<p>Hey are there any AA, AR, or NG applying? I'm really interested in hearing from anyone else currently in the military, especially active duty. What kind of responses are you receiving from your CO/PL? I'm getting mixed messeges from my chain of command. anybody? anybody? bueller? bueller???</p>
<p>Well, I myself wasn't prior service, but while I was at WP I got some background on it from some squadmates of mine. Some enlisted persons think that Pointers think they're better than everyone else. Some enlisted people think that a desire to become an officer after being enlisted means you are lazy and want to do less work (affirming the enlisted=grunts theory). I myself don't know what to tell you, choosing to go to WP is your decision, you can't help what other people think. But I know for a fact that my roomie (who had done 2 tours in Iraq with the MP) got hazed for wearing her ribbons at WP by a TAC NCO. This doesn't happen often, but if it happens at WP...I'm willing to bet there are more than a few enlisted persons who dislike the people who go enlisted to officer.</p>
<p>I know a prior enlisted that is currently a member of the Class of '08. His Chain of Command was very, very supportive of his application and assisted in any way they could. He was serving a tour in Iraq during his application process and was home on leave when he received word of his appointment. This superceeded his second tour of duty in Iraq.</p>
<p>Cadet0509 wrote, "I know for a fact that my roomie (who had done 2 tours in Iraq with the MP) got hazed for wearing her ribbons at WP by a TAC NCO."</p>
<p>If I'm not mistaken, during CBT new cadets are not permitted to wear ribbons and badges earned on prior active duty. Once they become cadets and plebes on Acceptance Day, they are encouraged to wear them on the proper uniforms. It might be after promotion to yearling, but I'm pretty sure I saw plebes over the years with substantial fruit salad and badges.</p>
<p>However, there was a culture among an element of the Corps that discouraged wearing badges, etc., except when directly ordered to. Cadets festooned with every possible WP gilhickey, such as PE and Recondo badges that virtually all cadets earn, were sometimes referred to as "merit badge cadets." It was not a flattering term. Not only did they feel it was ostentatious, these cadet felt that they hadn't actually DONE anything yet as they realized West Point is not the "Real Army." Thus, Parachutist, Air Assault, etc., badges earned out in the real Army were worn proudly by these cadets. They never in my hearing begrudged prior service cadets the display of ribbons and badges they earned in that real Army.</p>
<p>That's not true laxdad. There was a guy in my company who had a chest full of ribbons, 2 unit citations and 2 purple hearts who wore his ribbons all through CBT. He was never harrassed about them, and was wearing them every time I saw him. Now, my roommate got harassed about them...not by cadets mind you...an NCO. Go figure. You are right however about the badges for IOCT, Stud PFT people and the like. It wasn't the cadets in this case, it was our crazy NCO lol.</p>
<p>'Tower of Power.' Need I say more? The only people I actually saw wearing that were the beast reg commanders, bate and hightower.</p>
<p>The two priors in my Beast platoon didn't put on their ribbons all of CBT. One of them was a medic, the other an SL from the 82nd. But now, they're actually required to wear their ribbons and stuff with white over gray. Of the two, one is currently complying with that order, and the other is not.</p>
<p>whoops. correction, there were three priors in my beast platoon...why do I always forget about shaffer?</p>
<p>Sounds like everyone has had different experiences with wearing ribbons and badges. Other than that aspect how were p/s treated during cbt. hopefully just the same.</p>
<p>just a word, first.
