Have you learned the words to the “bells of St. Mary’s” or the “sallyport saying” or the correct answer to “how long have you been a sailor” yet? You will…
As was said earlier, each successive year gets a bit better. Just learn how to take orders, fly well below the radar where the regiment is concerned, and know that everything at a maritime academy is a privilege not a right. In my day around 50% of each class washed out by graduation. Most in the first year. Good luck
“The sea is selective. Slow at recognition of effort and aptitude, but fast at sinking the unfit.” -Felix Riesenburg
[QUOTE=ShooterMcGavin;187475]It’s no different than any other occupation. You’re starting off at the very bottom of the totem pole and need to build a solid and very basic foundation before moving up in the ranks with time and experience. Going in blind (as I did) did not hurt me one bit, because they teach you what you need to know when you need to know it. Just be positive, open-minded and pay close attention to the officers (licensed) and cadet officers/upperclassmen as they guide you. A lot of stuff won’t make sense initially, but there is plenty of time over the course of the first year to master the materials presented to you before 3rd class cruise.
I will say this though, some of what they throw at cadets in indoc now is rather pointless and a waste of time (lifeboat launching, for example) as they cover that in much greater detail later on. The focus used to be on learning how to follow orders, shipboard terminology, understanding the hierarchy of the regiment and training ship (and ships in general) and learning the very very basics of seamanship.
Would I do it all over? Hell no, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, not very different from across the water. . . I recall during KP Indoc having to remember the steps to parallel a generator to the board. . . at the time they were just words. . . then as classes progressed. . . and like you, would I do it all over? Pfffft, but yeah, having done it has shaped me… . . .
[QUOTE=ATeam;183684]What are some of the things that you will learn in INDOC that will help prepare you for the upcoming semester?[/QUOTE]
Congratulation, the only thing I still remember after more than 30 years have passed is:
“The sea is selective, slow at recognition of effort and aptitude but fast at sinking the unfit.”
If they are not still teaching that, they should as the big blue sea does not care what you think and you better respect her. There are no resets, no do overs and saying your sorry won’t matter. You only have yourself and your shipmates to turn to when things go south. Never stop learning as this is a profession not a career and if you think you know it all, we know you must still be a fresh Third with the ink still wet on your license.
Everyone’s comments are great enjoy your summer. If you have the drive and desire you are in for the best ride of a lifetime where you have the opportunity to see and do things you can not explain to those who have not been there.
Thank God that we have something to talk about other than KP’s woes.
SUNY was a special place for me, and after getting out one thing struck me as amusing:
Every other kind of college: “Hey, what year did you [I]graduate[/I]?”
Maritime College: “Hey, what year did you [I]get out[/I]?”
[QUOTE=ShooterMcGavin;187853]SUNY was a special place for me, and after getting out one thing struck me as amusing:
Every other kind of college: “Hey, what year did you [I]graduate[/I]?”
Maritime College: “Hey, what year did you [I]get out[/I]?”[/QUOTE]
Much the same for KP. . . and I would imagine any of the other Federal Academies. . . as well as some of the more rigid State Schools (Mass and Maine)? Not sure the same for Cal and Texas. . .
True, I probably should have made it “Maritime Colleges.”
Also amusing was the first year or so I was out seeing old classmates in the fleet… almost all of us had beards and long(er) hair. It was like Maritime shook the can for 4 years and when opened up in the direction of the working world after graduation all that built up (repressed) freedom just exploded.
[QUOTE=ShooterMcGavin;187910]True, I probably should have made it “Maritime Colleges.”
Also amusing was the first year or so I was out seeing old classmates in the fleet… almost all of us had beards and long(er) hair. It was like Maritime shook the can for 4 years and when opened up in the direction of the working world after graduation all that built up (repressed) freedom just exploded.[/QUOTE]
Oh, hell ya. . . Grew my hair out pretty long the first few years out at sea. . . pissed off my Scottish bosses. . . said I didn’t “look like” a Chief Engineer. . . hell, at 26 years old, it was very useful NOT to look line one, especially when salesmen were about. . .
Chief_Seadog, are you still at SUNY
At SUNY??? I am not, nor ever been, a part of that school. I have gone through organizations that throw a lot a BS at you hence my post on this topic. It is one of the situations where if you knew then what you know now you might be hesitant to go through with it.
That said, I know and have worked with a good number who attended that institution. Like all the other schools most were good to be with, a few…not so much.