Navy Student Fails Test, Must Pay Full Tuition[$127K]

WJZ ^ | 18 Jan 2007 | AP

[FLOutdoorsman]

A Naval Academy midshipman who was expelled after he failed a running test will have to pay the Navy for the cost of his education.

Baltimore County resident Frank Shannon had asked that the 127-thousand dollar bill be waived. But a senior Navy official rejected his appeal this month, saying the academy provided Shannon with ample opportunity to meet its minimum fitness standards.

Shannon failed 12 of 18 fitness tests, and failed in a series of attempts to run a mile-and-a-half in 10 minutes and 30 seconds. In his final test, he was 20 seconds short. He was expelled just weeks before graduation.

Shannon is hoping a member of Congress will intervene. Aides to Senator Mikulski suggested he apply for readmission to the academy, but Shannon is currently married and would first have to divorce his wife before applying.

[FLOutdoorsman]

I've always made fun of Navy PT standards, but there has to more to this story.

Any Naval grads out there? Is this a true standard to grad?

That run standard on its self, is faster than the min. for Ranger School.

[edcoil]

5th graders in our local school run the mile faster then that.

[mtbopfuyn]

marking this for later

[Lunatic Fringe]

I'd say unless I was awarded the degree, stuff it!

[Lunatic Fringe]

I've always made fun of Navy PT standards

Hehe, well there aren't many ships longer than a mile and a half. ;)

[farlander]

A 7-min mile isn't all that hard to achieve - you got to be in good shape, but it isn't all that.

[wastedyears]

I wouldn't think so. I'm not in yet, but I know for fact that the Navy SEAL BUD/S Entrance Exam has set times, and the running part of it is 10 minutes and 30 seconds for a mile and a half.

Sommin' smells fishy

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

5th graders in our local school run the mile faster then that.

It's a mile and a half.

[LongElegantLegs]

Heck, *I* can run faster than that.

[Tax-chick]

Shannon failed 12 of 18 fitness tests

It appears he has difficulties with more than just running. That's not a particularly difficult running standard ... not much faster than my 5K race pace (3.1 miles), and I'm a 40-year-old woman with 8 kids.

[greasepaint]

chow hound?

[neodad]

You have to meet the PRT standards at the academy, as well as on active duty. The marriage requirement is also true. Mids have to certify that they did not get married when they return from leave.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

In his final test, he was 20 seconds short.

Actually, he was 20 seconds long.

[mystery-ak]

Ya gotta pass your PT's in the military...this guy failed 12 times.....my son failed once because he was just getting over bronchitis when his PT came up....he didn't ask for a medical waiver...they gave it to him again the next month, which he passed.

[rbg81]

When I was in ROTC, the standard was 1.5 miles in 12 min and some people (who made fine officers) struggled to make that.

[Hoodlum91]

"Shannon failed 12 of 18 fitness tests"

That's the rest - he failed 2/3 of his fitness tests - not just the run.

[BigDaddyTX]

He should talk to Nancy Pelosivich. She would simply have the Navy clarify that the 10min 30sec is cumulative, not consecutive. Run for 3 minutes, stop the clock for a 30 minute break then restart...

[RetiredArmy]

I'd say unless I was awarded the degree, stuff it!

Yes you could. And your Uncle Sammy's first cousin, IRS, will take everything you earn in the next 50 years. So, enjoy.

[mfnorman]

you can view the Navy's PRT standards here

[Thrownatbirth]

When I was a plebe, our company lost the Brigade's best baseball trivia expert because he couldn't do the 20-second bar hang without dislocating his shoulder. We tried everything thing we could to get him waivered.

Knowing trivia was golden in Bancroft.