View Full Version : My West Point son back at the Ranch for Spring Break
Maybe a little something different for General Discussion. Last month in the middle of March, my 18 year old son was home for Spring Break from the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. This was a week before his 19th birthday. The M1A1 carbine he is holding was a project for him and I from last year. We sourced an unused, serial numbered General Motors Inland receiver with original folding stock, original wood, and various new or near new Inland parts. We sent it off to Fulton Armory and they assembled the thing with one of their Criterion barrels. The result is basically a new M1A1 which shoots like a dream. He is my middle child and second son. We still have a teenage daughter at home. It's hard to believe that in 3 years he'll be an Army 2nd Lieutenant.
He is going to commission as a Military Intelligence officer (most likely) but he will Branch Detail for three years or so Armor. He wants to get practical field experience. By the way, he's a foreign language prodigy; he speaks Spanish, German and Russian fluently, with correct accents and vocal inflections. Also, he's a certified rappelling instructor. I have included some photos below of him rappelling with a JROTC unit in Arizona off of a 170 foot cliff. He is the one rappelling on the left. The second photo show him waiting for the cadet to his right to catch up with him. His mother hates to watch him do this sort of thing. He has been slotted for Air Assault School at Fort Campbell this summer as part of Cadet Summer Training. I have asked him if he was interested in trying out for Ranger school, and he replied that on his monthly APFT, he's scoring between 290 to 295, which is not a perfect 300 or higher. He's says he's not good enough.
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Very impressive! Congrats!
I've been trying to teach my wife Russian for years, it ain't easy. I have yet to see an American speak Russian properly, with the right accent. Super impressive!
Very impressive! Congrats!
I've been trying to teach my wife Russian for years, it ain't easy. I have yet to see an American speak Russian properly, with the right accent. Super impressive!
He's in an advanced full Russian immersion course at the USMA where no English is spoken and all writing is done in Russian. It will be interesting to see how the Army will utilize this skill once he commissions?
It’s said that “Sons are born to trouble their fathers as the sparks fly upward”, but as a father myself, I prefer this (Psalm 127):
3 Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents
Congratulations to both of you.
He's in an advanced full Russian immersion course at the USMA where no English is spoken and all writing is done in Russian. It will be interesting to see how the Army will utilize this skill once he commissions?
It seems that certain sounds are near impossible for Americans/English speakers to pronounce. I've noticed the same trends in every one who attempts to say them. It would be interesting to see how he overcame those. For instance, my wife can't for the life of her say the Russian word for "dust" It's like she is deaf or something, just can't replicate the sound.
When I was nominated to the USNA in 2001 my Blue and Gold officer imparted the distinct impression on me that I would spend my career in the basement of the pentagon translating shit. Same thing happened when I spend the weekend there a couple months prior to the admission date. Everyone I spoke with said the same thing; "You were born in the Soviet Union? You are fluent in Russian? Oh, we have a job for you..." Shit like that. I wanted to fly...
Very well done, all around. You should be proud, dad.
It's great to be a proud dad. I have two daughters and one son.. all adults now. My son came back to the family business this year and I couldn't be prouder. You've done a great job and I hope your son has a long and illustrious career.
Very well done, all around. You should be proud, dad.
My wife and I are very proud, but he's still just an overgrown kid, used to the wilds of New Mexico, shooting and riding horses. He still likes to cut loose and have some fun. This past weekend at the Academy, one of his fellow Plebes turned 19. They had a party for him with condoms blown up and used as balloons. It's a balancing act there, pushing the envelope just enough to avoid demerits. So far he has been successful. Good clean fun for young men, working on the Officer & Gentleman part.
FromMyColdDeadHand
04-24-18, 12:07
Is that a joke about Ranger School and the physical test?
Really impressive. You should be proud of him.
Rock climbing and rapelling are two things I would have a hard time watching my kid do. I'm always in awe of your lifestyle, even living here in the 'West'.
LMT Shooter
04-24-18, 12:41
Good for you and your son, you've reason to be proud.
Did you post a thread about the M1A1?
Is that a joke about Ranger School and the physical test?
For my son, it's more of a realization that if he's not maxing or exceeding 300 points on the APFT, he think's he's not good enough. He knows of a few cadets who exceed 300 all the time. Some are born to be special forces, some are not. I never wanted to be an Infantry Officer, but I did Airborne School at age 18, and Air Assault School at age 23. He'll be fine this Summer as a 19 year old at Air Assault. At the Academy, every Friday he is training for the ruck. He knows what to expect. I did it because I was a new arrival at Fort Campbell, joining my aviation unit, and "everyone" was goaded into doing it. I finished my 12-mile ruck in 2 hours 43 minutes (17 minutes to spare), and towards the end of the group with bleeding blisters on both feet.
FromMyColdDeadHand
04-24-18, 12:53
In your case I'd rather have my helo pilots highly recalcitrant to running- I don't want them having a back-up plan to flying out. Good luck to him.
