Daughter Talking About Military Career

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Jun 12, 2005

If I remember, some of the JrROTC programs award academy scholarships to some of their leaders, she should push for that. (which means the politics of aspiring to be commander). And in any case, Academy = Officer = Leader. I'd have her start to look at books on being a leader: I'd be willing to be that those kinds of books are exactly in her interests, anyway.

Also, your congressmen can award some of the slots: so she should be writing her local congressmen (I can't remember if Rep or Senator- but I think Senators) now. Dropping a line every 6 months or so, ala - I want to be considered, how do I go about it - couldn't hurt. (Neither could volunteering for the congressmen - good suck up and good civics experience. - win/win).

If you want something, it doesn't hurt for the people who can give it to you to know it! She should be ingraining those people (subtly) with the thought that there is nobody else that wants it as bad as she does!

Hope it helps,

~faith,

Timothy.

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Jun 12, 2005

She has already had converstion with some of the "staff" in command right now ... they say they are grooming her to be commander. I am certain she will do fine in this area as she really has leadership capabilities. I have to agree with the books, etc ... that is not something I have thought of as well as getting buddy, buddy with the Senators for our area ... might be a great idea to do some volunteer work there. One of the seniors was just awarded a 100% scholarship to the Citadel ... so, maybe she would have a chance at that as well .... we will see. Thanks for the info.

Trauma Columnist · Jun 12, 2005

Hey Patrick - guess what? My husband runs our local Air Force Junior ROTC program at one of the inner city high schools here. He is in St. Louis at Scott AFB at this time helping with their leadership school. He loves it. For the Fourth of July we always have the kids out to our house for a bbq - we live in the country and the kids love it. It sounds like your daughter is doing so well - congrats. The Tuskeegee Airman Award is a very prestigous award - that is wonderful! You should be so very proud - you are a great dad!

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Jun 12, 2005

Hey Patrick - guess what? My husband runs our local Air Force Junior ROTC program at one of the inner city high schools here. He is in St. Louis at Scott AFB at this time helping with their leadership school. He loves it. For the Fourth of July we always have the kids out to our house for a bbq - we live in the country and the kids love it. It sounds like your daughter is doing so well - congrats. The Tuskeegee Airman Award is a very prestigous award - that is wonderful! You should be so very proud - you are a great dad!

Judi - I think I remember you telling me that your husband ran the JrROTC program in your area. And, thank you for clarifying ... it is not tuscany, rather Tuskeegee Airmen Award. I was thinking I had it wrong, but was not sure. Yes, she does love it very much.

It is great that you all have the kids to your house on the 4th if July. They have so many different programs for the kids .... as far as I am concerned, the busier the kids are the less likely they are to get into trouble. My middle son is an entering freshman in the fall and will be joining the Junior ROTC as well. That should be interestig. Following him will be my youngest son a year later. So, eventually, they will all be in the program together .... hopefully my daughter will be the staff commander and get those boys in line!

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Jun 12, 2005

Oh my!

How the dynamics in your house will change when your daughter is telling her younger brothers:

'Cause I'm your commanding officer, that's why!'

~faith,

Timothy.

fins · Jul 5, 2005

Patrick,

I graduated from the Naval Academy. (This was 20 years ago, so it has been a while.) The thing is, the Academy's mission is to graduate line officers. JAG officers are staff officers, not line. Your daughter needs to check to see if getting into law school from USNA is really a viable option.

If her passion is the military, well you really can't beat the service academies as a commissioning source. (Even though those West Point cadets are all thumb sucking bed-wetters, they still make halfway decent officers.)

However, if she really wants to be a military lawyer, and isn't just leaning that way because JAG is such a great TV show, then she might want to seriously consider a different commissioning source.

Have her get in touch with her local Blue and Gold officer, if at all possible. He/she would be more up to date than I am about what's going on at USNA these days.

double d · Jul 5, 2005

So my daughter entered as a freshman in high school and decided she wanted to join the ROTC .... I was very happy that she wanted to do this .... she has just completed her first year and will be a sophmore in the fall. We went to the ROTC awards the other night and I was shocked that she came away with several high honors ... she won the outstanding freshmen award, academic honors award the Tuscany Airmen Award and was inducted into the Kitty Hawk Honor Society. I knew she loved ROTC, but had no idea she was that passionate about it!
Anyway - she is about to leave to attend leadership training next week at the Citadel in South Carolina. She is wanting to attend the Naval Academy and become a Naval Jag! All this and the kid is only 15 years old.
I am pretty happy that she has made such wonderful and careful decisions for her career and very proud of her (obviously!). Any thoughts or wisdomly advice for a father with a daughter so focused?
I am leaving for SC on Friday (next week) to be there for her graduation from Leadership Camp .... I understand it is a wonderful experience to see this graduation.

