Posted on 01/19/2008 7:35:00 AM PST by radar101
Hundreds of Naval Academy plebes attempt to climb the Herndon monument in an annual tradition marking the end of their freshman year in Annapolis. (Sun photo by Doug Kapustin / May 17, 2007)
It's one of the Naval Academy's most enduring traditions: Hundreds of shirtless plebes mark the end of their first year by swarming a grease-slicked, 21-foot-obelisk, climbing over one another in a race to the top.
Now, academy officials are asking: Is this safe?
In a terse statement this week, academy officials said they will assemble a student committee to study changes to the Herndon Monument Climb.
"Like many customs and traditions, they evolve, they change over time," said Cmdr. Ed Austin, an academy spokesman. "We're taking a look at this one and trying to make a decision on whether we make some adjustments to it."
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
A solution in search of a problem...
So they prepare these guys to go to war..but climbing a greased concrete slab is too dangerous?
I take it that the female plebes are not shirtless.
"Oooooohhhh, I'm so glad they didn't make me climb that dangerous pole."
"Whewwwww, for a second I thought we'd find a greased concrete slab down here"
So you are saying that the greased up obelisk is akin to a lubed up....um phallus? This reminds me of some jokes I learned about the Navy while I was in the Army.
ping
Next thing ya know will be unsafe to grease bird feeder poles. LOL
The wussification of the military continues. If you don’t think that it has a little something to do with female cadets or midshipmen you would be very wrong.
No, they wear their sports bras.
Military service is not safe from personal experience I know it is very dangerous. What the hell is wrong with some of our military leadership? They are so damn worried about being PC and not hurting anyone’s feelings. We lost more GIs in training or off duty accidents that we have lost in combat since the end of Vietnam to include the deaths caused fighting the savages of Islam today. It appears to me the only way to pull it off by looking at the picture is to work as a team. God forbid they learn teamwork as freshmen they just might be able to work together the rest of the Naval or Marine careers hopefully learning how to lead the Sailors and Marines under them.
Well the Navy has been long known as a sort of heaven...
I take it that the female plebes are not shirtless.
Preparing for a life at sea by climbing a giant greased pole...
safety??? i guess it sounds better than saying the girls complained...
Uh, I think the ladies here need more photos like the one with the shirtless lads to make a determination. Please. Pretty please?
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