National Service/Military Academies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do affluent people attend the academies or is it mainly for the kids on the other side of the tracks?

My DH is a USNA grad. He's MC, his father was a professor, his mother a nurse. Fairly common background. He spent 8 yrs as an active duty Marine, and he's now a C-level exec for a large IT company.

The alumni network is unreal. He went from active duty straight to a mgmt job at IBM (although he did get his master's while still on active duty).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you don't go on to become a general or whatever, what sort of civilian career path is there for an academy graduate?

Most graduate from the Academy is with the bachelors of science in an engineering field. Although there are other majors. As an officer in the military, you have a specific career field. It could be communications, could be a logistics, could be supply, could be infantry. After serving the required four year pay back, officers typically can get a career in management almost anywhere.

Five year service obligation, not four years. Eight if you receive aviation quals or are sent to a two year or longer graduate degree program. Some career fields offer direct access and military skills will translate. Others definitely will not do so. Remember also that between O1 (ensign or 2d lieutenant) and the absolute minimum retirement-eligible grade of O4 or O5 (lieutenant commander, commander, major or lieutenant colonel), a good solid 40% of officers will have been removed under DOPMA. If you do not complete a full 20 on active duty without time reduction, your total pension is exactly zero, period. A military career is far from a promising assurance.

What is DOPMA?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_Officer_Personnel_Management_Act
The military (like almost every company) is a hierarchy pyramid. Lots on the bottom, and thins as the rank increases. Except with the military, it’s either up or out. You can’t stay in a rank for longer than allowed. It makes sense, because you don’t want a sixty-year-old Lance Corporal rifleman trying to storm a beach.
However the PP is wrong. In the military, and you can pay into the TSP for saving for retirement. TSP is yours no matter how long you serve. This isn’t much different than most companies and a 401k plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do affluent people attend the academies or is it mainly for the kids on the other side of the tracks?

My DH is a USNA grad. He's MC, his father was a professor, his mother a nurse. Fairly common background. He spent 8 yrs as an active duty Marine, and he's now a C-level exec for a large IT company.

The alumni network is unreal. He went from active duty straight to a mgmt job at IBM (although he did get his master's while still on active duty).

Sounds more like UMC, not MC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't more DC suburban kids look at the academies? With the Pentagon, Walter Reed, etc. around here, I'd expect much more interest in the academies. A rep from one academy was scheduled to visit virtually the other day at the HS where I teach and not one kid signed up. Not one. What has the word come to?

With this Commander in Chief?

No, thank you.

What about the Commander in Chief come Jan 21st?

What about him? He's a military genius and a stellar human. Both of his kids served, one even made it to his first drug test after daddy pulled strings...the rest is well, history.

He was a military genius until the bone spurs... or was it the asthma? Oh yes, it was asthma... but the bone spurs of the other guy gets much more attention because he is a terrible human being (as opposed to stellar).

Mr./Mrs. poster, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered rational thought. Everyone on this thread is now dumber for having read it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When does the application process start?

January

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:US Merchant Marine Academy. Often overlooked but a solid option. My DH went there and loved it.

You do 2 semesters at sea. And your commitment is 8 years (I think) of navy reserves. He traveled the world, had no school debt, got a great education, and the payback was relatively low. He loved his time there and payed back more than the minimum requirement.

Since then, a few kids in our neighborhood have also gone and loved it.

It has had problems in recent years with some harassment type issues. But, has worked hard (I'm told, I have not first hand knowledge) to try to address those.

Yep, it's a great deal.

The harassment issues from a few years ago were related more to time spent at sea than time at the academy itself (mids at the USMMA do their sea time on actual merchant ships, not school training ships like some of the state academies do).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:US Merchant Marine Academy. Often overlooked but a solid option. My DH went there and loved it.

You do 2 semesters at sea. And your commitment is 8 years (I think) of navy reserves. He traveled the world, had no school debt, got a great education, and the payback was relatively low. He loved his time there and payed back more than the minimum requirement.

Since then, a few kids in our neighborhood have also gone and loved it.

It has had problems in recent years with some harassment type issues. But, has worked hard (I'm told, I have not first hand knowledge) to try to address those.

Yep, it's a great deal.

The harassment issues from a few years ago were related more to time spent at sea than time at the academy itself (mids at the USMMA do their sea time on actual merchant ships, not school training ships like some of the state academies do).

