Joining the Academy

Pima said:
Mods,

I think this is the time to lock this thread. Nobody here is gaining any insight or guidance.

It is becoming personal, and I for one do not want this site to lose respect with in fighting. I have said what I feel, you and your mother have said what you feel the need too say.

Sami,

I wish you all the best that you deserve regarding your future.

Thank you for wanting to defend this great nation.
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Pima,
I think this is the best advice you have given since this thread started. I wish you and your child the best of luck in the future.
 
baileydb

Thank you for the advice. Sami has printed it off and looking over it as I type.
 
So.... Captain, you would rather have Sami take advice from a rising high school senior than AFA cadets, graduates, and officers ~ Lfrye, hornet, bullet, pima, etc. with 50+ years of collective experience who are tied to active duty Air Force?

We are not against your daughter. Because we are NOT against her.

But we aren't going to hold her hand, either.

I wish you all the best that your child deserves.

Good luck to the class of 2023.

Bullet & Pima et al: WINE OPEN.
 
I am so looking forward to the day Sami gets an Appointment and nobody remembers this thread ever happened. Fencer and Pima, I greatly value your input. My son used many of the things you said to prepare, apply, and commit to becoming an officer in the world's greatest Air & Space Force. You two are most valued posters.

CPT Johnson, I am sorry that you felt you and your daughter were attacked. I hope you will be able to stay on these forums to get the information you need.

Sami, I am happy that you desire to serve your country as an officer. I value your comments sent via PM. I also respect the fact that you are taking initiative to learn about USAFA. Finally, I look foward to hearing about your future sucesses.


Good night all. Thanks for everyone wanting to move forward from hear. Peace.
 
fencersmother said:
So.... Captain, you would rather have Sami take advice from a rising high school senior than AFA cadets, graduates, and officers ~ Lfrye, hornet, bullet, pima, etc. with 50+ years of collective experience who are tied to active duty Air Force?

We are not against your daughter. Because we are NOT against her.

But we aren't going to hold her hand, either.

I wish you all the best that your child deserves.

Good luck to the class of 2023.

Bullet & Pima et al: WINE OPEN.
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Let it go already... Advice was given, which is what Sami asked for. She is headed in the right direction and if she has specific question in the future, she will ask. I thought we were putting an end to this thread???
 
Capt Johnson / Semi,

Serious question, and hopefully, this could put this thread back on the right track.....

Why AF? Is there a particular career field Semi is interested in? Let's narrow down to some specifics, and then we can talk the road to get there. BTW, that road is LOOOOOOOONG!
 
And my apologies as well, my autocorrect keeps changing her name to "Semi"
 
Since it appears we are back on track, may I also give advice?

Sami,

Take the hardest rigorous course load your school offers. If you are not on sports, get in now.

CPT Johnson,

Let Sami fight her own battle. By all means post and ask questions as a parent, but don't tag team.
~ Come the SA application route it is all her. Once she turns 18, which if I am correct it will be before her senior yr in hs., you are locked out regarding info. This is true for plan B (colleges) They are legally an adult and will not share the info with you for the most part.

