Starting University/Corps in the Spring.

2,485 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by 93Spur
FlyingSquirrel20
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Howdy!

I will (automatic admittance/pending acceptance letter) be starting my Engineering degree as well as enter into the Corps of Cadets this spring. Unless I have misunderstood, this means that I will be a "Frog" and my Freshmen Crops experience will be compiled into one semester. Even though I wont officially become a Sophomore at the University until the following spring.

What can/should I expect?
Also, what can I do now to ensure I am prepared?
aggiejim70
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AG
I was a fish in the Corps and FTAB 50 years ago, so hopefully you'll get some more recent experiences. I my day, upperclassmen lived in rooms, fish lived in holes and frogs lived in ponds. Fish were not allowed to think, they had to cogitate, frogs had to ponder. Frogs had to wear the fish peak at the front of their covers. If that last one has gone by the wayside, that's progress, that really looked dorky . Do the best you can to fit in and make friends. Good chance you pick up a nickname like frogy that will still be with you when you're my age. As time goes on you'll be a classmate among classmates. All the best to you Army.
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
CanyonAg77
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AG
Jim, our experience with Corps frogs is about as relevant as our ability to operate a slide rule. It's really handled quite differently these days. Although you are right on with
quote:
Do the best you can to fit in and make friends...... As time goes on you'll be a classmate among classmates. All the best to you Army.


While the ultimate experience, IMO, comes from spending all four years in the Corps, going from start to finish with the same guys, it's not the only way. And one our best BQ buds in our class frogged in, spending e first half of his 2nd year as a fish, then joining our class as a second semester PH.

Standby OP, it may take a day or two, but someone with recent knowledge and experience will comment soon.
AEK
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AG
A bit of semantics but I believe you will be a tadpole since you are joining the Freshman class. A Frog is someone who joins as a Sophmore. I had a tadpole buddy and a frog buddy. It wasn't easy for them but doing it as a part of a freshman class is the way to go in the long run. Each one of my frog buddies wish that would have been fish, and seeing as they all had a 5th year they could have done it.

As for what to expect. Keep in mind this is dated as it has been over 20 years ago when I was a fish. Bottom line is the life of a frog wasn't easy. There was one in my unit and the Butts would smoke the ever living crap out of him. As a fish we got smoked but nothing like what the frog got. I think they were trying to make him quit. He made it, but went to staff as a Butt/Zip.

At Christmas we got our tadpole and we welcomed him in with open arms. He had a steep learning curve but he adapted and made it. Treated as a fish buddy.

My Sophmore year we had a frog buddy. He was resented by my class and the Butts smoked the ever living crap out of him daily. He eventually got his brass but he was never fully accepted by the group. As a Butt/Zip he went to BN and BDE staff.

Again, just a snapshot of one experience. I am sure that things have changed over time. I just can't say if it is better or worse.

My recommendation is do everything you can to enter as a fish. Maybe even wait until fall of 2017 and join that fish class.
bigplay
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Howdy, my name is Colonel Hawes and I'm the Corps Recruiting Officer. You can email me at shawes@corps.tamu.edu to get the most accurate and up to date info regarding your options and how the Corps works for those who join in the Spring.
bigtruckguy3500
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quote:

My Sophmore year we had a frog buddy. He was resented by my class and the Butts smoked the ever living crap out of him daily. He eventually got his brass but he was never fully accepted by the group. As a Butt/Zip he went to BN and BDE staff.

Did y'all not have any say in it? Usually (when I was there) frogs would get to know their potential classmates through leadlab or some other means. They'd either join outfits that needed to shore up the size of a class, or an outfit where they had a friend or two in the class they'd be joining. There were some outfits that were always welcoming of frogs, because they were either always in need of people, or half the outfit was frogs and it wasn't quite looked down upon so much. I also saw some fish that punched for one reason or another rejoin their original class after a semester in Sq18 (the frog outfit at the time).

