West Point's annual pillow fight...wait what? West Point has an annual pillow fight?

[Ooh-Rah]

I think we can lay off of the Marine jokes for a bit now -

My god, really?

Up to 30 West Point cadets injured as annual pillow fight turns nasty

 

[Brill]

Fuck yes! Finally some future leaders understand basic warfare!

 

[AWP]

There's a joke or twenty about Ranger School just waiting to happen...

 

[Marine0311]

First it starts with pillow fights and then before you know it you're invading countries!.

Someone has to put a stop to this reckless wanton abandonment for law and order in the military!

 

[Il Duce]

USMA is having a bad week in the press - first the law professor who was at minimum a terrible hire, now this that smacks of hazing and poor judgment. I'm sure the truth of both incidents is much more nuanced but USMA has got to be careful - it's alumni support network in Congress and the Executive is nowhere near what it once was.

 

[Marauder06]

Both of these incidents are bad. But do you know what is REALLY going to affect alumni support? The things that they REALLY care about? The football team... which lost to f'ing Fordham last night. THAT is what the Supe is going to have to answer for.

 

[Ranger Psych]

And this is why I preferred officers who had worn the ascots and helmets at Ft. Benning.....

 

[Il Duce]

Both of these incidents are bad. But do you know what is REALLY going to affect alumni support? The things that they REALLY care about? The football team... which lost to f'ing Fordham last night. THAT is what the Supe is going to have to answer for.

That's part of what I mean. The university system is rife with some tough-to-justify appropriations (sports, fund-raising, alumni programs) but have a mix of public and private financing as well as a charter with a number of objectives. USMA on the other hand exists to produce Army officers. Considering the expense and investment in USMA - when ROTC and OCS produce a functionally similar result - it seems more vulnerable to public scrutiny. I think the millions of dollars paid into athletic programs and staffs at most universities is a tragic misappropriation of resources but it's up to their board of directors to decide that sort of thing. When it's the USMA and the taxpayer is funding it I think the calculus should be a little different.

 

[Marauder06]

I agree with what you said up to the "taxpayer is funding" part. As far as I know, all of the coaches salaries their (massive, on-post) housing, and the majority (if not all) of their funding is self-generated, at least for the major sports programs.

 

[Il Duce]

I agree with what you said up to the "taxpayer is funding" part. As far as I know, all of the coaches salaries their (massive, on-post) housing, and the majority (if not all) of their funding is self-generated, at least for the major sports programs.

I didn't realize that for USMA. I thought they were paid out of the school budget appropriated by Congress. That definitely changes things, if they're paid by alumni or money the school generates then people like me have nothing to complain about...I'll still do some complaining though :).

 

[AWP]

What cracks me up is with all of the focus on hazing and the billion or so "people matter" classes everyone's subjected to, some chuckleheads thought it a good idea to include HELMETS in this yearly tradition? I'm all about traditions and this sounds like a good one right up to the point where these guys are going out to intentionally hurt their fellow cadets. If this thing is discontinued or done with massive oversight in the future the cadets have no one to blame but themselves for being overrun with the herp a derp. Helmets and body armor? Seriously? That's the thought process for the Army's future leaders? Almost anywhere else this becomes assault and battery, but this is accepted at West Point?

Unreal. I have zero sympathy if the thought police show up and kill this event for life. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

[SpongeBob*24]

I'm I the only one that saw pillow fight and thought of chicks in white t-shirts.....?

:-":blkeye:

 

[Grunt]

Oh...the needless violence......

 

[Kraut783]

"Recruits allegedly put helmets into their pillow cases to cause damage"

What dicks....

...and so much for the safety power of safety belts :-"

 

[Red Flag 1]

I read this thread and think of:

, just not as personal.

 

[pardus]

Up to 30 West Point cadets injured as annual pillow fight turns nasty

What a bunch of fucking dickheads.

 

[ThunderHorse]

Another reason to hate West Point...when I was at VMI we had sweat parties, rifle runs, and forced marches by select cadre. At West Point...they have pillow parties.

 

[SpitfireV]

Yeah I'm sure it's All Pillow Parties All The Time there.

 

[policemedic]

Another reason to hate West Point...when I was at VMI we had sweat parties, rifle runs, and forced marches by select cadre. At West Point...they have pillow parties.

Well, given that West Point is the superior school vis a vis VMI, maybe there's a reason they give tacit approval to this activity.


N.B. edited for clarity.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Well, given that West Point is a superior school, maybe there's a reason they give tacit approval to this activity.

Not sure if you meant this to be genuine or sarcastic, but I agree. Stupid fun, let off some stress and aggression, and most important, participate in tradition. I'm 45 years old, I've never heard of the West Point pillow fight, know why? Cause there was no reason for me to. For the sake of tradition, I hope it continues, but I also hope that there is genuine question of leadership for those who participated in the stupidity of adding their helmets and going out of their way to hurt folks - there is no point to that, and quite honestly those are the same people (in my opinion) who would be inclined to participate in an atrocity - just because everyone else is doing it. This was a example of followers; not future Academy leaders- that is my core anger over this story, and I'm not even Army -