Not to bring it back to the flaming point, but I have to say Sami, your post of putting on boots was offensive to me. I spent 21 years following Bullet around the world, giving up my career to support his. I wiped our kids tears when they had to move every 2 years. I shielded them from the TV during OIF when their Dad was in the Green Zone, and pretended that was just on another TDY. I spent more anniversaries/birthdays/holidays with my girlfriends than I care to remember because he was deployed. I may not have been in a war zone with bullets flying, but I was in my own war zone worrying everyday my great love and father of my children could die, paying bills, shuttling kids to activities and pretending to the world all was great! My combat boots were just not camo. If you don't get that you pay the price for your Mom's career, than you are lucky, and hopefully, like my kids never think about the bad juju because they shielded you from it.
~ Wearing the boots isn't the only way to defend this great nation. Supporting those that wear them, like your mother, and my DH are important too.
~~ If Bullet died serving, he would be gone, I would be left holding a flag given to me by a grateful nation and raising our children. I would be paying the price until I left this earth, just like him. My love, my soulmate, my best friend, and the father of my children would be gone. Maybe it is my age, but I'd rather be the 1st one of us to leave this earth. I also know that he had made peace with the fact that if that was the way he would die, he was okay with it. Something you better accept if you want to go military.
~~~ There is an adage...nothing is worse in this world than burying a child. Our DS can't leave ADAF for at least 9 more years. He will be 33 at the earliest. He entered at 18 (AFROTC scholarship). Out of those 33 years in his life he will have spent every second, including the glimmer in my eye before he was conceived in the USAF. The same may be true for you. Again, you Mom is a Mom, you are her DD. She will be paying the price every year that you miss Thanksgiving, XMas/Hannukah, Easter/Passover, your birthday, the birth of your children when she is not there, etc. etc. etc. Such is the life of a military FAMILY. That is their own personal war.

I will be 58 at that point. I met and fell in love with Bullet when I was 18, he was in AFROTC. It will be 40 years of that fear in my life. So please don't assume I don't get your Mom's sacrifice. I get it now 2 TIMES.
 
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reply to Bullet

Bullet said:
Capt Johnson / Semi,

Serious question, and hopefully, this could put this thread back on the right track.....

Why AF? Is there a particular career field Semi is interested in? Let's narrow down to some specifics, and then we can talk the road to get there. BTW, that road is LOOOOOOOONG!
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I have looked at all the branches of the military, and spoke with many service men and women from each branch. I have always admired the Air Force. I do luck up to my mom and her career in the US Army, but I want to pave my own path. I am interested in civil engineering and public affairs. My mom and I have worked together so that by my senior year I will have all duel credit courses. I am also looking into leadership programs in our area. I have also contacted the ALO for my area; I am waiting for their reply.
 
Sami said:
I have looked at all the branches of the military, and spoke with many service men and women from each branch. I have always admired the Air Force. I do luck up to my mom and her career in the US Army, but I want to pave my own path. I am interested in civil engineering and public affairs. My mom and I have worked together so that by my senior year I will have all duel credit courses. I am also looking into leadership programs in our area. I have also contacted the ALO for my area; I am waiting for their reply.
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Then frankly, you are on to a great start. Like others have said here already, the object is to prove to the admissions board that you willsuccessfully face the rather rigorous academic challenge of the USAFA, plus the mental, physical, and time management challenges every cadet there will face as well. So, they EXPECT that you will challenge yourself throughout your HS career, and that you not only meet that challenge, but you EXCEL at them.

So, do what you are doing now. Take the hardest academic workload you can handle with the most APs you can. Take the SAT / ACT multiple times, shooting for the highest scores you can get. Don't ONLY participate in sports, show you were a LEADER on your team, either by being named team captain by your coaches or peers, or by getting your team to achieve great results. Participate in other things as well to show you are well rounded.

Bottom Line: it will be a tough road ahead, but only you can determine if the reward at the end is worth it to you.

Good luck!

(See? We CAN play nice!)
 
Sami,

You are 15 and a rising freshmen. Maybe in your area the ALO has few candidates, but many have 12-24 srs. a year.

They are volunteers, this is not their paid job. They have careers and families too. I wish you the best, but I doubt that many ALOs are going to carve out time for you to a level you are looking for when you have yet to enter hs.
~ Probably will be what I just posted, Take the most rigorous curriculum, get involved in sports, become a leader in your school, take the SAT/ACT over and over again...aim for 1600 or 36 superscore.
 
baileydb said:
Hi, Sami,

I am a rising senior currently in the middle of the applications process, so I will try to tell you all that I can about applying to a service academy, but please understand that I am in the middle of all of this so I don't have as much information as many of the other posters. Please keep in mind that I do not claim to be an expert in any way! I am very new to the forum and the applications process, so I am just going to tell you what I wish I would have known going into my freshman year:
