Loss of a Brigade mate

@justdoit19 thanks for posting.
“A CPR-certified midshipman administered resuscitation efforts at the recommendation of first responders en route to Bancroft Hall.”

The midshipman who did CPR will hopefully find comfort in the CPR effort. The chance of surviving a pre-hospital cardiac arrest has increased with more people learning CPR and the placement of AEDs in more facilities. I teach high school kids CPR for healthcare providers and always encourage everyone to learn at least hands only CPR and learn to use the AED. Whenever I enter a building or airplane I look for the AED sign in case I need to retrieve it or tell somebody to get it. These simple things save lives.
 
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I am asking this with utmost respect for the fallen MIDN and his family. So please do not nuke me, I am prospective dad and DD will be candidate in the upcoming fall.

- Was there a hazing involved in this incident? Does this still exists in the academies?
- Were there circumstances of drugs/alcohol involved in this incident?

If these questions are inappropriate, request mods to delete my post.
 
I am asking this with utmost respect for the fallen MIDN and his family. So please do not nuke me, I am prospective dad and DD will be candidate in the upcoming fall.

- Was there a hazing involved in this incident? Does this still exists in the academies?
- Were there circumstances of drugs/alcohol involved in this incident?

If these questions are inappropriate, request mods to delete my post.
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The Yard is probably one of the safest places that your daughter can be.
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I am asking this with utmost respect for the fallen MIDN and his family. So please do not nuke me, I am prospective dad and DD will be candidate in the upcoming fall.

- Was there a hazing involved in this incident? Does this still exists in the academies?
- Were there circumstances of drugs/alcohol involved in this incident?

If these questions are inappropriate, request mods to delete my post.
As with any death in the military, a full medical and incident investigation is conducted. The facts may or may not be released to the public, except for a possible general statement as to cause of death. There will be no comment about drugs/alcohol or other potential causes before investigations are completed.

The days of serious physical and injurious hazing at the Federal Academies are long gone. Corporal “punishment” only occurs during Plebe summer and is carefully regulated and overseen.

Any non-approved, unofficial physical activity that rises to the level of hazing is harshly dealt with, to include separation.

This mid was a member of the football team, and as an athlete getting ready to join the Fleet, his health would have been well looked after during the transition from playing weight and body build to post-athletic career norms.

It is a terrible run of luck if both of these were undetectable, unpredictable cardiac events. It is just horribly sad at this age.

The Superintendent and his staff are accountable and responsible for the health and welfare of midshipmen in the Brigade.
 
Prospective parents: I’ve had discussions with my now youngster over the years. There isn’t “hazing.” It can be difficult at times, but it’s not “hazing”. In fact I know of a situation of a specific company training officer that trained harder than he should and he was dealt with quickly and appropriately. Still wasn’t hazing.

As far as drugs go, that can happen, as it can anywhere, I would expect. At a SA, it would be harder than anywhere else. IMO, that’s on the Mids/cadets. That’s their personal choice and hopefully we have done our jobs as parents to make that a non-issue for our own child. There is a lot at risk to choose to participate in illegal activities. Any of them. My Mid has not been exposed to drugs. At all.

My own personal biggest “fear” is the use of energy drinks. Supplements. Caffeine. Pre-work. Not living a healthy, physical lifestyle year round. Eating junk food. And then trying to get in shape quickly. As the mom of wrestlers, I know about cutting weight. Dehydration. How hard all the above is on the body. We talk to our kids all the time about all this. As it’s all legal, these are more my concerns than illegal stuff.

There is NOT rampart abuses going around. Unfortunately the unknown (and we may never know!! There are privacy issues with disclosures) makes minds wander. But rest assured, and if your child attends I suspect you will agree, our kids are safer and watched over closer than at “regular college”. I have no doubt.
 
But rest assured, and if your child attends I suspect you will agree, our kids are safer and watched over closer than at “regular college”. I have no doubt.

