EDITOR'S NOTE: Reading this and understanding what our '86 classmate Richard Clark did to USAFA makes us want to throw up in our mouths...Let's make USAFA great again!
As seen on a thread on Service Academy Forum where parents are worried they won’t get to see their kid during Parents Week because the cadets have been restricted to base. One parent already fretted they canceled “an expensive AirBnB.”
Another parent said:
“My DS is a ’28er and it’s all new to him, he’s wanted to go to USAFA since he was in the 6th grade. He’s always pretty happy and never gets involved in much negativity. However, here are the messages I just received from him:
“They are closing Starbuck’s and the bowling lane now.”
“The quality of life here is steadily declining.”
“No fun and now no food.”
“No reason given.”
I understand no one on here is “in the know” but can someone please explain what the Cadet Wing has done to warrant all these restrictions, lack of food, and freedom/fun?
I know my kid and he’s questioning why he chose USAFA, which he has been laser focused on for years. His friends at the USNA are having a much better/enjoyable experience.
As a parent it’s difficult to remain positive and supportive when it seems USAFA leadership is hell bent on driving cadets out and I cannot justify ANYTHING they’ve done recently. Why stay up until midnight, sleep on the floor and wake up at 0530 for SAMI, and get a 95%, if they are not going to remove restrictions and then take more food/fun options away from them three days later, without explanation?”
Another (helicopter) parent:
“I’m really hoping that they aren’t going to be restricted for PW. My C4C hasn’t told us about a possible cancelled parents weekend and I hope the administration communicates soon as we have spent thousands on flights and an AirBnB, not to mention this is our first parents weekend and we are all looking forward to the experience. I have to admit I try not to get worked up about situations until there is a known reason to worry but with all the negative Facebook posts yesterday about the academy not being able to feed the cadets adequately and morale being so low (as well as an interesting thread on this forum being deleted recently), I’m having to rein in the anxiety.
My cadet has not complained and he hasn’t voiced any challenges at all so far (we have had to pry information out of him because 1- he wants to handle all this on his own and 2- he doesn’t want us to worry about him). He has however lost 23 lbs since his arrival as has his roommate. DS is very fortunate that his roommate is an IC and they can have a fridge in their room. I know the weight loss is normal for BCT but I’m looking forward to seeing if he as put any weight back on and asking him how the food situation really is. We will spend lots of time eating during parents weekend ( if it still happens) I’m sure!
I know all of these challenges are part of the process and that they are meant to make them more effective leaders. I suppose we learn from all types of leadership styles. Learning what kind of leader you don’t want to be is just as important as discovering the kind you do.”
Here are a few responses:
“We need to remind ourselves that we go to a military service academy that develops cadets to become professional officers in our military. That is our fundamental priority. If that entails restriction, worse quality of life, stress, and lower morale, so be it. The leadership is doing these things for a reason; probably because CW standards have fallen significantly in the past few years and the whole culture surrounding it does not help fix the situation.
USAFA cadet culture in my experience is much more relaxed than other service academies. Cadets here in general do not uphold the standards nor take them as seriously as those at USMA or USNA. I think the leadership knows that and are trying to fix that whole culture right now. If that requires restriction and no civvies privilege’s, I think those are legitimate measures meticulously calculated before being implemented. I mean who are we as cadets to judge general officers with 3 decades of active duty leadership experience?”
Another one:
“Qdog…I “get” what you’re saying but look at the words:
“Morale is at an all-time low per my son and what other parents say they are hearing from their kids. I have no issue with toughness and standards but the decisions they are making don’t make sense and go against the type of things that, in my opinion, make the academy special. You can’t wear flight suits on Fridays? Can’t wear spirit patches? My son has been waiting for a long time to wear his CST patches.”
Okay, what does this say? The decisions “they” are making don’t make sense. To whom? To the cadets? At the risk of sounding callous, so what? A command isn’t by fiat, you don’t seek the approval of your people, you command. You listen to your staff, you observe the unit, but then you command.
Clearly, the new Sup’t didn’t like what he saw. I know my four-page letter to Gen’l Clark, and my personal sit-down with the commandant didn’t please them a bit about what my classmates and I saw, of the cadets during our reunion in September. The cadet wing members we saw, their appearance, and their discipline were a joke. My JROTC cadets were far better and they even asked me why OUR standards were higher.
“Can’t wear flight suits on Fridays.” So? Are ALL the cadets on flight status performing flying duties? I couldn’t wear one unless I were doing precisely that (and I don’t mean as a cadet, but as a career officer). “Can’t wear spirit patches.” Uh, what are those? I could only wear the patches authorized in AFI36-2903 on my flight suit, ABUs, OCPs, etc. Is the academy authorizing “non-standard patches” in violation of that AFI? If so, why?
It’s never as easy or clear as it seems. It “sounds” to me like things got very wrong…and now a tough old bird has arrived and is cleaning the nest. Once it’s where it should be, I guarantee he’ll throttle back. And then the cadets can earn those privileges back.”
Later the same person said:
“We’ll agree to disagree…
“There are many ways to make changes. The current leader is only using sticks. The cadets are not stupid, bad or lazy. They simply learned a wrong system. A good leader could train them in a manner worth emulating. A good leader would mean what they say. If 92% was the metric then a 95% would pass.”
No, they were coddled and learned how to game the system. I heard it from cadets and staff members last September. “Hey sir, we ALL know which doctor in CSprings will give us a shaving waiver if we ask…so it’s easy to get…” and much more.
Lock them down, put them on notice, and ratchet down the requirements. I’m all for that. If that’s too “harsh” for cadets…then perhaps we need to review who we select. This is nothing compared to the “real air force” so my question is: are these folks ready for what’s coming? Clearly “it appears” they are not.”
A current cadet posted this communication given to him from the Supe:
Command Chief Alsvig and I were impressed with your efforts during the SAMI this past weekend. It was clear you put great effort into the SAMI, you are owning our standards, and you are making progress with your attention to detail. Great job as we start our journey to cement mission standards and accountability as the foundation for all that we will do, both now and in future complex, military operations.
Please keep up your focus and please continue to move forward together as a team. Accountability and adherence to standards are not just a focus for the Cadet Wing but are a principle for our entire joint force, especially here at USAFA.
As we return to the basics of military training and standards, our expectations have placed additional strain on supporting functions, namely Mitchell Hall and other food delivery programs. Please know we are assessing the standards expected of Mitchell Hall and will ensure we provide the quality, quantity, variety, and nutritional requirements necessary for you to excel. We want your voices heard and will ensure your cadet leadership teams are a part of this review and analysis. More to follow as we dig in.
Keep up the outstanding work!
Very Respectfully
Tony
Tony D. Bauernfeind, Lt Gen, USAF
Superintendent
USAFA
