Owwwwwww!

Continuing the discussion from Advice on maritime academies?:

Ok guys, this may be the most wounding insult I’ve read yet about TMA. We’re getting compared to SUNY now. What happened to competing with Cal for being more laid back, yet graduating better officers???

I guess I qualify as an “old timer” now, but when did the stick up the ass get inserted and why?! Not even McMullen and Ford were that manic about military bearing. There was a time when we took pride in being College Station’s “red headed step child” (though we spit fire every time splitting off from A&M and becoming Moody Maritime College was discussed) and being the McHale’s Mavy version of the Corps of Cadets.

Is the current level of regimentation needed? Seriously, no, and from recent events in the news, I’d say it’s pretty obvious that hiring Academy faculty that graduated from CS appears to have been a dreadful mistake. In my opinion, faculty should have at least sailed as a licensed Mariner at some point in their career. Get back to our sailing roots.

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My bad friend, didn’t mean to offend anyone. Everyone that I’ve met from A & M were cool, competant people.

My knock against them was we had a few of the aboard my Cadet Ship at GLMA. Apparently they had to pay tuition to GLMA, and then had to pay tuition to Texas A & M as well. So their cruise basically ended up costing them double compared to us, for the exact same experience. Also they said that getting cadet shipping was based on GPA and Ranking. If they had X amount of cadet berths, and you didn’t make the cut you weren’t get seadays that year. Seems kind of cheesy to hang seadays over someone’s head after you’ve shelled out 20 grand that year for tuition, room and board.

But I’ll say this, some really good guys and girls come from that school (including some hilarious shipmates), I just wish the administration worked for their customer rather than against them.

A&M is a good school. College Station seems to have taken an interest, which means more $$$$ but more regimental crap. During my time there the regiment was a joke. Partying, women,fun, sports, hunting, fishing, booze, more women, boating and the beach were pursued to the utmost levels. Everyone had a great time. Some of the billing and cruise issues are real, and annoying. Otherwise it was a fun academy experience in an inexpensive state. Plenty of my classmates were clueless, and plenty were good eggs who have gone on to become good officers.

Don’t know your class year, but were you around for the “Library Use Fee” being charged to cadets on cruise fiasco?

My experience was about the same as yours though, we had good instructors and good times. But there was a horrible attrition rate in my class. I think out of 140+ in my class at indoc, 9 of us graduated with licenses. The rest changed majors or dropped out.

I met one who partied too much and ended up as a jack of all trades in the yard at Pier 77 accross the way.

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Three years ago they needed a big ship. I would enjoy going to this school if they had their own big ship.