<p>Single parent. Had a LOT of second guessing with the oldest going to the Academy. Couldn't wait for the second (last), four years later, to get out of the house.</p>
<p>How about a single parent with their only child at USNA?</p>
<p>Bz,
Thanks for sharing some of your experiences as a Navy family. Not everyone has that experience to draw on, and it is valuable input.</p>
<p>usna69, That's a nice story about your loving mom. You have reason to worry because those incompletes will be deducted from your Social Security! I was warned to stay away from sailors too. ;)
We have a friend from the class of 1949 and he remembers some pretty extreme cases of corporal punishment while he was at USNA. Did that happen while you were there?</p>
<p>"Any healthy organization can survive individual divergencies, and may even profit from them. Compulsory unification of opinion can only achieve the unanimity of the graveyard."</p>
<p>--Admiral Hyman Rickover, Class of 1922</p>
<p>Kathie - thanks for your post. I admire you for enduring the separation of TWO going off to college at the same time! Even tho' I thought I was prepared for sending our first off to USNA, I was an emotional wreck all summer - and most of the first year. I'm still not over the feeling that "my best friend moved away". I can STILL tear up if I dwell on it too much, but I try to focus on the fact that he is where he wants to be & so I wouldn't want it any other way. (All my husband's deployments never did break me from tearing up at "goodbyes" - I'm terrible at them! Guess that isn't going to change, but boy-oh-boy are our reunions ever SWEET!).</p>
<p>So...kudos to you! Don't know what I'd do if I ever had to say goodbye to TWO at once. I think I'd just turn into one big puddle!</p>
<p>(Not quite what you expected from this "military wife", is it? haha!).</p>
<p>Hey, nobody says you have to LIKE the goodbyes - you just have to accept them as part of the military life.</p>
<p>On the bright side, if you don't say goodbye, then you don't get those joyful homecomings (hopefully!).</p>
<p>Corporal Punishment: My plebe year was purely physical. Anyone in reasonable shape could handle it. With that said, upper class were still able to "run out" those who they did not think belonged. We shoved out. This meant we ate meals with no chair. A passing bystander, or company officer, would not realize that we were not sitting on a chair. Same posture, just no chair. "Rigging" pitchers were next. We were told to hand a one gallon pitcher of water to the Youngster opposite us. Sometimes it was two pitchers. Arms length, 8 lbs, both arms extended straight, sometimes for the entire meal. Rigging an M-1 rifle was normal. Shoved out, explained above, with an M-1 extended at arms length, 30 minutes at a time in our upper classes room during come around. Occassionally it occurred in the shower, in rain gear, with the shower on full hot position. Now, things are much more diffiicult because it has become a mental game. Pure physical strength no longer matters. I, as I have stated on this forum previously, think today, with all the mental games, is more difficult than when I was a plebe. Was it 'corporal' punishment? I did it. Both ways. I ran a few out. I'm not sure. I think I did what was expected of me. We did not have NASS or CVW. And only 2/3 graduated.</p>
<p>USNA69. Sir, my plebe summer was easy. We had lot's of workouts but nothing that would have been considered torture if we made an Arab terrorist do it. Now it's the Academic year, & yes, the mental games are exhausting & physical exersion is a relief.</p>
<p>By the way, I know Idris Leppla, her brother, her family. Her brother & I went to high school full of people who think like her. Can you imagine half the people you grew up with asking you why you want to be a baby killer?</p>
<p>Then "John" & I get here, and we get the other end of it; "*<strong><em>in' San Francisco people don't belong here. I think we should just blow that *</em></strong> up." That's mental stress for you. By the way, "John" is handeling it well. He's got a 4.0, made the JV basketball team, but his girl just broke up with him. Maybe that's too much info.-but just showing yall how it goes down because no one expects it to go down like that.</p>
<p>peace</p>
<p>One question: what are the religious changes in effect - or anticipated?</p>
<p>One comment: I think all we have to do is consider the source of the author of the article - Columbia. The same nice school ("They're smart!") who brought us the President of Iran, but refused Rumsfeld on the podium. Those same people. </p>
<p>My twin sons will both be leaving home within the year, one hoping for appointment to USAFA or USNA, and the other to USCGA or Notre Dame... we'll see. OH! I dread it already for me and my D who will be the only one left at home after a long string of boys before her.</p>
<p>zack, good to hear things are going well.</p>
<p>Half of those who are calling you a baby killer are jealous and the other half appreciates what you are doing. Keep up the good job.</p>
<p>I am sure the Lepplas are a fine family. The tolerance of which you are now becoming more aware will cause you to better appreciate those from all walks of life, from Idis, to the locals who are screaming "baby killer", and even to your intolerant classmates.</p>
<p>Rise above the pettyness of your classmates. As a teacher, I have found that it is running rampant in your generation. I was from the segregated South. It took a while, but eventually all my company classmates realized that I was the one who grasped Calculus. They are still thankful to me for the many hours of tutoring. Many people on this forum will guffaw that my company classmates will tell them that I am the smartest person that they have ever met. It took a while. Find the way. Win them over. You can and you will. Be a team player regardless and you will benefit from it. Good luck and stay in touch.</p>
<p>OBTW, I am sure that you will regret telling this forum that you know John. They are probably already lining up.</p>
<p>Kathie,</p>
<p>Welcome! I was there this summer dropping off my first born. I still have problems looking at the pictures without tearing up. Oh, yes, you can mention God here.</p>
<p>In regard to Adm. Fowler, he will not be here forever. Unfortunately, for the mids on their final years at USNA, he will ultimately impact the way they first introduced to life at USNA. For the newbies, there's another one waiting in the wings.</p>
<p>We went through this frequently during my husband's military career with the hail of a new commander. He would ultimately do things he thought best. Sometimes you received those who thought "If it ain't broken, don't fix it." Then there were the ones you just had to scratch your head at and wonder, "How did this happen? How were we blessed with this individual? When does he PCS?" </p>
<p>During this time frame and change of leadership, it really is preparing them for life in the fleet/corp. This is exactly how it happens in realtime. Not fair, perhaps, but a very good representation.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Many people on this forum will guffaw that my company classmates will tell them that I am the smartest person that they have ever met.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>huhhh????????</p>
<p>how did i miss this one????</p>
<p>are you drinking that merlot????</p>
<p>......explains a lot doesn't it?</p>
<p>
<p>how did i miss this one????</p>
<p>are you drinking that merlot????
</p>
<p>Actually, I was just showing how easy it is for wild unfounded rumors to get started in Bancroft Hall.</p>
<p>^^^ LOL!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>and on cc as well I see!!!!</p>
<p>USNA grad/law student responds:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/27444%5B/url%5D">http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/27444</a></p>
<p>^^^^nicely done</p>
<p>^^^^ BZ...Wonder what his undergrad degree was?</p>
<p>^^^^^
Michael J. Podberesky
Class of 1997
Political Science</p>
<p>^^^holy crap, not another bull major! ;)</p>
<p>Yeah, that was kinda why I asked. Thinly veiled rhetorical question...:cool:</p>