for what its worth. at last year's luau, drink tickets were dispensed limiting the attendees to either 2 or 3 drinks, i dont recall the exact number. rather than ensuring relative sobriety, most of the seniors obtained their own alcohol and "pregamed" the party, and continued to drink afterwards. having experienced both last years and this years, i personally am of the opinion that last years, drink limits and all, was worse in terms of behavior both before and afterwards than this years. the lesson in my mind? it doesnt really matter what limits you impose, theres not really much that youre going to be able to do to keep a class of friends that havent seen each other for awhile sober when they all get together. its more a matter of how many people you want to punish and how you want to do it.
Senior Luau
- Thread starter DinghyMom
- Start date
Hadn't heard of any issues, but I am not surprised that some go overboard (pardon the pun). They were psyched to reunite with their plebe buddies, share sea year experiences and catch up after 2+ years. This is a tight bunch who really missed each other, which speaks to the bond that was forged plebe year. Pretty neat.
It was just refreshing to get a call hearing DS was actually having FUN up there because most of those calls entail all of his chaos: intensive, grueling academic work, responsibilities, time constraints, etc. and are stressful to say the least = NOT FUN. So those kind of calls are few and far between. It's just that dawgone rollercoaster with those higher, but fewer, peaks.
It was just refreshing to get a call hearing DS was actually having FUN up there because most of those calls entail all of his chaos: intensive, grueling academic work, responsibilities, time constraints, etc. and are stressful to say the least = NOT FUN. So those kind of calls are few and far between. It's just that dawgone rollercoaster with those higher, but fewer, peaks.
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2009
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- 580
There’s nothing wrong with drinking as long as it’s done in moderation. Sailors have been doing it for ages. The British Royal Navy even referred to a tot of rum as the ‘framework of hospitality’ because it acted as a social lubricant. Drinking in moderation is a good way to ‘lift the safeties’ and blow off some steam. Many of us that go to sea have carried on a ‘bit large’ at more than few ‘Bob's-a-Dying’ bashes and most are none the worse for wear. I know when I was a cadet I did and enjoyed every minute of it
. I’ve also sat with shipmates in waterfront gin mills all around the world and had a grand old time. The cost for all the fun was little more than a few dollars and maybe a bit of a hangover the next day. That said, I have witnessed the abuse of alcohol too. For example, I had an AB on my watch on a Keystone tanker many years ago who went ‘off the wagon’ and fell back in with ‘John Barleycorn’. He disappeared for several days on our passage from the Persian Gulf to Europe. His shipmates in the deck gang covered for him and took his booze away trying to sober him up. When I would inquire on his whereabouts the sailors would say “he’s sick Mate, but he should be better soon”. Despite the gang taking Carlos’ liquor away he had secreted away a bottle or two. The hidden booze while it lasted, coupled with his Aqua Velva aftershave and Listerine after the booze ran out, kept him pretty well ‘gassed up’ as we say in the merchant marine. Finally after about five days of this the old man came up on my watch and asked me if I had seen ‘Carlos’.. I told him what the sailors had told me; “Well Cap, I heard he’s sick, but he’s getting better!”. ”BULL$HIT mister” the Captain said.. "That a$$hole is right now down in MY office sitting at MY desk.. DEAD DRUNK!!"
I guess in an inebriated haze Carlos had wandered north from the focsle deck to the old man’s office and made himself at home. Well I got a good ‘a$$ chewing’ from the skipper 
for being naive and not recognizing what was going on with my watch AB. Very embarrassing 
Anyway, the story had a happy ending. Carlos didn’t get fired and with the help of his shipmates (and the not so gentle encouragement of the Master and Chief Mate) sobered up, got 'back on the wagon' and returned to being one of our best ABs and a productive crewmember. Nowadays with the alcohol regulations being what they are, that story wouldn’t have ended quite as well for Carlos. So remember know your limits, mind your ‘P’s and Q’s’, don't be stupid by doing things like "pregaming the party" and it’s all good..
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Jasperdog thanks for backing me up - to the folks that are new to this forum you will learn that a lot of information here can be very credible and on occasion information is flat out incorrect or highly exaggerated which paints a really poor picture of the USMMA to fly-by observers or new members (including potential applicants). So there is a rumor mill out there - it can get tiresome and other times just laughable. And I am not naive and know there are some warts but the USMMA turns out a great product. The bottom line is the academy has rules and a process for dealing with those that stray outside of the lines (alcohol, drugs, grades, cheating, discipline, etc); that road leads to dis-enrollment. The numbers support this point - the current 1/C started with about 283 - excluding setbacks from an earlier class I believe they now stand around 170 and they will lose some more before it is over.
I'm with the pragmatic observations KPDad shared.
I saw a LOT of pics some kind Mids posted about the Luau.
Everything I saw (and yes, I scanned the background for MY mid), looked pretty organized and well behaved... 200+ kids, enjoying a meal from Outside.
At NO point (from afternoon to evening pics, and then Land Hall), did I see some huge line snaking to a row of kegs. For that, you'll have to visit your StateU for a dorm party.
A special thanks to ShutterBugC, who absolutely made my day with the observation about wouldn't "...there be rules at the academy"
That place is wall-to-wall rules, and their piled high enough you'll need a ladder to see over them Just ask your P/C if there are rules.
( S'ok, I remember having the same thoughts 3 years ago. )
And, with the rules, there are consequences.
