Posted on Sep 4, 2015
Should charges be leveled at West Point Cadets who knowingly injured other Cadets in a Weaponized Pillow fight?
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The aftermath of this "pillow fight" left 30 injured, 2 medically removed, 3 broken arms, 1 broken leg, 1 broken neck, numerous with missing teeth and 24 concussions.
Cadets knowingly beat and seriously injured other Cadets in a yearly pillow fight event. The actions of those who weaponized (don't laugh) their pillows with the intent of harming other Cadets in the yearly fight are being investigated.
It's disturbing that this was observed by upper classmen and allowed to continue and that staff knew of it's occurrence and did not oversee or stop it from occurring. There is failure on multiple levels.
I'm sure it's seen as a right of passage at West Point but I can't get around the fact that they were intentionally seriously injuring their own comrades. It's obvious that the goal was to injure and be injured given the Upper classmen telling the plebs, to wear their body armor and kevlar helmets. If this had happened in a Unit, charges would be filed and heads would roll.
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From: NY Times
For generations, freshmen cadets at the United States Military Academy have marked the end of a grueling summer of training with a huge nighttime pillow fight that is billed as a harmless way to blow off steam and build class spirit.
But this year the fight on the West Point, N.Y., campus turned bloody as some cadets swung pillowcases packed with hard objects, thought to be helmets, that split lips, broke at least one bone, dislocated shoulders and knocked cadets unconscious. The brawl at the publicly funded academy, where many of the Army’s top leaders are trained, left 30 cadets injured, including 24 with concussions, according to West Point.
In interviews, cadets who asked that their names not be used for fear of repercussions in West Point’s strictly controlled culture, said the fight had left one cadet with a broken leg and dislocated shoulders in others. One cadet was knocked unconscious and taken away in an ambulance and had not returned to school, they said. But a spokesman for the academy, Lt. Col. Christopher Kasker, said all cadets had returned to duty.
Though talk about the brawl on Aug. 20 had circulated on social media, West Point did not confirm it to The New York Times until Thursday.
Colonel Kasker said the annual fight is organized by first-year students as a way to build camaraderie after the summer program that prepares them for the rigors of plebe year.
Upperclassmen overseeing freshmen “allowed the spirit activity to occur out of the desire to enhance the spirit of the class,” Colonel Kasker said, adding that those upperclassmen took “mitigating measures” to prevent injury, including requiring cadets to wear helmets.
But video shows that many of the cadets did not wear helmets. Cadets said that in at least a few cases helmets became weapons stuffed into pillowcases.
“West Point applauds the cadets’ desire to build esprit and regrets the injuries to our cadets,” Colonel Kasker said. “We are conducting appropriate investigations into the causes of the injuries.”
So far no cadets have been punished, and the academy has no plans to end the annual tradition. Colonel Kasker said commanders were not available for comment on Friday.
Video of the fight posted online showed crowds of cadets, some wearing body armor as well as helmets, surging together in a central quad, their yells echoing off the stone walls of the surrounding barracks.
As the first-year cadets collided into a boil of white pillows, pummeling one another in the fading light, Army-issued glow sticks flew through the air and an impromptu cavalry of riders in laundry carts dashed in, cushions swinging. At one point, a smoke grenade appeared to go off.
Photos posted later on Twitter show plebes, as freshmen are called, with bloody faces and bloody pillows, and at least one person being loaded into an ambulance.
“My plebe was knocked unconscious and immediately began fighting when he came to,” an unnamed upperclassman, who was apparently observing from the sidelines, wrote on the social media forum Yik Yak. “I was so proud I could cry.”
As the battle continued, cadets clustered around at least two classmates who had fallen, apparently unable to get up. Others stumbled to a medical area set up beside the fracas.
“4 concussions, 1 broken leg, 2 broken arms, 1 dislocated shoulder, and several broken ribs. That’s one hell of a pillow fight. #USMA19,” one freshman posted on Twitter, echoing many who seemed to see the injuries as a point of pride.
As the scope of injuries became clear, cadets said in interviews, West Point staff members went door to door in the barracks giving quick concussion checks.
In interviews, cadets said they saw the fight as a chance to have fun after seven weeks of basic training in which they were not supposed to speak to one another. It was also a chance to show grit.
“If you don’t come back with a bloody nose,” a male first-year cadet said his upperclassman commander told him, “you didn’t try hard enough.”
West Point pillow fights have existed since at least 1897, according to testimony in a 1901 congressional inquiry on hazing at the school, but there have been no other reports over the decades of injury until recently.
In 2012, a cadet put a lockbox in a pillowcase, injuring others, and in response, the 2013 fight was canceled, cadets said.
Similar violence has occurred at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs during ceremonial warfare traditions in recent years.
During the first winter storm of the year, Air Force freshmen try to throw their cadet leaders into the snow. But in 2012 the snowball fight turned into a brawl, and 27 cadets were treated for concussions, cuts, broken bones and a bite wound.
The Air Force did not punish any cadets at the time, choosing to treat the episode as what a spokesman called “a teachable moment.”
West Point cadets had mixed reactions to the injuries this year. Some saw them as a rite of passage in a school known for being tough; others saw a lack of judgment and restraint.
“At first the body count, people were joking about it,” a female first-year cadet said. “My friends were really excited. And right after, when we learned how many people had gotten hurt, everyone felt totally hard-core. I know it looks weird from the outside, but it really bonds us.”
But when she saw a male cadet being loaded into an ambulance outside her dorm room, she began to have second thoughts.
