http://www.westword.com/2003-07-17/news/honor-rolled/1
I can't help but feel so awful for this young man, and others in his situation. There is something clearly wrong with the character development program at the Air Force Academy, and the commissioned officers that are supposed to watch over this program seem cruel and supportive. No empathy what-so-ever.
the lie cheat and steal honor code is basic to all the service academies and the senior military colleges.
they probably take it even more seriously at some places then others. VMI has a particularly serious interpretation:
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/vmi/vmihonor.html
at VMI, official drumming out due to honor code violation is conducted at 3:33am, because 333 is half of 666, and they consider a person who has been found guilty of violating the honor code to be "halfway to hell"
lies no matter how white are cause for drumming out. here is a case where seniors were hazing some freshmen and the freshmen lied to protect their abusers. the freshmen were found to be liars and drummed out.
http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/vmi/v60.html
i got a piece of regular mail yesterday from Pat Conroy. He is the author of "The Lords of Discipline" and a 1967 graduate of the Citadel, which is one of the schools that accepted me. about the Citadel he says this in the letter:
"At the center of The Citadel education, the rock that anchors its soul, is the Honor System. I found the Honor System simple and profound, majestic and life-changing:
'A cadet does not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do.'
These words struck me as beautiful then and even more beautiful today. They provide the framework of cadet life. Plus the Honor Code is moveable goods, as it travels with you all your life. It is part of The Citadel education that is deathless and not for sale. It is what you get at face value when you meet the alumni of my college. Test us; it is part of our DNA. It is our password against chaos and disorder, the mark of our uniqueness."