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These kids (most of whom are only 17 or 18 themselves) are somehow expected to abstain from what their friends at civilian colleges are partaking in. Cadets/midshipmen are held to a higher standard than are enlistees, and are expected to self-police. They don't have drill sergeants standing watch over them 24/7. Upperclassmen run the place, and those upperclassmen are the ones most likely to be doing the drinking and partying.

The first-year kids do not really engage in drinking and partying too much, they just don't have the time - or the freedom. Juniors and seniors are a different story. At Annapolis, I believe firsties can leave the Yard 3-4 nights a week, and every weekend (Sat. afternoon- Sun. night). Nothing is stopping a 22 year old firstie from going out to a local bar and getting sloshed 3 nights a week.

In addition to talking to my brother's friend, I've spoken to my own friends who attended the Naval and Coast Guard academies. Based on these chats, it is not terribly challenging to get alcohol into one's room at a service academy when you're an upperclassman. Just as an example, CGA has a liquor store right on campus, and cadets of age are not prohibited from buying there (although they are not supposed to bring the alcohol into their room, a few do indeed do just that).

I'm not slandering the kids at service academies...I was accepted to two of them myself and decided to go to a civilian university instead. BUT, they are college-aged kids who don't always have the same level of supervision as an enlistee in basic training or tech school.

We didn't have drill sergeants standing over us in tech school. Most of them went home at 4:30 in the afternoon and we were left to CQs and "Ropes". The Ropes were like trustees in a prison. They were the same rank as the rest of us, but were given special authority.

My point is that we (enlisted) were treated like 18 year-old hormone-crazed teenagers who were away from home for the first time, (Imagine that), while another 18 year old hormone-crazed teenager is assumed to be more responsible just because they were accepted to the academy.

Upperclassmen run the place, and those upperclassmen are the ones most likely to be doing the drinking and partying.

Nope, those selected as cadet officers are not going be party animals.

If what you say about alcohol is true, we have a problem with the character of those admitted, because they lack the self discipline to do the right thing when unsupervised or in charge.