<p>I would be and am more forgiving of the young. At age 18 or 19, it is a physiological fact that the brain is not yet fully developed. It may sound like there’s a joke lurking in there, but it is the truth. The last parts of the brain to fully mature are those parts involved in higher reasoning skills, where ethical decisions are weighed and made. Effectively mentoring these young minds at this critical stage requires extraodinary patience and genuine concern coupled with high expectations, firmness, and consistency. The officers I knew who served on faculty at the USAFA were well-suited to this role. They were truly superior officers. I have no reason to suspect that has changed.</p>