<p>If one attends the Academy, does the military obligation, what is next for most? What kind of civilian carrers awaits them??
thanks</p>
<p>There isnt a buisness major at the academy, but many graduates go on afterwards to succesful buisness careers, graduates of any of the service acadamies are highly sought after in the corporate world.</p>
<p>The Naval Academy is one of the top engineering schools in the country and again it would be very easy to find a civilian enginerring job after graduation were you to major in some kind of engineering.</p>
<p>Really though, you are recieving a top-notch education and if you make it through the academy you obviously have the drive to succeed. So you really have everything laid before you. Do you have any ideas?</p>
<p>The answer is really what ever you want to be. The purpose of the Service Academies is not to train career military officers (although some do become career officers), the purpose is to train our nation's future leaders. Service Academy graduates go on to do many great things as leaders in business, engineering, law enforcement, and what every else you can imagine.</p>
<p>I'm not sure I'd concur with your counsel and perspective of the purpose of the SAs, SteveO.</p>
<p>Can I ask how far along you are in the admissions process (assuming you are a senior in h.s.)? Have you visited any of them and/or talked to those currently/recently attending?</p>
<p>The same thread is also going on at the Air Force academy forum. These programs are VERY demanding, for good reason, and it takes a total commitment to get through those 4 years. If a military academy happens to be on your list of 'top notch' schools, very important to understand what you are signing up for.</p>
<p>I concur with Whistle. I am pretty sure the SA believes that they are training career military officers. Their charter is to train military officers, their vision is to train the nation's future leaders. The SA grads do go onto future leaders in business, but most of them do complete 20 years (i.e. admirals and generals). If you truly think you might want out in 5 years, I think you might be better off at a ROTC commission at an Ivy...enjoy college! H went that route and still had a successful career, but never had to walk the pavement.</p>
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If one attends the Academy, does the military obligation, what is next for most? What kind of civilian carrers awaits them??
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<p>If you have yet to start at an SA and you're already planning your civilian career, a SA probably isn't for you. </p>
<p>The mission of the USNA is to prepare men and women to be line officers in the USN. If you're attending for some other reason, you should seriously consider another school -- Citadel and VMI come to mind. There, you can get a military education w/o any military commitment upon graduation. And those grads do very well in the civilian world.</p>
<p>For various reasons, USNA grads may at some point decide not to make the military a career. They go on to success in many career fields, just like graduates of other top colleges and universities -- business, law, medicine, religion, engineering. But that's not why USNA exists.</p>
<p>If your current desire is a civilian career, a minimum of 9 years in the military is not the best way to achieve it. Go to a great civilian school; you'll be much hapier.</p>
<p>Perhalps I should clarify my previous post. My post was a poor paraphrasing of a point my BGO made with me.</p>
<p>Yes, the point of Service Academies is to make military officers, but in addition to that, in the long run, their point is to make the future leaders (military and civilian) of our nation. Not all 1000 or so graduates of each Service Academy is going to become a flag officer or even an O-5 or O-6, and I believe that the military intends it to be this way. If they did not, the service obligation would be 20 years instead of 5 and we'd have a ridiculous number of O-6's running around. So the question becames, what happens to those that do not stay in the service and become O-6's and flag officers? Well, the vast majority of them go out into the civilian sector and become the leaders in what ever field they pursue. They become the important people in corporations, senator, congressmen, and in one case president. That was the point of my original post and of a conversation my BGO had with me (in which he said all that using a quote from John McCain).</p>
<p>Believe me, I was in no way trying to infer that people should go to Service Academies in order to reep the benefits of free education or use it as a means to an end. I know far too many SA applicants who are doing just that and I have to say it disgusts me. I know one girl who is applying to USNA and told me straight out she is doing so b/c it is free. I know one girld applying to USMA b/c it is free and her parents went there. And I know one guy applying to USCGA b/c it is free and b/c he won't have to "get killed in Iraq in the Coast Guard" (his words not mine). In my opinion all these individuals are applying for the wrong reasons and do not belong at a Service Academy or in a position (military officer) where the lives of men and women are in their hands.</p>
<p>As for myself, I believe I am applying for the right reasons. I truely and honestly want to serve my country. I believe it is my patriotic duty as an American to serve my country in its time of need just as other members of my family have done. I have always had the dream to serve in the military ever since I was a little boy. Now I intend to make that dream a reality. My goal is to go to USNA and become a United States Marine (Ground). I believe that attending USNA will give me the best tools and opportunities to make myself the best officer I can be and be of the most use to my country. I intend on serving beyond the 5 year service obligation. How long exactly? I honestly don't know right now. It depends on a lot of factors. If the Corps sends me on 9 combat tours in 10 years of service (extreme example), I will probably be very tired of war and may consider leaving. Other such factors may influence my decission to stay or go. But one thing I assure you is that I am not using a Service Academy as a means to a free ride.</p>
