New York Times Article on the Naval Academy

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
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<p>MBmikeB
your logic assumes there are only 2 conclusions one can draw....and I think that is faulty logic.</p>

<p>Today's world, a 21st century one of complex social, economic, military, national and global concerns interconnecting, interfacing, and conflicting are unlike a time ever before faced by anyone.</p>

<p>Yes, yes, from the readings of the Epic Greek wars, through Shakespeare through Clausewitz, etc....there are many similiarities since we are all human beings and our natures are fairly predictable regardless of time, place, economics or nationalities.</p>

<p>But today's US Military Officer needs training that makes him/her part warrior, part diplomat, part strategist, part community-organizer, part historian and all American-human. This was simply NOT on the minds of U.S.Grant, or Patton or even a USNA Grad McNamara in Vietnam. It was about a traditional military conflict with victory over a clearly defined enemy. "Collateral damage" was a non-consideration. We carpet bombed Dresden. We blew to shreds 2 Japanese cities. These would NOT be decisions American military leaders would make today. </p>

<p>Why????</p>

<p>Because world opinion, political issues, modern weapons, the guerilla-warfare techniques of militant forces, many of whom have NO CONCERN for the value of their own lives, let alone of any 'innocent civilians' they can destroy as a homocide bomber....have changed the face of modern warfare.</p>

<p>Our Naval Academy continues to strive to keep up with the changing matrices of global situations that call our Officers to think 'outside the box' from traditional military training.</p>

<p>So a brutal mentality that was quite common in face to face warfare found in the Civil War, WW1 and WW2 are NOT what our modern military faces.</p>

<p>Yes, we need a 'more refined approach' to use a term even I don't particularly like, but suits this discussion, in terms of the molding of our young adults, many of them fresh from cultural-relativism-imbedded high school social science/history/civics classes.....and challenges them to be the face of America around the world.</p>

<p>With these challenges, I think USNA deserves a hearty amount of respect, support and downright admiration for the amazing job they do with roughly 1200 Plebes every year, who turn out roughly 900 or so strong 4 years later, as Commissioned officer-graduates from the US Naval Academy!</p>

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<p>I certainly hope so. I have always thought that all Naval officers out of the Academy should be engineering majors. The Marines are indeed the ones that will immediately benefit from history, foreign affairs, and languages. On board ship or in a squadron these majors don’t help one iota. With that said, I sure would hate to be part of a wardroom of all engineers. While anyone can fathom the rudiments of the inner workings of a ship or an aircraft, I feel that a technical degree will help some. However, where it really helps is on shore duty. Early on, first shore duty is usually an operational billet or training billet supporting the fleet. However, as one becomes more senior, the need to develop a subspecialty exists. The operations and training billets diminish. Personnel and procurement become more prominent. Night school MBA grads handle the personnel billets. Procurement involves working in NavAir, NavSea, or NavSub with civilian engineers and contractors with new platforms, weapons systems, and modifications of both. An engineering degree is paramount. As an aside, in tac air, first tour, the best of the best will have two choices, Top Gun or TPS. Guess what if number one is a poly sci major and takes the single Top Gun slot and you are a foreign language major. The odds are slim and none that you will get TPS. You have just blown a great career path.</p>

<p>As itlstallion points out there is PG training. The Navy now has mandatory junior officer and senior officer war college courses. This is where one will prepare for the staff billets on the junior level and to think globally on the senior level. </p>

<p>An engineering degree will never hurt one or limit one’s possibilities in the fleet but will definitely give one many more options throughout their career.</p>

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<p>I don't know how to use the quotation function so I'm just answering questions as I read them...</p>

<p>I'm not saying that mids of color are all Obama supporters or all Obama supporters are mids of color, but if a class at USNA was 13:7 ratio in favor of Obama, I tihnk it must have been a classroom with a higher-than-normal proportion of minorities, which would mostly likely be a remedial math or science class. That's not a statement of bias, that's what I observed & epxerienced.
Service people are expected not to state their political views, but clearly the mids in this classroom did.</p>

<p>Last year's Brigade staff came up with a 3 day rotation of Fox, CNN, & MSNBC. I don't know how it is now, you should ask a current mid.</p>

<p>USNA and the Armed Forces at large deserve great credit for adapting to the challenges of the last 8 years. The Academy is also softer, but more pluralistic, than it was 20, 40, or 60 years ago.</p>

<p>And I see now see how people could be angered by the liberal bias in the article. The author is trying to say that even the institution that produced McCain has evolved from his way of thinking. But by all accounts, McCain was really forged at Hanoi Hilton: that experience is timeless & immortal and can't be taken away from him.</p>

<p>On the other hand, I'm consistantly angered by Fox news. So I wonder, what would an unbiased American news source would look & sound like?</p>

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<p>
[quote]
But by all accounts, McCain was really forged at Hanoi Hilton: that experience is timeless & immortal and can't be taken away from him.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Don't be too sure. He shares many of the basic traits of a lot of my contemporaries who never experienced Hanoi Hilton.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
So I wonder, what would an unbiased American news source would look & sound like?

[/quote]

Try the BBC</p>

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<p>I enjoy "BBC World News" but unbiased? I hardly think so. Rumor has it that British troops were very upset with BBC coverage of the Gulf War.</p>