<p>1) Buckner: The rising yearlings are still working very hard, but have more free time. The cadets seem to laugh about their challenges rather than overstress about what they cannot yet do. The pictures show them smiling and picnicking. They know stuff and are learning new stuff while developing skills learned last summer. During land nav my daughter got stuck for about an hour in a mud swamp that wasn't marked on the map. She had to dig herself out and was thankful that after about an hour, somebody came by who could help pull her out of the mud. She was laughing the whole time she told the story and just said she wished she had a camera.</p>
<p>The 4th of July is a day off, so cadets were given options for the day. Many went to the Palisades Mall. I just spoke with my cadet who mentioned that there were movie theaters at the mall. I suggested she go see Superman. She just laughed and said, "Mom there are 700 cadets here and most want to go see Superman. I'll wait." Just imagine the visual of 700 really buff, military looking types in line for Superman tickets.</p>
<p>Another point to note is that we have met so many parents from other states during the past year. Some of them are visiting their cadets at Buckner. They are taking pictures and sending them on to us. Also, they are contacting us in advance to make sure our cadet gets invited to their picnics. This really is a marvelous parent community that understands how much it means to the kids. As much as they would like to have that special time with their own son or daughter, they include other caderts. And the kids really appreciate it. </p>
<p>2) New Cadets and Beast: I mentioned that I spoke with the mother of a new cadet. She received her first phone call and is worried because cadre are picking on him. My daughter said, "Please tell her not to worry. It's just yelling and they really can't make him do more than 20 pushups." Then she mentioned that many this summer are laughing about their experiences at Beast. She just said that in hindsight a lot of it will be funny. I realized that everytime I heard about how hard things were during Beast, I fretted and worried for her and the other new cadets. As much as I miss her, I'm not fretting at all.</p>
<p>So, what is the lesson learned? For parents and friends of new cadets currently going through Beast, please let them know - even though they may not really believe it - that they will laugh about this someday. And there really is some fun coming up in the not too distant future. Beast is so stressful and that is intentional. But Beast is not impossible. This summer is not the time to make a decision about quitting. It will get better.</p>
<p>Re: Buckner - was sitting with my son and some of his friends this afternoon (I was grilling hamburgers for them) and overheard them say that Buckner was much tougher physically but easier to handle than Beast because it was much more relaxed. </p>
<p>Also, my son told me that a couple of Yuks got lost during Land Nav and ended up in the Chili's Restaurant near the Woodbury Commons Shopping area. They were "found" by a few of the enlisted from the 82nd Airborne who are helping out. Don't know if this is true or if my son was pulling my leg.</p>
<p>There was a magic show tonight in Barth - at Buckner - lots of Yuks yukking it up when I left.</p>
<p>Well, after a brief stint at Buckner I'm back... Passed out in the middle of land nav (fortunately in a ditch on the side of the road) and was in the hospital for 5 days. Turns out I had a virus called perykarditis (sp) that causes the lining of your heart to swell. Still haven't quite absorbed it, but apparently I came REALLY close to dying. They put 13 Liters of fluid into me within the first 9 hours. I'm on medical leave for the rest of the summer (won't even be able to take an APFT until the Spring), but I'm still here to answer questions. For those of you that have New Cadets, I saw many of them while medically outprocessing (though I'll be back ReOrgy Week--this won't effect me staying at West Point in any way, fortunately), and they're doing fine. If any of you have a New Cadet in Alpha Company, 4th Platoon, they'll be in my Company in the Academic Year.</p>
<p>Ohmigosh! How frightening! I sure hope you're feeling all better quickly. Will you have to repeat CFT next summer? I understand that several cadets who needed surgery or became ill like you will have an "opportunity" to participate in CFT. </p>
<p>Oh, M4M, how completely scary. Please rest, recover, take good care of yourself. Listen to the doctors and don't rush things (boy, I sound like a mom....wait, I AM a mom!). I'll be saying a prayer for you.</p>
<p>Yes, I will have to do a Double Detail next summer. They offered me a desk job 2nd Detail so I'd only have to do one detail next summer, but I turned it down. I'd rather actually train next summer than sit around and answer a phone this summer...</p>
<p>M4M--good luck and God bless! Get better this summer--do some good professional reading to prep for being a TL next semester. Question, you mentioned that the A Co/4th plt would be in your academic year company, how does that work now? Do they put all the New CDTs from the same platoon into the same company?? I'm just curious of the change (and what Company my bro will be in)...when I was a CDT A/B went all over 1st Reg, C/D to 2nd, E/F to 3rd, G/H to 4th with a few odd folks going elsewhere. Now, it so happened a good bunch of my squad came to my company, but not all...anyhow, just curious. Heal up well!! I had knee surgery in my Buckner...thankfully was able to complete everything but Land Nav and had to do that later in the fall of Yuk year. Godspeed and quick recovery!</p>
<p>marines4me!! Yikes! I freaked when I read your post. I expected injuries but WOW, I think you ended up with something way worse. Don't scare us like that again! :) Get well soon!!</p>
<p>BigGreen, glad you're getting to enjoy some of that experience. Sounded like you got some amusement out of their tales. Too funny. They are just learning so much! I would have ended up at the nearest dunkin donuts. No map required either. My orienteering skills are just that good. :)</p>
<p>MPCPT, don't worry, I definitely am doing a LOT of professional reading. I'm staying 5 minutes from Fort Carson with my boyfriend's family, and I go on post with him nearly every day. I got a temporary library card yesterday, and got a ton of stuff. Also have 3 different programs for learning Arabic, so I have plenty to do in my spare time. As for how the Companies are now arranged, almost everyone in Alpha Company, 4th Platoon will go to A4 (except for the Corps Squad Athletes, for the most part). Echo Company, 3rd Platoon will go to E3, etc. </p>
<p>I'm hoping I got my one big West Point injury out of the way... You know how they always say that everyone leaves with some kind of surgery or something. Hopefully this will be mine!</p>
<p>Wait a minute did I just read that Yuk summer training at USMA includes movies at the mall and family picnics? Meanwhile, USNA Youngsters are aboard Navy ships in the Sea of Japan dodging North Korean missiles, and Lord only knows what adventures the 3rd class Coast Guard and Merchant Marine cadets are experiencing! (My mid said a Merchant Marine vessel performed an awesome mid-ocean refueling maneuver with her destroyer a few weeks ago.) Id like to hear from USMMA and USCGA parents/cadets about their summer training.
