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Staying ?

Steve Wilkins said:
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.
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Another excellent book you should read is called "Thoughts of a philosophical fighter pilot" by Admiral James Stockdale, a man whom I had the great pleasure of meeting and speaking with. He gives a new and fresh perspective to the concept of perseverance and fortitude. Check it out before you ultimately decide . . . . .
 
fooflight said:
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.
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Every basic training in the military, whether it be OCS, boot camp or the academies treats the inductees like little kids because you are learning a whole new way of life. Believe it or not the BS all does have a point.

fooflight said:
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)
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It is not just a job, don't think of it as such!! And those friennds, where else are you going to find ones that are willing to risk their life for you?

fooflight said:
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)
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It is all worth it in the end, stick it out and you won't regret it. Quit and you will........
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fooflight
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.
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Best thought in the thread. Period.
 
From your post I've got to assume that you came straight out of high school to USNA. I can speak from having a *very limited (one yearish)* experience as an enlisted guy and then going to the Academy, so my point of view is a little different.

Realize it's a game. It sucks, it's meant to suck, but it's only going to suck as much as you let it suck. The powers that be give you the "be an officer" and then treat you like a kid. That's the point, because it ain't gonna be easy any where else, either. If you can't handle it as a mid when all you've got to worry about are your grades and the prt, then you're probably not gonna be able to handle a cat shot or dropping dudes out the back of a helo.

That said, during my time there, the dudes I knew who had the hardest times were the ones who only looked at the bad parts. Go find fun things to do, albeit you may only be a youngster now but you've got time to get out and enjoy the area. Believe it or not, Annapolis is actually a really nice town, it's sad that too many mids can't see the awesome forest because of that one damn stone tree. If you can unwrap your head from that and have fun, it'll be a much better time.

Also, a little trick I learned in boot camp. Don't look for the far off events, i.e. intercessionals, Summer break, etc. That just sets you up to be disappointed in how long it takes. Instead, make plans for something a week or two away, maybe something going on at USNA, specific plans for you and your roommates to go do something, etc. Trust me, it makes the time fly by, it's actually pretty amazing. Before you know it, presto, another year gone. In boot camp, it was as simple as getting to eat a doughnut on Sunday morning, or something bigger like the rifle range.

In the long run, it all boils down to what you want to do. Cynicism abounds there, I was full of it but I didn't let that distract from graduating. If you don't want to deal with it, fine, I'll respect you more for making a decision than for waffling either way. But believe me, flying a plane, getting paid to fly a plane, knowing that most of the guys I went to high school with get to look forward to working in a factory all day, and some of the places I've been have made it all worth it.

Last comment. How will you feel if you do pack it in and go home, only to see your parents, your friends? Will you be able to look them in the eye and say that you gave it your best but it just beat you, or will you have to explain you couldn't handle a few years of pseudo-crap for a lifetime of opportunity?

It was an easy choice for me.

Good luck.
 
Spartaaans! What Is Your Profession?!

I like how Wife is Capitalized. Haha.

Here's a bit of insight for the original guy besides the standard "grow a pair," although as I'm sure you know, original posting dude, that's what most people including myself would have to say.

The Academy's military training can be ridiculously easy sometimes; you will certainly be treated like a preschooler in some ways that will seem demeaning to someone who had visions of "boot camp." I won't defend it...but you have to remember that compared to the rest of society, the level of difficulty looks the same as it did many years ago. That may not help you or me, but it's the reason why there's little public demand for higher standards of badassery. Send me a PM if you want more insight on this.

However, the school is still the United States' primary means of commissioning "career-oriented" Navy and Marine Corps officers (ROTC guys, hold off, I hear you), so complaining about it while holding the proverbial Golden Ticket will always fall on deaf ears.

If you don't like it, the correct response is to finish, take charge, and fix it yourself...it's not like things are any better at civilian schools. If you need a way to feel like a badass, then join some sort of club. There are still exceptional people there doing great things, no matter how dumb the administration has become.

As to the "oorah" crowd who weren't Marines and want you to feel like being late for class kills enlisted people, I was skeptical as well, but remember that different people deal with the imminent responsibility of

*being prepared to give your life for your country and to order others to sacrifice theirs*

in different ways. Some people are quiet about it, others are confrontational...but if you haven't figured out how you feel about that subject, time to start.

All this being said, this video sums up how I felt about Navy at your stage:

 
And for chrissake, insanebikerboy, it's "intersessionals." Every Single Person at that freaking school think it's a leave period where Mary, mother of God, intercedes for you to have better grades, rather than a break between 'SESSIONS.'

That's not about you, that's about the OpsO.
 
Riight.... I'm going to have to disagree with most everyone on this..

If you are miserable at what you do (job or school) - that is a pretty big frickin sign. The first sign I look for if I need a career change is, "Do I look forward to the weekends?" If I wish away 5 out of every 7 days (or in your case wish away four years) it isn't worth it. What's the point? If you are still interested in serving your country, check out other options (ROTC, OCS, etc.) I had a blast in college and can proudly say I had no regrets. I'm hard pressed to find a buddy of mine from the acadamy that can say that with the same enthusiasm.

One thing I've found, and not to lump everyone together, is that sometimes academy grads have a hard time adjusting to life outside the academy. You see, they, like most of us, were coddled by their parents, then they were coddled by the USNA, and then we are all coddled by the military. There was no chance to be your own person, make mistakes, and learn from it. I see academy grads (officers) acting like I did as an 18 year old college freshman.

My point here is this - yes, suck it up, be miserable or go somewhere else and be happy. What will your regrets be in life? If you are thinking about the quality of officer you will be if you don't stay at the academy compared to if you do - that is up to you and your own experiences. There are good and bad officers from all schools.
 
txrugger said:
Riight.... I'm going to have to disagree with most everyone on this..

One thing I've found, and not to lump everyone together, is that sometimes academy grads have a hard time adjusting to life outside the academy. You see, they, like most of us, were coddled by their parents, then they were coddled by the USNA, and then we are all coddled by the military. There was no chance to be your own person, make mistakes, and learn from it. I see academy grads (officers) acting like I did as an 18 year old college freshman.

There are good and bad officers from all schools.
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Your last sentence is very true, but when the hell did an Academy coddle anyone? And the military, coddle? Really? Eh?
 
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