Originally Posted by AZ_Infantry

I never said you referred to it as ethical - or unethical, for that matter.

I was disagreeing with your (flawed) understanding of what constitutes plagiarism in an academic setting. You stated outright that is was NOT plagiarism, and I took you to task for that. And I did it in a rude and condescending manner, and for that I apologize. I should have phrased it in a nicer tone.

If you're willing to forgive me for the way I came across in my disagreement and accept my apology, thank you and we can move on.

I do agree with your idea, RE: Turning in both with a proper cite for the original, unedited, unchanged government draft letter. That would impress me.

And I wasn't calling into question your honor, my friend.

FutureMedic is a good kid. I've read his posts here, I know his goals for a military career, and I slammed him with a hard truth: That honor begins with self.

What is honor? It's doing the right thing, even if that right thing is not acknowledged or even ever known. It's doing the right thing regardless of who is looking. It's a commitment to SELF, not to others.

And if you (not YOU, but the generic anyone you) want to serve successfully, you have to have honor. Like 13th said, it'll come in with a swift boot in the butt... but why let it come to that? Prevention always trumps correction.

So, yeah, I busted his chops on it. But I did so because I like him. If I didn't, I'd have not wasted my time on him. I want the best for him, I think he's a great kid, and like my own kids, I'll correct him with hard truths when I see him screwing up. He wants to be a soldier. He came here, a public board, mostly populated by veterans, and ignored all of us that told him he was committing plagiarism - he wants the easy way out. I care enough about this anonymous person on the Internet that I gave him the hard truth: Honor starts with self. If that makes me an a@@hole, so be it.

But I didn't question YOUR honesty, integrity, or honor.

Again, I do apologize for the way I phrased my post to you.

Accepted, and I apologize for jumping on you guys. It's been a long week, and it's much easier to take out some frustration on anonymous text boxes than my shipmates.

I haven't been around to posting...but that was meant to be a smart-ass joke, regarding the no personality issue. I have my actual letter already hand written, sitting in my notebook, waiting to be typed up and handed in. I will take C/Commander's advice and hand in an actual draft letter to show the teacher what one actually is though. I know it isn't the type of letter my teacher as asking for. I know what honor is..never question mine again...

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

He'll learn.
No one knows honor or anything right off the bat. A nice boot in the @$$ and he'll know reality.

That's how I learned.

It's the only way to learn

Amen to that. My little brother and sister have not learned yet. And i'm waiting for clearence from Mike to "Teach" them.