This! When I spoke with DD last night, to hear how she and the Brigade were coping with this latest tragedy, she was dining on a Chipotle burrito among her shipmates inside Bancroft Hall. She was with fellow youngsters and mere plebes — the lesser half of the Brigade that’s prohibited from leaving the Yard on Friday nights. Meanwhile, her friends at civilian colleges were surely out and about, many of them imbibing alcohol while underage.

I worry about many things as the father of a kid at USNA. It’s not a perfect place and the mids aren’t perfect either. But I rest easier knowing that there are few colleges where the students are more closely watched over and cared for.
 
As with any death in the military, a full medical and incident investigation is conducted. The facts may or may not be released to the public, except for a possible general statement as to cause of death. There will be no comment about drugs/alcohol or other potential causes before investigations are completed.
Is UA consistent across the military and the federal academies?

Does the UA test for Anabolic Steroid use? Human growth hormone use?

Are Candidates quizzed on PED use as a part of the DODMERB? I don’t recall in my DS’s case, since we didn’t know he even applied for AROTC scholarship until after it was awarded.

Please do not misread the intent of these questions. It is more of a general warning to parents and concern about candidates and athletes who are not physically gifted as was 1/C mid Forney. My DS (Army O-3) has used and uses a full contingent of supplements. As an old school gym rat I’m against anything beyond water. As a Chemistry major, he has an explanation for the purpose of each and I’ll never change his mind. At the same time, he is acutely aware of and 100% against the use of Steroids and HGH. In fact, he speaks of their counter-productivity to sustained intense physical activity as much as their debilitating long term health effects.

PED use hardly carries the stigma of cocaine or hallucinogens and is more associated with strength and a good physique. I can’t drive 15 minutes without hearing a commercial for one of several local clinics offering “therapeutic” hormone treatments for conditions that 45+ year old males have dealt with for as long as there have been 45 year old males.
 
I do not believe PEDs are tested as a part of the Brigade testing, but could be wrong. An athlete is subject to NCAA drug testing which does test for this. The athletic programs have traditionally always been very clean in this regard at USNA. I only knew of one person who tested positive and he was caught because his team mates turned him in. All supplements are provided to athletes via the athletics trainers. The trainers are very well trained in spotting this. The supplements are screened and tested to ensure they are providing supplements that will pass drug screens and contain what they say they do. Plenty of Mids use supplements.

Obviously none of us know what happened to Midn Forney at this time and I won’t speculate. I just wanted to provide clarity on supplements amongst athletes.
 
My own personal biggest “fear” is the use of energy drinks. Supplements. Caffeine. Pre-work. Not living a healthy, physical lifestyle year round. Eating junk food. And then trying to get in shape quickly. As the mom of wrestlers, I know about cutting weight. Dehydration. How hard all the above is on the body. We talk to our kids all the time about all this. As it’s all legal, these are more my concerns than illegal stuff.


To clarify: these are my own concerns in general. I’ve seen my own and his high school buddies try different ways to help study or perform better. In no way am making any assumptions regarding any recent events. I have no idea. I was addressing illegal drug use. In general I think there is more concern for these legal, yet very bad for you things like excessive energy drinks, or pre-workout.

Im not speaking at all towards recent events on the yard.
 
The midshipman a very large and well respected man. I can’t imagine him being hazed.
Back when there was hazing, being large did not prevent it as one of my roommates was his size and he did not escape the "fun".
However, Midn Forney was a First Class Mid and even in the days of hazing, the First Class DID the hazing and were not hazed themselves.
 
My only concern is the overuse of energy drinks and caffeine with their workouts and little sleep.

Yep and that’s on them to be smart about choices. No way staff can know about that.
 
I couldn't get through the national anthem today at the American Legion speech contest. Just kept looking at the flag and thinking of the 2 mids and their classmates and family. They and those they loved and were loved by will continue to be in my thoughts.
 
May God grant the family peace and the means to cherish the time they had with their son. The nation grieves, and the SA families in particular will hold them in their hearts forever.
 
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