USMA grad whose kids go to USNA
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Actually, from what I've seen and heard, USMA did a far better job of recognizing and nurturing potential Rhodes Scholars
for a very long time before USNA even started to take notice that it was something that they could do. It is readily
seen that schools with lots of Rhodes Scholars recognize the potential early and work with them to aid their efforts. Once
USNA got more organized, the results became a lot better.
.
For instance, USNA had exactly ZERO Rhodes Scholars during the decade of the 1970's but 12 in the 00's and 7 in the 10's
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Agree with @OldRetSWO .
For a long time (decades) Rhodes, Fulbright, etc., were actively discouraged or severely capped out of all Navy commissioning sources, because the Navy needed officers to head to operational billets right away, and if they also had to to get through years of flight training or submarine training or other extended warfare training, 1-2 years additional grad school time delayed “delivery” of a new warfare officer to the Fleet. The Navy culture was “get thee to the Fleet and get underway, go learn your warfare craft at sea, ivory towers can wait.” It still is to a certain extent, but more are allowed to go to immediate graduate education.
Uneven playing field for comparison. And there is no need to compare. I am equally thrilled to see any service academy or ROTC grad be chosen for. Rhodes, Fulbright, Marshall, etc., as they can brilliantly represent the caliber of junior officers across the board to civilians headed to different fields. They bring diversity to the graduate student body. It’s not a race or competition as serving officers. Many of these officers turned down USMA or another SA for USNA, or vice versa.
We recently had a USNA alumni sponsor family daughter graduate from Georgetown’s public policy graduate school, on the Navy dime and time. She had Army, Air Force and I think 1 Coast Guard classmate, and academically they outshone many of their classmates from name-recognition undergrad programs. Professors always commented on their work ethic, public speaking ability, analytical skills and overall maturity.
I am impressed by them all, and never thought to count how many came from what commissioning source.
You know who really knocks my socks off? LCDR Jonny Kim, MC, USN. Not a USNA grad, but an enlisted sailor, combat-hardened decorated Navy SEAL, Navy doctor, now NASA astronaut. I get the feeling he would have floated through USNA at the top and certainly scored a prestigious scholarship. I also have no doubt he has counterparts among enlisted personnel in other services who have done equally brilliant things. One of the things I love about the military is the joy we all share when we see someone rise from the bottom of the ladder to take advantage of the many programs offered by the military.
www.nasa.gov
For a long time (decades) Rhodes, Fulbright, etc., were actively discouraged or severely capped out of all Navy commissioning sources, because the Navy needed officers to head to operational billets right away, and if they also had to to get through years of flight training or submarine training or other extended warfare training, 1-2 years additional grad school time delayed “delivery” of a new warfare officer to the Fleet. The Navy culture was “get thee to the Fleet and get underway, go learn your warfare craft at sea, ivory towers can wait.” It still is to a certain extent, but more are allowed to go to immediate graduate education.
Uneven playing field for comparison. And there is no need to compare. I am equally thrilled to see any service academy or ROTC grad be chosen for. Rhodes, Fulbright, Marshall, etc., as they can brilliantly represent the caliber of junior officers across the board to civilians headed to different fields. They bring diversity to the graduate student body. It’s not a race or competition as serving officers. Many of these officers turned down USMA or another SA for USNA, or vice versa.
We recently had a USNA alumni sponsor family daughter graduate from Georgetown’s public policy graduate school, on the Navy dime and time. She had Army, Air Force and I think 1 Coast Guard classmate, and academically they outshone many of their classmates from name-recognition undergrad programs. Professors always commented on their work ethic, public speaking ability, analytical skills and overall maturity.
I am impressed by them all, and never thought to count how many came from what commissioning source.
You know who really knocks my socks off? LCDR Jonny Kim, MC, USN. Not a USNA grad, but an enlisted sailor, combat-hardened decorated Navy SEAL, Navy doctor, now NASA astronaut. I get the feeling he would have floated through USNA at the top and certainly scored a prestigious scholarship. I also have no doubt he has counterparts among enlisted personnel in other services who have done equally brilliant things. One of the things I love about the military is the joy we all share when we see someone rise from the bottom of the ladder to take advantage of the many programs offered by the military.
Jonny Kim (M.D.) (LCDR, U.S. Navy) NASA Astronaut
NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind.
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NeverSayNever
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Jonny Kim is not human! What he has accomplished I find …just really …well…. speechless. I say this as someone that wanted to go from E1 to astronaut via the traditional Pilot>TPS>NASA track and during my third set of applications realized how incredibly meh I looked after the last few class bios were published. It will be very hard to surpass the accomplishments of Jonny Kim and I suspect that he will be one of the first humans to set foot on Mars.