if it's what you want, it's what you want, but just about every p/s guy I've met thinks that WP is full of BS...you'd honestly think it was a joke compared to real basic. you'll be "hazed" by kids much younger than you who will drop you for, like, 40 pushups and then be totally smoked themselves. And I for one had a SL who was ditz--she had us sleep with our M16s on Amber, no blank adapter, becuase she screwed up an order. She couldn't command battle drill 1A to save her own life.</p>
<p>That's where it came in handy having a p/s guy in our squad. He squared us away once our SL was gone (reading Harry Potter in her room) and we did a credible job in the field training portion of Beas. which, by th way, is really short. Most field training is done next summer at Buckner and Knox. Beast is "training you how to be a cadet" and involves a lot of briefs and honor classes. Field training was limited to M16 and M67 qual, land nav, battle drill 1 and 2, and a couple things I can't even remember. We barely scratched the surface.</p>
<p>but you prob wouldn't be treated the same as everyone else. They'd haze you less (unless they were p/s too, in which case they'd get up on your case) and make you help instruct. you'd prob find that you hold yourself to a different standard than everyone else, which may or may not be an easy fact to deal with.</p>
<p>but it's prob worth it in the long run. you get free college and it counts towards your service contract, so if you want to leave it's no big deal. I think there were four p/s guys in my company, three in my platoon, and only one of them quit b/c they were fed up. The ones that are still here aren't sure if the'll last all four years.</p>
<p>and you can't drink as a plebe even if you're 21. does that matter to you?</p>
<p>good luck, hope you don't think I'm being too pessimistic, b'c I'm having a hell of a good time here, personally. But I'm a civvie at heart, you know...</p>
<p>--Hastellion</p>
<p>cadet o509</p>
<p>Curious...Are you just assuming that the prior service new cadet in your ex-company wore his ribbons throughout all of Beast or is this someone you have been able to contact personally since you left WP in early July to find out that info?</p>
<p>NO DRINKING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? WHAAAA??? is this the same place that produces great new pl's that do keg stands at the company bbq? Any idea on why that regulation is in place? maybe i can get a waiver... man...</p>
<p>You said theyd drop someone for 40 and be smoked themselves. do they get down with people? that would earn them a lot of respect in my eyes. Does WP carry any m4's in their armory? I saw pictures of their mout training blowing in doors with their hellaciously long swords of m16s. If thats all they've got then they need to pay a little catch-up with the rest of the army. only pog units use m16s. anyways...</p>
<p>I figured most the cbt would just be introducing new cadets to military customs and courtesies, d&C, stuff like that. Sometimes that stuff can be fun :)...</p>
<p>To answer mrgreenapple:
In my squad, the USMAPS guys and prior service girl were frequently asked to help the SL, and to help the rest of us get squared away. They were a big help. I saw many SLs get down to do pushups with their squad or individuals for that matter. p/s are treated pretty much the same as everyone else.</p>
<p>Shogun:
Yes, I wrote to my roomie about 3 times, and each time she kept mentioning that she still wasn't wearing her ribbons (she got yelled at about them while I was still there and didn't start wearing them til this week). The male however, I wrote to once and he never mentioned it. When I left there...he was still wearing them. But...by the time I left (Jul 12) they were wearing BDUs most of the time anyway...and most of the pictures would indicate this as well, so it probably wasn't an issue.</p>
<p>BSA - Eagle scout and worked as a staff member at camp for 2 summers.</p>
<p>school clubs - OSSOM (oregon student safety on the move, alcohol/drug/tobacco awareness group) and Computer Club</p>
<p>Junior Class VP</p>
<p>sports - 3 years Varsity wrestling 5th,4th,3rd places at districts and 1 year state qualifier
1 year freestyle and greco usa club wrestling (placed 6th in state cadet freestyle
3 years varsity soccer 1 year jv, 2 seasons club indoor
soccer
1 year rugby (oregon state university)</p>
<p>outdoor school - 2 sessions as a councelor/instructor</p>
<p>45 qtr credits of college with 3.6 gpa</p>
<p>SAT- verbal 620, math 660 on old test</p>
<p>Service related nomination</p>
<p>Mrgreenapple, my apologies please. After seeing your profile, I realize I may have misunderstood your prior post concerning BSA and the DOD. I was in Scouts, have 2 Eagle Scout sons, and have been a Scout Leader for the past 13 years. I mistook your earlier post as one that was trying to undermine the BSA by criticizing the government support of the organization, which so many have done recently. Good luck in your quest for an appointment.</p>
<p>............ word</p>
<p>News for p/s</p>
<p>I called DODMERB about a physical and they told me that all you have to do is print forms 2351 and 2492 from the website then go to your BAS or TMC to get the physical done. Then mail the paperwork to them and they look it over and qualify you. I think this is a lot easier than going through a scheduled physical somewhere else since you don't really need an appointment. FYI</p>
<p>Ahhh, the prior enlisted rant threads--how I love them so . . . </p>
<p>Guess what? West Point doesn't exist to train good corporals and sergeants--that can be done MUCH more quickly and cheaply--it exists to train officers. Most of the priors that complain (all?) have less than 4 years in the service--what the heck do they know about training junior officers? I'm sure most of you think your current lieutenants just hang out with their hands in their pockets and go to meetings, but the actually is a whole litany of things that they need to be able to do that you are not privvy to. If you can come down from your "seasoned soldier" pedestal, you'll probably get something out of the WP experience. Otherwise, you can probably look forward to a long, bitter four years.</p>
<p>DeepThroat</p>
<p>Why the hate deep throat? obviously due to the age restrictions, most p/s will have 4 or less years in service. Who said anything about training junior officers. This wasn't a rant thread until you posted on it. Unless you've been an enlisted soldier, don't pretend to know what they think about their officers.</p>
<p>DeepThroat,</p>
<p>Welcome back. I trust your brother is doing well.</p>
<p>greenapple,</p>
<p>I think you'll find dt has quite a bit of knowledge regarding the academies.</p>
<p>well good, hopefully his future posts will provide positive information</p>