<p>Dad2B'2010 -Why would you attend an academy and have intentions of being anything other than a Joe??</p>
<p>Think Niedermayer in Animal House.</p>
<p>Maybe a more fitting comparison would be Capt. Sobel, the first CO of E Co. 506th PIR, of Band of Brothers fame.</p>
<p>In all the books about the unit, all the vets at one time or another refer to him as a 'chicken$hit soldier.' Always concentrating on the minute, relatively insignificant details...the 'chicken$hit'...and being insane about them. But once in the field, he was useless.</p>
<p>Watch the first episode of the series to get an idea.</p>
<p>All I can say, is I found it insane that MANY plebes at CVW kept reiterating "Don't be a Joe" to DS without specifying the implications of the terms as you folks decribe in this thread.</p>
<p>DS took it as more of a general "dig-it" bad-mouthing, not specific to "ratting out" or pleasurizing at others defeat.</p>
<p>Teamwork is afterall, #1....right? Seems that the correct spirit would be to work as a team to attain "dig-it" status company/brigade wide.</p>
<p>Wheelah44: your defination definately beats the one listed in Brief Points! Thanks for clueing the rest of us in!</p>
<p>I'm not sure what you mean by "dig it" status, but the same applies to parents. [Maybe this is what Zaphod is trying to say.] Don't be Joe's dad either . . .helpful comments along the lines of what the "correct spirit" should be are not helpful. You aren't here on a daily basis and don't have to live with a Joe. </p>
<p>Joe's are despicable. Surely, in the real world, you run across know-it-alls [hmm. . . .are there some on this list?] that are just plain annoying and sometimes hurtful with their constant efforts to demonstrate how knowledgeable they are about EVERYTHING. How much smarter they are than you. He reads the rules very precisely and, "in the name of teamwork," reminds you that we shouldn't be doing that. I know one . . . he's a pain in the butt. The Joe looks EVERYTHING up on the internet and how he comes up with some of the information he spouts is beyond me. [When does he find the time?] </p>
<p>This isn't just some Lord of the Rings kind of bashing-of-unpopular-mids that you might be guessing. Everybody is trying, in their own way, to make it through the first year. Some things come easier to some than they do to others. You don't succeed by pointing out the shortcomings of others . . . think about the slob in Full Metal Jacket. You try to help, but God helps those that helps themselves. If you are trying, others will help. If you are not trying, people will give up on you. The problem with a Joe is that he doesn't even try to help those that are trying. He just figures he is smarter or righter than everybody else and those that are lesser than he do not deserve his time.</p>
<p>This is a laboratory. You will encounter all kinds of people here. Some good, some bad . . .just be ready for it. Parents too.</p>
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Maybe this is what Zaphod is trying to say.
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<p>No. Not at all.</p>
<p>My advice to parents has always been simply to a) not pretend that they fully understand what their Mid is going through (because they can't), and b) not to treat their Mids as trophies, as in, "This is my son, George. He goes to the Naval Academy". </p>
<p>Both of these are symptoms of loving and justifiably-proud parents sometimes getting a bit too excited or caught up in the aura of the place. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. I saw TONS of parents do both. Hardly a hanging offense, but just something they should be advise about.</p>
<p>I never remember running across a "Joe" parent, or Mid for that matter. None of us Mids were perfect, to be sure, but I don't recall anyone who would meet Wheelah's definition. </p>
<p>There may have been, though, and I just got lucky. If so, I'm grateful. It's gotta suck having one for a roommate.</p>
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This is a laboratory. You will encounter all kinds of people here. Some good, some bad . . .just be ready for it. Parents too.
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<p>Amen to that...</p>
<p>My mom is definately not like that "bragging", in some cases I wish (like when others brag on their kids), but then I don't, because I really hate when people bring the same point across, starts to sound snobby and arogant. In fact my entire family (immediate and extended) has no clue what the Naval Academy is, never heard of it. I was able to get brochures for them, but to them it's still the NAVY. They all wish the best for me because they know I've prayed long and hard about the descision, and now they are back to their lives. I have no idea what the military is like, my relatives who've passed have served in the Navy, uncles who are still living served in the Army. I mean I was happy to be accepted but it felt like a sense of relief, like an accomplishment just with the application alone. Took nearly 7 months to finally complete it, one thing after another alwasys occured affecting chances. I was HONESTLY going to just drop the whole academy thing after my medical exam, took me like 3 months to get the doctors to give me my exam. They were hassling me because they wanted all kinds of clarification stuff from CONCORDE, saying they will pay for it. After I got CONCORDE and DODMERB to give them what they wanted (which takes forever to get through their lines; had teachers and coaches and counselors calling all day for a week to get a representative) they literally screwed me over. Yeah the doctor of which I've never seen before gave me my exam and 3 weeks later I was almost close to being disqualified medically because the doctor forgot to sign the paper work, CONCORDE nicely sent it back, but DODMERB was getting really impatient....other than that, even though I really might forget everything I've heard on this site when reality hits me at PT....I'll know many reasons of why I'm their....but now I'll never EVER EVER FORGET that its all MENTAL, but everything in life does start with our thinking and mentality......</p>
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My mom is definately not like that "bragging", in some cases I wish (like when others brag on their kids), but then I don't, because I really hate when people bring the same point across, starts to sound snobby and arogant. In fact my entire family (immediate and extended) has no clue what the Naval Academy is, never heard of it. I was able to get brochures for them, but to them it's still the NAVY.
