Staying ?

[fooflight]

Hi,

I'm at the point to decide whether I'm gonna stay here or not. What really is giving me second thoughts about this place is 1. the fact that we are treated like pre-teens 2. the fact that I'll be in prison for 2 more years and could get out now 3. I don't understand how this place is "producing combat leaders" 4. I came to be an officer to serve in the the military, not represent it to tourists, the press, and hollywood 5. I also didn't come to play a varsity sport, so basically I'm a college student with 99 nooses. 6. After four years of here, the only thing I'll be ready for is to give maybe half a care because I will be so sick of the BS.

I would like to have a good attitude about USNA, but it is really hard knowing what I know.

Reasons for staying: 1. Job afterwards 2. Couple good friends not worth throwing away 3. Good education (?) 4. Only two more years 5. Civies and car ( ha , yeah right)

Its 50/50, but you can bet on me running across that stage in a couple years. It feels like if there was one more con or disadvantage, I would book after this year. Is this the right thing to think or should I be like "oorah, people die when your late for class, I'm ready to die for my country because I'm the biggest baddass around." ? Could someone less sheltered explain 3 and 4 from the top list? Thanks for the input( go ahead and call me bitching betty)

 

[bert]

If you don't mind my asking, how old are you?

 

[phrogpilot73]

1. the fact that we are treated like pre-teens

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the class ahead of you have 3 Alcohol related deaths?!? I haven't seen an alcohol related death in 15 years of wearing a uniform of this nation's military. I wonder why you guys are being treated like pre-teens... Sometimes we must pay for the mistakes of others.

2. the fact that I'll be in prison for 2 more years and could get out now

Does prison provide you with the equivalent of an Ivy League education? Does prison allow you to date women? Are you being "violated" because you didn't kick someone's ass in the early days? Take it from someone who knows - It's a great place to be from, it just sucks to be there. Realistically (and this is something you must grasp) is that (to quote the SEALs) "The only easy day was yesterday". That's true throughout the military. The days may be more "comfortable", but they're never easy.

3. I don't understand how this place is "producing combat leaders"

Three words - "Command, Citizenship, and Government", sound familiar? Combat Leaders are produced in Combat. Period. You are there to be evaluated for your "potential" to lead Marines and Sailors.

4. I came to be an officer to serve in the the military, not represent it to tourists, the press, and hollywood

Guess what happens when you hit the fleet? More often in some jobs, less in others, but Officers are looked for to interact with the media. In case you haven't noticed, the American People LOVE the military, and Officers are generally more well-spoken than the men and women they lead.

6. After four years of here, the only thing I'll be ready for is to give maybe half a care because I will be so sick of the BS.

If this is true - quit. I don't want you in the fleet, leading my Marines or my Wife's Sailors. You aren't worthy of the privelege. It's about them, not you.

I would like to have a good attitude about USNA, but it is really hard knowing what I know.

And what do you know, EXACTLY?!? Not much I'm guessing, much like me as a Youngster.

 

[Brett327]

^^ My only question for the OP is this: What the fvck else were you expecting at the Academy?

Brett

 

[Steve Wilkins]

^^ My only question for the OP is this: What the fvck else were you expecting at the Academy?

Brett

A bowl full of rainbow, sunshine, and loly-pops maybe?

 

[phrogpilot73]

^^ My only question for the OP is this: What the fvck else were you expecting at the Academy?

We can say fuck now, can't we?

A bowl full of rainbow, sunshine, and loly-pops maybe?

That's what I expected, and then when I realized it wasn't the case, I decided to buckle down and try to get everything out of the place... What to do, and what not to do once given the privelege...

 

[Steve Wilkins]

We can say fuck now, can't we?

You bet your ass we can.

