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West Point Update (Jun 08) |
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Page 3 of 4 9. Some other tidbits of cadet life.
a. The Indoor Obstacle Course (IOCT)(still run in the old Hays Gym part of the new Arvin Gym) is not an army wide test. But, cadets are expected to pass this test. If a cadet fails, no privileges.
b. To give cadets live fire weapons training the rifle ranges on post are open now on Fridays. Cadets can draw weapons and ammunition (M-16, M-4 carbine, pistols) and go out to the range and practice shooting.
c. USMA offered Firsties a two weekend course in Combat Life Saving this semester. 200 Firsties gave up these two weekends to take the course. In fact, this course was oversubscribed and sign-ups had to be cut off after 200 cadets were enrolled.
d. Here and interesting one. Demerits are back! I wonder if you knew they were even gone? Anyway, for the past few years Article 10's were the punishment of choice for cadets and demerits had been eliminated. This seemed to be too difficult a punishment to administer and too severe for very minor things. Now, cadets and Tac's can again issue demerits for minor infractions. But, as many of us know, get too many demerits and it no longer is minor.
e. Every cadet will now eat Breakfast with his cadet company and this includes the Corps Squad athletes. Part of a desire to integrate more closely into the Corps these athletes who, in the past, were effectively isolated on Corps Squad tables elsewhere in the Mess Hall.
f. Every Monday, at Lunch formation, a mini-parade takes place on the Plain. Cadets were just not marching in enough parades to maintain march discipline and look good. The Corps forms up for lunch on Monday, marches onto the Plain from two directions (1st and 2nd regiments in one group and 3rd and 4th regiments in the other) and passes in review. And this includes all the Corps Squad athletes. It's an attempt to put a little march discipline back into the cadets with every cadet walking in at lease one parade a week.
g. Speaking of the Mess Hall there is another major change. When food comes to the table it is passed first to the Plebes who take their food and pass it to the upper classes, from junior to more senior. Firsties receive their food last. Take care of your soldiers first is what is taught to officers at West Point and it now starts in the Mess Hall with the Firsties eating last, similar to the philosophy of officers in the Army eating after their men are served.
h. That old staple of Plebe year, Survival Swimming, has been moved to Cow year.
i. SAMI's (Saturday AM Inspections of the cadet rooms) have been moved to Wednesday and are now called WAMI's (pronounced a Wammy). Why? Because too many athletes were getting out of Saturday room inspections due to athletic contests. Now the room inspections involve all cadets. And, if they fail (as one did recently) they can repeat the process on Thursday (generating a TAMI). You'll have to figure out the pronunciation of this one. I guess if this keeps going until Monday we would have a MAMI. Go figure.
j. Honor. Cadets now lock their room doors at 2330 hours. This is required. They can lock their doors and sign in electronically prior to 2330 and go to sleep, but if they don't do this the Cadet in Charge of Quarters (CCQ) has to go around at 2330 and check all company rooms that have not already been logged into the system as being locked, to insure that they are locked. The CCQ will check to see that the doors are locked but will not seek to enter the cadet room.
k. The scramble is back. For the past four years cadets have been in the same cadet company for their entire four year experience at USMA. The next Academic Year (starting with Re-Orgy week in August) will see the new Cow class scrambled and put into a different cadet company for the last two years of their cadet life.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 21 June 2008 )
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