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<p>I hear ya on this one. I just went to a family reunion this weekend and my aunts and uncles were all bragging about my cousin who got into Notre Dame. I mean, Notre Dame's a good school, but big whoop! A lot of people that go to USNA could have easily gone to Notre Dame if they wanted to. So I got tired of the arrogance...but humility is a good quality to have, so I just kept my mouth shut.</p>
<p>But you're absolutely correct in that most relatives don't have a clue as to what USNA is. My aunt said to her little kids, "Dan's not going to college, he's going into the Navy." It's just frustrating for me sometimes when I have to explain to everybody what USNA is--that it's college but not in the traditional sense; I'm not just "joining the service" (not that there's anything wrong with that, but there is a difference). I make it as simple as possible for the people that don't know any better. I know others on here have had similar experiences...anyone care to elaborate?</p>
<p>fierce87.. I just designed our daughter's graduation announcements, and this is what one part said:" ***** will be inducted into the US Navy on June 28th, 2006. She has accepted an Appointment to the United States Naval Academy, Class of 2010. She will be committing to 4 years of college plus at least 5 years of Active Duty"</p>
<p>The reason I did this ( laid out graphically kinda cool, if I do say so myself) was to at least give family and friends with NO idea of what Janell was really about to do, some vague sense that this was A BIG DEAL! When a young person is not even 18, and they have just committed 9 years of their brief life to the US Military....well, I wanted everyone to grasp the magnitude of what she is doing....</p>
<p>and this is exactly what the rest of you amazing young people are doing, God bless you for it!</p>
<p>I'm proud of you fierce...and I understand what you are doing....and so are all of us here...hang on to that when the overwhelming number of Average Americans don't. :-)</p>
<p>For the record: Bragging about your kids doesn't necessarily mean arrogance. My mom and dad bragged, but they never put down anyone else. They were proud, but not arrogant.</p>
<p>Dad, God bless him, just didn't know when to reign it in sometimes, though. ;)</p>
<p>Doesn't bother me much looking back now, but it drove me nuts then. Kinda like the whole place in general, really.</p>
<p>Good clarification. Bragging is not necessarily arrogance; I mis-used that word. There is a fine line that separates bragging and arrogance, and sometimes people don't know how far they've crossed that line until it's too late. :rolleyes:. Thanks for the clarification.</p>
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My mom is definately not like that "bragging"...In fact my entire family (immediate and extended) has no clue what the Naval Academy is, never heard of it. I was able to get brochures for them, but to them it's still the NAVY.
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<p>It seems like that is true (or at least partly true) for a good handful of us. The USNA parents club called my parents and talked to my mother. They touched a land mine---"You must be so proud of X!" My mother tells me that she'd be "proud" of me no matter what (just as long as I am not some drug-addicted, alcohol-loving, stripper who doesn't go to church--even then, if I repented and came back, she'd love me). She hates when people tell her that she "must be proud of [any child] because of [something said child did]." She says it sounds like they think she wouldn't be proud of said child if said child was doing anything else. However, she bit her tongue and explained that she really doesn't know much about USNA, that she's confident that I'll be fine, and she sees it as just one less mouth to feed (has only eight more to take care of now!). Haha. I love my mother. I show her the photos, tell her some stories and traditions, and ask for help on paperwork.</p>
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I make it as simple as possible for the people that don't know any better. I know others on here have had similar experiences...anyone care to elaborate?
