Anonymous wrote:We visited my nephew at West Point in the fall. He is a freshman (Plebe). We took him out to lunch. He was like a zombie with the always laughing always smiling lovely boy I have known for 18 years seemingly erased. Maybe it's just the shell shock of the first year. Or maybe that's part of the process of tearing down/building up? Regardless it was very jarring to me.

Anonymous wrote:We visited my nephew at West Point in the fall. He is a freshman (Plebe). We took him out to lunch. He was like a zombie with the always laughing always smiling lovely boy I have known for 18 years seemingly erased. Maybe it's just the shell shock of the first year. Or maybe that's part of the process of tearing down/building up? Regardless it was very jarring to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We visited my nephew at West Point in the fall. He is a freshman (Plebe). We took him out to lunch. He was like a zombie with the always laughing always smiling lovely boy I have known for 18 years seemingly erased. Maybe it's just the shell shock of the first year. Or maybe that's part of the process of tearing down/building up? Regardless it was very jarring to me.

If you took a Plebe out to lunch, of course he was different. First, any freshman, anywhere, is going to act differently: it doesn’t matter if they are at an academy or IU. That’s just part of separating from their previous life. At the academies, the cadets / mids are challenged each day academically, physically, emotionally. West Point is a relentlessly demanding environment. You (and I) never experienced that level of stress. And the imposition of that stress—stress that is intentionally placed on the cadets in order to turn out highly educated, disciplined leaders, is imposed most acutely plebe year. Ike was probably a bit of a zombie from time to time his plebe year, too. But he ended up doing pretty well for himself.
Hint: Write him cards and letters or text him. Keep in touch. Reinforce that you are proud of him. And when you write, end everything with:
Beat Navy!

Anonymous wrote:We visited my nephew at West Point in the fall. He is a freshman (Plebe). We took him out to lunch. He was like a zombie with the always laughing always smiling lovely boy I have known for 18 years seemingly erased. Maybe it's just the shell shock of the first year. Or maybe that's part of the process of tearing down/building up? Regardless it was very jarring to me.

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/06/politics/army-navy-football-2022-spirit-mission/index.html

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have a kid applying to one or more this year? How is the application process going?

Anonymous wrote:Daughter applied USCGA. App process was tough but done in time for EA. Now just wait and see what the decision is. Hoping for the best.

Anonymous wrote:My co-worker's son who started at West Point in June is already calling it quits. To be fair, my co-worker's DH pushed the kid into it. A cautionary tale for any future academy attendee. You (as opposed to mom and dad) really need to want this path. And the academy experience does not provide a typical college experience.[/qu


NPote]
NP - to be fair, though, the physical requirements of these institutions are extremely high. My DS would have washed out in the first few months. Even undergrad at VMI would have been wrong for him due to physical issues (VMI, FWIW, has a very long list of disqualifying physical and mental issues). The rat year is tough everywhere. If he could have handled AND WANTED West Point or the others, we would have done what we could to make it happen but it still comes down to physical grit in these academies. And some people just can't hack it