<p>so you’re saying that rotc doesnt bring out the honorable person nor does it force you to succeed? i beg to differ</p>
<p>At ROTC you have plenty of other distractions. I’m not saying at ROTC you won’t have those traits brought out - but at USMA you definately do, because you are pretty much forced to. Which method is better? Up to what you want for your college experience, that’s really what it boils down to. Drinking/partying/having a lot of free time/learning about life from the civilian side with military flare…or being exposed to a military/honor/ethical enviornment 24/7?</p>
<p>I think you have hit upon one of the “bones of contention” that some have about those that come from the academies; mainly, they think they are better than everyone else, or in short, arrogant. I know you didn’t intend to make that point, but you did nonetheless. This is a reason why some would NOT want to attend an academy. As we all know, there are good cadets and rotten ones at the academies and in ROTC. As we say in Scouting, Character Counts. Not all ROTC students are having the never-ending kegger, living the life of Riley, nor can it be said that all USMA cadets are models of honor and ethical behavior. 1976 ring any bells?</p>
<p>It’s not necessarily arrogance if it is true.</p>
<p>The entire foundation of our country is based on the old Horatio Alger theme that hard work pays off. That anything worth doing is worth the hard work that it entails. That nothing comes free. Anyone who has ever been a plebe knows that sometimes it is only these axioms on the horizon that keeps them going. That makes it all worthwhile. </p>
<p>And they are true. Anecdotal evidence aside, statistics from all branches of the service indicate that the longer one stays in the military, the greater the odds that those they salute are SA grads. Living the military life 24/7 definitely prepares one better than experiencing a program from the “civilian side with (a) military flair”.</p>
<p>USMA011, work hard and earn those perks.</p>
<p>I had decided to let sleeping dogs lie, but that’s twice now, you just proved my point, again.</p>
<p>haha theres a similar thread going on right now in the usna forum, with a similar cast of characters hehe…beating a dead horse</p>
<p>
First off, your perspective please? Beyond playing with Mattel action figures as a kid, what qualifies you to deem a WP cadet arrogant?</p>
<p>It may be enough for a parent that their pride and joy is attending a prestigious service academy. But for a cadet this wears off about the second day of plebe summer.</p>
<p>Free education? Might last a little longer.</p>
<p>Great education? Might last half way through first semester.</p>
<p>None of these will cause a plebe to pack up at home and come back from Christmas leave. What will bring them back is the knowledge that they are doing everything that they possibly can to become the absolute best officers possible. They know that they are returning to the place that will make all these sacrifices worthwhile. Statistics have proven them correct. They will be better officers than their contemporaries who have not made these sacrifices. It is their coping mechanism to keep them going. As an outsider who has no way of experiencing this, don’t call them arrogant.</p>
<p>You are correct on one account, my screen name is that of a Mattel action figure from my youth.</p>
<p>I was not implying the WP cadet was arrogant, but you madam. </p>
<p>As for my qualifications, I have none. I was not a cadet myself so I cannot speak from that experience. I can only speak from what experience I do have and that is of a parent. I have three sons, each of whom earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Our oldest received an appointment to USMAPS before he became a cadet at West Point. Our second oldest decided he did not want to go the route of an academy, so he enlisted, is triple canopied, an 18B serving in Special Forces. Our third son received an appointment to USMMA. </p>
<p>I can only speak from my position as that of a parent. I call 'em the way I see 'em.</p>
<p>
Good. That was my intent. Sorry, I misunderstood you:
I guess what you meant is that you read my initial post twice.</p>
<p>A passing comment from a parent (class of 2010 cadet)…
- There are good and bad .solid and arrogant at usma and rotc …
- You are young, but when you look back on your life story, at 70 will you say. I am glad I got to major two years earlier or will you say I am glad I took the opportunity to attend West Point. I will say it from my point of view, if you are interested in the military and have an opportunity to attend a service academy take it … no guarantee or golden ticket to anything , but I think YOU -inside- will like what it does for you </p>
<p>IMHO , all the best</p>