<p>So, this is sort of like “rubber-necking” when you drive by the site of a recent bad auto accident on the “other side” of the roqd at this point. You know you should just look straight ahead and drive on through but…you can’t, that’s at least how I feel on this one but…here goes…</p>
<p>RE: #1: First off, lets address the best issue. … If we established a performance bell curve for all the grads of each source, USNA, senior military colleges, maritime schools, NROTC, and OCS, the peak of USNA is to the right with others falling in line to the left…"</p>
<p>Thanks Mombee, I’m pretty sure the entire forum is glad you cleared that up for all of us, especially since you substantiated your statement with such a vast compendium of data, I personally was especially impressed and compelled to change my own views by the array andd mutitude of impressive multi-colored graphs. Clearly during your Naval Career you have studied at the feet of masters and have vast experience preparing BLUF charts and short and sweet, well supported briefings for Flag Officers. </p>
<p>RE: “Secondly, lets address the undecided issue. …Secondly, there are those who are goal driven. They need a goal. The more specific the better. From our own personal life to hundreds of business axioms, striving to meet a goal is important to all of us. … I equate much of the undecidedness to a lack of education and research.”</p>
<p>Thanks for clearly illustrating the point of the true advantage of education gained the USMMA a Service Academy vice at least based on your post USNA, Milititary Academy. The laboratory Kings Pointers attend for four years does nothing if it doesn’t emphasize the need for flexible, open minded thinking in today’s world. Be it in the conduct of commerce in the world today “In Peace” or the conduct and management of logistics operations in support of military operations around the globe - “In War”. Yesterday’s enemies are today’s allies (again - In Peace and War). I could go on on this but my point is the very thing that mombee points to as a negative, really is an asset both to the student who learns that before graduation and to the nation. Of course if you believe the only thing a central Government should provide for is the basis and grounds for a common defense then the Federal Government in general and the Executive Branch in particular could and should immediately begin to disband numerous agencies, including basically all Cabinet Level ones except the Department of Defense and Mombee’s understanding of what the best education for leaders in the non-DoD sector which I disagree with can be properly considered though it doesn’t matter since the entire discussion on this point in a broader context is non-sequatar.</p>
<p>RE: “Thirdly, service to ones country. A real slippery slope. I feel there are degrees of service. And I doubt that I am the only one who feels this way. Someone who basically signs over their entire life as they see it at the age of eighteen is not the same as someone who signs away four years for the opportunity to make a great salary, work at their own whim, and be represented by a union. And, personally, with everything going on today I will respect the WP candidate more than the same USNA contemporatry, and both a lot more than the undecided candidate heading off to USMMA.”</p>
<p>Wow - I guess Mombee’s views are very clear and well stated on this point. To put it simply while he may not be the only one who feels this way, I would only say this view is not mine, nor would I believe it is the view of many, actually the majority of USMMA prospective or current students, let alone alumni. First let me clearly state a couple of points, a) Unless you are a decendent of a very “brahmin” family, instead of the son or daughter of immigrants, you are probably the product of a lineage that has benefitted from the Union Movement that improved working conditions and pay scales across the American Lanscape from the mid-1800’s through the mid-1900’s and in some cases continues to do so today. I personally don’t think that makes you any less of a good person or contributing member of American Society or culture than a person who chooses to pursue a career on Active Duty. b) Being a goal driven, capitalist who makes a good “salary” or better yet starts or otherwise leads a business that is part of the economic engine that drives our country doesn’t make you any less important or of less worth to this nation than someone who chooses to make a carrer of being an Active Duty Military Officer. Further as the latest National Gaurd commercials point out our country was founded by “citizen-soldiers” after all, and as the current data validates those citizen soldiers - reservists - as whom all USMMA graduates have an 8 vice 5 year obligation to be and serve - are highly likely to spend some of their obligation on Active Duty or clearly subject to callup. So in my view - I’d say - no, it’s really not a slippery slope at all because there are really differing degrees of service. Either you serve the nation for a period of your life in some capacity that isn’t entirely self-serving or you don’t. If you do you are, in my book, a good dog per say - and as the saying slightly modified goes - “All good dogs go to heaven.” My point is simply that we each serve in our own way and each way of serving has a differing set of sacrifices/compromises required and differing benefits/course of action. In all cases there is serving vs. not serving and in my opinion graduates of ALL 5 Service Academies as well as ALL ROTC programs, etc. who fully fufill and comply with the obligations they commit to should be equally appreciated and celkebrated.</p>
<p>Finally, I’ll publically apologize to Mombee for starting a PM response to his response with the phrase “Bite Me…” and explain in response to his question: "(jasperdog, were you really attempting to criticize me because the MMA forum is not my number one priority in life. Still havent figure that one out). Lord no, I was merely using your tone and what I felt could be sarcasm to illustrate your elitist mentality. It probably went over your head, not surprisingly, since you apparently trace your development through years of a culture of “ward rooms”, “officer clubs”, “rounds of golf on and off base”, and of course having stewards and messmen to serve you and do your laundry for you. I’m just a bitter guy who had to do my own laundry throughout life since moving out of the house and leaving mommy behind at 18; even worse when I reported to the USMMA as a plebe, I had to … (gasp) … do cleaning stations including can you believe it do so things below that of an officer as … clean the toilets for my entire barracks deck. That left me so botter that now all I can do is count the money I make and consider myself better than those who aren’t as smart or as well heeled as I when I go to events at the yacht or rod & gun club. I know not an excuse for using such bad langauge as “Bite me…” just an explanation.</p>
<p>Here’s wishing all who bothered to read this far - A fine Navy Day! I promise, really, I’ll try not to take any more of this bait.</p>