OldArmyNeverDiesAnon said:
Although I agree that gross disobedience cannot and should not be tolerated in a military organization, the current state of the Corps holds less value than the average fraternity house. It is an absolute joke. None of my classmates and the majority of Cadets in upper-level ROTC consider the Corps a "military organization." No enforcement of standards. Cadets that fail PT tests allowed to stay in. Female fish threatened to be punished if they request to switch outfits. Cadets in motorized wheelchairs scooting laps around Spence Park and the Rec for "Physical Training." Yes, you read that right; there are multiple Cadets confined to motorized scooters with cerebral palsy.
The number of Cadets in fraternities has drastically increased in the last three years. As of Spring Semester 2018, I would guess it is upwards of 60 cadets. Every semester more and more male cadets in the ROTC programs rush fraternities to try and disassociate themselves with anything Corps related.
Since I am rolling, I am going to hit one more point -- directed at you and your peers.
I assume you are either a rising Senior, or a recently graduated one.
If you are unhappy with how A&M Cadets compete at camp, consider that all it would take for A&M to go from "below average" to "above average" is one high speed Zip to volunteer to be an OTM, and to personally mentor and motivate three well-intentioned but struggling MSIIIs to improve from bottom quarter to top half.That's it. If five of the 80-90 Seniors did that, A&M would be the highest performing large program in Cadet Command.
There are some guys who do that -- you know who they are. The RR and RC commanders, some Warbat staff, etc. Some guys may try, but the Jrs don't listen, because they still resent the hell of the folks that treated them like dog crap when they were fish.
One issue is that too many Seniors finish camp, and then tap out halfway through the first semester because they want to "enjoy their Sr years", pledge Tri-Lam, focus on RVs, PMC, or live off-campus with their significant other. Or whatever.Why do you end up with issues like D-1? Because leaders are either complicit, or so detached that they don't know that their subordinates are running around off-campus acting in willful violation of known standards, University policy, State law,
and the UCMJ.
Instead of personally ensuring standards are met, white belts let immature Sophomores go unsupervised, "training" the fish in the same abusive, unproductive techniques that cause them to get peered at Advance Camp three summer later.
You want a Cadet run Corps? Then Seniors need to own it, instead of blaming the "state of the Corps" on the Commandant's decision to let two young Aggies with CP live out a "make a wish" type experience and be a part of an organization they grew up idolizing.
If Cadets can't get high performance out of subordinates without hazing them, they have zero business in military service, period. And if you don't understand the difference between tough training and hazing, then ask a Cadre member -- and they will help you out.
A good starting point is:
if you are standing up with your hands on your hips, and yelling at people who are doing pushups, you are probably doing it wrong."Cutting the dead wood" is the easy button. Sometimes it is necessary.
But leadership means taking weak young adults and making them better people -- and from what I understand, that is the purpose of the Corps. It is not a "fraternity" that takes a bunch of pledges, and hazes out the unwanted -- leaving behind a small cohort of like-minded people. If Corps members are seeking out fraternities because they think the Corps is too inclusive, then maybe the problem is with Cadets that don't actually embrace or understand the mission.
