The other kids, however, that’s a whole nother story. I WOULD NOT send your kid there if he can’t handle himself in a fight.Really? This is surprising to me. I asked specifically about this and was assured that fights were rare and that all the boys tended to look out for each other, especially if in the same group.
As for gaining admission to our nation’s military academies, it is hard to beat Fork Union Military Academy. I recall that the Class of 2008 had 7 cadets earn 9 appointments to the academies (including Air Force, Navy, Army, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine). And a total of 23 seniors (out of about 97 graduating) earned full academic scholarships to college. Combining academic and athletic scholarships, the class earned over $9 million in scholarships to college that one year.
Check out this photo of Fork Union Military Academy alumni meeting up at this past December’s Army-Navy football game. Two FUMA guys at Army weren’t in the picture because one was playing on the Army football team and the other was at basketball practice for the Army basketball team.
I’m pretty sure you won’t find many high schools in the nation with this many students enrolled in the service academies at one time.
Plus, FUMA’s president retired last year from the U. S. Coast Guard where he was the superintendent of the U. S. Coast Guard Academy.
They do their best but adults aren’t always around and these boys will find a way to get to you if you make em mad.
Here’s how it really works: Each company has an intense rivalry with all of the other companies except for Band and Staff which are universally frowned upon. You pick a fight with a guy from another company, you will encounter some form of retribution from the guy’s company.
In regards to fights within the company: Boxing matches were a regular event within the company when the sergeant major wasn’t around and fights happen generally every week or so. You get caught boxing, however, and you’ll wish you were dead.
Maybe they cleaned shop after I left but it was a rough place when I was there. Then again, I didn’t back down from any kid so I probably had more than my fair share haha.
A candid example of the “roughness” of the kids: About midway through my first semester a kid got his butt whupped (unfairly I might add). He then went to his room and started making a shank. We had to wrestle him down and take it from him before he did some serious damage. This kid was mentally unstable and was almost always in some form of trouble.
Another example: I was participating in an company event called a SMI (Saturday Morning Inspection) on a Friday night. I was sitting in the hallway polishing my shoes when I got cold cocked by a large individual. The fight lasted about 30 seconds and by the end of it the “kid” told me to watch my back because “I got it coming”. I had never spoken to him before this event. Never had any interaction ever. He was later expelled for filming a beat down of a kid and laughing while stomping on his head.
As I said: It’s a rough place filled with rough kids and while the Sergeant Majors, etc. do an EXCELLENT job of keeping order they ain’t around 24/7. I will say they are quick to break up fights and they do their best to make sure everyone is safe but you’re dealing with future inmates here.
