Speaking of spinach. Since the swamp is nixxed for this afternoon, I will probably end up perusing a list of jobsearch sites before I hit the kitchen and trial-run a couple recipes in prep for Matt's Change of Command in February. He's convinced himself that a Dunkin' Donuts breakfast spread will do the job, being a bachelor and all. Boys are so cute. Anywho, I will be trying out a couple recipes today and pawning them off on the Army-Navy game tomorrow afternoon, which, in the world of West Pointers, is a huge ordeal.
According to a documentary I watched on USMA West Point before I met Matt, the Cadets work, study, and train year-round, with the Army-Navy week being their one release - a seven-day party planned and executed by the "plebes" (the freshman). According to Matt, however, that story wasn't entirely true. That week, to the Cadets, was the most stressful week of the bunch. Evidently the Cadets spent hours practicing the pre-game parade in endless bouts of marching, standing, saluting, marching, standing, saluting. With more than 120 years of tradition piled up, both schools take the presentation of the game extremely seriously. Go figure, the military, taking tradition seriously.
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| Cadets rush off a bus to the orders of a Drill Sergeant on their first day of the Leader's Training Course at Fort Knox in Kentucky. For the first three days of LTC, Drill Sergeants take the reigns to give Cadets a taste of Basic Combat Training, and teach them how to take orders, so the Cadets may be better prepared to give them. |
The rival-football game traditions of our Alma-Maters is just one of the dozen or so stories we've swapped, and I won't bore you with the details of birthday condiments, but Matt's reminscing got me curious. I conducted a bit of research about the "friendly" rivalry that stretches over the majority of American Military History. And the editorials I read got me thinking.
Civilian papers report on the longest football tradition in the world with - what is this? - a cynical tone? Referencing the long-lived kidnapping custom of West Point Cadets abducting the goat mascot of Annapolis, the writer of one particular article from The Bleacher Report scoffed, "Leave it to the Army to create an entire operation just to get back at Navy, and leave it to military programs to get the Pentagon involved in a couple of missing goats." Based on the wildly successful goat-nappings beginning in 1995, the writer's attitude is directed toward a series of alleged letters written by military officials ordering the return of Bill (the goat) to Annapolis Midshipman, going up as far as The Pentagon.
God forbid the men and women who sacrifice so much for the well-being of Old Glory have a little fun. Shame on them.
I'm fluent in Sarcasm, by the way.
What ever happened to taking joy in the little things? In the professional world, are we no longer allowed to find pleasure in our work? Or in creating situations that can contribute to an environment of comradery and friendship, like a friendly scuffle over a mascot? Is it no longer a concern to just have fun anymore?
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| After hours of safety briefings and practice, LTC Cadets load into Kodaks and learn the value of efficiency in trust and teamwork as squads flip their flotation devices in a lake and depend on procedure to quickly climb back in and race to shore. |
The article continues to summarize a number of other traditions, including the discipline and precision in the parade succession previous to kick-off, when members of each school file onto the field and present an example of Drill and Ceremony, the tone altering to one of respect and pride. The final page finishes the article with the deeply-touching tribute of mutual respect between the rivals, when they honor the fallen with singing the opposing team's school song. It's a sign that the future officers understand they are still brothers at arms, "It is a reminder that, while the rivalry is as deep as any other in the nation, these two programs are ultimately on the same team. Away from the field of collegiate competition, they serve side-by-side in the deadliest game of them all: national defense."
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| A newly graduated Pvt clings to the hand of her four-year-old daughter directly after a tearful reunion. Three months of separation from family and friends makes Graduation a valued tradition of Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, SC. |
Four years ago began my slow but sure introduction to the military world. At first, it was too different for me to understand.
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| Drill Sergeants supervise daily Physical Training of Cadets at LTC. Early morning physical fitness training enhances a servicemember's capacity to wake and immediately act, preparing a mental state for deployment in the case of an emergency. |
Then, over the nights I spent with individuals who dedicated their lives to the defense of freedom, and the early mornings I observed committed professionals training the youth through dawn, the teenagers I witnessed becoming confident and efficient adults, I began to understand the life of camo. And now, I can't wrap my mind around the civilian one.
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| Cadets split into ten-member squads to practice a one-rope bridge over moving water. Precision and efficiency are constantly emphasized in races between Cadets at LTC. |
Honor, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Personal Courage, Integrity, and Loyalty. What kind of world would exist if every human being accepted these values into their professional and personal goals?
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| A LTC Cadet waits to be issued his weapon on the first day of Basic Rifle Maneuvers. |
I'm not sure. But I sure hope there are professionals out there willing to find out.
**Note: None of the above images are of USMA Cadets. All of "my Charlies," as I affectionately dubbed them, came to Fort Knox from ROTC programs across the nation, largely populated from New Mexico and Georgia's military institutions. The single photo from Fort Jackson was taken in my week conducting a photo essay on Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson as a project for my Military & the Media course in college.
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