Where can I find more details about "the harassment issues"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:US Merchant Marine Academy. Often overlooked but a solid option. My DH went there and loved it.

You do 2 semesters at sea. And your commitment is 8 years (I think) of navy reserves. He traveled the world, had no school debt, got a great education, and the payback was relatively low. He loved his time there and payed back more than the minimum requirement.

Since then, a few kids in our neighborhood have also gone and loved it.

It has had problems in recent years with some harassment type issues. But, has worked hard (I'm told, I have not first hand knowledge) to try to address those.

Is it accurate that enlisting in the Navy reserves for 8 years (as opposed to the 5-year active duty commitment of the other service academies) satisfies the military commitment for attending the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy?

Is this also true of the Coast Guard Academy, or do you have to enlist in active duty afterwards? I know that USNA, USAFA, and USMA-West Point all require the 5-year active duty commitment. TIA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't more DC suburban kids look at the academies? With the Pentagon, Walter Reed, etc. around here, I'd expect much more interest in the academies. A rep from one academy was scheduled to visit virtually the other day at the HS where I teach and not one kid signed up. Not one. What has the word come to?

With this Commander in Chief?

No, thank you.

Do you think this will change with our new Commander in Chief?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't more DC suburban kids look at the academies? With the Pentagon, Walter Reed, etc. around here, I'd expect much more interest in the academies. A rep from one academy was scheduled to visit virtually the other day at the HS where I teach and not one kid signed up. Not one. What has the word come to?

With this Commander in Chief?

No, thank you.

Do you think this will change with our new Commander in Chief?

Even if they had a lot of applicants from DC suburbs, they have to take people from every state, correct? Also, not signing up for a virtual visit does not mean that they're not applying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have experience with the Coast Guard Academy?

I do not believe you have to be nominated for the Coast Guard Academy, although the rules may have changed. I am married to a Coast Guard Academy grad and he and his classmates have nothing but positive comments. New London campus is very nice and we have found the service to be very family friendly. It is a very small service and people tend to get to know each other on a personal level. Most assignments are in the US in a coastal town, although there are definitely opportunities for overseas and combat area assignments if you seek them out.

You do not need a congressional nomination to be accepted to the Coast Guard Academy. This totally eliminates the political factor in making appointments. If your DC is interested in service this is one of the best kept secret schools out there (free education, guaranteed job after graduation, helping/saving people is your job).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only warning I would have is that you should think up front about whether your child has any medical conditions that might disqualify him. These schools are extremely competitive, and can be very picky. I have one friend who got all the way to the end of the process, and was told he didn't make it in because he'd had ONE episode of childhood asthma (that had never been repeated). I think these schools have so many well-qualified applicants, they have to find some way of distinguishing between them.

Add medication for acne to the list. It's ludicrous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only warning I would have is that you should think up front about whether your child has any medical conditions that might disqualify him. These schools are extremely competitive, and can be very picky. I have one friend who got all the way to the end of the process, and was told he didn't make it in because he'd had ONE episode of childhood asthma (that had never been repeated). I think these schools have so many well-qualified applicants, they have to find some way of distinguishing between them.

Add medication for acne to the list. It's ludicrous.

Whaa? That's crazy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only warning I would have is that you should think up front about whether your child has any medical conditions that might disqualify him. These schools are extremely competitive, and can be very picky. I have one friend who got all the way to the end of the process, and was told he didn't make it in because he'd had ONE episode of childhood asthma (that had never been repeated). I think these schools have so many well-qualified applicants, they have to find some way of distinguishing between them.

Add medication for acne to the list. It's ludicrous.

Which one? My kid used acutane for six months. And does it just disqualify them from the academies? Or all military service? Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only warning I would have is that you should think up front about whether your child has any medical conditions that might disqualify him. These schools are extremely competitive, and can be very picky. I have one friend who got all the way to the end of the process, and was told he didn't make it in because he'd had ONE episode of childhood asthma (that had never been repeated). I think these schools have so many well-qualified applicants, they have to find some way of distinguishing between them.

Add medication for acne to the list. It's ludicrous.

Which one? My kid used acutane for six months. And does it just disqualify them from the academies? Or all military service? Thanks

Your kid will be Disqualified but the Academy may seek a waiver. It's a long process with no guarantees. Good luck.