<p>UMICH, here's how I see it: USMA exists to make Army officers. True, it is good that some USMA grads get out after a while, because not all who go into USMA turn out to be good people or good leaders. However, what matters is the motivation of people. If people go into West Point wanting to be great Army officers, and that's their primary motivation for going, and then it turns out they really aren't that good of officers, then I feel its best for them to get out and go do something else, because undoubtly it will help the prestiage of USMA to have such excellent grads outside of the school. </p>
<p>However, it seems pretty unethical to go to USMA with the intention of 5-and-fly. Could you do it? Yes you can. Do people do it? Yes they do. Does that make it right? Hell no. USMA does not exist to produce 5-and-fly people. It exists to produce Army officers. Do not take up a slot for somebody who could turn out to be an outstanding officer. </p>
<p>Think things over, you're obviously a smart guy in some respects if you are considering USMA. Do the right thing, man. Either change your chief motivation, or don't go. Seriously. I had to apply twice to West Point because I wanted to go there and be changed by it and become the best Army officer possible.</p>
<p>Do I know if I'm going to do 5-and-fly? No, I don't know. I'm going in with the aforementioned motivation, and I realize I could become an Army officer and turn out really not to like it. But what seperates you and me here is that I'm not going in treating USMA/Army as a nine year stepping stone, or worrying what school or academy has the greatest prestige. I used to care about that crap. Now, after a year of doing ROTC, I can say I seem to really enjoy doing the Army thing and leading men is what I want to do, if not for a career, then defiantely for a sizeable amount of time. I don't know what awaits me, but I think it's selfish to go with the movtivations you have.</p>
<p>Some of the most hoo-ah classmates of my USMA husband ended up getting out after 5. Ironically, several classmates who went into the academy with intentions that they would leave after 5, are still serving over 20 years later. It's not so much the West Point experience that makes an officer stay or leave once the commitment is fulfilled. It's their JO time as a platoon leader, company xo etc.</p>
<p>BTW, we know many more classmate reservists that are over in Iraq right now as compared to AD classmates.</p>
<p>i'm not sure what umich was trying to say. 5 years in the service is a lot. if you want to serve, come to west point because it trains the best leaders. if you have no desire to serve at all and only see this place as a way to make the big bucks, then go another route. there is nothing wrong with leaving after five years. 5 years of service to our country is a hell of a lot more than the large majority of Americans. i have no clue if i will stay past my five year comittment or not. all that umich said was that he doesn't think anything is wrong with 5 and fly. if after 5 years, you want to venture elsewhere, than go ahead and do it. just be committed to being the best leader you can be over that time period. so i agree with mpcptusma02, dont go in with the mentality that you will do 5 and fly then go onto big and better things. but if after 5 years, you are burnt out and would prefer a career elsewhere, then thats your decision and it shouldn't be looked down upon.</p>
<p>and skirby you said "True, it is good that some USMA grads get out after a while, because not all who go into USMA turn out to be good people or good leaders."
you just put down a lot of people who served our country but did choose the five and fly route. i dont know if you meant that but you should rephrase it.</p>
<p>The point here is that one shouldn't decide BEFORE they get in what they're going to do. As you said, you're not sure. That's fine, and NOONE will put you down for choosing to leave after 5. If they do, after all that time serving, they should be beaten.</p>
<p>However, to decide before you go in that you're going to do your 5, and use USMA as a ladder to greater things, then that's an abuse of the system.</p>
<p>I'm not sure myself what route I'm going to choose. I want to fly after graduating USAFA, and that entails a great commitment. I could easily see myself retiring at the age of 45. But am I sure? No. Fact is, though, I'm not deciding before what I'm going to do.</p>
<p>Some people decide once there that it's not going to be there career. Once again, that is FINE. There is NOTHING wrong with that.</p>
<p>Service Academies are for people who at least think they may decide to serve long-term. There is absolutely, without a doubt, nothing wrong with changing your mind either way down the road. Heck people get RIF'd all the time, but that doesn't diminish their service or accomplishments.</p>
<p>What others see here is someone who doesn't much care to serve and is more concentrated on their time after service. No thought is being given to the fact that he's making a decision that could put his life between his enemies and the citizens of this country. That is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly as it is the greatest responsibility that can be bestowed upon any man.</p>
<p>At my candidate vist, the breifing admissions officer told us he did not care whether or not we were "5 or fly". However, he did say that there was a one answer they are looking for in reply to "Why do you want to go to West Point?" Getting into law school is not it. One girl told him she wanted to go to West Point to be the first female president, and that was not it too. If West Point is the right place for you, you should know.</p>
<p>I think you read my post a bit differently than I meant it to be taken. I meant to say that because somtimes, some USMA grads just aren't good people (morally) or leaders, they get out of the Army. I didn't mean to imply that all who get out of the Army after USMA are bad people, or that they didn't do something good for the country. Hell, my dad (USAFA grad) got out of the Air Force after 20 years, and he's far from bad people.</p>
<p>Which University is better; Westpoint or Annapolis? - Originally I was hoping to join the Marines but when I looked at schools Westpoint showed as basically being on top,but there was no mention of Annapolis,so before I devote myself to going to Westpoint and the Army because USMA is a highly appealing University, I’d like to know if I’m going in blind.</p>
<p>P.S- I know that Semper Fidelis is the Marine motto. It’s just really difficult to come up with a username on the spot so spare me the disrespect…</p>
<p>I graduated USMA a few years ago and have worked with a few USNA grads. The navy guys that I worked with were IAs who were deployed to afghanistan to fill an army job. I found that the usna grads were groomed differently than I was. The navy folk were more polished, proper, that whole officer and gentlemen thing. That is something I did not find at west point, which is something i liked. If choosing between the service academies, it all depends what you want to do. If you want to work with technology and travel the world, go to usna. If you want to lead a platoon and take care of soldiers, go to usma. The navy guy I met in Afghanistan had been in for 3 years and his main responisbility was taking care of some expensive equipment on boat.</p>
<p>Your joking right?</p>
<p>the biggest deciding factor should be where you want to end up so if you want to be a Marine go to USNA dont just be a Marine because you want to go to USNA (even though if you did that you would probably end up in the navy). and if you hear about a service academy its probably going to be USMA - Westpoint - and you will probably think its the most prestigious because its more popular so you should really think about what YOU want to do not what you heard about other people’s experience</p>