VMI, a different path

[Flucospider]

Don't get me wrong, UR is still my favorite, but a couple of weeks ago My wife and I had the pleasure of taking our youngest son to VMI. I wrote about my impressions and the Richmond Times Dispatch was kind enough to publish it. I know UR does a great job of preparing young people for the future and we are cutting edge with our leadership studies. I was just impressed that any young person would voluntary choose to put themselves through the VMI Rat Line. Having gone through the hard core partying and just being a number at a large public university with my oldest son, I know schools like VMI and UR are truly great institutions that get it.

Son Chooses different path

 

[WebSpinner]

for a marine fly-boy, you summed it up nicely Fluco. i admire anyone going to vmi and really respect all my keydet buds who are just a strong group of guys and women. am disappointed that they get their social media back after a week but other than that, all is good. know you were proud the other day but after four years, which we all know goes super fast, you will be even prouder. know you are not too naive, those guys find numerous ways to party and uniforms still attract women. he can go marines if he wishes too, bet you have already whispered that to him.

 

[spider fan]

Thanks for sharing your letter. Certainly your son is a product of what he has had instilled in him by his parents. As a way of sharing the feeling that sweeps over you will never forget having the opportunity to administer the oath of office to our son when he graduated from Navy ROTC and became an Ensign. Your letter is well deserving of Correspondent of the Day and hit well on the theme of living for something beyond your own creature comforts. Your son made a tough decision and you should rightly be proud of him. Will he choose the path of Naval ROTC at VMI? Whatever he does all the best wishes and prayers for his success.

 

[urfan1]

Congrats, you have reason to be proud!

 

[tarrantula]

That was a very well written piece. After finishing my military service a few weeks too late to get into the fall term at law school, I lucked out and was hired as a replacement for a teacher whose family was leaving Winchester. Ended up sharing an apartment with two other teachers, one of whom was a VMI grad. I accompnied him on a few trips to the Lexington area. As much as I love UR, you would have to double my affection to reach the boundries of his affection for his classmates and his alma mater. He even managed to purchase his "hay" and sold me his ultra comfortable old bed because he found that he slept better in the more spartan apparatus. I hope that your son finds that unique pride that binds grads who have suffered, endured and grown into manhood together.