<p>Today I had my appointment presented to me by my BGO at my high school at the scholarship awards ceremony. Prior to today, I had long thought that our country was a downhill slide in that people no longer appreciate service to our country. I will have to admit that I was shocked and honored when the entire room stood up and clapped following the presentation. I shook more hands today than I ever have in my life. So, if any people out there doubt if there service is cared for, just remember that people may not always show that they are thankful but deep down inside, they truly are.</p>
<p>that so cool- It's makes me shiver! I do really appreciate it when people ask me about USNA and are blown away by my committment to serve. Which, to me (and I'm assuming a lot of you out there), is something that I've never felt people should really be honoring me for (ESPECIALLY since I haven't done anything yet and won't really for a while). of couse, I usually have to explain the concept of the academy first (for about 10 minutes) :)<br>
I was at first a little nervous to tell some people at school that I will be going into the Navy- but they have always surprised me by their sincerity in how much they appreciate it. It's great to know that that response is similar across the country!</p>
<p>Agreed! You renewed my geesebumps! WAY COOL!! Congrats, good luck. :cool:</p>
<p>TXinAK: Congratulations to you and I am so glad to hear about all the kudos you received in your awards ceremony. I thank you for your sacrifice, your service, and your dedication to our great nation.</p>
<p>Great post!</p>
<p>Good luck and G*d Speed...may you have fair winds and following seas!</p>
<p>Thank you for your willingness to protect my family!</p>
<p>Yeah my BGO is coming to our awards day on 5/13. My school has made a big deal out of it including lots of media coverage. I am keeping it in perspective. I know on 7/2, I am the bottom rung of a bunch of good folks, most of which know much more about what I need to do and where I need to get than I do. I am preparing myself for 7/2, that is all I am doing. This is all cool now, and I truly appreciate it, but it will mean nothing if I don't do my part this summer and the years to follow. I want to enjoy it and have been encouraged to do so by my parents and others, but I am sorta a forest beyond the trees sorta guy, so I have my mind set elsewhere. I am not uptight, just intense.</p>
<p>Your BGO presented it to you? Are you talking about the blue thing with the certificate inside? </p>
<p>My teacher told me that's supposed to happen. Mine came in the mail. I suppose that's because my BGO and I had issues contacting one another.</p>
<p>No, you were supposed to get it. You simply take it with you the morning of the awards day and give it to your BGO and he will present you with it.</p>
<p>My son's BGO said that the blue folders used to come to them for presentation, but are now mailed to candidates. He will be at the awards ceremony to formally present the appointment. My son is the first student from his school to go to a service academy. This is all new to them as well as for us. Fortunately, the BGO knows what to do.</p>
<p>Yeah my BGO just called me and told my to find my blue folder (which was hanging on my wall). I gave it to him, he gave a little speech about me, and then gave it back.</p>
<p>yeah my school does this recognition/scholarship ceremony as well...last year a girl received an Appointment to USAFA, and everyone gave her a standing ovation. The ceremony will be in a few weeks, and it is nice to hear that other schools to this as well and that those attending service academies are recognized.</p>
<p>I had a similar experience on Tuesday. My school gives awards for the highest average score in each course at the end of every year, and at this ceremony they also announce service academy appointments, valedictorian and salutatorian, national merit scholars, etc. I was stunned when I was the only one to receive a standing ovation.</p>
<p>Reading your stories, I'm realizing that I'm going to have trouble not sobbing at my son's awards night that is coming up in a few weeks. Uh oh. </p>
<p>And lest I forget, THANK YOU for serving!</p>
<p>You are fortunate to go to schools like that...at ours, appointments are treated like athletic signings and you get to buy your own cake! Very low key...but they would not budge on the way they do things...I tried!</p>
<p>Pmarol:</p>
<p>Let the tears flow at the award ceremony. I did and I am a Dad. LCDR in Dress Whites made the presentation and everyone was impressed. The next time you can let it go is about 6:00 PM on I-day. After that it is all down hill.</p>
<p>Well Deserved recognition TXinAK,and Congrats. to you from the Show-Me state !! Son's HS has an "Evening of Excellence "next week.......unfortunately his BGO will be out of town and unable to attend this year...we were in the HS audience 2 years ago when the BGO ,a Cmdr. in white uniform, explained to the large group what an honor it was to attend a service academy and how an appointment was a $300,000 + scholarship . Very , very impressive for everyone !!!!</p>
<p>It's making me cry just reading this post. My son's ceremony is in June, I'll be sure to bring the tissues. TXinAK, congratulations.
greeneagle5, our BGO will also be out of town, but he found another BGO to substitute for him. It's someone we've never met, but the BGO felt that the ceremony was very important. Perhaps your BGO could do the same.</p>
<p>Three yrs. ago S's NROTC recruiting officer (a Chief in dress whites) came to our awards ceremony to present him with the scholarship. S's best friend got NROTC scholarship also (to the same sch). The Chief made a nice speech about the value of the scholarship, the committment it required and the how unusual it was (for our state anyway) for two kids from the same high sch. to get the NROTC scholarship. The entire senior class and all the parents gave them a huge round of applause as they stood together to accept their scholarships from the Chief. I was trying to take pictures but they turned out somewhat blurry...must have been the tears in my eyes. It was a great night. Enjoy yours to the utmost. BTW, S and best friend are still best friends and roommates and will commission together next May. I'm going to get someone else to take the pictures for that,lol.</p>
<p>congratulations to all our newest to-be-Plebes who are getting this kind of recognition from thier communities! Our school always honors their scholarship winners, including ROTC and Service Academy...and when our girl and the other young man from our school were seniors at their awards ceremony - the wonderful BGO who had been their support throughout the entire admissions process looked stunning in his Captain's Dress Whites! It blesses me to know that across the states of our great country...similiar events with wonderful community support continue to flourish! BRAVO.</p>
<p>I never met my BGO. I ended up having a short phone interview with the BGO coordinator in my area since my BGO and I couldn't get in contact with one another. Guess I won't have the little presentation.</p>
<p>Congrats!</p>