Stop the snack attacks

Somewhere in the bowels of USNA, a JO or Information Systems Technician is rocking back and forth from the pressure of creating such a graphic for "USNA Leadership." 😄 Can you say "OER bullet" and "promotability?"

The amount of time someone spent on this is incredible - and reminiscent of all the time a midshipman will spend counting spaces, checking font sizes and types, or double-checking the alignment of graphics on a powerpoint slide as a JO. I wonder if the pretty pictures will help deter more "assaults" of this kind. 🤔
 
But SNACK ATTACKS??? *eyeroll*
 
The Supt or Dant published a letter with this a week or two ago. A few years ago USNA asked for the candy to stop being thrown as it creates a lot of clean up for the city with litter and candy being ground into the roads. As someone who marched at the rear of the bridge... that is true. And there are even more fans today then when I was there. Apparently the food being thrown is more than just candy, in some cases, hot dogs, burgers, and sodas. USNA asks for those who wanted to provide ‘snacks’ bring it to a designated area and they would distribute it to the Brigade. I understand both sides of the argument, I get the tradition and get the concerns USNA is stating and in some cases the city has too. Just offering what USNA is saying.
 
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That all makes sense, I respect the attempt to reign it in. I’m eye rolling at the graphic and ‘catchy phrase’. That sign is laughable to me.
 
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Not sure how this tradition "morphed." In my day, the mids threw candy (as in small, individually wrapped pieces) to kids as we marched. It wasn't a huge thing, the kids loved it, and I'm quite sure THEY (the kids) cleaned up -- as in scooped up all the wrapped candy and ate it. It was a really fun tradition that brought smiles to the mids, the spectators and, especially, the kids.

Now it seems that people are throwing large objects, including bottles AT THE MIDS. First, it makes no sense as they can't eat it while marching and will shortly be at the stadium where they will have plenty of access to all varieties of snacks. I've heard what happens now borders on dangerous and, if it doesn't stop, march overs will be canceled (and instead, mids will form up outside the stadium). The whole thing amazes me . . . in a bad way.
 
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‘85, I had dinner with a few Mids a couple weeks ago and they echoed the same thing. One said their cover was knocked off by a soda can then trampled on as those behind didn’t see it and kept marching and the other said they tried to hide the entire game because their whites had been covered in ketchup and mustard from a thrown hot dog. Those were just two Mids with examples as I am sure there are plenty more of bad examples along with tons of great examples of fans throwing small pieces of wrapped candy all in good fun. Hopefully a happy medium can be found.
 
That’s not only ridiculous, but I’m guessing illegal. Those people should be arrested or at the very least publicly shamed with all the people on the sidelines. It cant be unnoticed who is chucking the burgers and dogs. Some people are just idiots. A few spoil it for all.
 
How prevalent is the issue ? Is it isolated to a handful of dumb a$$es on the march on route, or does someone really think there is a tradition of throwing burgers, soda, and messy food to the Midshipman. If the former, I would think it would have been better to deal with it with a couple Midshipman walking (escorting) each Company.
 
I just have to add that anyone who thinks it is appropriate to throw hot dogs, bottles or cans AT anyone has a real problem. I suggest the Annapolis police (who don't seem to do anything on game day other than increase traffic congestion by making sure the traffic to the stadium is blocked by stopping the incoming stadium traffic so that every Annapolitan can immediately exit their side street -- but I digress) . . . the police should patrol the route and arrest on charges of battery anyone who throws large items at a mid. Haul them off to jail. That will stop it.
 
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