Plebe Pillow Pugilists

E-mail I received:

Statement from the 59th Superintendent, United States Military Academy

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You may have heard about an incident reported in the media Saturday involving a pillow fight by the members of the Class of 2019. Here is an update and some clarifying facts.

On August 20, 2015, many members of the plebe class participated in a pillow fight in order to build esprit de corps among their class, especially following their tough first summer. Previous plebe classes have done similar events over the years.

Unfortunately cadets were injured, with 30 cadets evaluated by medical personnel. Specifically, 24 cadets were diagnosed with concussions, none of them severe. Other injuries sustained included a broken nose, a dislocated shoulder, and a hairline fracture of a cheekbone for one of the concussed cadets. Medical personnel evaluated and released four other cadets with no injuries. No cadets left the Academy because of their injuries. All cadets have been returned to duty.

While these spirit events do occur, we never condone any activity that results in intentional harm to a teammate. Although the vast majority of the class appears to have maintained the spirit of the event; it is apparent that a few did not. A military police investigation that began the night of the incident is ongoing. I assure you that the chain of command will take appropriate action when the investigation is complete.

We have accountability of every cadet identified with injuries. Medical personnel have conducted comprehensive follow-up with the injured cadets, including following established evidence-based concussion care protocols. In addition, the chain of command and medical professionals will continue follow-up with these cadets to address any negative impact on their performance or experience as a cadet.

As Superintendent, I take full responsibility for all actions that occur here at West Point to include the event on August 20, 2015. We remain committed to the development of leaders of character. We will continue our investigation, ensure accountability, and reinforce with the Corps that we must all take care of our teammates.

Robert L. Caslen, Jr.
LTG, US Army
Superintendent
 
Day-Tripper said:
I expect 18 year old plebes to make stupid decisions. I don't expect their superiors to accept it.
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I see it differently - plebes should not make stupid decisions and superiors need to train and lead plebes to not make stupid decisions. Easy as a supervisor to tell a subordinate that he or she screwed up. But depends what the subordinate did, the supervisor could have some responsbility for the secrew up.

Yes, I have 20+ years of military expereince, to include making some stupid decisions, to see some stuipd decisions were made by many folks involved. But I can guess there are multiple failures, where those failures did not have to happen. Selected plebes could have exercised more self control. Upperclass leadership should have been in the area to supervise (i.e. I don't think we let privates conduct training activities by themselves). I find it hard to believe that no officers/NCOs were in the area during the "pillow fight." If so, they should have stopped the whole thing.
 
Jcleppe said:
GoSox said:
But if you want to get a sense of how little people understand the culture of the military it is worth reading the comments on the New York Times article
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I think this is more of a "Culture of West Point" then of the military.

Put this same incident at a public university and all those that caused injury would be expelled, the organization that sponsored it would be closed down, and yes it would have made the national news.

Watching 2 sons go through ROTC over the last 7 years, I don't ever remember hearing of a pillow fight with injuries. I guess they just won't have that Warrior ethos.
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I don't disagree with your points -- it was a newsworthy event -- but you would have to read the comments by the NYT readers to see what I mean about the culture gap. Lots of 'what do you expect from sadists/killers/brutes' type comments. Lots of comments that indicate that the commenter believes a pillow fight at West Point indicates that the military in general (and that's all of us who serve, including ROTC grads) is corrupt and brutal.

It is now the most emailed article on NYTimes and has over 800 comments (that is way up there).
 
I trust that the superintendent will get all the facts and handle this properly. I'm confident that any plebes who acted heinously toward their fellow plebes will be punished appropriately. Hopefully the pillow fight will continue with I'm sure a lot more oversight in the future. My DS wasn't injured and had a fun time whacking his fellow plebes with his regular pillow.
 
The appropriate punishment for a cadet who intentionally set out to injure fellow cadets is expulsion / disenrollment.

Any cadet who placed a helmet or other hard object inside a pillowcase has no other explanation other than they were out to hurt their fellow cadet(s).

Weed them out, they are a stain on the institution.
 
Ok, you all know that the honor code worked, right? The cadet who put a helmet in the pillow case, came forward and confessed. And the military police are handling the matter. Why there was this assumption that no investigation would take place and that nothing would ultimately happen, I have no idea.
 
I've been discussing this with my classmates from 1989 and none of us or anybody else I've talked to from classes in the 80's remember this "tradition". Very disappointing to see USMA's name and reputation getting beat up like this. West Point is better than this and I'm confident that LTG Caslen will sort this garbage out.
 
GoSox said:
but you would have to read the comments by the NYT readers to see what I mean about the culture gap. Lots of 'what do you expect from sadists/killers/brutes' type comments. Lots of comments that indicate that the commenter believes a pillow fight at West Point indicates that the military in general (and that's all of us who serve, including ROTC grads) is corrupt and brutal.
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I completely agree with this, the comments made are over the top and show a disconnect many have with the military. Even when something like this is reported, people seem to go to the extreme.
 
bookreader said:
Why there was this assumption that no investigation would take place and that nothing would ultimately happen, I have no idea.
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I think this assumption came about because the rumor mill was rampant on social media and WP chose not to release a statement. Too often when negative events occur at WP (and other institutions) they aren't proactive. They play the "wait and see what happens" while social media takes over. In this digital age with social media public relations people cant do that....media often doesn't play the "wait and see game". PR people must then go to crisis intervention mode vs reputation management mode.
 
