Military & Maritime College Matriculation Day Coming fast

Bird85 said:
I have to say the march out was very impressive. All the kids had their game face on. I had to laugh as my DS is in H company and he was in the back row and the last Rat out the door.

My wife cheered while I got a bit choked up. Not so much for my DS but for all the Rats who are beginning their journey. I felt very proud of all of them.

Cool temperatures forecasted for Lexington. Hopefully it will temper the heat from the cadre! :hammer:
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Agreed...it was impressive.. I have a feeling in 2 weeks we shall be even more impressed at New Market
 
If you're anything like me, when you see your DS/DDs again, it will hit you like a ton of bricks that she/he is not the same person you dropped off this past weekend. You will be justifiably beaming with pride!

One point to make about this, though, is that the SMCs uniformly have very strict rules about Public Display of Affection while in uniform. If your kiddos aren't all huggy with you next time you see them during parents weekend (and you must go!), just know that this is likely the reason. That said, moms tend to get a huge break in the PDA department! (Dads like me tend to get a very crinkley chin whenever they see them for the first time again). :smile:
 
I echo the suggestion - GO - for VMI its New Market - what a great experience. For others am sure there are events that are coming around soon!
Your cadet will be soo pleased to have you attend and it will give you a chance to breath easier!
Bird, jkuds, WELCOME! Your cadets are in doing fine - most certainly busy! All their preparation will enable them to keep going.
My warmest welcomes to all RAT families - do hope you are able to make it down for all the milestones of the fall! IT IS most appreciated! larry's mom
 
bjkuds said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uluWYap7Lao
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This is wonderful!! Thanks for the link. I must say, the send off of DS (now RAT) was impressive and moving. Reminds of what the Supreme Court said of VMI rat line in United States v. Virginia, 518 U.S. 515, 522 (1996):

As one Commandant of Cadets described it, the adversative method “ ‘dissects the young student,’ ” and makes him aware of his “ ‘limits and capabilities,’ ” so that he knows “ ‘how far he can go with his anger, ... how much he can take under stress, ... exactly what he can do when he is physically exhausted.’ ”
 
RE Football Game tickets New Market weekend

We were told that after half time our Rat could join us in the stands for the remainder of the game. So then reserved seating would be a bad idea because we would not likely have room for him to sit next to us correct? If my assumption is correct we need to get general admission seating. Does it get very crowded and is it going to be hard to save him a spot? thanks.
 
Am I seriously seeing thermostats and A/C in the rooms?

Back in the Old Corps....
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You are seeing them- but they are DISABLED (for all the rooms not just the rats)! Apparently you can't build a multiuse residential building in Virginia without installing AC and temp controls- but you don't have to actually allow them to control anything- it's the perfect VMI solution- put the cheese out there then have it snap down on the unsuspecting rat:rolleyes:

and don't get me started on the "old corps". Back in the old Corps when there was just the one "Main sinks" (bathrooms) with about 100 "heads" with no partitions between them, and 100 shower heads with no partitions between them- you rapidly got over your fear of strangers- or else you were just phenomenally constipated:eek: and foul to boot:thumbdown: (And every true Keydet knows what the sink in your Rat room is really for:confused:)

Actually- the biggest improvement to the rooms is the quality of the racks- they now all get wooden racks to put their hay's on rather than surplus metal racks with all of springs missing , woven together with metal coat hangers. You used to have to get a note from Dr Olds in order to get a bed board - the alternative was either sleeping on a C- shaped rack or else forgetting the rack altogether and rolling out your hay on the floor. Ah the good old days:biggrin:
 
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Bird85 said:
I've found myself looking at the webcam a few times today. They seem to be practicing their marching on the parade ground this afternoon!
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Me too.. Preston Library Cam gives the best shots sometimes but its off and on.
 
VMI Alumni Are LEGIT

Sister in Law..my Rats Aunt has worked for a manufacturing Co for many years. My father in law and many of his family retired from there. She was approached today by the Vice President of the Company and asked about our son attending VMI. He asked for our contact info so he can take DS out for dinner when he frequents Lexington for football games. ( I didn't think any VMI Alumni were around here). That is so cool to think someone would take the time to do that for him. And other than a quick blurb about where he intended to go to college in the local paper from when he graduated High school I have no clue how he found out. I just thought I would share.:thumb: It makes me feel good to know there is such a network of people that care. I just find it amazing that he has been there only 4 days and a total stranger to me is planning on doing that.
 