<p>I am not saying you Steve. However, what people are saying is 1st don't think that it is that easy to jump. You might owe 5 yrs at the beginning, but as I have stated elsewhere, if you get a Masters on their dime, you will owe them time. When you PCS you will owe time. Everytime you accept a promotion guess what...you owe them time. SO let's say you go to a school, PCS, get a Masters, depending how that falls you might not be able to leave until 10+ . I.E> move at yr 4, you owe 3 years, (puts you at 7), at yr 6 you finish your Masters on their dime you owe 3 more (your at 9 now). PCS at yr 7, you now are at 10. Get promoted again you are at 13. Get PME you are at 16. On and on. Hey and I didn't even put in bonuses</p>
<p>I wasn't saying anything about your post, I was just trying to clarify what I actually was meaning to say since I know that my first post was not well worded. I completely agree with you, going the Service Academy route and trying to jump into the civilian sector should not be a Service Academy applicant's goal and it is not as easily as most people think. Their primary goal should be to become a military officer. But should they decide to leave the service, there are opportunities out there and Service Academy grads do tend to be very sucessful when they pursue those opportunites.</p>
<p>I think you will be an amazing asset to our nation's future, and I am happy to know that when I am old and gray there will be people like you to protect us :).<br>
People will always leave the service and an academy diploma opens more doors than can be imagined...there will always be Booz Allen, Boeing, Lockheed, ready to snap up anyone with military experience, besides the airlines and the shipping industry.</p>
<p>Steve - at all the academies there are mids/cadets there for many different reasons. Some may "disgust" you and some you may think are the "wrong reasons" but try not to be too judgemental.</p>
<p>The standard answer of course is to serve ones country - I am willing to submit that for most members of our military - their #1 reason for signing up is not patriotism. Most people have more altruistic reasons. I have never heard a cadet or mid say their patriotic love of country got them through plebe summer. Rather, they got through on sheer will and determination. They did it for themselves and their fellow mids/cadets.</p>
<p>For the girl you know who is applying to USNA because it is free - as long as she is qualified and is a good midshipman who becomes a good officer - who cares? Perhaps she would not be receiving a college education otherwise and she is willing to serve her country for the opportunity to better herself, to be guaranteed a job and a career.
Kids enlist for all kinds of reasons, they join ROTC for all kinds of reasons and they apply to SA's for all kinds of reasons.</p>
<p>You will be leading kids who put their lives on the line for their country and they signed up for many reasons - some because of the adventure, some for the challenge, some to get the heck outta dodge and some to escape home, some because their friends or brothers/sisters signed up.</p>
<p>IMO the absolutely worst reason is to please one's parents but John McCain did that and look how he turned out.</p>
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I am pretty sure the SA believes that they are training career military officers.
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<p>Incorrect. According to the last admission's video, the video CLEARLY said that candidates should be prepared to serve the 5 year committment, but that they aren't "expected" to make a career of it (they just need to be preapred to serve the minimum). Some grads "five and dive" and some don't. Some get out and work in other government agencies (CIA, NSA, etc.) and some go to businesses....it just depends.</p>
<p>What is expected of every graduate is the five years. Of course, there are plenty who would choose to do more (for their own reasons) and that choice is ALWAYS appreciated.</p>
<p>bullet,</p>
<p>Thank you for the compliment.</p>
<p>JustAMom,</p>
<p>I know people have other reasons for going into the service. I do too. I want to have an adventurous career, see the world, and be a part of something bigger than myself in addition to wanting to serve my country. My point was that a desire to serve you country and a sense of duty and patriotism should be at least one part of an applicant's motivation for apply.</p>
<p>If you ask an applicant why they are applying they will give you many answers because applying to an SA and deciding to go into the military is a major life choice. But among that myriad of reasons should be patriotism or wanting to serve in the military. When asked if they would join the military if they did not attend a Service Academy, I believe applicants should answer "yes". Far too often in my opinion, applicants get too centrally focused on the Academy itself. They forget that the end goal here is to become a member of the military.</p>
<p>As for being judgemental of my peers...</p>
