The Bear Was a Goat

Nat'l Review On-Line ^ | November 12, 2007 | James S. Robbins

[PurpleMan]

In May of 1992, Guy R. “Bear” Barattieri achieved the singular distinction of graduating last in his class at West Point...

“he was an American hero in every sense of the word. He was one of the most down to earth, giving individuals I ever knew, he had a love for his family that was enormous, and he wore his belief in this country on his chest like a badge of honor.”

[PurpleMan]

An older article but a reminder to those who think that just because McCain was almost his class's Goat, he is therefore unqualified to be POTUS (compared to OBH), class standing is not an indicator of ability

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Has Barrack Hussein 0Bama released
his transcript from Columbia?

[Alas Babylon!]

At the USAF Academy, the goat is known as “Tail-end Charlie”. It used to be that upon getting his diploma on graduation, each cadet would have to put a silver dollar in a hat. Since they were awarded their diploma's by merit, the last diploma was given to the cadet with the lowest GPA (but still graduate), and when he got his diploma, he would take the hat and all the dollars!

Well, some cadets deliberately flunked some finals to be Tail-end Charlie and get the hat, so the Academy stopped the practice.

If the US Naval Academy had a similar tradition, maybe McCain was just trying to win some silver dollars!

[skinkinthegrass]

...tomorrows' mornings "Chattering Class Shows" should be interesting....or much worst (Filled w/B.S. very likely).

[PurpleMan]

“Well, some cadets deliberately flunked some finals to be Tail-end Charlie and get the hat, so the Academy stopped the practice.”

And that leadership is now at the Pentagon as part of the “Morale Suppression Team.”

[Roccus]

I remeber being at the movies and seeing a newsreel with my Dad. It had a piece on the “Anchor Man” at the Naval Academy. I made some smart a$$, pre-pubescent comment of derision to which my father responded, “Somebody’s gotta be last.”

[Alice in Wonderland]

R.I.P. Bear

[TADSLOS]

“Morale Suppression Team.”

lol.

[Alas Babylon!]

Yes. A sad thought, isn’t it?

[Reeses]

Somebody’s gotta be last.

Talk about failure, second to last is even worse.

[big'ol_freeper]

Some of the greatest flag officers in our armed services were at the bottom of their academic classes at the academies.

[KYGrandma]

It really irks me that there is such derision about the anchor man. Even he was chosen out of tens of thousands of young men wanting to get into Annapolis. Just the fact that he went through the four years and didn’t get thrown out or drop out is a testament to his character. My husband wasn’t last nor was he at the top, but not too many can say they are Academy graduates.

[PurpleMan]

McCain’s father did. He’s one, but I wouldn’t consider him great like Halsey, Nimitz, Rickover, Hopper, Spruance

[Verginius Rufus]

George Armstrong Custer graduated last in his class at West Point. Two years later he was a brigadier general.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Colonel Custer at the battle of Little Big Horn proved
he should have payed more attention in class.