<p>From a liberal arts scholar's point of view a major shift in policy formulation is under way where the authors of the tactical aspects of US foreign policy in the past were from State and the schools they traditionally pull from - Yale, Georgetown,Harvard and so on - to now where those authors are at the Army War College, USMA, and several NGOs with deep ties to the US Army, with the most notable NGO being the American Enterprise Institute. For example, the "Surge" policy was authored at the AEI with analysis supplied by Petraeus who authored the "Counter-Insurgency Manual" centered at the Army War College. It can argued that the "Surge" is a watershed event on par with the "Long Telegram" from Kennan (operating of course out of State at that time). This exciting renaissance occuring at US Army education facilities, which is fairly represented at USMA, of US Army scholar-warriors will likely mean the US Army will be the keystone or a major contributor to American policy for the next decade or so. The US Army is now insisting that career success requires an advanced degree, now more often than not in the liberal arts at schools like Princeton, Berkeley, Harvard, and other similar colleges - as demonstrated by Petraeus. It is not clear to me that is a requirement for career success in the US Navy at this time, though the option is of course available to Naval officers. In the US Army, if you wish to get to or past LTC, a graduate degree is now pretty well required.</p>
<p>In years past a person headed to serving his or her country through designing policy would head to Georgetown or Yale or Harvard. Especially if the disciplined practiced was history or political science. Now that person, if they wish to have maximum input, seriously considers USMA as the US Army is now central to that policy formulation.</p>
<p>The last time USNA offered such access or policy formulation potential was the time of Mahan in the 1890s - and that was not really part of USNA but pretty well restricted to the USN War College in Newport.</p>
<p>Both academies offer obvious avenues for public service. The US Army, especially via USMA, now offers the possibility of being part of policy formulation.</p>
<p>When a local congressperson had their "academy night" forum for prospective applicants, the various service academies provided a brief description. The USNA said that he offered a B of Sci degree in engineering - he stressed that is what USNA was - and to train Naval officers and Marine officers. The USMA rep said that USMA was also an engineering school and that degree was obligatory - but they also offered degrees in well over 30 other disciplines with many in liberal arts - and they train US Army officers.</p>
<p>Here is the gentle and respectful dig - USNA is one of the worlds best engineering colleges and a service academy. USMA is one of the world's best universities and one of the world's best engineering colleges and a service academy.</p>
<p>Great post, GMRobertson, and very informative. I think this post deserves its own thread. :)</p>
<p>I have been following this sort of discussion on several forums and appreciate you explaining the Scholar-Soldier career path in such clear terms.</p>
<p>It is everyone's choice to believe / disbelieve my statements or those of other individuals on this board. My first and only post to this board was directed to USNA69 primarily. He is invited to call the Director of Admissions to gain any further insight into factual information so that he can post that information here if he so desires; this would certainly help the young men and women trying to make an informed decision.</p>
<p>My desire to remain anonymous on this board remains. If that reduces my credibility, I accept that. I do have good reasons to remain anonymous. Having said that, I have multiple years of experience at West Point in numerous positions, to include extremely close ties with Admissions, the Admissions processes, and Candidates, and Cadets. Again, if you want to believe / disbelieve this, that is your choice.</p>
<p>However, I encourage candidates to ask these types of questions of West Point Admissions whenever talking with someone from West Point.</p>
<p>Many CC USSA Forum threads are informative and helpful - posters direct candidates to sources for accurate information - like USMA Admissions. :)</p>
<p>Many threads become a venue for sharing experiences. Occassionally threads become contentious...like this one was. </p>
<p>Thank you for supporting the candidates and their parents on this forum. :)</p>
<p>Welcome to these forums. It makes no difference to me if you choose to remain anonymous, I respect your wish in that regard. These forums can always use more people who are able to offer current and accurate information about the Academy.</p>
<p>OK3 - I know you have heard it from a lot of good folks, but again congratulations to your son on the appointment and to you for providing that essential support. Your story sounds a lot like ours. We recieved the LOA today after being notified of the Presidential nom 2 weeks ago. According to the LOA, when his file is complete, he will recieve the Appointment. We still need his english teacher to submit her eval and he needs to get his essays submitted. WP is his #1 choice, followed by USNA - so needless to say we're all pumped!</p>
<p>And a very hearty congratulations to your son for his LOA! That’s great news and I’m sure everybody in your household is excited, and justifiably so! Judging from your screen name and your son’s Presidential Nomination I’m guessing you are or were a helo pilot. If you don’t mind my asking, which service? Has your son been told to continue with the Congressional nomination process?</p>
