<p>Duk80,</p>
<p>Well said. I hope reason wins out...the Superintendent certainly has every right to make the changes as he sees fit. If he wants to tighten up discipline because of past transgressions of those that went before, that's fine. But a decent diet, time to exercise to stay fit, camaraderie and spirit, and even studying can go hand in hand. I wish your son and daughter well.</p>
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don't like that the phrase "Nation at War" is becoming a tag line for the new Superintendent or a rationale for mando Friday night study halls. It offends me and diminishes the reality of that statement.
[/quote]
</p>
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[quote]
and for the Academy's senior administration to remember that there is more to good leadership than making rules, and that seriousness of purpose and high spirits are not mutually exclusive.
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</p>
<p>sorry Duke80.... this was sooooooo well said it bears repeating!!!!!</p>
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Oh, and the food situation is ridiculous. Not fixing it--because all it would take is money and attention--is a total abrogation of responsibility. And, it's fixed when the troops say it's fixed NOT when the administration says it's fixed.)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>(and this one, 'cause I have a bottle of Merlot with my name on it and I am trying not to use the f$$D word anymore! ).... but SO GLAD the rest of you have taken no such oath!</p>
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Yesterday, I sent my son to war. He's a Corporal with a rifle Company in the 2nd Division, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines heading to Ramadi in the Al Anbar province in Iraq.
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<p>God Bless and Godspeed!<br>
Will keep him- and you - in our prayers tonight!</p>
<p>Duke80,
Thank you for your powerful message. </p>
<p>Also, many Americans are praying for the safety of your son and other brave, hardworking soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen deployed around the globe.</p>
<p>I would assume that West Point and the Air Force Academy would also be included in that 'we are at war' rationale, but they still somehow manage to get the food service right.........</p>
<p>Good Point Time2....</p>
<p>I understand that nutritionists at USAFA tailor the menu to meet the specific nutritional needs of the varsity sports teams.</p>
<p>We have on average about 5-10 Mids at our house every weekend. They really never complained much about the food situation. They would tell you about the lack of food if you asked and they did confirm that they all even got an email apology from a higher up at USNA about the food shortage a few weeks back. However, for the past two weekends they have reported that the food situation is much worse now that they have revamped the menu. For example they were telling me about 1) a lunch ..the bacon soft tacos .only a few shriveled up pieces of bacon in a big soft taco shell with nothing else .no lettuce, no tomatoes, no other condiments and nothing else on the menu. 2) breakfast how do you divide or share 6-8 prepackage single serving cereals for 12 Mids. They said that the food tastes so bad. I can tell that all of them have lost weight. The parents say that they keep hearing from their Mids that they are so hungry during the week. This week a few care packages full of food have been delivered to my house for these Mids (I just dropped some packages off at the yard this evening). I just dont understand how this food situation is still going on. According to what I heard about FPW the food was even bad when the parents were invited guests for a meal. In years past, when the parents or sponsors were invited the food was always pretty good. Last year none of my Mids complained about any food problems.</p>
<p>People complain. The food situation isn't bad at all, and if they want more cereal they can just go get some. </p>
<p>Midshipmen complain, that's just how we are. If the food was perfect, we'd find something bad about it.</p>
<p>So are you saying, "A b**chin' sailor is a happy sailor"? That's an old fleet expression and echoed more eloquently in the Laws of the Navy:</p>
<p>Do they growl? It is well. Be thou silent.