1) As you know, academics are very important. Try for at least a 4.0, take honors and AP classes, and work hard. Also, I recommend studying for the ACT/SAT and taking it as early as possible. I am going to take it for the third time, so I can assure you from personal experience that the earlier you take it, the better, because the more times you take it, the better your score gets.
2) Make fitness a priority. I have a few months until I have to take the CFA (fitness test), and I really wish I would have spent my freshman through sophomore years getting in shape, rather than trying to cram it all into these last few months.
3) Extracurricular activities are very important!! Do things that you love, and try to get involved in your community. I highly recommend joining JROTC or Civil Air Patrol. They will introduce you to some of the military culture, and you have time to get to a high rank and achieve leadership positions. Also, varsity sports are important. Find a sport (or several sports) you love and stick with it through high school, so you can try to earn a letter. In addition to that, seek out leadership positions like Cadet Commander in CAP or team captain. That will go a long way!
4) You still have a while, but once you enter your junior year, you should look at applying for Summer Seminar (information can be found at the admissions website). If you are selected to attend, you get to stay at the Academy for a week and it is an incredible experience.
5) Learn what you can about the Academy and the admissions process. I have been pouring over the website since halfway through my freshman year, and I still feel unprepared to face the admissions process. Familiarize yourself with what you need to do and when it needs to get done by.It will go a long way when you start the applications process. Go to this website: www.academyadmissions.com and become very familiar with it.
6) Explore your other options. Even well-qualified candidates often get turned down. Become familiar with other routes you could take, such as the other service academies, ROTC, etc. There are scholarships out there for ROTC. Even if you don't make it to the Academy the first time, there are still ways to achieve your dream!

Best of luck, Sami! You have a huge advantage because of your youth; it gives you more time to prepare, whereas some people only heard about the academy in their sophomore or junior year and don't have that advantage, so take advantage of your early start!!
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Well done, Bailey. Helful post and well composed.... speaks well of you as a future cadet and officer.
 
I guess I'll throw a few more comments out there.

First, Sami is 15 and going INTO high school (meaning she's coming out of 8th grade). To me, 15 is young enough for a parent to come to her defense, without being a helo parent. There's a lot of growth between freshman year and senior year. I have no problem with a mom entering a forum to defend her child. Three years from now? Maybe it's a different story.

Second, the "I could die for my country" argument is played out. The "my kid could die for this country" or "my parents could die for this country" or "my spouse could die for this country" or "my relative could die for this country" are even more played out. People die everyday, in car accidents, from allergic reactions, from enemy fire or IEDs, from boat roll-overs or aircraft crashes. Yes some people go into harms way, but the vast majority of service members are not serving to die. After saying that, if you're not the one going into harms way, don't wear that badge of honor. If you lose a loved one to an enemy, you experience no greater loss than the parent who loses a kid to drugs or texting while driving or suicide. I COULD HAVE died for my country, but I didn't. And I really didn't want to die for it. I did what I had to do, but "die today" was never high on the list.

Third, to Sami, the advice you seek is on here. This site OOZES with it. Take some time to search it. When you find something that interests you, comment on it, and it will be brought to the top of the forum, reawakened for others to comment on too. The advice is what you'd expect. Take the most challenging classes you can handle. Get good grades. Get good standardized test scores. Assume leadership positions in organizations. Stay out of trouble. Help out in your community. Be physically active. Some threads on forums will go more indepth, hitting on specific activity that are great, like Governers School or Girls State, or becoming a National Merit Semi/Finalist. When I applied to the Coast Guard Academy (and Naval Academy and Merchant Marine Academy) this site didn't exist. I had to dig. I had to find people to talk to. I had to find videos about the academies. The more I found, the deeper I dug, the more excited I was. Take some time to dig on your own. Don't be spoon fed what people think you should hear/know. Let your interests and passions direct you. I think you'll find the "trip" more fun.
 
LineInTheSand said:
I guess I'll throw a few more comments out there.

First, Sami is 15 and going INTO high school (meaning she's coming out of 8th grade). To me, 15 is young enough for a parent to come to her defense, without being a helo parent. There's a lot of growth between freshman year and senior year. I have no problem with a mom entering a forum to defend her child. Three years from now? Maybe it's a different story.

