I grew up not far from the Academy and spent alot of time there in my youth. After I enlisted, I spent at year there with MEDDAC and also was Cadre during Beast Barracks while with the 10th Mountain. This is disappointing to say the least. I have friends who are on the faculty there, and the one thing that they have told me, is that the number of civilian Professors and staff increased, especially when Operational tempo in Iraq and Afghanistan was high. Many Officers left those teaching positions to get their “combat command” ticket punched.
As far as the Athletic recruiting goes, it was hard for Army to recruit against the other service academies while at war. Unless a Midshipman “goes Marine” or becomes a SEAL or SWCC or Aviator, it was easy for Navy to go into a player’s home and tell Momma, “we can keep your boy safe and aboard ship.” I know at least two Lacrosse players personally that were committed to USMA but enrolled at USNA, after that speech. Not saying there was no danger to Naval personnel during these conflicts, but it was obvious to the parents what the percentages were.
“is that the number of civilian Professors and staff increased, especially when Operational tempo in Iraq and Afghanistan was high”
Eating your seed corn. At the moment we need more military officers, we gut their training.
As a USNA graduate, I regret what is occurring at all the Service academies, which is a lowering of standards and expectations to increase minority and female graduation rates. The worst of it comes with recruiting (largely) minority football players, including blacks, ethnic Samoans, and others. What I will disagree with is the idea the USNA recruits are promised safety. A majority of the minorities, particularly blacks, want to go Marines. A lot of that is because they don’t want to be on the water for a career — many come to the academy as non-swimmers, and although they have to learn to do so, they hate the experience. I know because I was a PT instructor my last year, and helped to run the Sub Squads for the PT tests: running, applied strength, obstacle course, swimming. My class had four blacks in our company, beginning Plebe Summer (pre-women era). Two dropped out before the end of Plebe Summer and two made it all the way to graduation. Both graduates went Marines.
>>As far as the Athletic recruiting goes
Service academies should not be competitive in high level NCAA sports. The missing links that colleges recruit to play sports have no place in a service academy.
from 1941 to 1946 army was 45-8- 3 in football, including 27-0-1 the last three years. in 43-45 they were 29-1 in basketball.