Discussion of Changes at USNA

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What is unfortunate about this entire food episode is that, when the smoke clears, the immature impatient midshipmen and their gum flapping parents might think they were in some way responsible for the improvements.

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<p>usna69- If the shoe fits....</p>

<p>and as far as "gum flapping"- speak for yourself. This meddling mom has all her teeth. </p>

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The following is based entirely on the rumor, which I have no idea if it is correct or not, that there is a new contractor starting next week.

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<p>Not a rumor. Confirmed by Dants office. New contractor starts 9/3.</p>

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If this rumor is true, the only logical explanation is that the old contract has expired and a new contract, featuring a new and improved menu, with a new contractor is being implemented. There is no way that a govt contractor was "fired" for incompetence based on a single week of performance to a new standard.

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<p>Message from the dants office is that they are changing to a new vendor who can meet the needs of the brigade. Assume what you will.</p>

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My mid did not even recognize he was in the midst of a "problem" until the clarivoyants at the BS told him so....

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<p>WP- I hope he is more observant in the field....not sure the Baltimore Sun delivers.</p>

<p>And by all means, do send your $$$$ to your Mid's wardroom fund. I have no doubt they will find use for it- we still have a few days before 9/3. Better yet, why not put your money where your mouth is, pack up your trunk with food and deliver it to the yard for your son's company - I am sure the sponsor mom's AND dads that have been doing just that would welcome the break....perhaps that would be better use of your time then whistling dixie to the other little piglets.</p>

<p>Go ahead- I dare you.
But I will bet you that bottle of merlot that USNA69 owes me that the little piggy won't be going to the market today because he is too busy criticizing those in the arena.
Too bad.</p>

<p>usna69- you know, for a grad, you really don't seem to like midshipmen very much. or to remember what being one was like. you can disagree, but i speak as i find. referring to us as "impatient and immature" calls to my mind the fact that people more often use adjectives for others that most correctly define themselves. your chest thumping is silly, and belittling mids and their parents has as much 'traitorous' overtones as those mids and their parents complaining about food. which, by the way, is ridiculous. if something is broken, you fix it, you don't stand by and say "well i am being traitorous to my institution if i complain." that is exactly how things DON'T get fixed, as well as one of the most impressive stretches of the word "traitor" that i have ever heard. you are as ridiculous as the mids you belittle, and their parents that you disparage.</p>

<p>NT, take comfort. I'm not maligning your patriotism.</p>

<p>ex patriate - "to leave one's native country" (NOT ex-patriot ... that's one who's booted out of New England:confused:) </p>

<p>All I was saying is you're removed from Texas, it seems. Was it voluntary? :rooleyes: jk,jk Now we know why Texans are so damned proud?</p>

<p>But I do have to know ... DO you cook the Thanksgiving turkey?</p>

<p>navy2010 ... In fact I AM going to the market. Gotta pick up some pickled pigs feet, mountain oysters, and a hefty block of limburger cheese. Guests are coming tonite! :cool:</p>

<p>Could I suggest you're keeping this between you and me and leave our Mids outta the cat fighting. I'm fully confident mine couldn't hold a candle to yours, but shucks, you know, we're all just happy to be here. After all they have to let in a few charity cases beyond Long Island, where English is a 2nd language, as you've illustrated well. </p>

<p>jk. ;)</p>

<p>WP I miss read but then there has been a lot of traitor talk going on so was easy to do.</p>

<p>To that end - you will never know where I am - could be in Texas, could even be in NE, maybe the Midwest, South is always a possibility, and have always loved the "left" coast. There you have it! </p>

<p>Even had the privilege of cooking a Turkey that still had the feathers when purchased. No, I did not kill the Turkey... Pulling feathers out of a Turkey is really not any fun!</p>

<p>Go Navy and Hook 'em Horns!</p>

<p>NEVER pluck a turkey unless you're masochistic. Skin 'em then cook 'em in a bag. Otherwise you'll have little down feathers floating in your pantry for weeks. The good news is you can readily take a nap there.
Indeed ...</p>

<p>Go Navy! Even beat Army!! :rolleyes:</p>

<p>Being on the West Coast, my mid will be coming home for Thanksgiving only if he gets (opinfo?) . Last Thanksgiving, he stayed in Annapolis. Hopefully he will get it as he's ranked pretty high.</p>

<p>But, if he unable to come home, then at least they should be able to serve edible/enough food. If that's helicoptering, too bad!</p>

<p>To be honest, I am quite proud of my helicopterness . Our family has developed 3 fabulous people . Now, with the exception of our youngest, they can fly that helicopter themselves.</p>

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To be honest, I am quite proud of my helicopterness. Our family has developed 3 fabulous people...

