Midshipmen catch naps as they wait more than an hour for Bush to deliver speech

Reuters via Yahoo! ^ | 11/30/05

[dead]

Midshipmen catch naps as they wait for more than an hour for U.S. President George W.
Bush to deliver an address on the war in Iraq at the U.S. Naval Academy in
Annapolis, Maryland November 30, 2005. Trying to counter critics of his war
strategy, Bush vowed on Wednesday that U.S. forces will not cut and run from Iraq
but said improvements in Iraqi security forces may clear the way for a reduction in
U.S. troops. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Naval Academy midshipmen sleep in their seats as they wait for President George Bush to
arrive at the Academy in Annapolis, Md., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005. Bush is
scheduled to give a speech later in the morning. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner) Email
Photo Print Photo

[Publius6961]

Reuters?

Figures.
This is the sort of news they love or love to spin.

[MikefromOhio]

heck yeah....

and I found that I hadn't lost the skill when I was waiting to fly in or out of Baghdad either as a Contractor :)

[aShepard]

These guys were probably up at 5am to do PT; some running around the campus; hit showers; jump into uniforms; and be in their seats at 8:45 am.

I'll surely give them a break, why can't the media do the same??????

[MikefromOhio]

yeah well I was driving behind this guy today that I SWEAR was half asleep, drinking hot coffee from this left hand and banging out an email on his Crackberry on his right. When I was able to finally pass him, I looked at him to see what was up and I am telling you his eyes weren't open even halfway...it was weird.

How he was driving straight using his knees I will never know.

[RTINSC]

A totally misleading photo implying Bush was late and made everyone wait a la Clinton.

[Cicero]

In some recent science fiction, the women make as good warriors as the men. I'm thinking of David Weber's Honor series, or some of the women in Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy and SF novels, or Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden Universe.

Actually there are several knockout future women officers in that picture, if you look around. Who knows, maybe one of them will be the next Nelson or Nimitz. Stranger things have happened. We can always fantasize, eh?

[ARCADIA]

Napping...is about the most productive thing they could be doing at that point. They certainly demonstrated the energy when the President arrived.

[neodad]

For all you Navy guys out there, that must be the future Naval Aviator's club practicing.

[Barney Gumble]

Who knows how early they had to get there. I wouldn't be surprised if it was 2 hours before Bush came.

I wouldnt put it past Reuters to use this photo even if it came from another event in the past.

[rabidralph]

They didn't do anything out of order. They did what all service academy members do with spare time--they sleep. No disrespect to their CINC was intended. If you saw the speech live, you'd know that.

[joesnuffy]

The General's inspection scheduled for 11AM
And just to make sure the guys are ready......
The Colonel tells the Major its at 10am
The Major tells the Capt it's at 9
The Capt tells the Lt. its for 8
The Lt. tells the Sgt its for 7
Sarge has the men ready and standing at parade rest at 6AM

Hurry up and wait...you haven't lived till you see guys standing at parade rest fall asleep and fall over backwards of course you have to be in the last rank to actually hit the ground ...lol

[andyandval]

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

"I remember the days of sleeping while standing in formation."

I'll see your "sleeping while standing in formation" and raise you a "sleeping while passing in review."

[stocksthatgoup]

My son went through Annapolis on an average of about 5 hours of sleep each night. Cadets never waste a minute.

[Fielding]

Used to fly 18 hour missions in Connie's. Add preflight, postflight, intel and mission briefs and you had a 25 hour work day. These kids have a similar schedule.

[truth_seeker]

"Looks like some midshipmen need their butts kicked."

I was not a midshipman, for openers.

But when I was in training in the military, we WERE given breaks. Our training leaders were in charge. We did as we were told.

So I think your concern is misdirected.

If you think this is a big deal, be upset with academy leadership, for not having the midshipmen sit continuously at attention for an indefinite amount of time.

There seems to be no harm done by a photo showing busy young people getting a breather.

[tgusa]

Having gone to school there (which we used to refer to as the Modern Man's Monastery, before women were admitted) I can guarantee you that no midshipman will EVER pass up a chance to catch 40 winks. A section of the USNA chapel was known as 'Sleepy Hollow.'

[usmcobra]

You're wrong A Good Sargeant has them ready the night before.

[KarlInOhio]

I looked at my post and it was a little harsh. They should have been reminded that they will be under fire from the enemy photographed by the press. If one midshipman had to scratch his backside, that would be the picture Reuters would post.

[MikefromOhio]

I'd believe it.

I vaguely remember some of my cousin's stories about the Naval Academy when he went through it from 1986-1990....The couple times I saw him when he would come up to my parents house, he would do a LOT of laundry, play some video games with me and my brother and sleep about 18 hours a day....