Very cool. I have a USGI Inland M1 Carbine that was manufactured in 1944. Still going strong! I got lucky, and found one in great shape, and not too bad of a price. You did it right though. If I didn't find a good one, I may have gone the Fulton Armory route.
I take it your son is going to fly Rotorcraft also? What is his preference?
Very cool. I have a USGI Inland M1 Carbine that was manufactured in 1944. Still going strong! I got lucky, and found one in great shape, and not too bad of a price. You did it right though. If I didn't find a good one, I may have gone the Fulton Armory route.
I take it your son is going to fly Rotorcraft also? What is his preference?
No sir. The only thing he has ever flown is on the hurricane deck of wild Texas Cayuse...;) That's ranch life for some kids. He wants Armor, but he is a brainy kid and Uncle Sam may be grooming him for M.I., and this is why he will commission Regular Army M.I., but Branch Detail Armor. Three years or so of field experience is good for a young Lieutenant. Most USMA graduating Lieutenants get their first choice of branch; he wants two branches, thus the Branch Detail. After his first Freshman semester and half-way thru his second semester, he is in the top 10% of his class - so far.
I wanted Armor, but I got M.I., but that was during my college years when I was a reservist and commissioned my last two years of school, but was not eligible to be deployed, a product of ROTC. On my Accessions Packet, I selected M.I. first, Aviation second, Armor third, FA fourth and so on. Infantry was towards the bottom. I got Aviation. Started out with the OH-6, MH-6, AH-6J and then in the second half of my Army life was the Kiowa Warrior, until I retired in December 1999.
cool post :) my kids are only 13 and 9 but growing quick :) so can only imagine the years flew by and looking back its a WOW but from the outside looking in great job !!!!!! cant imagine how proud ya are and well deserved :)
cool post :) my kids are only 13 and 9 but growing quick :) so can only imagine the years flew by and looking back its a WOW but from the outside looking in great job !!!!!! cant imagine how proud ya are and well deserved :)
Certainly proud. Over Spring Break we were discussing his return to Fort Campbell for Air Assault School this Summer. It's a return for him because he was born in Blanchfield Army Hospital in March 1999 at Campbell, while I was deployed to Kosovo. That was my last deployment before I retired in December of that year. He was an Army brat for the first 9 months of his life.
SeriousStudent
04-24-18, 20:37
He's back home on the ranch?? Put his ass to work! There are fence lines that need to be rode and repaired, and mineral blocks to put out for the herd!
Make him wish for West Point so he can catch up on his rest, after a few weeks on the ranch. :)
Seriously, that's a sharp young man. My sincere respects to him and your family. You and Mom did a heck of a job.
lahunter57
04-24-18, 20:48
Congratulations to your son, you should be proud! Good to know we have another good one coming to the officer corps. Too bad he’s not coming aviation[emoji6]
One thing I always find interesting is the “warrior class”, as in the same families offering their service to the nation.
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One thing I always find interesting is the “warrior class”, as in the same families offering their service to the nation.
You would be surprised about our "warrior class" history. My sons, are generation #11 in the male line here in New Mexico. Our ancestor was a Spanish soldier who accompanied a resupply mission from Mexico to the colony here in 1622. He remained, and his descendants flourished for the next 396 years, obtaining various land grants for service to Spanish Crown. This soldier was from Castile in the old Country. Our family was growing and surviving the hardships here at the same time the English Plymouth Colony on the east coast was spreading roots. Even into the 1760's an ancestor was commanding a group of soldiers brought in from Mexico called Soldato de Cuero, mounted Presidio soldiers in thick leather attire.
By the beginning of the 19th Century, the New Mexico colony was left to fend for itself by Spain and then by Mexico. The relationship had really broke down. By time the US Army under Stephen Watts Kearney rolled into Santa Fe, New Mexico really didn't care. We have a popular saying in my family: "We didn't come to America; America came to us". My ancestors accepted American rule and joined the US Dragoons and later two of my ancestors joined the 3rd US Cavalry after the Civil War, serving here, Arizona and up into Wyoming and Dakota.
I'll share another pic of my son, part of his High School Senior pics a year and a half ago (sans ballcap, shades and carbine) It was taken in a grove of cottonwood trees along the Canadian River on the far northwest edge of our ranch. You would never guess he is the descendant of a Spanish Conquistador. As far back as we can tell, we all have blue or green eyes. Go figure:
https://i.imgur.com/Aa2LHBQ.jpg
Good job Dad. You have every right in the world to be proud.
RioGrandeGreen
04-28-18, 03:09
Good job Dad. As an old M1 tanker, let him go Armor if he wants too. He will not regret it. Best job I ever had. Congrats on raising a good son.
vicious_cb
04-28-18, 04:59
Grats, unfortunately West Point lets communists graduate now so its reputation is in the shitter.
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