With about a week to go...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>...a few last words for the Class of 2010.</p>

<p>This is it, folks. No more playing. No more dreaming. No more BS posted on the internet. THIS IS IT.</p>

<p>Way to go, all you you! You made it! You've accomplished the first step of what will hopefuly be many great ones over the course of your lives. You are far, FAR ahead of most of those in your age group, and have accepted a challenge and level of responsibility shared by even fewer. At the risk of sounding patronizing, I am proud of you, and thankful for your devotion. My children thank you, even if they're still too young to appreciate what you're doing for them.</p>

<p>In about a week, the virtual umbilical cord that has held you to your parents since the day they clipped the physical one will itself be irrevocably cut. You will be adults, and will be learning in an environment akin to being taught to swim by being tossed into the deep end sans lessons. If you have an appointment, then you have shown that you CAN handle it. Whether or not you WILL handle it depends upon just one person now: YOU.</p>

<p>So here you are, scared to death and excited at the same time; knowing it all and knowing nothing at the same time; sweating how you will react to getting chewed out, or if you'll be able to keep up in the runs, or if you'll be able to absorb the rates, or be able to keep a 2.0 GPA, let alone a 4.0. Guess what? It's normal. Don't sweat it TOO much. (To ask you NOT to sweat it at all would be unrealistic. However, if you're not sweating it at all, you're in for a rude shock. Maybe you shouldn't be going at all.)</p>

<p>You CAN do it. Hundreds upon hundreds do it every year. Why not you?</p>

<p>The question now is, ARE YOU WORTHY to make it? </p>

<p>Oh, sure, you got the grades, did the ECAs, participated in the sports, impressed the MOC. Big woop. So did everyone else. </p>

<p>The question NOW becomes, are you worthy of command? Are you worthy of the trust that is now begining to be assigned to you? Are you willing to die for your shipmates? Do you have the moral core required to lead men into combat, either against a foe or an emergency, knowing full well that they may die in the process? Are you willing to take the measures required to ensure that your men will trust and respect you so, when you give those fateful orders, they will WILLINGLY follow them?</p>

<p>If you think I'm being melodramatic, you need to reassess what you are about to embark upon. We are in a war. Not a conventional one, but a war nonetheless. We have no idea how long it will go on. Additionally, we have China plotting its moves, and now North Korea stands ready to test a missile that could reach the United States west coast. Venezuela is a rising threat, and Cuba refuses to see reality and admit that communism is a failure. In other words, the threats are out there and growing. ALL of you run the risk of seeing war in your lifetimes, perhaps even a full-blown one. You are taking a commitment NOW to be leaders THEN. Are YOU ready for such a responsibility? Are YOU ready to PREPARE to be ready for when that day comes?</p>

<p>I said something above some may have missed. I said "combat against a foe or an emergency". If you think a Class Bravo fire in the mainspaces isn't an enemy that can snuff out the lives of your shipmates in minutes if you don't act correctly, and to be fought with the same aggressiveness you'd apply to an armed foe, then you need to stop and think about it. If you can, find a copy of "The Gulf", a novel written in 1988 or so by David Poyer, and get back to me.</p>

<p>You know the road you're on, and you know what will be required of you when you finish it, but remember that you are BEGINNING it. Your job now is to LEARN; to PREPARE. It's not to dream, or to party, or to chase the groupies in town (this goes for upperclassmen as well, BTW), but to LEARN.</p>

<p>Are you prepared to do THAT? I think you are. So do your parents.</p>

<p>What do YOU think when you look in the mirror?</p>

<p>Good luck, and keep in touch. You know how to reach me, and I'll be available for Mids until the day the Lord calls me back to Him.</p>

<ul>
<li>Z</li>
</ul>

<p>Link to that book I mentioned: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312925778/qid=1150725569/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4053555-1343338?s=books&v=glance&n=283155%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312925778/qid=1150725569/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4053555-1343338?s=books&v=glance&n=283155&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

2

<p>Thanks for the words of encouragement Zaphod. You have a much better way of putting things than my father who is a 72 grad has ever been able to. Granted I guess since I am his son it just comes across as pushy. Also another book suggestion is a book called "Plebe" by Hank Turowski. He was a year ahead of my father in the academy and is a close family friend. When he heard about my getting in he sent me a signed copy and let me tell you what, it is one hell of a read. It is about the class of 71 and their plebe year. It might give a lot of people a perspective on what they are about to go through. Granted this is "fictional" because obviously such things would NEVER happen at such a fine institution, but I think we all know the truth about that. For those that are entering and do not know about the late sixties to early seventies at the academy they are known as the hell years. They suffered some of the worst reprisals from upper classman that the Naval Academy has ever seen and has since forbidden lots of things from that time period.</p>

<p>Anyways to all who will be attending I will see you all very soon. Hope all is well and best wishes.</p>

3

<p>I have one quote to add:</p>

<p>"The things in life that require the hardest work bring the greatest satisfaction"</p>

<p>Once again Zaphod, thank you for all of your advice and insight, it is truly appreciated.</p>

4

<p>Well, you just summed up most of my feeling/fears. How do you do that so well?</p>

<p>And a quote for those rough times. "If you are going through Hell, keep going!"-Churchill</p>

5

<p>
[quote]
Well, you just summed up most of my feeling/fears. How do you do that so well?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Because I've been there and done that. :)</p>

<p>As for choosing the words, the Lord does that for me. I'm just the typist. ;)</p>