<p>I got a chuckle out of your mentioning the missing School Official Evaluation (SOE) from your son’s English teacher. Getting the teachers to complete the SOE was one of the most difficult parts of the on-line application process for our son. His teachers were all more than happy to write the SOE, however, they had more pressing concerns during late August while preparing for the upcoming school year. Our son didn’t want to become a pest, but finally started making daily visits to the teacher’s classrooms asking if he could offer any assistance with the on-line process. Suffice it to say, they “got it.”</p>
<p>Probably his greatest concern during the process arose last spring when he asked for an excused absence to attend Summer Leaders Seminar (SLS), as his school year didn’t end until late June. His college guidance counselor, a French national, asked, “what’s West Point?” After attempting to explain, he was told he would receive an unexcused absence for attending SLS. Not about to have any part of that, he marched down to the principal’s office and asked to make an appointment to see the vice principal. Things changed dramatically for the better after that meeting, although the vice principal apparently did have to intervene on one additional occasion in the guidance office to get his 6-semester transcripts for Army and Navy ROTC and West Point.</p>
<p>OK3 - Your suspicions are correct. I'm a former navy LAMPS helo driver. </p>
<p>I asked the question that you asked (pertaining to continuing with the congressional nom process) to his WP Liason rep. E mailed him just this morning so we havn't got an answer yet. My take is "full steam ahead" until we have appointment in hand, unless we are directed otherwise. </p>
<p>He is also applying to USNA and recently was given a Presidential nom. From what I hear, Navy is not as quick to respond with LOAs as WP.</p>
<p>He did SLS at both academies last summer and came out of it pretty much sold on WP. No argument from me (USNA 79) because I believe in my heart that the opportunity to attend any of the service academies is something very special. Granted, he won't be as close (we live in Northern VA) and I won't have the luxury of seeing him at home Navy football games, but I can live with that. I am encouraging him, however, to take advantage of the overnight candidate visits offered to LOA recipients, before he makes his final decision.</p>
<p>I had to chuckle when i read your story on the guidance counselor. I suspect you may be located in an area where there is not much military presence - or not that many applicants? </p>
<p>Question - How long after his package was "complete" did you son receive his appt? </p>
<p>Thanks for your quick response and insight!</p>
<p>LAMPS indeed! While I admit I’m dating myself, I started my Navy career at age 17 as an AW and SAR Crewman at NAS Imperial Beach, CA, and trained as a rescue swimmer in HSL-31 jumping out of the SH-2F “Hooky Took.” Ah, to be young and fearless again.</p>
<p>We live in New England where quite sadly there are few military facilities remaining other than Guard or Reserve units and thus minimal civilian familiarity with the military services. Our son attends an inner-city public high school where one or two graduating seniors usually matriculate to the various service academies or prep schools.</p>
<p>According to our son it took about ten days from the time he completed his USMA on-line application (all his Status Icons turned green) to the time he received his Appointment in the mail. Frankly, I was shocked how fast the admissions team responded, and good on them for staying so on top of the process. When West Point admissions claims, “we conduct rolling admissions,” they truly mean it!</p>
<p>OK3 - Most of my time in LAMPS was spent either @ sea or Norfolk, VA. As a JO never thought of it as a "job" - was having too much fun. Then got serious & married. Went into the reserves at the 7 year mark and will be retiring next June after 30.</p>
<p>Anyway back to WP. We emailed my son's English teacher last week and told her the situation. Yesterday she had finished and submited her on-line recommendation. Checked the candidate website and had a "green" next to her name. </p>
<p>So - now the only thing left is for him to get his essays written and submitted. I'm trying not to be too pushy with this as he already has a full plate...but it sure would be nice to get that appt "in hand".</p>
<p>Thrilled to have the LOA, but my advice to him remains not to rest easy until we come to that point.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your insight...with a little luck maybe we'll see you at "R" day!</p>
<p>As I mentioned in a previous post, the SOE’s were the toughest part of the West Point on-line application process for our son as his teachers were busy preparing for the upcoming school year. So good on your son for getting all those icons turned green. It takes a lot of perseverance.</p>
<p>Our son worked on his application essays for a couple of weeks, drafting them in MS Word and once happy with them, cutting and pasting over to the application. And yes, it’s tough not to inject your opinion and/or style during the essay writing process, but admissions wants to see the real thing. I suspect they’re pretty darned good at recognizing the difference between essays authored by a 17-year old high school student versus those re-written by external sources.</p>
<p>Good luck to your son and we hope to see you on R-Day!</p>
<p>"Our son worked on his application essays for a couple of weeks, drafting them in MS Word and once happy with them, cutting and pasting over to the application."</p>
<p>Ahh.. this new group is missing out on the wondereful tradition of handwritten essays ....</p>
<p>Ahhhh, yes. There was nothing quite like the agony of writing the essay in long hand on notebook paper, matching it to the application to see if it would fit and then copying it over. smudge free. error free. Sometimes "progress" is not progress. ;)</p>