Ex-USAFA Cadet, Now UC Berkeley Junior

eagle36
Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:00:54 +0000

what they need to do is cut down on acceptances into USAFA. They are over the number permitted by Congress, are having upperclassmen triple up on rooms, and are just overcrowding themselves. Safe everyone the headache and go back to what the numbers should be.

As far as leaving the academy and what not, here’s my 2-cents:

For me, USAFA fit me perfectly. As much as I complained about everything, its what fit my personality best. I would give up the opportunities for the world. And personally, it would have been harder for me to leave than to stay, even if I had wanted to. I have a lot of respect for my friends who realized it was not for them and left.

Now, on the flip side of things, I am getting a more “regular college experience” post-USAFA with graduate school. Although I am at AFIT (Air Force Institute of Technology) and wear a uniform everyday, I have relatively a lot of freedom. It’s definitely taken some getting used to for me, but I am enjoying it. Still though, I would not have traded my time at the Academy.

I entered with a section of 26 other students to receive the same degree with me. This includes civilian, foreign nationals, and military. Military range from butter bars like me to Majors, 61s, 62s, and pilots (and pilot trainee :)), Academy, ROTC, and OTS. Obviously everyone has different backgrounds. From the military side though, when it comes to classes, everything is thrown out the window. People don’t care your rank, commissioning source, or what car you drive. It all comes down to how open you are to getting help and how much you try to help others. Now I have already begun to experience the bond that grads share together that other people just don’t quite get. There are graduate groups that get together to watch games and things like that. In fact, I am getting ready to head to a tailgate of grads for the AF v WSU basketball game tonight (Wright State University, near Dayton, OH).

So I guess what I’m getting at is just just to pursue whatever path feels right at the time. I definitely did not see myself coming to grad school instead of going straight to UPT. But (aside from the anger I have about my take home test I’m struggling with at the moment) I am really happy I came here first because of the experience I’m learning from others. So no matter what path you choose, you’ll always have something to gain from it.

But enough of me rambling. Best of luck to those currently pursing the Academy or a commission. The Air Force is a great family.

-eagle