If and when she applies to any of the academies, be careful filling out applications. Any "yes's" on the Health screen will require documentation. I lost ROTC scholarships and any chance of going to Westpoint b/c I was medically rejected for eczema on my behind when I was a child. Atopic Dermatitis was a non waiverable condition. I later told a fib and joined the army national guard. Good luck!!

mwbeah · Jul 5, 2005

so my daughter entered as a freshman in high school and decided she wanted to join the rotc .... i was very happy that she wanted to do this .... she has just completed her first year and will be a sophmore in the fall. we went to the rotc awards the other night and i was shocked that she came away with several high honors ... she won the outstanding freshmen award, academic honors award the tuscany airmen award and was inducted into the kitty hawk honor society. i knew she loved rotc, but had no idea she was that passionate about it!
anyway - she is about to leave to attend leadership training next week at the citadel in south carolina. she is wanting to attend the naval academy and become a naval jag! all this and the kid is only 15 years old.
i am pretty happy that she has made such wonderful and careful decisions for her career and very proud of her (obviously!). any thoughts or wisdomly advice for a father with a daughter so focused?
i am leaving for sc on friday (next week) to be there for her graduation from leadership camp .... i understand it is a wonderful experience to see this graduation.

the application process

the admissions offices of all the academies stand ready to personally answer specific questions you may have about each of their own requirements and expectations. consult with your high school guidance counselor and follow this three-step plan to ensure your best chances of admission:

contact the academy's admissions office to request a pre-candidate questionnaire. submit the pre-candidate questionnaire to the academies to begin the application process. if you initially qualify for eligibility, the academy or academies will send you application materials.
apply directly to the academies. complete your applications to the academies as soon as possible to increase the likelihood of your admission to the academies. each service academy begins to evaluate applications in early september of the senior year of high school. please note that the academies do not refer applicants to congressional offices, so if you are interested in applying for a nomination from me, you must also apply separately to my office.
apply for a nomination to as many sources for which you are eligible. to request a nomination from me, please complete the application form posted here and make sure you include all of the information listed on the application checklist.

your particular congressman or senator will have this information on their website. the website of your official with be www..house.gov or www..senate.gov

hope this helps,

mike

Bolts · Jul 5, 2005

Just a small point, after seving in the military for 18 years or more the one thing that I have learned is true Leaders are born, not made. Your addage of Acadamy=Officer=Leader is in my experiance is wrong, Some officers can go through their training and can fake being a good leader, but when the crunch come the real colours come out. Some of the best and brightest leaders I have ever met came from the ranks, and in my opinion that negates being an officer, or going to some acadamy to "learn" to be a leader. After all that I must say I have had the pleasure of serving under some great officers, and I gladly followed them anywhere they led. The thing about officers is when they are good, they are great but when they are bad, they are useless.

If I remember, some of the JrROTC programs award academy scholarships to some of their leaders, she should push for that. (which means the politics of aspiring to be commander). And in any case, Academy = Officer = Leader. I'd have her start to look at books on being a leader: I'd be willing to be that those kinds of books are exactly in her interests, anyway.
Also, your congressmen can award some of the slots: so she should be writing her local congressmen (I can't remember if Rep or Senator- but I think Senators) now. Dropping a line every 6 months or so, ala - I want to be considered, how do I go about it - couldn't hurt. (Neither could volunteering for the congressmen - good suck up and good civics experience. - win/win).
If you want something, it doesn't hurt for the people who can give it to you to know it! She should be ingraining those people (subtly) with the thought that there is nobody else that wants it as bad as she does!
Hope it helps,
~faith,
Timothy.

CHATSDALE · Jul 6, 2005

my sil's neice needed help getting through college and joined the rotc..she had some obligated service after graduation but she loved the travel and service life and she stayed..will be eligible to retire next year at age 39..she just made lt col so she may not actually retire but she has had a good life and seen things that she never would have seen as a nurse in arkansas where she grew up

and bolts..you are right about leaders being born with that talent but if you take a natural ability and give them the teaching of experienced leaders you have a rare person

Bolts · Jul 6, 2005

Mate I fully agree, and from my experiance they are a rare breed. But as I said there are good officers out there, but acadamys shape them, they don't make them. As my father use to say(23 years vet) "it's good to be everything with rank, but a shame to be nothing without it"

my sil's neice needed help getting through college and joined the rotc..she had some obligated service after graduation but she loved the travel and service life and she stayed..will be eligible to retire next year at age 39..she just made lt col so she may not actually retire but she has had a good life and seen things that she never would have seen as a nurse in arkansas where she grew up
and bolts..you are right about leaders being born with that talent but if you take a natural ability and give them the teaching of experienced leaders you have a rare person