A message from a BGO

<p>I always like "Which one?"
I got a huge gasp at the $250,000 part in the awards ceremony. It was kind of funny. My friends knew, so they were watching for the general reaction too.</p>

<p>AFLO: "...equal to a $300 000 scholarship..."
BGO: "Well, I guess the Navy is either missing something or is more efficient...about $250 000..."
He got some chuckles there.</p>

<p>I was at the dentist for a cleaning the other day...</p>

<p>HYG1: So, do you know where you're going for school this fall?
ME: Yes, the Naval Academy.
HYG1: Oh. Wow. Now where is that?
ME: Annapolis, Maryland.
HYG1: When do you leave? August? September?
ME: The 28th of this month.
HYG1: Oh! That's early!
(enter HYG2)
HYG1: Guess where she's going to school.
HYG2: Where?
HYG1: The military academy.
HYG2: Ah. Isn't that West Point?
ME: No, I said the Naval Academy.
HYG1: Yeah, the one in...Delaware?
ME: Annapolis, Maryland.
HYG2: Oh, and West Point is Air Force, right?
ME: No, West Point is the Military Academy. That's Army. Air Force is in Colorado.
HYG2: Okay. Well, congrats!
(Exit HYG2)
(Enter DENT)
HYG1: She's going to the Naval Academy.
DENT: Oh, so you have good grades?
ME: Yessir.
DENT: And where is that, up near Virginia?
ME: Annapolis, Maryland.
DENT: Ah, okay. I remember now. I saw the campus when I was up there on business. Have you seen the campus? It's beautiful.
ME: Yessir.
DENT: Are you going to run up there?
ME: Uhm. I think everyone runs at some point, but yes...</p>

<p>I thought that Annapolis cleared up all these questions! :)</p>

<p>
[quote]
"Well, it's not like it's that hard to get into the Naval Academy. Can't you just PAY to get in anyway?"

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I would have just laughed in her face.</p>

<p>What a clueless b**ch. :mad:</p>

<p>this just ****es me off when people get the academies confused.</p>

<p>O</p>

<p>M</p>

<p>G</p>

<p>seriously though, even my coach who has seen 3 of his athletes to USNA still talks to me and addresses USNA as the "Air Force Academy". When I correct him, he's like, "yea, same thing." soooo stupid..some people are just SO DUMB GOD THIS IS SO GAY F**KING EDUCATE YOURSELF thats like not knowing where the rocky mountains are or something...man </p>

<p><em>throws hands up in the air and walks away</em> ... </p>

<p><em>but comes back to click the submit reply button...then walks away</em></p>

<p>My track coach had 2 go to west point last year and me to annapolis this year, and i'm still not sure he has a clue either, then again, he is a full time high school track coach for 30 years now, no offense to him. </p>

<p>But by far the worst goes like this
Friend: "Hey berny, aren't there a lot of dudes at the naval academy?"
Me: "No there are girls to"
Friend: "But they aren't really GILRS, are they?"
Me: Blank, angry stare back at them
Friend: "Don't drop the soap in those group showers!"
Random person in the row next to me: "In the Navy, You can sail the seven seas, in the Navy...."
Me: GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRR</p>

<p>It drives me crazy, but what can ya do?</p>

<p>Oh, and the worst part is not that they don't have a clue, its when the refuse to either let me tell them what it is or find out for themselves!</p>

<p>Zaphod- could be all of the nitrous talking; just kind of stayed w/them and overtook all rational thought.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Random person in the row next to me: "In the Navy, You can sail the seven seas, in the Navy...."
Me: GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRR

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I wish I could send a SEAL team and a Navy F-18 on an alpha strike against the Village People. :mad:</p>

<p>Nice nice. I have heard alot of them, but suprisingly most people I know have a basic knowledge of the academies (except USMMA). Every year we have someone go to one of the academies, except 2005, sometimes more than one.
They all however bug me, by telling how insanely dumb I am for "wasting" 12 years of my life when I could be having fun and making money. All the gay talk concerning the Navy also bothers the hell out of me...</p>

<p>No overall, for me its not bad, people realize its tough...even though my sister wrote in a report about West Point, that it was in New York, and her teacher (at a different school) corrected it to say Virginia, and my sister changed it to Virginia and later told me I was WRONG about where I was going to college...</p>

<p>And yeah, I have been called a warmonger if anyones curious, and thats just for applying to the academies (by a teacher no less).</p>

<p>
[quote]
And yeah, I have been called a warmonger if anyones curious, and thats just for applying to the academies (by a teacher no less).

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Breathe, Zaphod. Breathe....</p>

<p>Go have a drink. Calm down.....</p>

<p>:mad:</p>

<p>It just boils your blood, doesn't it? MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>

<p>I believe we need to understand that most people don't have a clue about the academies UNLESS they have someone they know (that could be YOU) that applies, gets accepted or rejected, talks about it, comes back to the HS during breaks to talk about your experience, and have other students apply, get accepted and the cycle continues. Around our town, everyone knows about Georgia Tech, GA, Auburn, and Emory. But there isn't a real lack of knowledge about the Naval Academy. Most know it's a service academy, most know it's hard to get into and tougher to get out of, and most know it's a "college" of sorts. That's not too bad. </p>

<p>While they didn't allow the BGO to present the Cert of Appt to my son they did announce the scholarship amnt and all the other scholarships. Even without the USNA appointment he racked up a very sizeable amnt if not the largest amnt which probably gave additional credibility to the academy especially when turning down UGA, UVA, GT etc. Someone in the school did call the local paper which did a nice story on him accepting the appointment which provides more knowledge in the community for the next kid trying to get in. 161 years and the educational process continues. Remember, not everyone holds the service academies in high esteem, nor cares to know more about them. That's ok because that's not why to go there. </p>

<p>If you graduate you'll have the same problems at times in the business world and at other times, it will be the education at a service academy that will open the door over other candidates who actually have the all the bells and whistles that are required. It's the same for other graduates also. Take a graduate of Emory or Washington and Lee, both fine schools. While their graduates have excellent opportunites in the southeast and perhaps east coast, it probably dwindles quite a bit on the west coast. Except for the Ivies, all schools face a bit of a lack of "knowledge" by some. </p>

<p>My son spoke to several college/university recruiters, Department Heads, and even the 2nd highest guy at a university and when he said he was considering the Naval Academy amongst his core of schools, they all said that he could choose the Naval Academy OVER their school and they understood why (all of course in a joking manner) but they all said if he didn't go to the academy, they expected him to attend their school. It has the reputation where it is needed.</p>

<p>If you think people don't know about the Naval Academy, just discuss the Army-Navy game. Many people believe that the players are active duty service people (enlisted) playing the game. Ignorance is bliss, you just have to correct the misconceptions sometimes. Just do it with a smile.</p>

<p>I should have added that discussing the academy is sometimes like discussing the sport of soccer (even during the world cup) with a SEC football fan. In the end you may educate them a little but that's about it. </p>

<p>Go Navy...Beat Notre Dame!</p>

<p>If people are curious, I always try to give them answers in a kind way. Some people just don't care or harbor negative views, those are the ones that annoy me.</p>

<p>Being a USAFA guy, I wind up saying "It's like West Point for the Air Force." That usually gets the idea across.</p>

<p>I've been fortunate to only have run across one or two idiots who just pushed the wrong button.</p>

<p>Raimius is right. Most people simply don't know any better, and a kind answer (normally referencing West Point, which seems to be genetically known) solves the trick 99% of the time.</p>

<p>It's the other 1% where you have to go to General Quarters. :mad:</p>