<p>I’ve been reading a book called Duty First: West Point and the Making of American Leaders by Ed ruggero. Basiclly the author serveys the cadets, supe, staff, and everyone in between at west point for a year. It offers many different views of the academy. There are some intersting views about west point and I’m wondering to what extent is it true at the Air Force Academy.</p>
<p>1) Since there are tons of things to do at the academy, marching, inspection, duties, many different classes and tons of materials to cover…,ect, some argues that many cadets just scrape by the minimal standards for their classes, that the academics system lacked depth. </p>
<p>2) The classes cover a wide array of materials quickly without going much into depth.</p>
<p>3) Since there are many rules constrants in the academy and a cadet doesn’t normally get out much, some argues that west point trains “social ■■■■■■■” who can’t connect with ordinary civillians and most importantly, the enlisted soliders they lead.</p>
<p>Any insights would be helpful. Thanks.</p>
<p>"...that the academics system lacked depth." That is definately not true in the case of Majors classes. Each major focuses their energy toward a very in-depth study of the topics covered. You receive very good instruction in any class toward your major. Some of the core classes that must be covered do generalize somewhat. A perfect example is history 101 in which they cover everything from the cave man to present day in 42 lessons. They combine rome and Greece into one lesson. So in that respect, some of the core classes do generalize a bit.</p>
<p>I would not understand how the academies could train "social retards".. I mean West Point has had a couple graduates become President and I heard alot of them go into politics... also, isn't it more bonding than a civilian college because at the academies your around your comrades and have to do many team work drills? Just a thought</p>
<p>I've read that book. What he means is that you are so deprived of being around people not in an Academy, you forget what outside life is like. That is exaggerated for effect though, but in someways true. Some people just go crazy when they graduate because they have so much freedom, but most people don't. I don't think most cadets have to worry about it.</p>
<p>Sometimes I do feel alienated from the rest of my age group in society. Or more likely, I'd just rather hang out with cadets. We share so much together. While you're here, your best friends, maybe all of your friends, will almost certainly be cadets. But that's just natural. It's hard to be great friends with someone you can't even describe your daily life to. It's easy to be friends with people that do all those things with you. Hopefully, as I gain freedom and start getting out more, I will have at least a few friends on the outside, but maybe I wont. </p>
<p>Social retards? I don't think so. I have more good friends now than ever before. I've learned to support and depend on people I don't like. The Academy constantly challenges us to develop advanced interpersonal skills most college students have never even thought of. Maybe it's just me, but I think leadership and followership might have something to do with social skills.</p>
<p>If I don't have many friends on the outside, it's not because I lack social skills, but because I don't have anything in common with them. That's not a lack of the necessary skills, it's human nature.</p>