<p>I was wondering what the experience is like as prior service during Beast and Plebe year. I do not expect to be treated differently, I just want to know if it will be much easier for me having gone through Basic at Fort Benning Hooah! My APFT= 280. Anyways, I was appointed in Dec. and I am very excited for the beginning of the Academy. </p>
<p>PFC Kim 101st AIRBORNE SCREAMING EAGLES
68Whiskey </p>
<p>P.S. Please enlighten me on 1st years curriculum and academic discipline please.</p>
<p>I was wondering what the experience is like as prior service during Beast and Plebe year. I do not expect to be treated differently, I just want to know if it will be much easier for me having gone through Basic at Fort Benning Hooah! My APFT= 280. Anyways, I was appointed in Dec. and I am very excited for the beginning of the Academy.</p>
<p>PFC Kim 101st AIRBORNE SCREAMING EAGLES
68Whiskey</p>
<p>P.S. Please enlighten me on 1st years curriculum and academic discipline please.</p>
<p>Alkim88, thank you for your service and for pressing on.</p>
<p>I cannot answer your real questions but can tell you what I have observed about the relationship between the service members that come to USMA and the cadets. I have had the chance to observe and listen several times while visiting WP and can tell you that you will be held in very high regard by the cadets (plebes). I would have to think that your prior service time would make aspects of beast easier but the chain of command seems gifted at finding points where you can improve regardless of your status. The academic environment in the fall will probably test you if you have been out of school for a while as it does all cadets.</p>
<p>Hopefully you can learn and benefit from the non-service plebes just as they will certainly learn and benefit from your being there and your experiences.</p>
<p>Best wishes and success</p>
<p>West Point has been described as being very different from the “regular” Army. Keep that in mind and, most importantly, keep a very positive attitude.</p>
<p>I can only hope that my son gets you for a roommate. You will be a hot commodity for info, leadership, etc…Watch the National Geographic special on WP. The prior service cadet did very well.</p>
<p>Yes, Thank you for your service and for choosing to take that experience to west point. I know my son is always interested in the knowledge of the prior service cadets …</p>
<p>As a general point, like everyone the advice I hear is ‘blend in’ I think folks would tel you that helping your fellow plebes will go well. </p>
<p>One note for those others reading the board, I have been told about 30% of any class did not come directly from high school … other college, prep school, aog/civil prep, prior enlisted etc</p>
<p>alkim88 I was a medic for a couple years before I came here. pm me if you have any specific questions you want answered</p>
<p>You will most likely find that Beast is somewhat of a refresher of very basic military disciplines and standards. Most priors tend to blend in quite well and do very well overall, and are often sought out by cadre to relate their experiences. As a combat medic you will probably be looked to a good bit during medical training; right now we’re hearing that all new cadets this year are going to be CLS (combat lifesaver) qualified by the end of beast, something previously offered on a voluntary basis throughout the school year.</p>
<p>ugh, not to threadjack but I dislike that nat geo series on west point. The only person I ever heard about was that prior service girl, she had like every other interview and it got really annoying. I felt t he videos focused alot on uninteresting and trivial material and the only people /the thing focused on were women.</p>
<p>And going back to the original thread, lol, my plebe has the utmost respect for prior service cadets. During Beast, they know the ropes and often are the ones who offer the most encouragement to those just entering. I have heard Beast-Buddy stories all through this year about cadet X who already has a special tab (let’s just say the cadre backed off of him when they saw it! :D) and cadet Y and Z who have seen actual combat. You will have much to share and they will seek out your wisdom. Thanks for serving!</p>
<p>The experience levels of prior service cadets is going to vary quite a bit. Some have seen combat, some have not. Some didn’t even come from the Army–there are several prior service Marines there right now (one was in Iraq for 2 tours).</p>
<p>During the summer of 2005, a prior service soldier was named Best New Cadet during Beast. (I don’t remember if that’s the official name, but you get the idea.)</p>