Rags to riches? I would not choose to use that comparison when talking about any graduate of a SA. There is a lot of hard work involved in the process. Certainly you remember the old joke, What do you call the last member of your graduating class? Yep, 2nd Lieutenant. It is a level playing field upon graduation. While I agree, it doesn't look hopeful for the guy numbered last, I would be remiss not to say, "Don't ever under estimate the intelligence of your peers regardless of their GPA."
****The wife said that I am swaying off topic. I posted on this thread to offer encouragement so I should get back to the subject matter. She said she knows you from other boards and that you are a good kid. I wish you the best with your service career.
lol no worries, I am neither offended nor upset. It's refreshing to have a discussion civilly on these boards.
Even if CC says I'm not a good kid, I am. I like my toys.
I guess I didn't expect my analogy of rags to riches to be so ambiguous. I'll be a tad more specific. The likelihood that a lower 25% graduate, especially the particularly cynical ones out there, is low that they will hit O-7, by the numbers! There are exceptions out there (and they weren't hesitant to let anyone know during visits!). I certainly hope you're not one of those exceptions and feel offended by my statements. I'm not trying to logically argue this point, I really wouldn't try to speculate on the outcome because everyone brings so much to the table in our service (Lance Sijan, first USAFA MOH recipient was considered a huge jerk as a cadet and graduated very low, but he had some cojones!). Based strictly on the numbers collected by USAFA, it is very unlikely that anyone ranked low will reach general and those that do/did were usually exceptions to the rule.
Side-note, the last graduate as a LT. True. Also get hit with the RIFs much quicker. But also, that reputation does follow them. If they were not hard workers and were just a crap cadet and ended there, their career and peer reputation usually follows and life is a bit harder. I was shocked, when talking to grads, how much a person's academy reputation followed them. LtGen Rice, when I visited Yokota, told us a story about how he got a job as a Captain based on his reputation at USAFA as a cadet, a job which was probably the door which led the path to his stars.
Anywho, don't leave the forums. I'm not one to bite your head off! I will also eat my words in a heartbeat if I am proven wrong (part of being a scientist, and also a result of working in a place like RAND). I seek the truth and won't fight to the bitter end on what is a loosing argument just to try and save face. I don't know your background at all. If you have stories and info, share! (if comfortable). I have learned so much from my interactions with others in the world that my decisions changed drastically. (I had some long talks with Bullet and Pima at their home and on the phone, helped form my decision to ditch med school for the grad school/pilot track). I'm a habitual student, feed this LT some knowledge!
