I just came off a very nice weekend where I watched my alma mater, the U.S. Air Force Academy, defeat Army, the U.S. Military Academy, in a hard-fought contest that literally went down to the last thirty seconds. What a great game.
The pageantry of service academy athletics is not matched anywhere else in college football.
However, there was also disappointment at continued examples of the loss of military bearing at our service academies under the Obama Administration (all well-planned of course), and continued under the Trump administration.
The most obvious problem staring you in the face at the game was that cadets on both teams were not dressed in their class A uniforms as the tradition of the past demands. On the contrary, they were dressed in a 'casual' uniform. Air Force was in flight suits, and Army was in fatigues.
I had a guest with me at the game and he was confused as to who was who. He felt a little ripped off.
These games are a national treasure; they put the institutions on display for the entire world to see and be proud of. This specific game was televised nationwide on CBS Sports. The American tax payer spends upwards of a million dollars for each of these cadets to make it through the academies; the citizens deserve to see them in their best uniform while on public display.
What a shame; instead of what the public would expect -- blue on gray -- we had green on green.
Absolutely ridiculous.
The excuses I heard from Air Force for this abhorrent decision was that the flight suits were 'more comfortable' for the cadets.
What are they teaching there? Comfort? Somehow I don't think the enemy will give a damn about our airman's comfort.
Is this a military school? Or UCLA in uniforms, spewing social justice and cultural Marxism?
The decision is still out I'm afraid as to the answer to that question.
This is embarrassing for both units. As a former Air-Force veteran I agree with the sentiment of this article. Has our military lost their 'military bearing' and discipline? I almost went to this game with a former Airborne Ranger - glad I didn't.
As an Air Force Veteran, they need to get their crap straight, and fly right. We are not a social science experience, We"re the greatest air Force in the world. Start acting like it again. Please
I concur, but when the previous CIC was a Manchurian alien, who hated the military as much as the Klinton's, there isn't much you can do, until you get a POTUS who will focus on the leadership, and literally, clean house.
I BEG YOUR PARDON: but "We are not a social science experience" has JUST BEEN PROVEN FALSE. Our military academies HAVE JUST been degraded to only more UC Berkelies. Only a matter of minutes before the promotion to "Cadet-Colonel in Advanced Aleutian Basket Eating" is announced.
As an old Air Force and Marine brat, who has a God son who graduate in May, I share the sentiments. My alma mater (TAMU'81) is also much different, and not for the better in this old Ag's eyes.
In the business world "casual Fridays" quickly morphed into daily "business casual". Whether you like it or not, it's a one way street. Reinstating more formal attire in the military is the same thing. Going back is almost impossible.
I once worked for a Major who was an Academy graduate and whose previous assignment was on staff at the Air Force Academy.
His favorite saying was "The Academy is the only place that can take 'the cream of the crop' and make Second Lieutenants out of them!"
True article makes me sad....