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Oregon Mom: Your youngest will get there too - cherish the time it all goes way too fast. :)</p>

<p>I too am proud of my "helicopterness." Wouldn't have done it any other way. I have always believed if I was not their advocate - who would be! </p>

<p>To all of the helicopter meddling moms and dads - Look where are kids are and what they have achieved - we must have done something right along the journey!</p>

<p>I'm a grad and dad of two Mids. I remember the food service challenges every year when the Brigade came back in August. Sometimes, we didn't get fed because there weren't enough tables. So, when both my kids called to complain, I gave them the "When I was a Mid" speech and assured them that things will sort themselves out soon enough. I guess I hope they do. We never got "moldy" food, but rumors have a way of flying out of that place like nobody's business.</p>

<p>I guess what bothers me more is the rumor that the Supe wants to ban "Beat Army!" after the singing of Navy Blue & Gold. I can honestly say that I never thought it was a sign of disrespect to the Army - in fact, just the opposite. I kind of always looked at it as "Great we won, but we have to beat them again next year," or "Damn it, we lost, but we'll get a crack at them again next time." I'm not sure that interservice rivalry was ever really on my mind.</p>

<p>As a rule, I like West Point folks, and I certainly respect their service to the country. I pretty much flipped a coin when deciding on whether to attend Navy or Army. I'm glad I made the chioce I did, but I'm equally certain that I'd have been glad to go to Moscow on the Hudson...I kind of feel this whole "nation at war" thing is overblown. </p>

<p>In four years, this guy will be gone and somebody else will come in and make changes that they think are beneficial to the Naval Academy and the Navy. Whether the changes ADM Fowler is making will have any staying power will be decided after he leaves. Personally, I hope the rumor about "Beat Army!" is untrue. It just seems a little ridiculous to this old grad.</p>

<p>My son said that the directive did come down about "Beat Army" but most Company and Batt officers aren't enforcing it.</p>

<p>Well stated Dad&Grad re: Army. You only fret about those worthy of attention and competition. Patton worried about Rommel because he admired the "bastard." And the record shows USMA is most worthy and meriting GREAT RESPECT! Florida International are fine folks but who really cares in the competition. I'm betting it'll go by the Boards. A few years back the Pitt AD who's one sharp cookie and is now Nebraska's boss, mandated that Pitt would no longer be, well Pitt. They would not be Pittsburgh! Nice ring. Reminds of the Stillers, right? Well it didn't work then, and it is now just an anecdote on the 2002 Pitt "baseball" cards. This too will pass, likely sooner than later, and again, I'm willing to hold the cash wagers on this. Adm. Fowler may be new and inexperienced as a Supe, but he ain't stupid when there is nothing apparent to gain aside from silly looks and ridicule from old grads and disregard from fresh Mids. The handwriting is getting clearer on this all the time.</p>

<p>By the way, I too take great pride in having been a meddling father. I was chronically aware of real and impending toe-stubs and otherwise among my chicks. But I also know when the gig is up. And it's up. Much as I'd might wish otherwise, my pony has left the gate and is now running with his USNA stablemates. I don't much count unless he breaks a leg and has to be shot. Heaven forbid. Now his 'copters have USN on the side. Give it up girls. Keep your badge of honor. But no meddling. It cannot and will not help your young in anyway aside from keeping you occupied thinking you're doing something. (We need a symbol like the old ghostbusters ensignia or something.)</p>

<p>Whistle Pig - you got it. when my kids were little they played soccer- we parents were right there on the field with them. we helped them go in the right direction and turned them around if they needed it. As they moved to youth soccer we were on the sidelines - still hollering directions though.
In high school we moved to the bleachers - still hollering but mostly just cheering. The most vocal parents thought they were coaches and looked and sounded out of place and out of line.
Now they are gone - I get to the bleachers only occasionally - but no giving directions or coaching allowed. I hear the whining and complaining about this and that and offer motherly advice on how to solve the problem - but that is it - their decision if they take action.
They CAN do this - on their own.</p>

