So if you are lucky, you don't get deployed to the next war. News flash, China is not Iraq. But the Middle East? Ukraine? This world is f-upd right now. And the first casualties of war will be our boys (and girls) in blue, green and khaki. Mothers, don't let your boys (and girls) grow up to be (dead) cowboys and cowgirls.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 2 kids we know who left during and after year 1 ended up at Stanford and Harvard. So perhaps in some circles it’s a badge of honor to choose out of the military.

+1 The two guys I know who left after one year finished at Brown and William & Mary.

+1 - I know one guy who left USNA after yr 2 before signing the commitment - ended up at Penn in Wharton undergrad. Didn't hurt his career any, though he wasn't looking to do anything military adjacent like defense companies or anything.

Anonymous wrote:The 2 kids we know who left during and after year 1 ended up at Stanford and Harvard. So perhaps in some circles it’s a badge of honor to choose out of the military.

+1 The two guys I know who left after one year finished at Brown and William & Mary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is your son willing to forego drinking, weed, and sex during college? If the answer is no, you have your answer OP.

Are there really no opportunities to get laid at the service academies? I'm asking in earnest as someone with no military background or knowledge.

For women there are, but the aren't always or even usually welcome. The academies have huge problems with sexual assault

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of ignorance here. As others mentioned, most interviews for a congressional nomination are conducted by a committee, not the Member. Plenty of candidates get a nomination, but not an appointment.

If your kid is not 100% in on attending, don’t bother. Nothing worse than a voluntary separation if your kid decides they don’t like it. Plus if they wait to separate after 2 years, they are on the hook to pay back tuition.

Is this really so bad? Asking in earnest. Do they get "shamed" or something? I imagine the credits are pretty much all transferrable. Is there no payback requirement at all if you leave before committing after two years?

There is an small but consistent group of cadets who leave just prior to affirmation (a ceremony at the start of Cow (junior) year after which separation would require recoupment from the government for your education. At West Point, they call it the "Yuk (sophomore) Exodus." These cadets who leave after completion of their second year have decided that they are not willing to commit to service - typically they have been applying to transfer over the year - often to an Ivy or very good school - the credits transfer and they save two years of tuition. Others leave for the opposite reason - they are not keeping up academically and fear being separated prior to graduation and owing the $. Those who choose to transfer and leave prior to affirmation are not shamed, but I also would not say they are admired by their classmates. They tend to keep their plans pretty quiet. For context, a class at West Point starts beast barracks before plebe (freshman) year with about 1200 kids and four years later around 900 typically graduate so significant attrition for a variety of reasons.

The 2 kids we know who left during and after year 1 ended up at Stanford and Harvard. So perhaps in some circles it’s a badge of honor to choose out of the military.

It is a great education.

Anonymous wrote:OP is a troll trying to stir up trouble

Of course she is. Anyone who has two family members who are congressman/ senators (really, OP) should be smart enough to know that one does not attain an appointment to an Academy. One obtains an appointment.

Correct no pay back if you leave before year 3 and credits are transferable. Two immediate family members attended service academies. Classmates that separated voluntarily are not looked upon well. Probably not an issue for those outside of the military. Those that say they attended and never graduated, even worse.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of ignorance here. As others mentioned, most interviews for a congressional nomination are conducted by a committee, not the Member. Plenty of candidates get a nomination, but not an appointment.

If your kid is not 100% in on attending, don’t bother. Nothing worse than a voluntary separation if your kid decides they don’t like it. Plus if they wait to separate after 2 years, they are on the hook to pay back tuition.

Is this really so bad? Asking in earnest. Do they get "shamed" or something? I imagine the credits are pretty much all transferrable. Is there no payback requirement at all if you leave before committing after two years?

Trying to think of a family with 2 members in Congress.

There’s a really obvious answer but the Senator might not be there for long.

Lots of ignorance here. As others mentioned, most interviews for a congressional nomination are conducted by a committee, not the Member. Plenty of candidates get a nomination, but not an appointment.

If your kid is not 100% in on attending, don’t bother. Nothing worse than a voluntary separation if your kid decides they don’t like it. Plus if they wait to separate after 2 years, they are on the hook to pay back tuition.

OP may not be genuine, but the sentiment is one shared by many moms I know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How old is your son?

You do know what the "DC" in "DCUM" stands for don't you, genius?

Reminds me of the time I had a college roommate and his wife in town and I took him to Old Ebbitt for oysters and John Boehner was at the table across from ours.

Suddenly all those years of calling BS on my stories of bumping into VIPs were realized as true and they were mortified.

Did you recognize him by his tan?

That's not bumping in to a VIP (if you could call him that), it's just being in the same vicinity. Bumping into makes it sound like you are chatting with them, simply being across the restaurant doesn't count.

Trying to think of a family with 2 members in Congress. There have been some in the past. In any event OP, what is your objection to West Point? And why does your DH want your kid to go there? How much do you both know about the academies?

If OP isn’t a troll, then they’ve definitely outed themselves. If I cared enough (I don’t) it wouldn’t take me long to figure out who they are.