Leaving USNA

[usunkmybship]

I am thinking about leaving here and trying out NROTC or go enlisted. Last year I was at NAPS so I know it would be a waste to work so hard and then decide to quit. I feel I should have applied to NROTC instead. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[gaijin6423]

I had quite a bit of trouble dealing with things there, too, but I managed to stick it out. Some very good friends of mine wound up leaving, though. A few regretted that decision, and a few knew that leaving was the right thing to do. That place isn't for everyone, but let me ask what your reasons for leaving are?

 

[HH-60H]

I feel your pain, but maybe making this decision in the first month of Plebe year might not be the best idea. If you decide to stick it out through this year, you atleast get a year of college paid for. Then maybe do a semester of youngster year and see what its like. Plebe year is not indicative of the other 3. And the Academy is not even remotely close to the real Navy.

 

[usunkmybship]

I have been doing a terrible job since I got here. I am the worst plebe in my company so I get unwanted attention everyday. It's my fault but I feel I don't deserve to be at this place when I can't even keep up with everyone else.

 

[HH-60H]

What are you the "worst" at?
I was the 'best' (or one of) plebes in my company, but when we got shotgunned, I became the 'worst' youngster in my new company. I also had a very rough youngster summer, in fact I was fried and then sh!t on by the current DepDant at adjudication, he was a Major then.
But you know what? I managed to dig myself out the hole, graduate, and get my first choice for service selection. And believe me, if I can do it, so can you.

 

[usunkmybship]

That's what I'm confused about, if whether your performance plebe summer or year determines whether you'll be a good officer or not. Since we will be in the same company for the next 3 years, I hate that my reputation will stick with me. I am really not satisfied here and feel it is best to go.

 

[xmid]

Man, I've been there and I left. I can honestly tell you it is one of the worst decisions I have ever made. I would go back in a heartbeat. That being said it is not for some people, but I think those people know who they are from day one. We had this kid at NAPS that was a lacrosse player and evidently they had told him that NAPS was like an extra year of high school and the academy wasn't much worse. Needless to say that kid went on to find something that better suited what he wanted. I agree with everyone else in that you should try to stick it out at least to youngster year. Just cause someone is a bad plebe doesn't mean they will be a bad mid all 4 years. Some of my classmates I remember as being bad plebes are now doing really well as 2nd class. When I was leaving I was told that "you can decide to leave today, tommorrow, or six months from now, but you wil never get a chance to go back." I am living proof of this. Give it some time. Things go in flows alot around there. Upperclass get tired of flaming before army-navy, and then they light the flames back up periodically. PM me if you want, I would be happy to tell you my experience and try to help out in whatever way I can.

 

[HH-60H]

That's what I'm confused about, if whether your performance plebe summer or year determines whether you'll be a good officer or not. Since we will be in the same company for the next 3 years, I hate that my reputation will stick with me. I am really not satisfied here and feel it is best to go.

Your performance plebe year or any year has no bearing on whether you will be a good officer. I have seen the biggest tool stripers become worthless officers who ended up leaving the Navy. The two environments are just too different for one to determine performance in the other. That being said, I think the Academy does teach you some good skills and knowledge that you can take to the Navy.

 

[TheBubba]

What makes you a good officer is how you apply what you learned at USNA/ROTC/OCS. First 6 weeks of plebe year is def stressful. I went to NAPS, and graduated from USNA this past May. Don't put too much stock in whether or not you can please some 2/c mid who's maybe a year older than you. One thing to remember is that your upperclass WANT you to suceed. Also, talk to your youngsters. They were you last year.

I remember the only reason I passed calc 1 & 2 was cuz of the two 2/c that yelled at me the most. I'd go to them for help, and it was "no more yelling for now" while they showed me how to do calc. Then the next morning, I was on the bulkhead getting my @$$ chewed for sucking.

Remember this: Its a mind game and to a 2/c, all plebes suck and warrant unwanted attention. The thing to do is do the plebe thing the best you can, and get your grades as high as you can and keep them there. (That includes PRT crap too)

OBTW... I was that plebe way back in the day... good old 3rd CO...

