Then there are these "words of wisdom and advice" from a current USNA MID 2/C

The young fella told the alumni to “simmer down.”

My only stake in this is I’m a taxpayer, but I would though advise him to lose the pretentious attitude before he meets his Chief when he checks aboard his first ship.
 
Need to think about this one some more. My initial questions... so should they still drill in boot camp? ROTC? OCS? What about other ceremonies like change of commands, retirements, etc? Mids will just magically know that in the fleet? So should they learn drill Plebe Summer, do formations and march ons? What should stay and go? The author didn’t take the time to actually address any of this. Honestly USNA grads stand out as JOs in these areas as we do more drill and ceremonies than ROTC programs (minus the SMCs). I just find the article very short sighted and just throws out a rant, not a well thought out argument about how to address these things. Then again they are now on their 2/C cruise... a lot to learn and grow. Be curious what this Mid thinks two years into the fleet.

Funny thing... I think when I was firstie we learned some very valuable lessons around parades. We had a GySgt, no company officer. He saw how much we hated drill and our lackluster enthusiasm for it. He had the company Sergeant Major March everyone but the 1/C back to Mother B. We stayed out there doing pass and reviews for another hour. Just our company, just our 1/C. It was about setting the example and enforcing a standard. We had to lead our other company mates. We had to set the standard for our company. Every day after lunch the 1/C did manual of arms in the hallways for 30 minutes. 30+ 1/C weeks from graduation doing manual of arms... not happy. But it made its point. We finally got the message and won every parade that spring. We learned to be positive, enforce the standard and set the example. The fleet is full of these challenges. There are lessons that can be learned in parades... you just have to search for them. Oh and ‘turning off your brain’... actually valuable. Lots of times I learned to while waiting hours for a 5 Ton to pick me up or enduring pain...
 
I’ll give the author credit for using his name (I’m presuming that’s his real name) and for being technically a good writer. He makes his case fairly well, notwithstanding the somewhat flippant “simmer down.”

It’s just that I respectfully disagree. I liken this to my college graduate nephew who said, “I don’t get the point of making us take algebra and calculus in high school. I’ve never used it once since.” He (who happens to be an at-home day trader) doesn’t fathom that algebra and calculus indirectly teach problem solving, analytical skills, mental discipline and attention to detail.

Unfortunately, the young and inexperienced, steeped in a world of instant gratification born of high tech and social media, don’t yet see far enough ahead to know how the seemingly irrelevant today makes them better people tomorrow.
 
I watch several minutes of Navy boot camp graduation every Friday in the FB stream. The work these new Sailors put in to do the hour and a half graduation is impressive. If it were not for drill and parades there would be no boot camp graduation.

Also to the whiny midshipman. Marines is spelled with a big M.
 
"A parade is nothing more than an exercise in mindlessness and blind obedience that takes away time from more productive endeavors such as homework or physical fitness."

What a tool!

"Smart, driven young men and women who are willing to serve their country deserve an institution like the Naval Academy.

So I assume that Ezra Haddock is one of the smart, driven young men who are going to lead the unwashed masses?

I don't know how to say this kindly, but this attitude is widespread in society and on this forum in referring to our DS's and DD's.

Mine had it in spades before he was cut down to size. He is a better Officer and person because of it. The sooner they are cut down to size the better.
 
I can see where this guy is coming from, especially when you're young and full of piss and vinegar. More time for study and PT is something that every Mid could use to their advantage. I don't see anything wrong with grousing about it, actually.

It's not going to change, though. ;)
 
I can see where this guy is coming from, especially when you're young and full of piss and vinegar. More time for study and PT is something that every Mid could use to their advantage. I don't see anything wrong with grousing about it, actually.

It's not going to change, though. ;)
A complaining sailor, Marine, midshipman is a happy sailor, Marine, midshipman. I agree. Grouse away. I just don't like his smarmy attitude.
 
A complaining sailor, Marine, midshipman is a happy sailor, Marine, midshipman

Boy, ain't that the truth. I am here to tell you: you are never going to find a gathering of two or more Marines who will tell you how great things are. They will "*****" about any and everything and become professional at it. They may not say it to you but they will be commiserating with each other.

As a unit leader, you will know that you have unit cohesion when they complain about everything but jump on any other unit that tries to claim that they are better.

