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- Mar 5, 2012
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We parents have been networking with social media, phone/text and in person at parents weekend, a-day and parent group meetings. Cadets talk with their parents. Here are a couple of the things being shared by parents of direct from high school cadets.
Many of those with preppie roommates during bct had problems. The top issue was being told point blank by the preppie that the high school basic was on their own when it came to bct because the preppie already had to go through this once and figure it out for him/herself. It didn't matter that the preppie knew he/she was expected to help and that the high school basic roommate was being held to a higher standard by the cadre. The cadre assumed that the preppie was being helpful, thus when the high school basic wasn't performing to a higher expectation, the cadre concluded it was because it was a problem with the high school basic. The high school basics don't speak up because they figure that they may not be believed, might be seen as a tattle tale, or that they are expected to handle everything themselves, etc. The parents remain quiet because it isn't their place to say something, the usafa knows and the kids are expected to find a way to deal on their own, or for fear speaking up could negatively impact their kid, maybe it's part of the bct training, etc. This isn't just a problem reported this year as parents of older cadets reported some of the same issues.
Note!!!!! The pre enlisted preppies and the pre enlisted direct were great. Sometimes the high school basic felt a little mothered, but those times were few, and of the eye roll category as opposed to the annoyed category.
Some Preppie kids were very cliquey. They often gravitated and associated only with other preppies, and they would only volunteer help to other preppies. If a direct out of high school basic was in a triple with 2 preppie roommates, she/he often felt excluded.
PLEASE NOTE: all preppies are not problems. There are some great ones out there. Also, I realize that feelings and impressions are not facts, but reactions to a given situation, and that a kids interpretation of a situation may be off. However, enough parents from across the country who never met before are reporting their kids, who are in different squadrons, are experiencing the same thing. So perhaps there is something to the cultural thing.
Perhaps the issue is in brining a diverse group of kids together, some who are friends and some who aren't, and as a result, it takes a while to pound out the "us" vs them into a we"
I agree with this. There definitely is a dichotomy between directs and preppies right out of the gate. The same separation happens between prior-Es and direct at the Prep School. Sometimes there are preppies who really just don't care and I can see those people keeping to themselves during basic. The fact is, there are plenty of directs who also just don't care. It seems like common sense that the preppies should help out the directs, and it is often encouraged in the first few weeks. The fact is that people catch on to the routine pretty quickly. In reality, the preppies get a very slight advantage, although sometimes it might seem like a huge advantage. I've gone through 17 weeks of basic training. Personally, I never felt like it got easier. There are many aspects of the Hill which are different than the Prep School. I would argue that preppies are under just as much stress as the directs during BCT.
Preppies view other preppies as an extensive support network to help them get through the struggle of freshman life. Yes, they are a little cliquey, but can you really blame them? Good friends are a godsend in a stressful environment. Over the years that follow basic training, the preppie and direct labels pretty much disappear.
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