Well, I'd chalk it all up to being in a "Student Under Instruction" (STUINS) phase of your life. It's intent, albeit it being implemented in varying ways at different sites (apparently), is to "normalize the group". You're all Smacks, but you're all Smacks together...regardless of past experiences. It really is the only way...
When I went through AOCS in 1971, we had a grunch of ex-Army rotary wing guys with a buttload of no-kidding hard combat experience going through the program as well. To their credit, they shut up, played the game, and took their punishment alongside all of us fresh-outta-college snot-noses who had never heard a shot fired in anger. Then they very quietly donned their Silver Stars, DFCs and Purple Hearts when it came time to dress up for the graduation parade. Highest award I ever saw on an AOC was a Distinguished Service Cross. My point is, they knew they were "transitioning" to another community and another way of life, and understood that there wee some "non-cash" initiation fees that they had to pay. Trust me...it's all worth it.