(Note: I hope I am making my point. I am multi-tasking during a conference call and can't put my full attention into this post...)
 
I took some time to think about responding to this, lest I be guilty of hubris too.

At the age and time I was doing the same thing, mindlessly drilling and doing formations and parades, in the OCS world, I too witched and moaned about how I could use the time so much more productively.

With the benefit of hindsight, I now realize that was the basis for classic leadership lessons in how to motivate unwilling people of disparate temperaments to do something uncomfortable, in all kinds of weather, that seemed to have zero bearing on anything a Navy Officer might eventually do, with precision, discipline and energy, as a team executing a physical mission in unison.

Every aspect of that - the motivation of all kinds of people, the physical discomfort, the apparent mindlessness, the muscle memory of a team effort - every bit of that was handy during my career and in every leadership and team member role. This was not because I was marching in parades, but because I could apply those lessons to practical usage in everyday military life. Far more valuable than another 3 hours of homework or PT!
 
A complaining sailor, Marine, midshipman is a happy sailor, Marine, midshipman

Boy, ain't that the truth. I am here to tell you: you are never going to find a gathering of two or more Marines who will tell you how great things are. They will "*****" about any and everything and become professional at it. They may not say it to you but they will be commiserating with each other.
A gathering of two or more sailors is a mutiny.
 
I don't see anything wrong with grousing about it, actually.

Actually, grousing amongst one's cohort is probably a good way to blow off steam, strengthen friendships and gain perspective on shared miseries.

Mustering one's talents--after all he is an English Major--to "display" on a blog, for all to see, shows a complete lack of perspective and maturity, which one would expect from a smart, driven USNA Midshipman.

Blogs are often used to build one's brand. Well, he succeeded. His brand is "arrogant p****."
 
I did enjoy the comment where the Navy Captain responded to the Gunny who called him a "boot".
I know the Captain, a prof at NWC and very smart guy.
 
My only stake in this is I’m a taxpayer, but I would though advise him to lose the pretentious attitude before he meets his Chief when he checks aboard his first ship.

....Uh wait a second, doesn't an Ensign outrank the Chief ?;) Famous last words before said Chief "corrects" the young Ensign.

A gathering of two or more sailors is a mutiny.

... When I was a Plebe, my Company had a rule that any gathering of more than three non-roomate Plebes in a room was a mutiny, and any mutiny was quelled by marching said mutineers into the shower (fully clothed).


I always get a kick out of Midshipmen and young Officers who post articles Proceedings etc. with their brilliant ideas on how to solve all the worlds problems.
 
My only stake in this is I’m a taxpayer, but I would though advise him to lose the pretentious attitude before he meets his Chief when he checks aboard his first ship.

....Uh wait a second, doesn't an Ensign outrank the Chief ?;) Famous last words before said Chief "corrects" the young Ensign.
The MCPON was guest speaker at NAS JAX and Cecil Field Sailor of the Year awards banquet the year I had two awardees. One from the clinic and one from a squadron. It was a huge crowd in a ball room and the drinks were flowing pretty good. MCPON was doing his speech and everybody was respectfully quiet and apparently listening because when he said, “Every ensign and 2ndLt in the Navy and Marine Corps is senior to every Chief, Senior Chief, and Master Chief and every Marine senior Staff NCO,” everybody busted out laughing.

We all got quiet quick when we saw he was not trying to be funny. He went on to tell how his son was recently commissioned in the Marine Corps and rendered him his first salute. He told about leadership and our responsibility in molding junior officers. He talked about how respect is earned and required from both senior enlisted and junior officer. The CPO comes from a place of humility when carrying out the duties of developing junior officers. He was talking mainly to the PO1 SOYs because we had already heard that but I enjoyed the reminder. Humility is also a two way street which is not remotely displayed by Ezra. Arrogance must be earned. He’s a long way from earning arrogance.
 
Devil Doc said:
...Arrogance must be earned. He’s a long way from earning arrogance...

That's the smartest thing that I have read on these forums in a long time. BZ, TeufelDoc.

Of course there's arrogance and confidence. Confidence tends to put arrogance in check. Sort of like "Hey, you did that wrong" but then adding "I've done that too, so let me tell you what I learned".
 
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