<p>I am the one here who is personally acquainted with them and I believe I am a pretty good judge of character. From the conversations we have had, I believe that these three individuals hearts are in the wrong place. Granted using the word "disgusted" might have been a little too harsh, but I can tell that these individuals' true desires have very little to do with serving in the military. The Service Academy experience is not easy. Their are much easier ways to a commission and a degree. The vast majority of Cadets and Mids who wash out do not wash out because they couldn't handel the academic challenges or the physical challenges, but because they did not really understand what they were getting themselves into and their motivation for being there, what ever it was, was not strong enough to give them the determination and resolve to conquer the challenges before them. Motivation, determination, and resolve are the qualities required to SUCCEED at an Academy. I know that these individuals' reasons for applying and going may not be strong enough to drive them to succeed or drive them to reach their full potential. And this is why I think they are applying for the wrong reasons.</p>
<p>Although McCain did have a lot of family presure to go to the Academy, the case was a little different for him. He stated that he wanted to prove to everyone that he was just as good as his forefathers and this gave him the determination to stick it out eventhough it was very hard for him. These individuals I know have no such motivation.</p>
<p>I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAY, BUT I WILL FIGHT TO THE DEATH TO DEFEND YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.</p>
<p>Steve you will be a phenomenal officer, my H says that exact comment (last sentence) constantly, and he means it with every breath.</p>
<p>My famous reply is..."freedom is word those truly protected by do not understand the meaning of". For us to be free my h was deployed for anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, personal celebrations. When our s was competing in Nat. for TKD he arrived home from a 4 mo. deployment 2 days prior. He had to travel for @ 1 week and layovers in 3 countries. It was touch and go if he would make it.</p>
<p>Don't fret about those whose hearts and souls aren't there, they are the ones that will drop after BCT. </p>
<p>BTW McCain's son is there now. McCain openly admits he was rebel at the acad.</p>
<p>Again, thank you very much bullet. Your compliments and support mean a lot to me, since I have received very little support from my family. They are very much opposed to my decission to apply to the Academy and my decission to join the military regardless of whether or not I go the Service Academy route. They have been fighting me tooth and nail, but it has only strengthend my resolve. If I am fortunate enough to receive an Appointment and accept it, I know that I can not fail, I can not complain, I can not gripe at all about Plebe Summer or the Academy life b/c it would only empower my parents' opposition. This is the motivation that I know will pull me through when things get tough there in addition to my pride and belief in duty to country.</p>
<p>I would also like to thank your h for his service and thank you and your family b/c I know that the life of soldier/sailor/airmen/Marine is hard on both the individual and their loved ones.</p>
<p>Parents r funny creatures, they might just have the opp. b/c of fear. I am sure as opposed as they r they r also very proud. Give them time to accept the fact, once they see all that it has to offer they might come around. Try having them join cc or service academy forums. They will be able to see there is a huge support system.
No need to say thanks, its appreciated, but he has the same feeling it was his belief in what he wanted to do and was happy to do it. Just so you know I would do the whole career over again...good, bad and ugly.
We have lived in great places and even the not so great were great.</p>
<p>My only piece of advice when you receive your commission...a tour is what you make out of it...if you arrive hating the place you will be miserable...if you arrive and say hey the mts r an 1 hr away, they have a great O'Club, than you will do just fine</p>
<p>hey, i don't know why this hasn't come up earlier, but the USNA clearly states that it's mission is to "provide graduates dedicated to a career of naval service." it also says "to have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government."
i agree with an earlier poster - if you're already thinking about what you're gonna do when you get out, maybe you should reconsider.
obviously committing to a lifetime career as a teenager is near impossible, especially a military career, but right now i intend to stay in for a career.
it actually amazes me how much the academies are trying to appeal to the kind of people who are going to get the ring, the diploma, and the resume. at USMA SLS i remember one of the officers saying in a briefing that General Electric made it a goal to hire 50% West Pointers. the whole briefing was about the kinds of thing a WP education sets you up for after the Army. then at the CVW banquet there was a grad talking about his MBA and his business and how much money he makes. i rarely heard about the service commitment or a lifetime career.</p>
<p>Hershey, you 2 will be a great asset. AT such a young age to see the big pic is very mature. We have had this conversation with our s. You are young 10 yrs from now will be night and day. Nobody is saying you are bad if you walk, but to accept an appt. with the thought 5 and dive is a different equation. </p>
<p>As I said b4 if your motivation is a free education, you probably will re-think it when they take your cell phone away :)</p>
<p>I think they are just trying to show that Service Academies give you access to a world of opportunities inside and outside the military.</p>
<p>Many of you put down the fact that the Academies open a lot doors outside the military and put down the fact that people may choose to leave the military for other careers. But what about those who are forced to leave the military? What are you going to do if you are injured in the line of duty and are medically discharged from the service? I would think that people would be glad that Academies open doors outside of the military so that if you have to leave the service you can get another occupation to support yourself and your family.</p>