To the OP, if you're going to take 4.5-5 years to graduate (as many engineers do (including me)), you'd have a more fulfilling Corps experience by going through a full 4 years. That being said, it's entirely possible that you do one semester as a non-reg, and just get so used to that laid back lifestyle that you take the easy way out and don't join the Corps when the time comes.

Talk to Colonel Hawes, as he's far more plugged into what all is going on these days than I am.
CanyonAg77
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AG
quote:
Howdy, my name is Colonel Hawes and I'm the Corps Recruiting Officer. You can email me at shawes@corps.tamu.edu to get the most accurate and up to date info regarding your options and how the Corps works for those who join in the Spring.
I told you they'd be along. Do this.
Ol Jock 99
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AG
Frankly, I'd be a nonreg that first spring and go into the Corps normally the following fall. It isn't like you'll be graduating with an engineering degree in 3.5 years.

I know several that did this and their experience was >>> to tadpoling. Granted, that was 20 years ago now....
Swing Your Saber
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1. In the last year or so have been a few threads on this & similar topics, check them out.

2. COL Hawes is far & away your best resource; however, it is normally beneficial to get other viewpoints.

3. As has been said a few times now, if at all possible do 4 full years in the Corps.
Rabid Cougar
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AG
As a frog, fish will never respect you. We had a frog UC. He would try to be tough and billy bad ass towards us but you could see how his buds reacted to him so we as much blew him off. We called him Neemee. (New Mexico Military Institute) He was always our first target when went on search and destroy missions. He did alright for himself. Went and flew F-14's. I guess he showed us.
jay040
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quote:
My recommendation is do everything you can to enter as a fish. Maybe even wait until fall of 2017 and join that fish class.
quote:
As has been said a few times now, if at all possible do 4 full years in the Corps.

While it might make OP's college experience with the Corps more enjoyable, that advice is a little short sighted... Once you're active duty it doesn't matter at all what you did in college or what rank/position you held in your time there.
Ol Jock 99
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AG
quote:
While it might make OP's college experience with the Corps more enjoyable, that advice is a little short sighted... Once you're active duty it doesn't matter at all what you did in college or what rank/position you held in your time there.
1, he didn't say he was pursuing a contract.

2, my experiences in the Corps have directly influenced how I conduct myself as a leader. I was able to learn about and polish some real warts at a young age in an environment where it wasn't a huge deal. That has been invaluable to me.
CanyonAg77
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AG
I don't think it's short sighted. Happiness in college makes college success more likely. College success makes future success more likely.

If the OP thinks they can finish college in 3.5 to 4 years, then they should frog in. If they are like many, many college students, who will take 4.5 years+ to finish school, then they should go non-reg, and join the Corps the following fall.

If you're going to spend 9 semesters at A&M, only 8 of them will be as a cadet. I would rather spend semester 1 as a non-reg, getting used to college life and study, making a few grades, then spend semesters 2-9 as a cadet. It will give you a leg up as a fish.

In his case, if he was in for 4.5 years, then you're talking only 7 semesters as a cadet, and 2 as a non-reg.

You'll also be fully a member of the class. While many frogs do manage to become part of their class, in my day, the success rate was not great. I think the way they handle frogs these days has improved that, but I doubt it's 100% yet.

Will also say that some classmates were there on Day 1 and never fit in, so .....
93Spur
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Just talk to Col. Hawes. He understandably has the up-to-date info on how things work. If you need more ask Col. Hawes to direct you to current cadets in the Sr, Jr. and Soph classes who have done what you want to do. He will know several. Talk to them (plural) because each person's experience is unique. Do what works for your schedule.

I disagree with the random comments about how frogs may be perceived. First, its not the same as it was in my day, Second, in my outfit, in my class (which entered 27 years ago), we had 1 fish transfer into ours from another outfit at mid-year, and had two who frogged in later - those three are just as much my buddies as the ones who started that the first day of FOW. The fish respected every upperclassman. When the two frogged in, they were part of my class and woe unto the underclassman who failed to accord appropriate respect to our class.
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