<p>Just curious, do they have similar food service problems at ALL of the Academies or just USNA?</p>

<p>^^^^^^^^ I am sure they do. For example, USMMA is annually ranked among colleges as having very poor food quality. But apparently the midn/cadets and the parents at these other academies are able to handle it with a certain amount of patience, understanding, and maturity.</p>

<p>Cheers, WP! Before anyone accuses me of being a "helicopter parent", my oldest Mid called ME tonight and said the food situation has greatly improved. Without prompting from me, he said that the chain of command and feedback from the Brigade appears to be working - or the food service folks are getting their act together and serving enough food - or some combination of those and other factors. They had all the chicken tenders they wanted tonight - with food left over on the table. I guess we can worry about something else now...</p>

<p>Great to hear that it is improving.</p>

<p>I should probably post my prior question at the Air Force or WP forums to see what those who currently go there think. I don't recall ever seeing a question/issue about food service at their forums.</p>

<p>^^^^^^^^ Probably, since you apparently have no stake in this game whatsoever and are simply trying to "stir the pot", a more prudent course of action might have been not to have asked the question at all.</p>

<p>I guess we all have different views of parenting and family. There are those of you who feel your time has been. There are those of us that know that we will always be important and our opinion/advice sought in the lives of our children no matter how old they are. Our Mid class and asks for our opinions all the time, it doesn't mean that he is incapable of making a decision. He has respect for his parent and values their wisdom. He is not afraid to tell us when he respectfully disagrees. We honor his opinions too. He sees what I post on this site, but he choses to remain silent. He does enjoy the hoopla though. He has asked that I do not post on the list serv, he has no respect for the list serve with all its mom and apple pie attitudes. I have honored his request. Just like I would honor it if he asked that I stop visiting this site.</p>

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my pony has left the gate and is now running with his USNA stablemates. I don't much count...

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but no giving directions or coaching allowed

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<p>I really hope that you do not believe that you do not much matter anymore, that friends matter more and that your opinions or advice is no longer valid and unwelcome.</p>

<p>As you say they can do this on their own - but they do not have too. It does take a village no matter how old you are.</p>

<p>We will always be their parents just as we will always be my our parents children. My mother would have probably tried calling the Supe by now so I guess I come by this naturally....(Actually if the Mid told her all his concerns she probably would have already called - its a good thing she isn't in the area.)</p>

<p>I don't get it. Why it is that when someone asks a question that is not to someone's liking it is always interpreted as "stirring the pot"</p>

<p>^^^^^^^ Read all his recent posts over the last several weeks and judge for yourself.</p>

<p>It would seem even West Point had its share of "Dining Hall woes":</p>

<p>"Cadet Adelbert Ames, Class of May 1861, said, "The fish, in odor and taste, is sometimes disgusting...Bugs will be found in the sugar, and cockroaches in the soup." That same year a First Lieutenant wrote, "The fare is very bad. I have lived on bread for days, rather than eat the other food provided." In 1860 Academy cadets consumed more than 4,000 pounds of LARD. :(</p>

<p>My GG Grandfather (USMA 1862) wrote of getting sick and being reduced in weight to 80 pounds one spring while at the academy---the food then was certainly no help.</p>

<p>NOW, always wanting to foster the spirit of cooperation between the services, and not wanting the middies to starve any longer, I will now post the West Point recipe for Turkey Pot Pie, which will feed 5,000 people:</p>

<p>TURKEY POT PIE WITH FLAKY CRUST
1250 pounds turkey breast, cooked
200 pounds frozen peas
200 pounds frozen carrots, sliced
75 10lb cans white potatoes
25 10lb cans large pearl onions
450lbs fresh celery
140lbs margarine
150lbs flour
5 jars wine sherry
5 1lb jars chicken base
20 ounces poultry seasoning</p>

<p>Cut potatoes and celery. Cut turkey into pieces 3/4" square. Divide turkey into pots, cover with stock, and heat through. Drain stock and reserve for gravy. Cook vegetables separately. Drain pearl onions. Add potatoes and vegetables to turkey, divide sauce, heat, and season. Top with flaky crust.</p>

<p>Bon Appetit!!!!!</p>