If the work goeth forward amain,
Lo! The gun throws the shot to hair's breadth,
And shouteth, yet none shall complain...</p>
<p>As long as you can keep your sense of humor through changes, you'll do well in the Fleet. This happens a lot after a new CO takes over. Best advice: roll with it.</p>
<p>We had 20 Mids at our tailgater this weekend and they pretty much devoured everything we had left. "We're really hungry," was the most often used phrase. Not sure if that's because of the food at USNA, or because they have the metabolic rate of rabbits on meth...as Mids, we always ate a lot whenever we got the chance.</p>
<p>The food at USNA in my day (this is the geezer talking) was pretty good, but people still complained about it. I remember whole tubs of home-made "specky vanilla" ice cream going uneaten because of the completely ridiculous rumor that the "specks" were not just ground vanilla, but rather saltpeter in the ice cream - and they only served it on on Friday nights before the weekend liberty. Saltpeter being an old (again rumor, not fact, I'm told) trick to keep sailors from becoming too amorous on liberty. Use your imagination - the anti-viagra... </p>
<p>What a waste of perfectly good food, but I don't recall anybody ever eating the ice cream. Urban legend at USNA...</p>
<p>usna dad&grad,
I'm nominating you as our 'unofficial moderator,' because your posts are some of the best I've read in this forum, history majors are the most reasonable people on the face of the Earth ;), and you have a great sense of humor!</p>
<p>Thanks for your contributions!</p>
<p>Why are sailors like seagulls?</p>
<p>Because all they do is eat, s*** and squawk!! :)</p>
<p>In a nutshell, the food was GROSS! </p>
<p>I would have thought that after all the controversy, USNA would have put its best foot forward for its honored and invited guests (the parents!).</p>
<p>There was a mystery meat (supposedly chicken) ground so small and dry, i thought it was white cornmeal at first. Then there was the congealed cheese sauce to put on it. The salad was good (How can you wreck the salad?) but the potatoes were limp and cold and soggy. I am not a picky eater, I eat institutional food on a regular basis, but this was nasty. </p>
<p>As to FPW, it is my understanding that the Supe was going to cancel it, but the mids via the "chain of command" convinced him to keep it. Whether this understanding is a fact or not is anybody's guess. I am just glad it happened. It was a great time and there will be memories to cherish.
CM</p>
<p>candidatemom,
Congratulations to your firstie! FPW must be an exciting and joyous event! The '09 families are doing some serious praying that we will also have the opportunity to share that special 'Day in the life' of our mids next year too. Also, you and your husband probably accumulated nearly 18,000 frequent flier miles to attend FPW, not to mention taking time off work, etc. Then you're served crap in King Hall? The lack of hospitality on the part of USNA these days is just downright appalling. Wonder what I-day 2008 will look like? No families south of BWI?</p>
<p>Just more complaining parents who have no idea of what they speak. </p>
<p>[You all know how I really feel about this and I abhor emoticons in any event.]</p>
<p>Sounds like they served the Chicken pucks. Hardened, re-formed chicken parts, something like you might get at a Wendy's except of significantly lower quality. Overcooked and suitable for use as a door stop.</p>
<p>[I wonder if I will be able to hit 1,000 posts by May of '09, (maybe June so I can convey the graduation experience at least) when I sign off this site for good.]</p>
<p>Bill,
The woman actually had the chicken puks/pucks in front of her. Who knows our kids might be stunted from lack of nutrition. If she ate in King Hall I think she knows what she's talking about.</p>
<p>I was there and can confirm "mystery meat." It was ground so fine it looked like what you would feed to persons with no teeth. There was no "puck" it didn't hold together. Didn't taste like chicken, really didn't taste like anything. I made of point of looking for the goats at the game the next day....wasn't sure if they were becoming part of the "food chain!"</p>
<p>To deepdraft1: Amen, brother!</p>
<p>First:
Not complaining, merely reporting. People asked, I responded from my perspective.</p>
<p>Second:
Not pucks, meat ground fine like cornmeal. Put meat on a roll, put cheese sauce on top (if you choose) to adhere the meat together to keep the stuff from falling off. </p>
<p>Third:
Did not let a meal deter us from having a great time with our mid. The meal was a blip in our otherwise delightful (despite the football loss) weekend.</p>
<p>Fourth:
It was interesting to eat in King Hall to see the dynamics of how the operation works. It must be a tremendous logistical challenge to feed that many people simultaneously.</p>
<p>CM</p>
<p>When King Hall was an enlisted run operation it was a smooth operation, the meals were on the whole were very good and the variety was decent. It can be done, has been done, and the Brigade was actually larger.</p>
<p>^^^^
a little off the subject but did anyone see Throwdown With Bobby Flay last night? He challenged a Marine to a Steak contest - the Marine won!</p>
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Steak
Eric Dominijanni, a.k.a. Captain D., is a proud Marine with a mission--to grill his award-winning steaks as a morale booster to his men. What nobody knows is that Bobby Flay will roll up and challenge him to a steak Throwdown. Will Bobby be able to stand the heat and come out victorious, or will Captain D. and his Marines have ultimate command of the grill? Throwdown with Bobby Flay : Steak : Food Network will air again
October 25, 2007 8:30 PM ET/PT
October 26, 2007 3:30 AM ET/PT
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<p>Fun and great press for the marines!</p>