Good advice on the few people who are suggesting that trying to 'get comfortable' with a service rifle as a bad idea. Everyone is slightly different when it comes to finding your aiming points and shooting positions and that's why you should wait till a Markmenship Coach is over you to try and get familiar. 'Getting comfortable' sounds like making yourself complacent and unaware that you got something that deals death at the end of your hand. Go kill a hog with a spear if you want to get a better mentality to 'operate' with. Just my advice. I went to the Naval Academy in 2003 and graduated as a Lieutenant of Marines in 2007. You'll never share that OCS experience with your counterparts in the Marines; and frankly, it's because the Academy does have low standards... something for a different thread perhaps. But, the Academy did send Lt's to OCS after USNA in the mid-90's. The alarming dropout rate caused a black eye on the institute and in-fighting with the DON because those drops were rolled back into the Navy as SWO's. Standards don't dictate what you achieve as an individual or as a member of a group there. So, it's not for everyone. I don't regret going. You get credibility later in your career because of the connections you make, but it's rougher as a junior officer because of all the stigma's attached. You'll make a name for yourself with your performance, regardless of commissioning source and that what counts in the end. So, when it comes to which you choose, it's all about what you can live with and what you want out of it.
As far as everyone wondering about his "1/6" thing, I wouldn't worry about it. While the DON dictates quotas for the Marines, they make exceptions and if you're capable of being a successful Marine Officer the Marines at the Academy are going to see to it that you get your shot. The only people I knew who got turned down in the four years I was there were the screw-ups and incompetents that got in off of high SAT scores and good recommendations. The Marines are selective. But, I'd say in the last 6 years it hasn't been a problem to fit all qualified candidates into the Marines from a graduating class. It will be more selective for you, regardless of your path, with the economy falling out and the war in Iraq drawing to a close (I come home in the next week), you can expect to see a down size and lowered retention throughout the ranks.
Devil0402
USNA 07
September 2nd, 2009
