouts for several years. I have served as a District Commissioner for almost five years. In this role I have been asked to look into a couple of situations where potential Eagle Scouts have been “road blocked” by an all knowing adult or group of adults. In all of these cases, after a very quick review it was obvious it was the adults that where not playing by the rules and where at fault. Although it is usually parents that contact me, it is working with the young man and the adults in his troop directly on the issue that gets it resolved. I will echo bruno’s advice as it was the young man that sold himself and his potential as an Eagle Scout. Patience, persistence, courtesy, honesty and etc. is what proved these 16 and 17 year old young men where worthy to be Eagle Scouts. I am happy to say in most cases I have been involved in and then stepped back out of my reward was an invitation to an Eagle Scout Court of Honor several months later.