Second, the "I could die for my country" argument is played out. The "my kid could die for this country" or "my parents could die for this country" or "my spouse could die for this country" or "my relative could die for this country" are even more played out. People die everyday, in car accidents, from allergic reactions, from enemy fire or IEDs, from boat roll-overs or aircraft crashes. Yes some people go into harms way, but the vast majority of service members are not serving to die. After saying that, if you're not the one going into harms way, don't wear that badge of honor. If you lose a loved one to an enemy, you experience no greater loss than the parent who loses a kid to drugs or texting while driving or suicide. I COULD HAVE died for my country, but I didn't. And I really didn't want to die for it. I did what I had to do, but "die today" was never high on the list.
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You said what I was thinking.

To be balanced, I would not be comfortable with my 15 year old verbally sparing with adults. Ever. My two grown ducklings would have understood the hierarchy and never crossed that line. But that's how I parented. That could be a stumbling block in life let alone getting into a SA. I'll leave it at that....

My only advice for Sami is to take as many english composition courses as possible. At 15 years old, her composition skills should be stronger. Sami don't take this the wrong way. I too could could use some additional writing classes. Both of my kids written words were fairly polished at 15. Don't shoot the messenger. I'm trying to help. :)

I wish you all the best!
 
LITS,

I agree at 15 it is not heloing. It is called parenting if you join. My issue was don't tag team here when you feel your child was being attacked, especially if the only reason you came on here was to be Mama Bear.

I think her Mom should be on here. I think it will help them a lot for multiple reasons.
1. Mom maybe an officer, but as we all know the Army and the AF not only have different missions, but lifestyles too.
~~ PT in the AF is playing golf without a cart. Roughing it is not living in a tent, but staying at a Motel 6 off the strip in Vegas. Duty day is bankers hours.:shake:

2. The SA/ROTC/OCS process changes all the time.
~ Sami's Mom went the OCS route as an enlisted member, and that is different than the direct SA route
~ Even SA grads have at least 23 years between they applied and their child applying. The class appointed in 1996 will be the parents of Sami's class.
~~ 1996 was still dial up internet. I doubt the AFA was doing it all on line like it is currently done.

3. It is your child. Emotions and the feeling of being helpless is a common feeling for every parent. She may not believe it today, but this site is the biggest support system she will ever find on the net. She will create friendships with people that emotionally are dealing with the same fears, hopes and wishes. They will support her when the MOC letter arrives that says...Unfortunately... They will cheer when the letter comes that says Congratulations. They will be here for every step she takes as a parent.
~ Sami will be 18, not 17 when she starts this process. Mom and Dad will be locked out because she will no longer be a minor according to the AFA and HQ AFROTC.. Yet, Sami will be her kid in HS.

It will be smoother process for her and Sami if she is a poster.
~ IMPO, it will not be smoother if Mom comes on only to defend her child against posters that "hurt" her baby girl's feelings.
~~ That is where the line gets crossed into heloing.

I am also with MN.
~ My kid would have some splaining { Lucy...you have some splaining} for sparring with those that have paid their dues.
~~ I would probably defend my snowflake on this site, but I also would say hand over your laptop/tablet/desktop and EVERY password. I'd be hitting the history button until I saw every post they every made.
~~~ Before flaming me for that comment, let's remember Sami is 15, and at that age they don't understand nothing ever dies on the internet. Something this generation doesn't get yet, but our generation that hires this generation does!
~~~~ Not saying or inferring CPT Johnson didn't do exactly that. Nor do I care to know. Just saying for me as a parent, I probably would defend my child, but there would be a wrath in my home.

I also agree with MN regarding English composition. However, I do have a different twist.
~ Sami is part of the generation that relies on auto correct. Auto correct does not correct grammar, it core ts only spelling. They live their life doing short hand on their smart phones.
~~ Sami, easiest way to lose respect here is doing the teenage short hand...ur ...instead of you're.
~~~ Want to be taken seriously as an adult, than take 2 more seconds and write the word.
~~~~~ I know you have never done ur, just giving you a craniums up.
 
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Sami said:
I am interested in civil engineering and public affairs.
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My son is a Civil Engineering major. As a rising junior, he participated in the S.A.M.E. camp on campus at USAFA. It was a good experience for him. I am posting a link for you to check out. I'm not sure when the application opens for next summer, but you can contact your local S.A.M.E. post to inquire about a sponsorship. The camp administrator may be able to find a post sponsor for you if the local post does not have one available. I believe appliations are open to students over 15 who have completed freshman year of high school with a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4 point scale. This really helped DS to decide on USAFA. Summer Seminar is another option. Check on AcademyAdmissions.com link below for more info on that.

S.A.M.E. link
AcademyAdmissions.com

Sami said:
I have also contacted the ALO for my area; I am waiting for their reply.
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FYI: ALOs are typically busy with their real jobs and other duties. Most do this on the side as volunteers for the benefit of USAFA Admissions. Be patient if you don't hear from them right away. My DS's contact for AFROTC got deployed suddenly and a replacement was not found for several weeks.
 
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