Comfort animals

6,335 Views | 49 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by Agdorm12
Warrior 66
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Its true that academic excellence IS the #1 priority for the Corps these days. It HAS to be, in this very competitive environment where grades count more than ever before - even for military service. Cadets are college students as well as being cadets.

However, our mission statement says that we develop WELL EDUCATED LEADERS OF CHARACTER. Leadership and academics are complementary - not competitive. We still produce a very good leadership product from the Corps - comments we get from corporate America, government agencies, and the US military support that. The Corps has proven that you can do BOTH - you can have a heavy emphasis on academic excellence while also producing high quality leaders. Our graduates have proven that in spades over the past several years. And lets not forget that many of our cadets have assumed leadership roles on campus during their time as cadets (Student Body President, Student Regent, etc), while also excelling academically - something we are very proud of.

We are proud of our graduates, and feel confident that we are producing the right kind of well educated leaders to lead in TODAY'S highly complex, rapidly changing, very dynamic, uncertain global environment that these men and women are entering today.

These cadets are smarter and far better prepared as leaders for the environment they will enter upon graduation that I ever was. And that is ultimately what this great "leadership laboratory" on the campus of Texas A&M is supposed to do: develop well educated leaders of character who can handle the complexities of the global environment we live in today.

My staff and I are WELL aware that there are those who disagree with this approach, and would rather have the Corps experience similar to the way they experienced the Corps when they were cadets. We understand. But our ultimate responsibility is to prepare leaders for today and tomorrow - NOT yesterday. And we feel confident that we are doing so - with academics and leadership being complementary - NOT competitive with each other.

Thanks again to all of you for your love and support of our Corps. Gig 'em! And Beat the Hell Outta Louisiana-Lafayette!
74OA
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Commandant79 said:


My staff and I are WELL aware that there are those who disagree with this approach, and would rather have the Corps experience similar to the way they experienced the Corps when they were cadets. We understand. But our ultimate responsibility is to prepare leaders for today and tomorrow - NOT yesterday. And we feel confident that we are doing so - with academics and leadership being complementary - NOT competitive with each other.

No, sir, that's a faulty conclusion, IMHO. I rather doubt many old cadets want to simply replicate their generation's Corps experience precisely for the reasons you state. But I do not agree that placing academics above all else is as likely to accomplish the objective of preparing tomorrow's leaders. If that was so, then the University is perfectly capable of doing that without any help from the Corps. More to your point, since academics and leadership are complementary, why wouldn't the Corps top priority be leadership in order to more fully complement the University's top priority of academic excellence? This isn't about devaluing cadet academics--they're absolutely essential--it's about understanding where the Corps adds unique value to the A&M experience--and that shouldn't be something only belonging to yesterday's Corps.

N.B. I'm not interested in starting a fruitless argument, particularly as I agree with almost everything you're doing.
Sdj774
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I agree with the Commandant! Academics has to be the priority. After all, this is Texas A&M UNIVERSITY. What's the point of going to a university if you don't want to make academics your priority? If you don't encourage cadets to study hard, how can you expect them to develop study habits for things like nuke school, flight school, etc???
Warrior 66
How long do you want to ignore this user?
740A - Thanks for your very professional response. We don't have to agree, but I appreciate that we can disagree in a professional manner.

I certainly don't believe that ALL former students want things the way they were "back when I was in the Corps..." But I do know that there are some who do, and that is who I was referring to.

Academics have to be a priority, but keep in mind that about all I can do to facilitate that in the Corps is provide the right environment (EST, LLCs, quiet hours, etc), and the right resources (free tutors for cadets, upperclassmen academic tutors in the same major, academic advisors, etc). The rest is up to the cadets. But we DO put a LOT of emphasis on all of those to ensure we can provide the right environment for the cadets to excel academically. And it has paid off, with cadets posting an overall 3.05 last semester - the 3rd semester in a row the Corps posted over a 3.0. And that has led to higher 4 year graduation rates, higher job placement rates, and higher commissioning numbers than we have had in a LONG time.

