How to spell failure - USNA

I am quite proud of my children. My second son just completed his sophomore year at the United States Naval Academy. I remember the first time we took him there for a visit. He knew on that day, many years before he ever graduated from high school, that the Academy was where he wanted to be.

Several years later all that has changed. The Naval Academy has let him down. The honor, heritage, tradition, and prestige that once attracted him to the place has turned out to be nothing more than a bonafide example of cosmetic smoke and mirrors. On its surface the Naval Academy looks quite remarkable as an institution. At its core however, it has become a second-rate academic and military institution that does little to prepare its students for the realities of the military they will serve or the potential life-altering missions that await them. One of the Academy's own veteran employees acknowledges this change of direction:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/opinion/21fleming.html?pagewanted=1

Its pretty sad that during a time when our Nation is embroiled in warfare on many fronts, our leaders (civilian and military) have allowed the Naval Academy to degrade to a level that places political correctness, diversity quotas, and careerism above the fundamental mandate to prepare leaders to defend the United States of America. The legacy of everyone who has directly or indirectly contributed to this failure can only be characterized as an abdication of responsibility consistent with criminal negligence. A failure to prepare these young men and women to be warrior leaders will have ripple effects that manifest in the form of risk-averse decision making, career before mission, double standards, combat ineffectiveness, and ultimately the collective weakening of the United States. If I was Haji or Charlie I would be laughing at us!

It would be interesting to see what would happen if a couple of boats filled with bad-guys approached the Academy grounds from the Severn River and decided to mount an attack. What would the brigade and its leadership do? I'm sure the Academy grounds would be well defended once the two mids who recently got caught blowing each other for money realized what was going on and postponed their fellatio session. Oh, and also when the blunt-smoking-quota-mid doubling as an athlete puts down his herb and clears the THC from his head, I'm sure he will quickly get in the fight. And lest we forget; I expect that the Firsty who likes to wave loaded guns around while drunk and not knowing the condition of his weapon better pound a few more shots, find a fresh mag, and get to killin' the enemy!! Undoubtedly, the prior enlisted Marines and Sailors would lead the defense while the rest of the limp-hearted mids and their band of merry faculty soiled themselves and screamed out, "I can't believe this is happening!"

But.....if none of that becomes reality I am quite confident in what my son will do......because he got better training, education, and preparation at home!!

Hidden Tattoos

Got some new ink last week. I am always amazed at the reaction you get from folks, young and old, when you take the plunge and get a tattoo. I have three now. Got my first one in Hawaii in 1986, the second in Hawaii in 2000, and the latest one in Florida. Are there more to follow? Probably.....maybe....who knows?

The whole notion of the tattoo is highly personal. Why would we alter our external appearance permanently? There are many reasons and from my chair all of them are essentially valid. After all, personal is personal.

What perplexes me is that folks tend to use the existence of the outward tattoo as a basis for judgment just as they use other elements of appearance for the same purpose. Some even come right and tell you how wrong it is and how they would never do something like that. I respect that.....but I also would counter their contention with the fact that all of us are tattooed in one form or the other.

I may have three that can be seen but I daresay there are hundreds inked indelibly on my heart, mind, and spirit that all speak to who it is I am and the kind of life I have lived. Some of them are highly positive and many of them not. But they are mine and although they are hidden from view, I know where to find them. And yes they are personal, as they should be.

So as you consider the sum total of what makes us tick, give a thought to your own permanent ink, wherever it may reside. Then the next time you see a guy or a gal with a fresh tat, ask them about it and listen to the whys of it all. None of us have cornered the market on perfection but the collective mosaic of all our ink, internal and external, tells a pretty interesting story.

Attention Anticipation Disorder (AAD)

Technology is an enabler of many things. It has brought us closer together (figuratively speaking) from the standpoint of globalization. Its pervasive evolutionary effects touch every aspect of our lives and our dependency on it has changed the way in which we view ourselves and the world. The reality of this new dependency is creating a 21st century technology addiction.

Everyone wants to be wanted, wants to be needed, and wants to feel included somewhere. It’s human nature and even those who say they don’t probably do. Technology has given us the tools to stay in touch, maintain persistent contact, and exist together without necessarily having to be in the same place. The itch of wanting or needing attention from others gets scratched so often now that for some, it becomes an insatiable desire that is never fully satisfied. Like any addiction, the psychological need for stimulation starts to control every aspect of life.

Look around you. How often do you see people engrossed in constant perusal and manipulation of their technology? Access to attention, real or perceived, has captured our awareness and holds it hostage in the hopes that the insatiable itch gets scratched. We all love our gadgets because they give us access to what we think we need and want. Be it desktop or portable, these tools exacerbate the need for persistent attention. Technology is wonderful and does so much for all of us. But, as is consistent in life, too much reliance on any one thing or person can cripple an individual and deny them peace of mind.

Young people are especially vulnerable. Their desire for attention and inclusion is no different now that it ever has been. What is different is the tools now exist to facilitate the almost unquenchable need for constant validation via communication. I call it Attention Anticipation Disorder (AAD). The anticipation of receiving attention from someone becomes a mental need for that contact, regardless of whether it’s substantive of frivolous. Unfortunately this need preempts all other matters of importance in life. School, family, work, community, etc. all take a back seat to the potential that we are about to be on the receiving end of some attention. The world will have to wait……I’ve got mail! The satisfaction of the ubiquitous attention supersedes the substance of the communication. That is how priorities get screwed up and the disorder starts to claim its victims.

Real danger comes when there is a lull in attention; a reduction in frequency or an outright absence of communication. Then the need forces the individual to stimulate attention by saying or doing something that is sure to warrant a response. These periods of virtual darkness can leave a person feeling lonely and unsatisfied. Attention makes us feel good. Anticipating attention feels good only so long as the attention actually comes. When it doesn’t, then anticipation alone can be excruciating. “Chasing the high” is often associated with drug addiction. I see a major correlation as it relates to AAD.

I am not a doctor or a scientist and I have zero intention of doing any research. I just pay attention to the world around me and offer my opinion when the mood strikes me. In my own family I have seen AAD invade our home and take over to the point where rational thought and reasonable activity are supplanted by addict-like behavior. Take the time to observe the role of technology in your life and the lives of your children. Look for the warning signs of obsession. Self-impose limits personally and for your family. Enjoy all its benefits but don’t hesitate to pull the plug when it starts to get in the way of all that is important to you. Who knows? Maybe one day we will all start looking at each other and talking again.