 

[bert]

Since Phrog and Brett jumped in I won't wait for your answer and will offer up both sets of advice I have ready:

If you are 19 years old (like I was when I was in your shoes), then my sincere advice is to put your big-boy pants on and keep going. Regardless of your own self-assessment of your maturity and self-awareness, you don't know enough to tell your ass from a hole in the ground even on your best day. That isn't an insult; I have full faith and confidence that 99% of us (most certainly including me) were the same way at your age. If you get out now you will almost certainly regret it. If you stay, and offer your best in your service to our nation, you will be rewarded far beyond any reasonable expectation.

On the other hand, if you are a little older, and have sufficient life experience to genuinely believe that what you wrote in your post reflects a perfect understanding of the environment you are in, then by all means get out. The sad truth is that it will be much simpler for us to get another kid who looks just like you (only without the crushing ennui of a Mid who has seen it all and understands the system better than it understands itself) than it would be to get your mind right.

Personally, when I was your age I was lucky enough to get over myself, and am a better man for it today.

 

[flysupertomcat]

I say get out. Don't get your commission and take a slot away from those of us who want nothing more than to serve in the Navy or Marine Corps. That or as everyone else is hinting at, suck it up and GROW UP

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Foofight,

A book you might want to read is called, "Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankel. I don't know if you can order from Amazon from the Academy though. If you can't, have your parents do it. I think it will help you out with your attitude and how you currently view things.

Remember, it can ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be worse.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Don't get your commission and take a slot away from those of us who want nothing more than to serve in the Navy or Marine Corps. /b]

Did I mention that I applied FOUR TIMES to the Naval Academy? Yeah, nothing pisses me off more than some shit who thinks he's owed something...

Remember, it can ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be worse.

Yup, you could be a SWO... Sorry Dude, couldn't resist!

 

[A4sForever]

We can say fuck now, can't we?...

Yeah ... but lots of NFO's still say "FVCK" ... and usually with a slight lisp. I don't know why, they just do ...

But for the original poster --- if I can get a commission and be a modest success as a Naval Officer --- you can. I'm not a product of the Boat School, but I know how it operates. You sound like you have a bad attitude --- but anyone with something more than a modicum of desire and fortitude can persevere there ... it's not really hard -- ask yourself:

Do I want to be a Naval/Marine Officer or not??
Why did I originally seek a USNA appointment??
Do I want to be in the military??

The answer to those questions should provide the answers to your post ...

Old guy/non-USNA ... OUT.

 

[gaijin6423]

PM sent.

Speaking from a cost/benefit standpoint, I took way more away from USNA than it cost me, even though I fucking (hey, that's niiiiiiice) hated being there. But personally speaking, I was not about to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me go anywhere but across the stage. In return for gutting things out a bit, I got a decent education, made some very nice connections, got to go back to Japan on an expenses paid 'exchange tour', and even had the chance to make a United States Senator (and former Naval Aviator and POW) spray chocolate milk out of his nose.

Most importantly, though, was that I was granted the honor of having the opportunity to lead Marines. And that, along with the looks on my parents face when they pinned my bars on, is worth all the lousy days I had at USNA and then some.

I vote for the "Man-Up, G" option. Talk to your friends/classmates/etc and let them know what you're contemplating. I'm willing to bet that they've at least thought of the same thing, but most of them made the choice to stay.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Yup, you could be a SWO... Sorry Dude, couldn't resist!

How the hell else do you think I kept my sanity? Man, it might be bad one day. But knowing that tomorrow might suck worse made today look like fun.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Most importantly, though, was that I was granted the honor of having the opportunity to lead Marines.

There's a man that gets it... The more I think of the OP, the more I get pissed off. Here I am, a man who would give his left nut to be able to stay on active duty as a Marine and co-locate with his wife, but had to choose between the two. I chose correctly, and wisely, however - I will miss serving alongside the FINEST young men and women this nation has to offer. And they're not the Naval Academy grads. I'm still in awe of those 18-19 year old kids that will do the shittiest jobs in the military (crawl through mud, chip paint, what have you) and at the end of an 18 hour day, still have a smile on their face. If you aren't ready to give 100% of your heart and soul to those kids, you need to quit.