Kids who party in high school bring their party habits with them to college - doesn't matter which college they attend.
J_A_M this is so true! The Mids who partied in high school continue to do so at USNA, as they would have done so at any other University.
...their immaturity requires them to play catch up.
Every College Kid in America is immature on some level, the SA's do not have a market on immaturity. I am curious as to why one would think that SA students are somehow more immature? USNA69 in your first post the mids are perceived as immature yet in following post they are now honorable and mature. Please explain the change the change in your view.
And do you know for a fact that the woman is blameless in this one? There was highly conflicting testimony.
I was under the impression that he was convicted by seven officers on the jury panel. Is my impression wrong? Were they, the jury panel, wrong? Were any of us in the courtroom to hear the "highly conflicting testimony?"
They need to solve the alcohol problem.
Very true. This is a statement that can be said and is being said at every institution of higher ed and unfortunately high school in America. Again the SA’s do not have the market on alcohol problems, it is a society problem.
Don’t think so. USNA and the other service academies are different. The “culture” is totally different than State U.
Possibly, but maybe not. One of the topics that was presented to the parents during the Supe’s brief at Plebe Parents weekend was the culture of drinking. The Supe, along with the Commandant and the Academic Dean stood before us and acknowledged that these are college age kids with the same problems that every college in America faces. They are addressing the issue. At least USNA has 0-0-1-3; and as the letter that came to the parents stated, "trying to instill responsible use of alcohol." Alcohol has been a part of the Military for many years. A good family friend, USNA'45 is the first in the afternoon to grab the Scotch for the 4 O'clock cocktail hour, what he views as responsible drinking - even though he does it at the club and then drives home. At least 0-0-1-3 is a guidline that shows what he is doing is in fact irresponsible. A policy that tries to instill “responsible use” must be given a chance to work. It has been in place for less than a year. Does it make any sense that we teach these kids how to shoot a weapon, drive a million dollar ship and we dare not teach them responsible use of Alcohol?
Things used to be easy. No drinking in uniform. No civilian clothes within the 7 mile limit. No going outside the 7 mile limit unless on an authorized weekend. And I think a basic variation of this was still in effect as little as 10 years ago.
Society has changed whether we like it or not. Were the good old days really the "good ol days?" or is it a memory of what is perceived as better times? We all think it was much better when we were in school or did we just not realize at the time what was going on around us, just like today’s kids don't see it.
Here is an article from a member of the Class of 1963 for the May Issue of Shipmate magazine:
http://www.usna63.org/shipmate/columns/May2006.html
reminiscence from our First Class Year at USNA.
In the summer of 1962 during our leave after First Class cruise, ----purchased a 1949 Chevy for $50 ------------- We named it "St. Christopher" because we weren't sure it would make it from Kansas to Annapolis. We figured that if it didn't we'd just leave it in a ditch somewhere in Ohio and hitchhike the rest of the way. We loaded up the trunk with numerous cases of ------ beer (couldn't get ------ on the east coast then), and a cooler full of iced-down cans in the back seat, and headed east. When the cooler was empty, we'd replenish it from the trunk. We figured that we averaged a beer about every 27 miles during the trip. We threw the empties on the back seat floor. By the time we reached DC, the pile of empties had reached the level of the back seat.
We found a garage for rent ------- -----------, about a mile from the Academy. Since we were always short of money back then, we coerced several more members of the --- to become part owners of "Chris". ---------------
Liberty usually meant going to Dave's Corner, a combination feed store and bar/restaurant, and low rent dump in Mayo Beach, MD, which was either right inside the 7 mile limit, or right outside it. Either way we were in violation -- outside the liberty limits or drinking within the limits.
Here's how it usually worked. ---------- we would all head out the gate and walk to the garage. We'd back Chris out a little and leave the headlights on so we could see inside the garage. Sweatshirts and levis hung from nails in the walls. We changed in the garage. As the doors closed you could see overcoats and white covers on the nails in place of the civvies. We'd head for Dave's and spend the evening drinking cheap, watered down beer and eating greasy hamburgers. They had no idea that we were Mids with our high and tight haircuts, inside out Navy sweatshirts, levis, and spit shined shoes. Then we'd head back and go through everything in reverse at the garage and stagger back to Bancroft Hall. There were many other adventures with Chris during First Class year, but those are for telling at another time.
Before graduation we "sold" Chris to a member of the Class of '65 for ten cents, fully expecting it to crap out before the summer ended. ------ Chris was still around when '65 graduated, and it was handed down to a member of '66. -------------
Were times really any different than they are today?
We as a society give these kids everything and allow behavior that is appalling. If appropriate behavior is not taught at home, I seriously doubt given society today, turning the clock back at USNA will work either. Anyone who sends a child off to one of the SA and thinks that they will somehow be isolated from today’s culture is not living in the present time.