 

[smittyrunr]

Seriously, EVERYONE who's been to USNA has felt this way. Unless your problems involve the honor code, nothing about your performance plebe year has much bearing on how good an officer you'll be. And you can't know right now whether you'll be in the same company for the next 3 years. At your stage plebe year, we assumed we would be shotgunned like the 2 classes ahead of us, what a surprise in May when they told us we would stay right where we were the next year. And then were shuffled the following year. You will earn far more respect by being the guy who struggled plebe year and pulled himself out of it and did well. That experience will be invaluable one day when you are a 1/C and a plebe who's struggling comes to you.
I really believe you should stick it out until the end of the year. At the very least, the end of this semester so you can get some academic credit and have given it a real chance. Good Luck, don't make any decisions quickly.

 

[TheBubba]

Off Topic

And you can't know right now whether you'll be in the same company for the next 3 years.

They are not shotgunning or switching companies whilst the current supt is there... he feels that staying in the same Co all 4 years builds company tradition and esprit d'corps.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

That's what I'm confused about, if whether your performance plebe summer or year determines whether you'll be a good officer or not.

Your entire performance at the Academy has no bearing on how you are going to do as an officer. Graduating at the top of your class academically or professionally really means jack to me. It is not unusual at all to see folks who some may say shouldn't have received a commission, turn out to be truly outstanding officers. The Academy is not the Fleet; it is not the Navy. But it does hava a component that I am particularly fond of. It makes folks dig deep and self reflect. Those who want the comission bad enough will press on. Those who don't, won't.

I personally believe you should hold off on making your decision whether to leave until after you are finished with the first semester of your sophomore (youngster?) year. I don't know what the process is for changing majors at the Academy, but I can't stress enough that you should be majoring in a subject that you truly enjoy and want to learn about. If this isn't the case now, I would take steps to address that pronto.

 

[petescheu]

They are not shotgunning or switching companies whilst the current supt is there... he feels that staying in the same Co all 4 years builds company tradition and esprit d'corps.

I fully agree with this decision. When I was there, they asked those who wanted to write their thoughts on whether or not kids should be shuffled and/or shotgunned. I wrote a rather lengthy paragraph about it, glad to see someone actually listened. Shared misery builds company, and I believe that my life would have been much more different had my company been split up. We ended up being a very close group and almost all of us still stay in touch on a daily or weekly basis. Without question my second family.
As for leaving because you are having a rough time in the first month or so, I'd have to say that is rather rash decision, and one that you would much more than likely regret by next semester, or next year. I can say with 98% certainty that you will regret that decision in May of 2009, when you see your classmates graduate via CNN or Foxnews. And you'll wish it was you up there shaking the hand of the President, or the VP, etc. It is a surreal moment my friend, and one I wouldn't trade for Bill Gates' retirement fund. But, as everyone said, this way of life isn't for everyone. I'm going to assume since you did NAPS you don't hate the Navy way of life that much, or otherwise you would have gotten the out then. Stick with a few more months, at least until youngster year, and if you still hate life, then maybe reconsider. And if you think you're the only kid that's ever had a hard time Frosh year... think again. (If you think flight school or SWO land or Nuke school, etc etc isn't a real ***** at times, think again). Sometimes you just have to suck it up a bit. And confide in your classmates; get help if you need it, and help them if they do. We never kept a running balance of who did what for whom in my company... we still don't.
Just as a suggestion, not sure if you are an athlete or not, but I would highly suggest this as a way to minimize your time on the hall during frosh year. Find a sport you enjoy, and go and sign up for it. Or go learn something new. Or go and study somewhere. Don't be on Mother B if you don't have to be though... that's just asking for trouble.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Your performance plebe year or any year has no bearing on whether you will be a good officer. I have seen the biggest tool stripers become worthless officers who ended up leaving the Navy. The two environments are just too different for one to determine performance in the other. That being said, I think the Academy does teach you some good skills and knowledge that you can take to the Navy.

Let's see (since we're classmates), I know of two examples - Brigade Commander (six striper), out of the Marine Corps. Brigade Honor Chair (five striper), out of the Marine Corps.

My plebe year wasn't the best - While I did OK in the military aspect (I was prior enlisted, so I didn't have a problem adjusting), my grades SUCKED at best. I finished plebe year with a 1.65 QPR. After an AcBoard, I never looked back. Ended up graduating on time, and with my first choice of service assignment. I thought about quitting a time or two, but I wouldn't let myself quit - it had been my dream for too long. If you came on a whim, it might make the decision easier. However, if it's been your dream for a while (as was my case), think long and hard about quitting - you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

 

[HH-60H]

I think all 4 of us were in the same squad or maybe platoon at Leatherneck.
My specific example was the Brigade XO who worked for that Brigade Commander you are talking about.