Totally agree with this, and I’ll offer one of the reasons DH and I were appalled at the thought of our son attending a service academy.
Perhaps it’s not exactly hazing when the entire class is subject to the brutality, but Plebe year at USMA is actually referred to as a haze. To avoid strict penalties, Plebes must (always) walk with cupped hands, hug the walls, look straight ahead, speak only when spoken to, gather up the trash and laundry of upperclassmen, and memorize Bugle Notes (the manual of plebe knowledge, a lengthy collection of traditions, songs, poems, anecdotes, and facts about USMA, the Army, the Old Corps, and the rivalry with Navy) as well as the week’s meal service to be able to perfectly repeat to any upperclassman on demand. This on top of the mandatory head shave and six weeks of “Beast” that includes mask removal in an active gas chamber. Little sleep, no showers, no free time, meals in packets, and constant in-your-face yelling add to the charm.
The modern Army now has a zero-tolerance policy on any conduct that is abusive, oppressive, or harmful to morale, but Plebe year is designed to break cadets down so they can be rebuilt over the next three years into proper officers. So, I guess one could argue that most of this hazing is done with a purpose, but it sure doesn’t feel that way while it’s happening.