"Swab Summer" article

Bossf51 · 07-01-2008, 12:42 PM

Tsk tsk for the administrators for taking down my post. That picture came from a highly-respected newspaper that covers the Academy on a regular basis. I was expressing my encouragement and admiration for a kid who reminds me of myself at that age. He has guts to take on this challenge.

USNA69 · 07-01-2008, 12:56 PM

Why didn't you say this rather than just post the picture for any and all interpretations? The implication was that he would have a tougher time than the others.

And I would be most positive that the newspaper printed other photos along with an accompanying write up and not just post a lone picture for every one to guess their meaning.

CPASteve_98 · 07-01-2008, 01:31 PM

TheDay.com - Swab Summer, And The Livin' Isn't So Easy

CPASteve_98 · 07-01-2008, 01:32 PM

Here is the whole article. From the website.

Swab Summer, And The Livin' Isn't So Easy

CPASteve

Bossf51 · 07-01-2008, 06:58 PM

Listen I am a journalist by trade and any editor worth his salt would give up a year's salary for a shot like that. That picture captures the essence of what the swab summer experience is all about...all I said is I hope this kid makes it because he has the guts to endure the hardships of the training despite his small stature. Lighten up folks.

USNA69 · 07-01-2008, 07:45 PM

Give it up. Your original post was with a 'big grin'. You thought it was funny. For us who have been there, it is the size of the heart, not the size of the body. We don't like outsiders who don't know what they are talking about making fun of us. You were out of line.

usservicemom · 07-01-2008, 07:49 PM

Aw, you Service Academy grads are a tough bunch. (You are a CGA grad, right, bossf51?)

I think that cadet will be an Admiral one day and he will have the last laugh.

In the meantime I intend to show him all the respect I can muster as a lowly civilian.

Thanks for the article. It is a good one and it does have another picture.

Here is another article about the CGA. The video is good - do not miss it!
Training begins for Voluntown 'swab' - Norwich, CT - Norwich Bulletin

P.S. No fair! The USCGA Reporting-In Day is getting more press that West Point's R-Day.

Bossf51 · 07-01-2008, 07:53 PM

I'm no grad but hardly an outsider...the proud parent of a CGA firstie who has been on both sides of the yelling. He told me once he nearly broke down in tears when a cadre yelled at him for buttoning his blouse wrong. It's all part of the training.

USNA69 don't presume to know my intentions in posting this...THAT IS ALL as you navy guys say.

USNA69 · 07-01-2008, 07:59 PM

Unless you have been there, make no argument, you are an outsider. You owe the young gentleman in the picture a huge apology.

CGAMOM2012 · 07-02-2008, 05:09 PM

also on The Day website is photogallery with several more pictures from R day - Golf Company mostly.

Photography

deepdraft1 · 07-03-2008, 11:03 AM

can someone explain to me why the all the second class cadets in the photographs are wearing their shoulder boards with the stripes backwards????

Luigi59 · 07-03-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deepdraft1

can someone explain to me why the all the second class cadets in the photographs are wearing their shoulder boards with the stripes backwards????

The 2/c shoulder boards are shown correctly.

From The International Encyclopedia of Military Insignia:

...USCGA shoulder boards have the same stripe system as USNA shoulder boards with one exception. Whereas the stripes on USNA Midshipmen second and third-class shoulder boards slant from the back to the front (thus a MIDN 3/c shoulder boards, viewed from the front would look like "/ \", and a MIDN 2/c "// \\"), the CGA shoulder boards for those ranks is the opposite, rendering a CDT 3/c "\ /" and a CDT 2/c "\\ //"

Sleeve rank is portrayed exactly the same as USNA sleeve rank with a few differences. The most obvious is the shield on blue device; additionally, second-, third- and fourth-class Cadets have a shield on their sleeves, whereas USNA Midshipmen do not. Furthermore, second and third-class cadets have their rank (diagonal stripes) on both sleeves, while second and third-class USNA Midshipmen have theirs only on the left sleeve. Like USNA Midshipmen, these stripes slope from the back of the sleeve to the front (or in nautical terms, "forward from aft").

http://www.geocities.com/gfonk04/CGC...ulder_Rank.JPG

deepdraft1 · 07-03-2008, 02:06 PM

I wonder how that got started, when ALL the other sea service academies (including the state maritime academies) wear their boards the other way around...?

bearbit · 07-03-2008, 02:08 PM

Deepdraft1,
If look closely from the front, the insignia appears to be in the shape of a arrowhead \ / in which comes from the legend that CGA cadets are all: straight arrows :-)