I agree @MomWPgirl - WP will have to change the way they handle PR. Why they are being so slow about this needed change is a mystery to me. I'll just add it to the every growing pile of things about the army that mystify me. :)
 
USMCGrunt said:
There are plenty of leadership lessons to be learned across the entire chain of command.
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This is one of those situations in which leadership means nothing beyond the penalty phase. Investigation? This is easy for a parent.

If you take a pillow with a helmet, combination lock, lockbox (insert Al Gore's voice) or any weighted object to a "pillow fight" you're a "chickens***" and a coward. This isn't Anbar Province. Get a grip!

If surviving these tribulations is part of the process, then so be it.
 
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Again, these are their brothers and sisters at the Point. If this is how brothers and sisters are to be treated then those who committed such harmful acts have NO place in that Gray Line!

You have a problem with a Kadet; there are other methods on working out such problems otherwise you're a lunatic.
 
bookreader said:
http://www.havokjournal.com/nation/heres-what-really-happened-at-the-west-point-pillow-fight/

A much more realistic look at what happened.
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Ya-this is what "REALLY HAPPENED"! From the Sup---

"Unfortunately cadets were injured, with 30 cadets evaluated by medical personnel. Specifically, 24 cadets were diagnosed with concussions, none of them severe. Other injuries sustained included a broken nose, a dislocated shoulder, and a hairline fracture of a cheekbone for one of the concussed cadets. Medical personnel evaluated and released four other cadets with no injuries. No cadets left the Academy because of their injuries. All cadets have been returned to duty."
 
I believe the above article did present a more realistic picture than other sensationalized media outlets BUT this years pillow fight did result in more significant injuries than in the past. Yes, most cadets fought fair and enjoyed the team-building event but again a few cadets decided to play unfairly as in years past. How do you end the loading of pillowcases? I would propose stiff consequences. Once cadets realize it will not be tolerated...it ends. Once an example is made...I believe the pillow fight will revert back to good clean fun.
 
ca2midwestmom said:
The class of 2016 had a few cadets put locks or lockboxes in their pillowcases which resulted in injuries, and the following class (2017) was not allowed to have the pillow fight. The class of 2018 did -- still with some injuries, mostly bloody noses, maybe a few concussions. It will likely not be allowed for the class of 2020 but who knows about future classes.
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So exactly how does taking away pillow fights from the next incoming class teach a lesson? So the next class is punished (something fun taken away) because of the actions of the previous class? Nothing like being punished for something you didn't do and weren't even around for when it happened. This type of "punishment system" is not effective. It just breeds cynicism and negativity.

The USAFA has removed hall brawls, first shirt first snow, stealing the class crest, tzo sailing and a number of other traditional cadet activities due to the bad behavior of a few or the fact it could look "unprofessional." So slowly, all the fun tradition is being taken away. Those traditions balanced out all the "negative" ones.
 
Don't forget "spirit cheese". Years ago I had season tickets to AF football games. When AF scored the student section ( and some of the non-student attendees) would throw slices of individually wrapped Kraft cheese into the air. Don't ask me why or how it started, I have no idea. I do recall it being banned the next year.

I have no problem with a pillow fight. If WP wants to continue it then fine. Those in charge of the cadets that night should be admonished for their lack of supervision. The cadets' that put anything other than a pillow into their pillow cases should be dealt with harshly. I'm not sure they should be suspended or kicked out but there should be some sort of mid-level discipline that is meted out to someone who commits second and third degree assault. I have been conversing with a poster on this site that I respect very much. His take is spot on..."if this sort of thing had taken place on a civilian college campus or at a frat house the frat would be shut down and the students suspended or expelled". IMPO the whole thing is just beyond stupid.
 
MombaBomba said:
So exactly how does taking away pillow fights from the next incoming class teach a lesson? So the next class is punished (something fun taken away) because of the actions of the previous class? Nothing like being punished for something you didn't do and weren't even around for when it happened. This type of "punishment system" is not effective. It just breeds cynicism and negativity.

The USAFA has removed hall brawls, first shirt first snow, stealing the class crest, tzo sailing and a number of other traditional cadet activities due to the bad behavior of a few or the fact it could look "unprofessional." So slowly, all the fun tradition is being taken away. Those traditions balanced out all the "negative" ones.
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Unintended or intended consequence of political correctness, open media, civilian "inputs," and our about what happens at SA and to a degree in the miltiary.

I am not saying that the miltiary does everything right or they don't need civilian oversight. Recall having a lengthy discussion about hazing and harassement not too long ago. When the SA leadership is under a microscope and being second guessed all the time, their only choice is to get rid of "all the fun tradition."
 
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