THEY MEAN IT !!
KP is absolutely tough enough WITHOUT having your name appear on the Mast List (for the newbie, it's a BAD thing-- MORE restrictions, more work, yucko).
I saw a LOT of pics some kind Mids posted about the Luau.
Everything I saw (and yes, I scanned the background for MY mid), looked pretty organized and well behaved... 200+ kids, enjoying a meal from Outside.
At NO point (from afternoon to evening pics, and then Land Hall), did I see some huge line snaking to a row of kegs. For that, you'll have to visit your StateU for a dorm party.
A special thanks to ShutterBugC, who absolutely made my day with the observation about wouldn't "...there be rules at the academy"
That place is wall-to-wall rules, and their piled high enough you'll need a ladder to see over them
Just ask your P/C if there are rules.( S'ok, I remember having the same thoughts 3 years ago. )
And, with the rules, there are consequences.
THEY MEAN IT !!
KP is absolutely tough enough WITHOUT having your name appear on the Mast List (for the newbie, it's a BAD thing-- MORE restrictions, more work, yucko).
shutterbugC
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2010
- Messages
- 407
Is there anyway we can have the link for those photos? Just would like to see all the fun going on for those Mids.
DITTO Zonk!! ~ I too saw Luau pictures and it looked like a GREAT party that was under control/well managed. Again, good to see those Mids having fun at KP knowing how hard they have worked and will continue to work towards graduation. Next up? Ring Dance! Now we ALL will be able to see pictures of that.
My, how things have changed. I am guessing that the Midshipman's Pub isn't open at Land Hall anymore. It opened my Second Class year, and I believe that the thinking was so that the drinking would happen "onboard" and maybe minimize any potential DUI incidents. If course I also recall a rather interesting (and last onboard) rugby party at the NCO club.
As far as drinking "in the fleet", I sailed before the inception of the ISM code, but it was generally tolerated if it didn't interfere with watchstanding or work. Whether or not drinking was allowed onboard was generally company policy. Logged and fired were the standard repercussions for getting caught. I do recall an old "professional third engineer" on one ship that got into the Aqua Velva on a return trip from the Far East. He was confined to quarters for the rest of the trip and discharged upon arrival in the US.
I also recall having a luau/ one one ship with all the officers and passengers with cocktails made in fresh young coconuts that we purchased in Borneo.
Foreign flagged vessels, US owned or not, have differing views on drinking. Many European crewed ships have full bars available for the Officers. I made a trip on a tanker owned by a major US oil company, foreign flag with Northern European officers and Filipino crew. They only had beer available in the bar at that time (mid 90's). Seems that the ship made a call in the SF Bay Area and some of the management came onboard, saw the hard liquor in the bar and told the Officers to make sure that it was thrown out. This was done largely as a reaction to the EXXON VALDEZ incident and all tanker operators being cautious about alcohol consumption.
Personally, I found that on ocean going vessels with a large crew, alcohol, consumed moderately, had a no real impact on regular operations, other than rare cases. When I started to sail on ocean tugs and ITB's with crew sizes of 13 or less, there wasn't any time available for drinking. I recall firing a new hire (and my relief) who not only showed up staggering drunk, but also had a couple of fifths in his bag.
Adults are going to drink. Fact of life. The maritime industry has a reputation of hard drinking. Fact of life. I do think that if an individual is going to consider a maritime career, they should have the opportunity to learn responsible drinking.
To allay the fears that any parents may have about their midshipman at the Academy, even back in the dark ages when I was onboard, attendance at numerous lectures about the dangers of alcohol was mandatory.
As far as drinking "in the fleet", I sailed before the inception of the ISM code, but it was generally tolerated if it didn't interfere with watchstanding or work. Whether or not drinking was allowed onboard was generally company policy. Logged and fired were the standard repercussions for getting caught. I do recall an old "professional third engineer" on one ship that got into the Aqua Velva on a return trip from the Far East. He was confined to quarters for the rest of the trip and discharged upon arrival in the US.
I also recall having a luau/ one one ship with all the officers and passengers with cocktails made in fresh young coconuts that we purchased in Borneo.
Foreign flagged vessels, US owned or not, have differing views on drinking. Many European crewed ships have full bars available for the Officers. I made a trip on a tanker owned by a major US oil company, foreign flag with Northern European officers and Filipino crew. They only had beer available in the bar at that time (mid 90's). Seems that the ship made a call in the SF Bay Area and some of the management came onboard, saw the hard liquor in the bar and told the Officers to make sure that it was thrown out. This was done largely as a reaction to the EXXON VALDEZ incident and all tanker operators being cautious about alcohol consumption.
Personally, I found that on ocean going vessels with a large crew, alcohol, consumed moderately, had a no real impact on regular operations, other than rare cases. When I started to sail on ocean tugs and ITB's with crew sizes of 13 or less, there wasn't any time available for drinking. I recall firing a new hire (and my relief) who not only showed up staggering drunk, but also had a couple of fifths in his bag.
Adults are going to drink. Fact of life. The maritime industry has a reputation of hard drinking. Fact of life. I do think that if an individual is going to consider a maritime career, they should have the opportunity to learn responsible drinking.
To allay the fears that any parents may have about their midshipman at the Academy, even back in the dark ages when I was onboard, attendance at numerous lectures about the dangers of alcohol was mandatory.