Also, the Yard at USNA is a beautiful and historic site like USMA, however at the Naval Academy we just dont have that persistent TAGGING on buildings and other structures exhorting the mids to Beat Army! </p>
<p>GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY! :)</p>
<p>Marines4me, Sorry to hear about your serious medical condition. Is it rare? Very glad to hear youre out of the hospital and feeling better.</p>
<p>M4M-- I think it's great you're being as positive and proactive with your time...that's really an awesome trait...and yes, I think this should validate your surgery requirement cause it actually happened at USMA. I thought my ACL surgery my senior year of HS validated me, but alas, it didn't...but after the Buckner surgery I was done! Craziness. Thanks for the feedback on the CBT to AY company info. That is a change...when do y'all scramble these days? My class ended up not scrambling at all because they were changing the years and we were caught in the middle! Oh well. Seriously, get better!! And for your reading, I highly suggest "How to Eat Soup With a Knife" on counterinsurgency. Good book!! "Once an Eagle" is a great leadership book as well! Get better fast and God bless!</p>
<p>:) Already have "How to Eat Soup with a Knife", and I read "Once an Eagle" during my stay at the hospital (that was the second time I read it!)</p>
<p>Well, for now it doesn't really look like we're scrambling. They didn't scramble last years Yuks/now Cows, and unless the new Supe wants to do something drastic I don't think we'll be scrambled either (at least I hope not!) Do you have any other reading suggestions?</p>
<p>Thanks for the well wishes everyone! Your support is much appreciated!</p>
<p>marines4me, if you're looking for reading suggestions here are some classics that read more like thrillers than history books.</p>
<p>The History of Peloponnesian War by Thucydides (get the Landmark Thucydides addition because youll need the hundreds of maps), tells the story of the war between Athens and Sparta as seen by the commander of an Athenian trireme. The lesson here is that absolutely nothing has changed in 2,500 years.</p>
<p>The Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence of Arabia). Tells the story of the Arab insurgency against the Turks as seen by Lawrence who was in the thick of both the fighting and the political wrangling. The insurgents bible.</p>
<p>The Blue Nile, and, The White Nile both by Allen Moorehead. Napoleon Bonapartes and General Gordons campaigns on the Nile along with a host of eccentric explorers whos accounts with the various cultures were so fantastic that in some cases the readers of those accounts thought they were completely fanciful. Interesting insights into the present situation in the Sudan and Darfur.</p>
<p>The Enchiridion by Epictetus. A very small book prized as a philosophical field manual for the commanders of the Roman Legions. Hooah!</p>
<p>The Iliad, and, The Odyssey by Homer. Get the translation by Fagles because its by far the best and most enjoyable version Ive read. The two books tell the story of a small snippet of the Trojan War and how to **** off the Gods on the way home and get away with it, respectively. Arguable two of the greatest books ever written.</p>
<p>I am fairly new here, so hello.
I wanted to tell Marines4Me speedy recovery. I heard in WP plebe.net that several new cadets were out-processing for broken bones. Seems a bit extreme, but after reading here I guess injuries are the norm?
:-/</p>
<p>WP2010Mom: welcome!
I have been watching the injury list on plebe.net with interest too. I guess it goes with the territory, but after all of the angst about getting there in perfect health it must be a real letdown to be outprocessed a week later for an injury.</p>
<p>Both CBT and CFT are very demanding physically. Imagine 1000+ strong, athletic kids who demand a lot of themselves doing so many new things and you're bound to have several injuries.</p>
<p>Thank you. And thank you Ann as well. It seems as if everyone on here has known each other a long time.
Yes, my heart ached when I read about the medical out-processing.<br>
Mine seems to be doing allright, thanks for asking! His last letter said to forget his earlier letters.<br>
I think Momoftwins and Ann, you have '09s?</p>