cadet blogs

Third Class Life and Responsibilities

(Academics, Class of 2012) Permanent link All Posts

1 October

It’s great to be back at school and with all my friends. Coming back as a third class is quite a change in my world. The Academy takes on an entirely new look when not a 4/c; it just seems more fun and since I am used to the military aspect, the trainings, the lingo and the people, it all goes a little smoother.

I actually have had the privilege to host two prospective cadets so far this semester. You can be one of them! The “Cadet for a Day” program is a great opportunity to come and stay at the Academy, see what classes are like, meet cadets, coaches, teachers and officers and to give an admissions interview as part of your application. It’s especially helpful if you did not attend AIM. You can request to stay with someone from your same hometown, or someone that plays your sport. I strongly recommend taking advantage of the program before making a decision about coming here.

The sailing season is again going strong. I think because of my experience this summer during Ocean Racing I am now consistently sailing the big boats every weekend. I even got to go home to Annapolis and surprise my parents! It’s a great example of how you work your way up while you are here. Last year, I only went to one real race, otherwise I practiced on the Colgate 26s. Now, just one year later, I am sailing on 40 foot boats every weekend against local sailors including the Captain of the Eagle!

Sorry I haven’t written in so long! I have been told that third class year is the toughest academically, and I can vouch that it is. I am very busy with a bunch of classes but enjoy them for the most part. I enjoy not taking English and I am actually not taking any straight math courses this semester. I did a neat lab in one of my engineering classes where we took a machine and pulled on a steel bolt until it broke and analyzed all the forces involved. That was the cool part. I then made a 25 page lab report about it. That part wasn’t as fun. But like always, time management really helps and it wasn’t too awful.

19 October

As a third class cadet it is great to have new responsibilities in the company and division. I am in Hotel Company, which is in charge of morale and community service, though I do not do much work involving those things because I am actually the Alpha company liaison to Hotel Company. That means I do Alpha’s job, in Hotel. This includes keeping track of fitness scores, overseeing remedial physical fitness sessions for people who didn’t pass the PFE this semester, weigh-ins and making posters about eating and living healthy.

I have played a large part in celebrating birthdays within the company. I am in charge of monthly drawing for gift cards and distribution of candy and hats periodically at lunch formation. It’s a good way to stay involved.

I have two 4/c in my division that my roommate, who happens to be in my division, and I are in charge of. It is our responsibility to make sure their Academy experience is going well, including making sure their rooms and uniforms look good, keeping tabs on their grades, helping them study or find help, showing them how things work here or just being some comic relief from time to time.

It is important that we help them study and manage their time well because life will be much more difficult if that isn’t accomplished and they don’t learn early how to make things work. Some of the trainings, like Enlisted Professional Military Education (E-PME), which I have mentioned before, are difficult to understand and require a lengthy process to complete. I enjoy helping the fourth class out and teaching them some tricks of the trade while still letting them learn some things for themselves.

Another new responsibility I have is that of Junior Cadet Duty Officer (JCDO). Basically, if you had called the Academy yesterday I would have answered the phone. I am in charge of that, routing calls, making pipes (announcements) for formations and colors and making sure the 4/c duty section is doing their job. It was a very long day but was enjoyable nonetheless.

More about Mick.

Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/10/2012 12:39 PM