If you see the interviews with this guy and read what he has been through, I suspect he will welcome any harassment over the photo. This guy is the real deal.
And I don't think anybody will give him a hard time about those tears. The tears are about AMERICA. THey're there for the same reason. Any a-hole recruit who'd mock him for that is mocking the idea of this great country.
"In an award ceremony for top-achieving scholars, Idrache was recognized with a well-earned Brigadier General Gerald A. Counts Memorial Award for earning the highest rating in Physics."
And I don't think anybody will give him a hard time about those tears. The tears are about AMERICA. THey're there for the same reason. Any a-hole recruit who'd mock him for that is mocking the idea of this great country.
One of my sons (they're only 11 now) has decided that he really wants to pursue naval architecture as his future and has repeatedly let me know he now wants to attend the USNA as well. If he stays on track, he will. (Ronnie, if you see this, can't wait to get Ryan in front of you to chat!)
On a similar note yesterday, took his brother out of school and chartered a fishing boat in the Chesapeake out of Stevensville...striped bass (rockfish) all day yesterday...but also got to see the Blue Angels perform a bit from the asea vantage point ahead of today's commencement...as always, breathtaking to see.
He is going to get destroyed at pilot training for of that picture.
I highly doubt that this picture will garner any ridicule based on the context of his story. And if any idiot pilot trainee or instructor wants to ridicule him for it, I'm sure he'll gladly laugh at them in return.
One of my sons (they're only 11 now) has decided that he really wants to pursue naval architecture as his future and has repeatedly let me know he now wants to attend the USNA as well. If he stays on track, he will. (Ronnie, if you see this, can't wait to get Ryan in front of you to chat!)
On a similar note yesterday, took his brother out of school and chartered a fishing boat in the Chesapeake out of Stevensville...striped bass (rockfish) all day yesterday...but also got to see the Blue Angels perform a bit from the asea vantage point ahead of today's commencement...as always, breathtaking to see.
Looking forward to it, my friend. And we were at the Blue Angels rehearsal, which happened to be 14 years to the date of my own commissioning. Can't believe it's been that long. Yesterday, approximately 1000 midshipmen were also commissioned with roughly 260 going into the Marine Corps and 770 going into the Navy. How time flies.
really work for it...its okay to so a little emotion.
A lot of service members take the ceremonies(for lack of a better word)seriously.
I was recently visiting my son and happened to be on post(it's a base but it will always be a post to me)when Evening Colors sounded. It made me a little emotional. It always has and always will.
really work for it...its okay to so a little emotion.
A lot of service members take the ceremonies(for lack of a better word)seriously.
I was recently visiting my son and happened to be on post(it's a base but it will always be a post to me)when Evening Colors sounded. It made me a little emotional. It always has and always will.
Where is your son stationed, if you don't mind me asking?
This young man's story isn't dissimilar to my brother and my own, so I salute this promising young man and relate to what he is so emotional about. While others may roll their eyes at the thought of the American Dream in their cynicism, the American Dream is real for so many.
As two immigrant children, who came to the states when we were in elementary school, we dreamed of achieving the American Dream whether we knew it at the time or not. Our mother was a waitress, who worked her butt off to provide for us while our step-father worked many jobs. Growing up, we didn't think getting into service academies happened to kids like us. When my brother and I did get into West Point and Annapolis, we knew that we had to strive to be the best. And fourteen years after graduating, both of us have so much to be thankful for. While we both gave a lot (he as an Army Special Forces officer and I as a Marine), we were given so many opportunities in this pursuit of the American Dream. So yeah, I see so much goodness in this young Second Lieutenant.
I think it's great and see no reason why anyone should even
Rib someone about it. I'd almost say that *not* having that kind of emotion deserves the mocking. IMO, the raw emotion, patriotism, sense of accomplishment are the most genuine and awesome feelings and I wish more people showed it.
I had the fortune of attending a graduation at a civilian school this weekend. They played the National Anthem beforehand. I (and my family) were some of the very few with their hands over their hearts, facing the flag but I suppose that's anachronistic etiquette. What was disturbing were the number of ball caps on heads, texting and seeming disinterest. To each his own, I guess.
