cjcatl

yikes...son...please back up and take a few moments to realize..the usmma was not right for you...and get over it...obviously you had the potential....but not for any academy...take what you have learned and go forward...

zonker

just does not square honestly with Apparently, you haven't gone to USMMA for over 7 months?!? It sounds like you didn't make it through your first Trimester. Why post now?

followed less than two months later by Well, dang. I suspect you found a way.

Look folks, if you are planning on going to ANY service academy, you need to bring your "A"-game, especially for honesty and integrity.

You ARE going to be staring directly into your own strengths and weaknesses, brought to the surface in a pressure cooker. For some, it's not what they want. That's ok. It's not for everyone.

I have respect for those that measure themselves honestly and decide service is not what they want (most don't even get THAT far).
I have LOTS of respect and admiration for those who wear that service in their hearts, and express it by graduating and fulfilling their obligation;
and TONS of respect for those who make it their career.

By no means is getting accepted at any service academy easy.
It's tough.
It's meant to be.
But IF you have bumps or hardships in your past, make sure you honestly acknowledge them.. and what you have learned from them. Look in the mirror at yourself.
If you haven't learned to take responsibility for your actions, DON'T GO!
You're not ready, yet.

Deception should not be a way of life, and completely undermines the core values required for teamwork...

-- to which Is2Day had excellent advice, and Luigi59's words seem prophetic Why apply to ROTC programs, ultimately to join a military branch whose core values include Honesty/Integrity/Personal Responsibility, when you are evading the truth on an application? Some (granted HARD) lessons have yet to be learned. DON'T falsify your application... the only person you are really deceiving is yourself, and you are taking a valuable slot for someone else who REALLY wanted to be there.

For ANYONE considering an academy path/ROTC/or any other path to service, stand up and assess what YOU really want to do -- not what you think others want you to do, not what your parents want you to do, not what you think would look cool to be from.
Follow what is in your heart.

And the best of luck to those who decide to test their mettle.

Don't be known as 'That Lying Student WithOut Genuine Honor"

Heck, even hard knocks teach us something about ourselves, if we are willing to own the lesson.

USMMA Motto: "Acta , non verba" (deeds, not words). They really mean it.

SeaKid011

well said and researched zonker. This kid is all over the map...WOO 2 weeks!!!

MG2013Mom

ditto well said zonker. TLS is probably having 2nd or third thoughts and can not or will not accept any responsibilty. Hopefully he will not presue the military I don't think I want him watching my kids back. Thinking about lying on applications, asking about getting caught. If you don't do the crime you don't have to worry about serving the time or paying the fine. I hope TLS finds his way and becomes truthful with himself and others.

Gasdoc

tls - Out here in the real word any gap in a resume or CV has to be accounted for. I seriously doubt you'll be able to get by with a "do over."

suzannegra

You are my hero Zonker

kathynp

Ditto that Suzanne

jasperdog

tlswogh89 - I'm a 1982 grad with a son in 2012 and while I can't speak for the entire graduating class of 1982 or my son's class I can speak for both of us on these subjects.

Neither he nor I went or go to USMMA to drive towards a career on active duty. While this years graduating class had 25% go active duty historically over the past 30 years the number has usually been more like 15%.

Kings Point is a Maritme, not a military academy. It's primary mission is to provide leaders to an industry vital to the US' national interest and one which by the some accounts for 1 in 7 jobs in the country. When longshoremen shut down the ports of Southern California a couple of years ago the ripple effects and impacts were well documented. As to your comment about the 7 state chartered maritime academies, they serve and provide a compliomentary purpose however they too are similar sized to USMMA - that means between 1300 and 2000 graduate and enter this vital industury annually. The capacity of the industry to support those graduates is pretty well agreed upon and documented by studies and data MARAD tracks since all operate under some of their auspices.

I didn't go back through all the posts and threads that others cite here nor will I. I gather you wanted to go to KP badly and now you are disillusioned about it for whatever reason. So you post here to rile folks up and maybe make a statement. I'll even assume that you might still stick it out and graduate. I will offer you this advice as someone who is now almost 30 years into my post USMMA career. I learned a lot of things at the Academy that have helped me and I've pretty much lived by the motto "Acta Non Verba" since July 1979. Here's what I have to say I learned and have kept close to my core beliefs since entering the school in 1979 and graduating in 1982:

1) The Honor Code is important. Most of all so I can look at my own face in the mirror when I shave every morning. It affects how I behave as much or more than anything else in my fiber and folks around me point to my many faults as I compete for success in this world however in 30+ years noone has ever questioned my ethics or integrity and it's because I live the Honor Code. The fact that Kings Point of all the Maritime Academies has the strongest honor code and one similar to the other Federal Service Academies is something that matters to us. Who is "us" - Kings Point Alumni - a group that numbers about 15,000 (all time) many of whom are "movers and shakers". Because of the honor code we feel and take responsibility for our actions and to make a POSITIVE difference in this world. Despite your cynicism and the cyniscism and self - deprication you see us exhibit, if you make it through the full four years, ring the bell and shake the Admiral's hand on graduation day, you'll feel it too. However, I doubt you'll make it if you don't take the Honor Code to heart, when you do you won't need to ask some of the questions you apparently asked earlier, you'll know the answers and behave accordingly.

Leaders live by "Acta Non Verba" we have principles to guide us but for the most part we live "in the moment", stay positive and get things done. After we've reached a milestone or accomplishment, we celebrate it appropriately for a short time and go on to the next goal/mountain to climb. My class has 10+ members I can think of off hand who have been wildly successful in life (5 by anyone's measure) - I'm by no means even thinking of including myself in their ranks - they all fit this description. There are current faculty members who know them and remember them - they would all tell you that even back then - 30 years ago, these men and women exhibited the beginings of those traits and behaviours back then. Start out with growing and nuturing these good habits now and they will help you for the rest of you life.

Lecture over other than to say, good luck, I hope you make it, obviously I like the others who've read your post think that bashing at something because you are frustrated or it isn't turing out the way you thought it would isn't the best approach to addressing challenges and problems in life.