Where we DO heavily influence the Corps experience is in Leadership - something that hasn't changed since 1876. We have more leadership opportunities in the Corps today than we have in a long time (larger Corps, more outfits, more special units), our ROTC Programs continue to excel at leader development and preparing LTs and Ensigns for military service, and the Hollingsworth Leadership Excellence Program provides leadership instruction and internship and job placement opportunities for our D&C cadets. The Corps provides the leadership instruction and practical application that NOBODY else at A&M can provide - and that is where we focus a LOT of our effort with our cadets. Again, its a "laboratory" where cadets are learning and developing every day.

Again, they work together - which is why we have "well-educated leaders of character" in our mission statement. We are trying to break the mindset that its "All or none - either you focus on academics or you focus on leadership, but you can't do both." Nothing could be further from the truth. We CAN do both, and we have proven so over the last few years. And as I stated before, our cadets are excelling in the classroom AND on the Quad, AND in leadership positions across campus. And we feel confident that the emphasis on BOTH academics and leadership is the right approach for today's environment.

As always, thanks for your comments, 740A. I don't come on here often, but I appreciate your comments, and the fact that even if we disagree, we can do so professionally. I also greatly appreciate your passion for our Corps!

Beat the Hell Outta La-Lafayette!
Presley OBannons Sword
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Quote:

But our ultimate responsibility is to prepare leaders for today and tomorrow - NOT yesterday. And we feel confident that we are doing so

You aren't.
chrismaroon
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Have we addressed the comfort parrot yet?
(Just to get us back on track)
hillcountryag86
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yep. Thread title is Comfort Animals. We get official response about academics and leaders.

A comfort parrot....
HollywoodBQ
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
My Zip year ol' lady and his brother had been given parrots when they were in their early teens. After about 10 years, they were looking for new homes for the parrots since they live to be about 50 years old.

So, the wife and I wound up owning a double-yellow-head and a blue-front Amazon. Interesting birds. Very intelligent. But, it hurts like hell when they bite your finger.

I haven't seen any rule #1 on this thread so, here goes:

Double Yellow Head

Blue Front
Scruffy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
But can your comfort parrot provide this entertainment:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1503897/Foul-mouthed-parrot-is-ordered-ashore-by-Navy.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1455856/Shore-leave-for-swearing-parrot-to-spare-the-Queen.html


Trinity Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
S
Presley OBannons Sword said:

Quote:

But our ultimate responsibility is to prepare leaders for today and tomorrow - NOT yesterday. And we feel confident that we are doing so

You aren't.
Do you know any of them? Cadets today are pretty damn impressive. And even those that aren't "the best" still leave the Corps a lot more capable, disciplined, and professional than when they came in. Sounds like success to me.

As far as West Point, AFA, and Annapolis go, all cadets at the service academies are contracted upon entry - which means they have to meet more stringent physical and behavioral health standards than an entry-level cadet in the Corps.

So no, comfort animals would not be acceptable in the Service Academies.
BoozerRed78
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
My comfort animal was a monkey. That I spanked on a regular basis.
BigJim49 AustinNowDallas
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Way back, Ross Volunteers required a B average ! So emphasizing academics is not new !

( I didn't qualify, unfortunately )
BigJim49AustinnowDallas
Wildman15
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
If the cadet can get the parrot to memorize campusologies, then I suggest we allow it to stay.
DevilD77
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I wouldn't want to be that fish's old lady. I had an African Gray parrot for years. Although they are intelligent and a lot of fun, the amount of dander one parrot can produce will quickly cover every flat surface in the room with a fine powder. Not to mention they like to chew on things when they can reach them with their beaks.
ABATTBQ87
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
BigJim49 AustinNowDallas said:

Way back, Ross Volunteers required a B average ! So emphasizing academics is not new !

( I didn't qualify, unfortunately )


Now they ALL qualify; RV cords for everyone!!!
Agdorm12
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Not true ABATT. Limits of RV cords per outfit regardless of merit. Classic socialistic principles.
Refresh
Page 2 of 2
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.