Why return to the Air Force Academy after Winter Break?

Senator Allard- R. CO ^ | April 27th, 2006 | Joseph R. Tomczak

[societygirl]

I was there, and couldn't believe how young they were. But they were far better people than Hillary or Barack could ever HOPE to be.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

That's a bit strong, don't you think ?
I believe Mr. Cunningham has some expertise in the military area...

[RightWingConspirator]

I ultimately got my Air Force commission—in 1964 through Officer Training School following graduation from CU. I liked it so well I stayed 21 years!

[RightWingConspirator]

There is some resentment between AFA and non-AFA grads, but nothing like there is in the Army. I recall being TDY at Rock Island Arsenal in 1974 and seeing a notice on the officer’s club bulletin board that “the Commander invites all officers who are USMA graduates to his monthly USMA Graduates Meeting”. That had to cause lots of resentment from officers who graduated from colleges and universities, such as Texas A&M, VMI, the Citadel, that produce officers as good or better than USMA officers.

[ken in texas]

I would say there's probably a bit of rivalry, and kidding (sometimes good-natured, sometimes not). Of course, when it gets down to promotion cycles, all bets are off.

Full disclosure - I'm a USAFA grad, 1973. I spent my time on an Air Force "Station", not a Base... so I might not have witnessed all that goes on.

[Balding_Eagle]

By spending their every waking moment learning how to be professional military officers and sacrificing, while their high school classmates at ‘normal’ colleges spend much of their time on indulgences.

That's something they agreed to do when they signed up, and something that's expected of them during the academic part of their career.

That hardly 'pays back' anyone for the costs incurred while they are at the AFA.

[tgusa]

We’ll have to agree to disagree. Remember, these are 18-yr old kids we’re talking about here.

[Young Scholar]

After listening to our 'friends' who are home from State or Ivy League schools chock full of wisdom about how our war in Iraq is unjust and unworldly, why would we return?

Actually I'm an Ivy League student, and one of the more anti-Iraq war people I know is an Air Force Academy grad (who claims the position's not uncommon at the Academy).

[Bigg Red]

God bless this young man and his fellow students.

[tgusa]

It’s a good life although definitely not for everyone for a career.

[tgusa]

So do I.

[stormer]

"By spending their every waking moment learning how to be professional military officers..."

"...every waking moment..."

LOL

[tgusa]

Good point!

[CodeMasterPhilzar]

Give him (or her) realistic expectations first. Talk to them about responsibility, leadership, etc. Actually don't just talk about it, live it, lead it, and prepare him/her for it.

Then look into a Jr ROTC program. My 14 yr old freshman son is in his high school's Junior AFROTC program (his idea) and he loves it. This school's program is run by several of the finest examples of men and leadership I have ever come across. Their focus is to build "good citizens" (the Col.'s words) first. If their students want to move on to one of the service academies later, great, if not, that's fine too. The program has a startlingly large percentage of the students participating in it.

So if you're lucky enough to have a school system with a Jr ROTC program, that can be a great place for your son/daughter to get feel for the mix of academics and military protocol, discipline, etc.

[SuziQ]

One of my older brothers is USAFA Class of ‘69.

[SuziQ]

The ‘payback’ to the country comes after they graduate, when they are required to stay in the service for a certain amount of time, instead of immediately going out and trying to make big money doing something else.

[The Right Stuff]

Where are you in school? My son’s up at the Ivy League this year.

[Vision]

They're great Americans.

At the Army/Navy game this year the Midshipmen had a life size cardboard cut out of Bush. They were taking turns holding it in the air and putting their arms around it. It was a cool feeling to be in the stadium surrounded by great people.

[Young Scholar]

Harvard Law. Good place despite a few liberal professors and a sea of Obama supporters. A surprising number of people I actually hang out with are conservatives or libertarians, so it doesn't feel as oppressively liberal as its reputation might lead you to think.

[LordBridey]

Thanks for your replies. I would imagine any rivalry is put aside when it comes to fulfilling one’s professional duties. I just observed, that on a social level there seems to be a barrier. He hee, thinking back, it might have more to do with the wives, than the men.