I wouldn't take rjack's advice if I were you. He's what we like to refer to as a "liberty risk". Plus, he's a punk.
Back on track, however, I have somewhat cynical view of USNA and my time there. I can't help it. I know some damn fine people who were chewed up and spat out by the system there, and I know some first-rate dirtbags who slid by. I also know people who I would follow without hesitation and trust with my life, and they checked all the boxes, dotted all their I's while at USNA. I think it relies not so much on where (commissioning source) you come from, as it does on whether or not you are a quality individual to begin with. True, some people start off down the right path and get led astray in various ways and degrees, but most wind up finding their way back...eventually.
It's been said before that the Academy's philosophies on teaching leadership is to show people exactly what NOT to do, but that's not necessarily true all the time. I'm certain you'll hear it while in Colorado Springs, just as they tell people at USNA: Take other people's styles of leadership, examine them, and place them in the 'Good' or 'Bad' piles. That's how you begin to learn leadership. If something pisses you off, write it down for reexamination later on, and you might be surprised. If you still think it sucks, then keep it in the 'Bad' pile for a while longer. Don't forget about it, though, as it might be useful down the road.
And I hear tell that this is an indispensible resource to survive USAFA:
www.edodo.org .