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<p>A lot of other students don't know what USNA is, but with the help of Annapolis I think some are aware it is a service academy. They say, sometimes mockingly, "She's going into the military. Hey, are they going to make you shave your head? Do they give you a gun? Are you going to come back and shoot us all?" Usually I'm just working out or running, so I laugh, shake my head, and continue along. Some of my coaches asked, "So...where are you doing your training?" I don't mind explaining about the whole Plebe Summer deal, the summers between the AC year, and all that...but it gets tiring after a while.</p>
<p>What really gets on my nerves are the teachers who brag for us at school. My school headmaster likes to use me and another classmate who got into USAFA. We're usually on the "introduce to guests of our school" list. Blech, the school tries to make me into a little angel. I try to be a class-cut-up, but it just doesn't work. </p>
<p>So, when we meet people, she tells us, "Now, tell them what you're doing after high school." </p>
<p>We have learned to reply, "Sleep." Sometimes we get away at this point.</p>
<p>She forces a laugh, glares at us, and says, "I mean, big plans."</p>
<p>We now reply, "Oh. Maybe swimming or working out a little." And sometimes we get away at this point.</p>
<p>Now she pushes harder, "What college plans? Tell them!" </p>
<p>We get to pull out our back ups here, "Oh, I was thinking about College X. I got a scholarship there. Of course, nothing is ever definite." We catch the glares and continue, "I was also thinking of going into a convent to become a nun/taking a year off school." Sometimes we get away at that point too.</p>
<p>Sadly, our wonderful routine is interrupted by the guest or the headmaster who says, "I was informed that you were going to USNA/USAFA." They like to ruin our fun, huh? Well, we admit the truth and shut up forever. We're not ashamed or anything; we just hate spotlights. We also don't like being thought of as "successful" just because of this one accomplishment. We try to let people know of our failures, how mean we really are, and our other lesser talents (yes, we are not just student-athletes; he can play a kicka$$ game of CS--Counter Strike--and I can...do stuff). I don't like being, as Zaphod said, a "trophy" with the engraved plate of "USNA Appointed." I'd rather be a bag of trash with the sign "Caution: Hazardous to Health" or "Radioactive" or "So Terrible that We Have to Roll Dice to See Who Will Dispose of this Trashbag." We're nothing special, so stop making us feel like we must be. </p>
<p>That's what we're looking for: High school hero, service academy zero.</p>
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but with the help of Annapolis I think some are aware it is a service academy.
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<p>Yeesh. Talk about an introduction. :(</p>
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Are you going to come back and shoot us all?
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<p>"Don't tempt me..."</p>
<p>Idiots. :mad:</p>
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I'd rather be a bag of trash with the sign "Caution: Hazardous to Health" or "Radioactive" or "So Terrible that We Have to Roll Dice to See Who Will Dispose of this Trashbag."
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<p>ROFLMAO!</p>
<p>CLASSIC! :D:D:D</p>
<p>Okay soo...maybe arrogance is too strong of a word, but you get the point don't yah....I mean people say you are suppose to feel proud of going into USNA...for me it's like taking another entire step...when you're focused and know what you want to do and where you want to go, it's more of a personal feeling...sure its definately okay to share it with others but when people bring certain points across over and over and over again its like "stop, I'm no better than the next person in line"...Bragging and arrogance are 2 totally different things, but in my community people take their bragging a little tooo far, they pretty much shove it in your face...for example for me every morning on the announcements at school they said "****** has been accepted to USNA, say hi to her and congratulate her when you see her"...lasted for nearly two weeks, was I annoyed, yes, but I bit my tongue, when answering people questions or hearing their comments like "why does she get special treatment...I did this I did that..." just like dictatoranna said about his/her headmaster, same things happened to me with my principle and I responded in the same scenario...he told the guy I would be a cadet next year, I responded "midshipman"...yeah he was totally embarassed.....</p>
<p>Yeah I know what you mean about the whole "trophy" thing. It really gets annoying sometimes. During the winter, my basketball coach, a teammate of mine, and I were invited to go on this sports TV show. Pretty much the first thing the host did was throw the spotlight on me and say....Now I understand you have some BIG plans for this summer, why don't you make it official right here on TV. I had to look into the camera and explain it to pretty much all of Long Island. It was kind of awkward.</p>
<p>being a mid is being a trophy. people want to take your pictures, they want hear about the academy, i'll be walking to class and a bunch of tourists will call out "oh look a female one" and click click click go the cameras. its actually awesome: i'm not complaining. but don't worry, if you're tired of being a trophy, plebe summer will give you a good 6 weeks relief. jl2010: similar experience my senior year. awkward.</p>
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i'll be walking to class and a bunch of tourists will call out "oh look a female one"
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<p>ROFLMAO! You just reminded me of once when a little girl, maybe three years old, pointed to a female classmate of mine and shouted to her mother, "Look mommy! A GIRL one!"</p>
<p>I never let my classmate live that down! :D</p>
<p>You'll also find yourself swamped by school kids asking for your autograph. That can be a hoot. Happened to me and a friend of mine once right outside Main Office. Too funny. :D</p>
<p>Or then you got three college aged females who come up to a male mid and ask to get a picture with him. Good times!</p>
<p>Weelah...haha you gotta love the awkwardness tho...it makes for great stories.</p>
<p>I like my situation best, being that I'm coming from college. Not only does nobody have a clue what USAFA is, but they also don't understand why I'm going to go to college for 4 more years, after having completed 2.</p>
<p>It's really sad that the only movie about USNA is "Annapolis". That movie was not only awful, it had absolutely nothing to do with USNA. There was one scene with a navigation class, and that's it. Apparently mids spend their entire lives training for the Brigade boxing match. Now I'm glad I'm going to the Blue Zoo. :)</p>
<p>I, too, have the problem with people telling me I'm "joining the Air Force". Now, there's nothing wrong with enlisted, but let's get our facts straight here. People have no problem understanding enlisting and ROTC, but can't quite make the mental stretch to service academy. It's not that I want accolades for my "accomplishment", I'd just prefer to not be degraded by their lack of knowledge.</p>