Benefits

[fooflight]

Howdy,

I know there may be a few USNA grads on this site, and I would like to know how you benefited from your academy experiance at any time in your life( if at all). Does it give you an "edge" at flight school and the fleet( nfo or pilot) ? I'm not asking if you would "do it again" or if its "a bad place to be, a good place to be from."

Also, for everybody in general, how are academy grads looked at in the fleet? I am assuming most assimilate into the mix easily, but I have heard rumors that some have gained a bad rep in one way or another.

Thanks for your input, I hope you don't flame on me too much. This is a great compendium of Naval Aviation knowledge.

 

[BigIron]

I can give you a perspective from a non-academy viewpoint: I think they are for the most part transparent in a wardroom. Everybody seems to mix in and not much is said about the USNA (except for Army-Navy week). Especially the farther you are from graduation.....my academy cohorts are YG 96-98 guys and no-one even talks about their commissioning source anymore.

As far as flight school, I don't think they had an edge because of their commissioning source. Either they were good pilots, or not.

 

[e6bflyer]

I can give you a perspective from a non-academy viewpoint: I think they are for the most part transparent in a wardroom. Everybody seems to mix in and not much is said about the USNA (except for Army-Navy week). Especially the farther you are from graduation.....my academy cohorts are YG 96-98 guys and no-one even talks about their commissioning source anymore.

As far as flight school, I don't think they had an edge because of their commissioning source. Either they were good pilots, or not.

Agreed for the most part. I am also non-academy.
I have noticed, though, that no matter what if you get about 4 or more of them together, the conversation quickly turns to those heady days back in Bancroft hall. Some of the topics that I am now an expert on that most people probably don't care about:
Chow Calls
Cannonball Runs
The subtle but important differences between being a Plebe, Youngster, Second, and Firstie
Silver Bullets
Chopping
The Herndon climb

There were/are a lot of academy guys in TACAMO and a lot of time to kill on long flights. I can actually fake being an academy guy pretty well. The conversation goes like this:
Hey, what year are you? What company were you in? Who was you company commander? Dude, he was a dick! I was in 30th company, eighth wing, I think I remember you. Did you know Jonesey? How about Smitty?

It works just like a secret handshake.

As for the original question: No difference once you show up to flight school.

 

[wrk]

You could almost be at a disadvantage if you try to wear your ring on your shoulder when you're in flight school, and anywhere else. I know a lot of academy guys and besides the obvious academy discussions they always turn to, there's really no difference, especially for the Marines since we've all been through TBS and equalized fairly well.

 

[MrSaturn]

e6bflyer has it pretty much right on.

Being an Academy guy. Ill give you some pros and cons right off the bat.

Pro: You know a lot more people going through flight school. Right now I have at least 30 people from my class at various stages of primary. 50 or so in api right now. Then I have friends who graduated a year before me and went marines or did grad school. This gives me lots of resources to draw from if I need help or a study partner or just hang out. Or want to figure out whats coming up.

Pro: You can see both Marine and Navy aviation during summer training at the academy.

Pro: Alumni are great when you go back to civland.

Pro: Half your teachers will be officers at the Academy. So you will find many pilots who fly a variety of platforms.

Pro: Great education and I am not paying a cent in student loans.

Con: It felt like I was in high school for another 4 years. My friends seemed to enjoy their times at university wherever better.

Con: A rotc friend of mine declined applying for the academy. He then got the rotc and National Merit scholarship both being full rides the school cut him a check for 7000 dollars a semester.

Con: If I changed my mind about my commitment or that Navy life wasnt for me it would have been hard to change. The academics dont transfer well to other colleges. Partly because of the ethics classes and leadership classes.

It doesn’t matter where your commissioned from. We all get the same pay and we all become Naval Officers.

Just dont watch the movie Annapolis and think that is whats going on there.

 

[MasterBates]

My $.02

Most academy guys are cool, but there is a "groupthink" aspect when they achieve critical mass. On my 1st det, all the HACs were academy guys, and all the H2Ps were ECP, NROTC, and OCS. No real problems, other than the "you don't have a real commission" harrasment option, which was just a part of the H2P harassment package.

Academy guys know somebody everywhere, it seems. Can be a pro and a con.

I have served under 2 academy guys who looked down upon ROTC and OCS. There have been far more who don't care where you went to school. For the most part it is not an issue like it was "back in the day" from what I have been told (take that with a grain of salt).

The biggest thing I have noticed that would be an "advantage" to there is the "good ole boy" network is large and real. They seem to be able to find "good deals" better than others at times, often due to knowing somebody there. From an OCS standpoint, after getting my wings, I have seen 3 guys from my OCS class. One is a pilot in a squadron in my Wing, and the other two were chance encounters on TAD. OCS guys just do not have the network that Academy guys have. ROTC is in the middle, with the bigger programs having more networking due to numbers.

Oh yeah, if I hear another 2P try to tell me how it was in Bancroft Hall on a 3.5 SSC bag, I will personally fly him to Pensacola and put him in the SUYA or Rose Garden.

 

[DanMa1156]

Now, I'm only a plebe, so I can definitely not speak about the fleet, only from what I hear and observe from upperclass and officers on the yard.

#1. People who have it against ROTC or OCS guys are usually the crapbags here anyway. Everyone views officers pretty equally, and generally with alot of respect.

