Ughhh . . . the class of '89 . . . a class of knuckledraggers . . .
Posted on 01/19/2007 6:17:18 AM PST by 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.
Back in Army Basic in '72, I think it was 8 minutes for a mile.. But that's in fatiques and boots..
Ughhh . . . the class of '89 . . . a class of knuckledraggers . . .
Where are the missing pieces to this story?? The guy has gone through the training and no one noticed that he couldn't do it? He WAS an athlete before he entered the academy. I'm guessing he's a HUGE guy and lacks stamina.
That a regular Navy PRT, the academy has different tests and requirements. Hopefully since I went there, they have become more laigned with the regular Navy instead of some of the wierd stuff they used to make us do.
I dunno . . . a former enlisted nuke who put in time at NAPS and managed a 2.8 in EE? I'd say that except for being slow as molasses, he's probably a real solid officer candidate.
BRACE UP! MENU FOR NOON MEAL, GO!
This isn't an IRS issue. It has nothing to do with income taxes. This would be a civil case. Did he pass all his classes? if so, then they have to award him the degree.
The service he agreed to provide is the payment for that degree. If he is unable to perform, then they have the right to go after him... but they still need to award him his degree.
All other issues aside, doesn't anybody think that $127,000 is quite a lot for tuition costs? I know, this is the navel academy, but it's universal that our institutes of "higher education" are way more expensive than their apparent costs indicate.
If you flunk out or leave voluntarily or involuntarily during your first two years then you don't have any obligation. After that you either do 2 to 4 years enlisted service or you pay back the cost of tuition. Sounds like this guy passed on the enlisted service but is now shocked, shocked I tell you, that he has to pay Uncle Sam back for his education.
You priced Harvard or Yale lately? Heck, room and board for 4 years at a decent state University will set you back close to $50,000.
If you were anywhere near 5th co., you might have lit me up exactly like that.
One wonders what all the mainstreamed kids with all kinds of physical pboblems but great self esteem will have with this incident.
You must have a intravenous Speed drip to have the energy needed to do all that you do. I move like a sloth and it exhausts me.
"As an athlete, Shannon would not have been required to meet the academy's distance-run requirement until just before graduation."
Ah yes, this is how some people can play four years of varsity sports and be declared "not physically qualified" for a commission and then go supply corps. Napoleon McCallum and David Robinson come to mind (Robinson was DQ'd due to his height and not any lack of physical fitness)
Are they doing it with 40# packs, or something?
That's not much of a run. I did twice the distance in twice the time, in my normal run back in college, and I neither was nor am much of an athlete.
Obviously he failed 12 of 18 fitness tests...and one common sense quiz.
Seriously, I wonder if he planned the marriage and decided he didn't want to put up with the separation so he booted the physical requirements?
I suppose if the Navy outlined their policy ahead of time, he has to live by it. But I really find this surprising. Does every student who washes out of one of the military academies have to repay tuition? If so, that could have quite a chilling effect. Do NCAA recruits have to repay tuition if an injury prevents them from playing? I know we're talking about apples and oranges here, but I'm just curious.
So he fails the running test and gets a free education with no obligation as a reward???? That is crazy and an insult to all those who passed the running and all the classes. Sounds like a spoiled athlete to me. He had to pay for his education through an obligation to the Navy or by paying tuition. He had a choice.
The fitness standards are really not that high. 18 fricking tries? Geez louise!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.