He broke the tradition and went Navy(I of course wish he would've broke the tradition completely and not joined but I always knew he would).
He's a great kid(man, but always a kid to me) and will be a great sailor.
I've seen a lot of good men cry for a lot of reasons over the years. I can't find any reason someone would give this young graduate crap...it must've been an incredibly emotional moment for him.
And I don't think anybody will give him a hard time about those tears. The tears are about AMERICA. THey're there for the same reason. Any a-hole recruit who'd mock him for that is mocking the idea of this great country.
"In an award ceremony for top-achieving scholars, Idrache was recognized with a well-earned Brigadier General Gerald A. Counts Memorial Award for earning the highest rating in Physics."
And I don't think anybody will give him a hard time about those tears. The tears are about AMERICA. THey're there for the same reason. Any a-hole recruit who'd mock him for that is mocking the idea of this great country.
Those were tears of strength and honor
My kid starts at the Naval Academy on June 30. That photo inspires me and more importantly, it inspired my daughter.
On a similar note yesterday, took his brother out of school and chartered a fishing boat in the Chesapeake out of Stevensville...striped bass (rockfish) all day yesterday...but also got to see the Blue Angels perform a bit from the asea vantage point ahead of today's commencement...as always, breathtaking to see.
I highly doubt that this picture will garner any ridicule based on the context of his story. And if any idiot pilot trainee or instructor wants to ridicule him for it, I'm sure he'll gladly laugh at them in return.
On a similar note yesterday, took his brother out of school and chartered a fishing boat in the Chesapeake out of Stevensville...striped bass (rockfish) all day yesterday...but also got to see the Blue Angels perform a bit from the asea vantage point ahead of today's commencement...as always, breathtaking to see.
Looking forward to it, my friend. And we were at the Blue Angels rehearsal, which happened to be 14 years to the date of my own commissioning. Can't believe it's been that long. Yesterday, approximately 1000 midshipmen were also commissioned with roughly 260 going into the Marine Corps and 770 going into the Navy. How time flies.
Of course...and my opinion stands that anyone who gives him anything more than a jovial good natured ribbing is a jackass.
A lot of service members take the ceremonies(for lack of a better word)seriously.
I was recently visiting my son and happened to be on post(it's a base but it will always be a post to me)when Evening Colors sounded. It made me a little emotional. It always has and always will.
A lot of service members take the ceremonies(for lack of a better word)seriously.
I was recently visiting my son and happened to be on post(it's a base but it will always be a post to me)when Evening Colors sounded. It made me a little emotional. It always has and always will.
Where is your son stationed, if you don't mind me asking?
This young man's story isn't dissimilar to my brother and my own, so I salute this promising young man and relate to what he is so emotional about. While others may roll their eyes at the thought of the American Dream in their cynicism, the American Dream is real for so many.
As two immigrant children, who came to the states when we were in elementary school, we dreamed of achieving the American Dream whether we knew it at the time or not. Our mother was a waitress, who worked her butt off to provide for us while our step-father worked many jobs. Growing up, we didn't think getting into service academies happened to kids like us. When my brother and I did get into West Point and Annapolis, we knew that we had to strive to be the best. And fourteen years after graduating, both of us have so much to be thankful for. While we both gave a lot (he as an Army Special Forces officer and I as a Marine), we were given so many opportunities in this pursuit of the American Dream. So yeah, I see so much goodness in this young Second Lieutenant.
I had the fortune of attending a graduation at a civilian school this weekend. They played the National Anthem beforehand. I (and my family) were some of the very few with their hands over their hearts, facing the flag but I suppose that's anachronistic etiquette. What was disturbing were the number of ball caps on heads, texting and seeming disinterest. To each his own, I guess.
He's a great kid(man, but always a kid to me) and will be a great sailor.
I've seen a lot of good men cry for a lot of reasons over the years. I can't find any reason someone would give this young graduate crap...it must've been an incredibly emotional moment for him.