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What To Expect: Daily Life in a Military School

If you are a student in one of the U.S. Military Academies, in a sense, your life is no longer your own. You have become a member of one of the Armed Services, and are subject to their control, not your own. As an academy student, you will be working toward a four year college degree, the basic knowledge of the military necessary for a new officer, and a commission as a second lieutenant. Not only is your education free, as a member of the armed services, you are being paid.

Initially, you were inducted into the service, and attended a summer boot camp. This included intense physical conditioning, and basic military training As a first year student, virtually every minute of your days and nights will be under the orders of your command. You are a member the Army Corps of Cadets, or the Naval Brigade of Midshipmen, etc. One of the Air Force Academy websites explains, “The environment is one of structure, rules, and regulation.” A Naval Academy site says, “Your four years at Annapolis will be tightly structured.”

Your normal student day starts with Reveille–the military alarm clock–usually at around 6 AM. A fitness workout may precede the first military formation of the day. This will usually be followed by breakfast around 7 AM. A series of morning class sessions, probably four, occupies the morning. Another formation is scheduled for about noon, followed by the noon meal.

The afternoon will include two or three additional class periods. Mandatory athletic training and intramural team activities will probably occupy the balance of the afternoon. Another formation may precede supper. The evening is reserved for study. Typically, lights out, for at least all first year students, occurs about 11 PM. Some upperclassmen may not be required to observe lights out until 12 midnight.

Some of the training of lower class students is conducted by upper class students. This is consistent with the responsibility of higher level officers to both command and instruct those below them.

Saturday morning is usually filled with scheduled activities or additional study time.

Normally Saturday afternoon and Sunday are free time, but first and second year students are usually closely restricted regarding leaving the campus.

In spite of this extreme scheduling, there is a limited amount of time for some extracurricular activity, but not much. However, a link on the West Point web site takes you to a list of 115 different Clubs operating at the Academy. Some are: sports clubs, music activities, language oriented activities, professional association affiliates, religious clubs, and many others.

In the first year, a cadet or plebe’s privileges are very restricted. Freshmen (Fourth Class) and sophomores (Third Class) at the Air Force Academy are not allowed to have automobiles. First, Second and Third Class Air Force cadets are permitted to wear civilian clothes when on leave or during weekend privileges. Fourth Class cadets are not permitted to wear civilian clothes, unless approved by the commandant. As a cadet advances, after the first year, privileges gradually increase.

All the service academies have web sites. These can provide considerable information regarding the individual academy. Interestingly, both the Navy and Air Force have some information describing the details of life as a cadet or plebe. The Army site, for West Point Military Academy, does not seem to include any such information.

Students entering a private, high school level, military school will experience a milder form of the same kind of curriculum and discipline.

Although most of these schools are boarding schools, where the students and faculty live on a campus, these students are not in military service and are not bound by the same kinds of obligations as those in a service academy. Most of these schools do have rigid dress codes and the students are normally dressed in a military style uniform. The school does have operational authority over the students. In a sense, their parents have given over temporary custody and authority, to the military school.

As with service academies, strong emphasis is directed at the lowest grade levels to get the students into accepting and conforming to the military type environment and discipline. As they are normally focused toward high school age students, there is a much greater tendency in these schools to include weekend trips that take advantage of regional attractions, both for educational benefit, and for recreational value. These might include: museums, programs of a cultural nature, sports activities, concerts, amusement parks, camp grounds, and skiing.

Special privileges can sometimes be earned by high academic performance or good behavior. On the other hand, punishments may be handed out for poor grades, violations of school rules, or regulations.

Most of these schools have more lenient rules than the military academies, allowing the students time off campus– particularly on weekends.

For high school students with a specific interest in trying to enter one of the service academies, the academy web sites offer specific guidance on things a student can do to enhance their high school records, and improve their chances of achieving a position in the academy.

There are also several special summer programs available where high school students can learn more about the academy program. West Point has the Summer Leader Program, which is offered for academically gifted students the summer before their junior year. This week-long program is given for 800 qualifying students.

The Naval Academy has a comparable program, which is available for students who have completed their junior year. The Navy program is a six day program.

Military school isn’t for everyone, but there are many advantages for those who choose to attend.