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bjkuds said:
Sister in Law..my Rats Aunt has worked for a manufacturing Co for many years. My father in law and many of his family retired from there. She was approached today by the Vice President of the Company and asked about our son attending VMI. He asked for our contact info so he can take DS out for dinner when he frequents Lexington for football games. ( I didn't think any VMI Alumni were around here). That is so cool to think someone would take the time to do that for him. And other than a quick blurb about where he intended to go to college in the local paper from when he graduated High school I have no clue how he found out. I just thought I would share.:thumb: It makes me feel good to know there is such a network of people that care. I just find it amazing that he has been there only 4 days and a total stranger to me is planning on doing that.
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And the alumni network will follow your DS for his entire life! This is one of the benefits of attending an SMC or SA over Mega State Univ, where the bond to one's alma mater can seem a bit diluted at times given the number of students that graduate every year from Mega Univ. I think the kinship among those with the SA/SMC experience stems from the fraternal-like challenges that the cadets have had to endure.

Also, when your DS eventually connects with a cadet or grad from another SA/SMC, the unspoken thought will be that they share a life experience that binds them. This kinship extends outside the front gate and often translates into career opportunities for grads (this aspect of the common SA/SMC experience is more directed to the civilian sector than in the military, where everything is truly based on merit).
 
Patent I know you told me that before and many one here over the last year have talked about how the alumni look out for the kids. Its just really nice to see it.

Bird85 they have spent most of the morning on the parade ground again. It seems that most of them have their ACU's now. And they are getting better at marching. It looks like everyone is in step and the rows are getting sharper. Not the mass of humanity like when they left the gymnasium:thumb: I saw they took the VFT yesterday as well. It's on Post View. DS went backwards a little from STP but not all the way back:eek:
 
TAMU has begun Freshman Orientation Week

The Fish reported to TAMU on Sunday, 21 August - all 800+ of 'em, the largest Fish class in 25 years. The weather was even more "toasty" than it usually is in College Station in August. Between the heat, drought, and construction, no Fish Fry this year. The review for the Fish will be on Saturday morning and classes start on Monday.

General Ramirez relayed a moving vignette during his address to the Fish parents. My poor reporting skills won't do it justice. While on active duty General Ramirez had attended the funeral in Nebraska of a West Point graduate who was killed in action. The funeral ceremony was held in a sales barn in this small town because of the number of people who attended, more than 500. As the remains were transferred for internment General Ramirez told us that the road was lined with families young and old waiting outside in the harsh January winter, holding American flags as the snow flakes fell, as the family made this last journey with their son. When it came time for General Ramirez to present the folded flag to the family he said he couldn't use the traditional "Thanks of grateful nation" remarks. Instead he got down on his knee and thanked the mother and father for sharing their son with the country. The families middle son went on to also attend West Point.

Now retired from active duty and the Commandant at TAMU General Ramirez was greeting some of the Fish as they were in-processing on Sunday. He asked one young man where he was from, and was told he was from a particular town in Nebraska. It was the same town the funeral referenced above had been held in. General Ramirez said he then looked behind the young man and saw the fallen soldier's mother. Each recognized the other and tears were shed. The general remarked that he told the new Fish, you will graduate or I will be chasing you back to Nebraska. General Ramirez also told the parents about the outstanding and committed alumni network at TAMU and gave some concrete examples of it.

Our child was nervous and told me "what have I done". I assured the kid that most folks felt that way. I recalled for our child that I remembered thinking that very same thing years ago as a police officer as I walked, gun drawn, down a dark alley looking for an armed suspect (he got away) - as I remembered my friends at Boston University were probably at Fathers (a Boston based chain in the 70's) having a beer and wondering to myself "What have I done - why I am in the middle of a small town in New Mexico doing this on a Friday night ?" I assured our child that it was going to work out ok,that following a dream is fine.

Gig 'em !

Lawma32RPD
 
Lawman32RPD, your post was perhaps the most moving and elequent post that I've ever read here on SAF. It truly gave me pause and brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for posting.

A couple of weeks ago, I stood right next to my son -- my only son -- and watched him silently as he marched past me in his ACUs and walking tall with his M-4 carbine flung over his shoulder (I was not permitted to speak with him, although there was so much that I wanted to say). I don't want to tell you what I was thinking during the moments between my cycles of jubilation and pride, but I expect you had the same thoughts yesterday. Needless to say, it was a moment of really mixed emotions for me personally and an experience that I have never felt before.

God bless our kids. Each and every one of them.
 
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