#2. With that said, I've noticed alot of upperclass get pissed off when on summer cruise ROTC guys b!tch and moan about how much the ROTC committment sucks and how hard it is at their school, which I can understand their gripe with those types. The same goes for our new company officer, who was an ROTC grad, he sometimes says things to the firsties "when I was a midshipman..." kind of rant, and I know for a fact they don't appreciate that, life at the Academy and life at (most) ROTC schools is different.

Even though I'm a plebe, I can say I definitely enjoy it here. I know this is the place for me. I've got some pretty tight bonds in the six months that I've been here already. Granted, hearing back from civilian friends sucks sometimes, and the lack of "female interaction" isn't all that awesome, but the accessibility to officers of all communities and people from ALL over the country is really cool. I do enjoy the lifestyle, which some people may think I'm crazy for; there are definitely people that the Academy was meant for and not. Don't come here though thinking that "O, I'll be set in the Navy/civilian world if I graduate the Academy," because those that are thinking that way are the ones that look at the Academy as a place to survive rather than the great opportunity of education it is.

 

[Brett327]

and the lack of "female interaction" isn't all that awesome

I hear that if you're on the football team, you end up with plenty of that.

Brett

 

[a_m]

I hear that if you're on the football team, you end up with plenty of that.

Brett

Oh, it's everywhere up there....if you are willing to settle and then deny it to everyone (even yourself).



That being said, the big thing really is just knowing a bunch of people wherever you go. It may be a more annoying/tedious way to get a commission, but you still get the same commission as everyone else. The truth is that where you were commissioned should never be an issue.


Of course, relating how much the academy sucked is the best way to deal with it. If you have any expectation of an advantage, then it's like a joke with a punchline that never happens.

 

[S3b_viking]

Now, I'm only a plebe, so I can definitely not speak about the fleet, only from what I hear and observe from upperclass and officers on the yard.

Oh plebe, you have so much to learn in your time here. Your best source of info on the yard is the people who have been there done that and all of them will be more than happy to tell you their stories, experiences, and advice if you will just give them the time to talk. Upperclass don't know the fleet. 3 weeks painting the side of a Frigate isn't the fleet despite what they say.

As a 1/C about to graduate in May I can look back and say that it was worth it, but like everyone else has been saying, it doesn't give you much of an advantage at flight school because you have to start from the bottom just like everyone else. The good old boy network is still there and running strong, but I know a lot of officers that wouldn't make decisions based on a person if they were academy grads or not, in the end we're just another school that gives you a degree (A school with restricted liberty hours and attire).

If you feel like having your life regimented, living the military 24/7, and having a challenge then this might be the place for you. Otherwise there is nothing wrong with ROTC. This place isn't for everybody, but that doesn't mean your not meant for the military.

 

[DanMa1156]

Oh plebe, you have so much to learn in your time here. Your best source of info on the yard is the people who have been there done that and all of them will be more than happy to tell you their stories, experiences, and advice if you will just give them the time to talk. Upperclass don't know the fleet. 3 weeks painting the side of a Frigate isn't the fleet despite what they say.

O, I'm fully aware of that. I mean, my sponsor is an NFO and most of my teachers are officers that I've talked about the fleet and whatnot with... gotten some good stories out of them, don't you worry sir.

 

[Intruder Driver]

Since I finished my Navy flying career and ventured into the civilian world, three perspectives pop out.

1. People in the civ world are awestruck if they learn that you landed jet aircraft on pitching decks at night.

2. Most are impressed with the Academy background.

3. See number one.

Unfortunately, even though I believe landing a helo on a small boy day or night is studly, few civilians grasp it at all, because they see shots of helos landing on oil rigs and other vessels often, so it just doesn't register, unless they have a Navy background.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Even though I'm a plebe, I can say I definitely enjoy it here. I know this is the place for me.

Yeah, funny thing is you say this right before you go home for Christmas. Trust me, when you get back in January the bitterness will be dripping from everyone, Plebes especially. Just watch out for the overly apathetic and undersexed 2nd class who's girlfriend gave him the boot over the break....those are always classic to see when he takes it out on a Plebe (I think I saw it at least once every year).


As for the original question, the best thing I've seen about being from USNA is that, as other have said, I know an amazing amount of people. If I go practically anywhere in the US I have a friend I could bum a couch from for a night or meet somewhere for a beer.

As for flight school, if you can't fly it wouldn't matter if you were #1 from USNA or dead last from Podunk Junior Community College, you're not gonna be around for too long.

 

[HarveyBirdman]

Podunk Panthers!

 

[DanMa1156]

Yeah, funny thing is you say this right before you go home for Christmas. Trust me, when you get back in January the bitterness will be dripping from everyone, Plebes especially. Just watch out for the overly apathetic and undersexed 2nd class who's girlfriend gave him the boot over the break....those are always classic to see when he takes it out on a Plebe (I think I saw it at least once every year).

Not looking forward to the dark ages, but still, I know it's right for me, seeing what my non-USNA friends have done. I like being as busy as I am there. I'm on break right now and bored out of my mind.

But like you said, we'll see how I am doing in a couple months. I'm pretty excited right now, as I went from like a 2.44 at 12 weeks and managed to pull myself up to probably a 3.3. If 2nd semester sucks the big one, than I'll probably be b!tching. Already off to a bad one, didn't get 1 prof I wanted.