R.I.P. Scout26
“If you don’t come back with a bloody nose,” a male first-year cadet said his upperclassman commander told him, “you didn’t try hard enough.”West Point pillow fights have existed since at least 1897, according to testimony in a 1901 congressional inquiry on hazing at the school, but there have been no other reports over the decades of injury until recently.In 2012, a cadet put a lockbox in a pillowcase, injuring others, and in response, the 2013 fight was canceled, cadets said.Similar violence has occurred at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs during ceremonial warfare traditions in recent years.During the first winter storm of the year, Air Force freshmen try to throw their cadet leaders into the snow. But in 2012 the snowball fight turned into a brawl, and 27 cadets were treated for concussions, cuts, broken bones and a bite wound.The Air Force did not punish any cadets at the time, choosing to treat the episode as what a spokesman called “a teachable moment.”
A parallel practice might be fraternity hazing. Some of it is benign, but some . . . ?I have heard of paddling with cricket bats to the point of broken bones, and I have seen the marks left by hot-branding.
It has been my experience in the Army that officers don't come out of West Point with much, if any, leadership, and such as it is, their "style" will be forged in the first couple years in the real Army by their Plt Sgts, Company CDR's, and 1SG's. I consider actual West Point Cadets like feral puppies. If you get one early, and carefully train it, it can turn into a real asset, and be loyal. But some just have to be put down.
I'm reminded of the adage, "If you're going to a fair fight, you're not prepared."Maybe these kids took that to heart.
On the other hand, you have LOAC - Law Of Armed Conflict. Basically, by doing something like putting a lockbox into your pillowcase you're doing the equivalent of loading up glass rounds or something, violating the rules of warfare.Which should be treated as a serious, serious violation.
That anybody thought this was a good idea is pretty asinine.
IMHO, anyone who thought this was a good idea should be sent home immediately sent out as an enlisted 11B until their obligation is done... and permanently then separated.For the good of the service.
FTFYbob
Quote from: HawkmoonIMHO, anyone who thought this was a good idea should be sent home immediately sent out as an enlisted 11B until their obligation is done... and permanently then separated.For the good of the service.FTFY
It was sarcasm.<sarcasm>Ran afoul of Poe's Law for the 16,197,294,316,039,031,399,877,980,868,725th time.</sarcasm>Terry, 230RN
<- NOT a ring knocker.It has been my experience in the Army that officers don't come out of West Point with much, if any, leadership, and such as it is, their "style" will be forged in the first couple years in the real Army by their Plt Sgts, Company CDR's, and 1SG's. I consider actual West Point Cadets like feral puppies. If you get one early, and carefully train it, it can turn into a real asset, and be loyal. But some just have to be put down.