“If you are an officer, you are supposed to make good decisions and follow the rules. You are supposed to mediate when everyone wants to go out and kill everyone,” she said. “The goal was to have fun, and it ended up some guys just chose to hurt people.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/05/us/at-west-point-annual-pillow-fight-becomes-weaponized.html?smid=tw-bna&_r=0
Cadets knowingly beat and seriously injured other Cadets in a yearly pillow fight event. The actions of those who weaponized (don't laugh) their pillows with the intent of harming other Cadets in the yearly fight are being investigated.
It's disturbing that this was observed by upper classmen and allowed to continue and that staff knew of it's occurrence and did not oversee or stop it from occurring. There is failure on multiple levels.
I'm sure it's seen as a right of passage at West Point but I can't get around the fact that they were intentionally seriously injuring their own comrades. It's obvious that the goal was to injure and be injured given the Upper classmen telling the plebs, to wear their body armor and kevlar helmets. If this had happened in a Unit, charges would be filed and heads would roll.
--
From: NY Times
For generations, freshmen cadets at the United States Military Academy have marked the end of a grueling summer of training with a huge nighttime pillow fight that is billed as a harmless way to blow off steam and build class spirit.
But this year the fight on the West Point, N.Y., campus turned bloody as some cadets swung pillowcases packed with hard objects, thought to be helmets, that split lips, broke at least one bone, dislocated shoulders and knocked cadets unconscious. The brawl at the publicly funded academy, where many of the Army’s top leaders are trained, left 30 cadets injured, including 24 with concussions, according to West Point.
In interviews, cadets who asked that their names not be used for fear of repercussions in West Point’s strictly controlled culture, said the fight had left one cadet with a broken leg and dislocated shoulders in others. One cadet was knocked unconscious and taken away in an ambulance and had not returned to school, they said. But a spokesman for the academy, Lt. Col. Christopher Kasker, said all cadets had returned to duty.
Though talk about the brawl on Aug. 20 had circulated on social media, West Point did not confirm it to The New York Times until Thursday.
Colonel Kasker said the annual fight is organized by first-year students as a way to build camaraderie after the summer program that prepares them for the rigors of plebe year.
Upperclassmen overseeing freshmen “allowed the spirit activity to occur out of the desire to enhance the spirit of the class,” Colonel Kasker said, adding that those upperclassmen took “mitigating measures” to prevent injury, including requiring cadets to wear helmets.
But video shows that many of the cadets did not wear helmets. Cadets said that in at least a few cases helmets became weapons stuffed into pillowcases.
“West Point applauds the cadets’ desire to build esprit and regrets the injuries to our cadets,” Colonel Kasker said. “We are conducting appropriate investigations into the causes of the injuries.”
So far no cadets have been punished, and the academy has no plans to end the annual tradition. Colonel Kasker said commanders were not available for comment on Friday.
Video of the fight posted online showed crowds of cadets, some wearing body armor as well as helmets, surging together in a central quad, their yells echoing off the stone walls of the surrounding barracks.
As the first-year cadets collided into a boil of white pillows, pummeling one another in the fading light, Army-issued glow sticks flew through the air and an impromptu cavalry of riders in laundry carts dashed in, cushions swinging. At one point, a smoke grenade appeared to go off.
Photos posted later on Twitter show plebes, as freshmen are called, with bloody faces and bloody pillows, and at least one person being loaded into an ambulance.
“My plebe was knocked unconscious and immediately began fighting when he came to,” an unnamed upperclassman, who was apparently observing from the sidelines, wrote on the social media forum Yik Yak. “I was so proud I could cry.”
As the battle continued, cadets clustered around at least two classmates who had fallen, apparently unable to get up. Others stumbled to a medical area set up beside the fracas.
“4 concussions, 1 broken leg, 2 broken arms, 1 dislocated shoulder, and several broken ribs. That’s one hell of a pillow fight. #USMA19,” one freshman posted on Twitter, echoing many who seemed to see the injuries as a point of pride.
As the scope of injuries became clear, cadets said in interviews, West Point staff members went door to door in the barracks giving quick concussion checks.
In interviews, cadets said they saw the fight as a chance to have fun after seven weeks of basic training in which they were not supposed to speak to one another. It was also a chance to show grit.
“If you don’t come back with a bloody nose,” a male first-year cadet said his upperclassman commander told him, “you didn’t try hard enough.”
West Point pillow fights have existed since at least 1897, according to testimony in a 1901 congressional inquiry on hazing at the school, but there have been no other reports over the decades of injury until recently.
In 2012, a cadet put a lockbox in a pillowcase, injuring others, and in response, the 2013 fight was canceled, cadets said.
Similar violence has occurred at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs during ceremonial warfare traditions in recent years.
During the first winter storm of the year, Air Force freshmen try to throw their cadet leaders into the snow. But in 2012 the snowball fight turned into a brawl, and 27 cadets were treated for concussions, cuts, broken bones and a bite wound.
The Air Force did not punish any cadets at the time, choosing to treat the episode as what a spokesman called “a teachable moment.”
West Point cadets had mixed reactions to the injuries this year. Some saw them as a rite of passage in a school known for being tough; others saw a lack of judgment and restraint.
“At first the body count, people were joking about it,” a female first-year cadet said. “My friends were really excited. And right after, when we learned how many people had gotten hurt, everyone felt totally hard-core. I know it looks weird from the outside, but it really bonds us.”
But when she saw a male cadet being loaded into an ambulance outside her dorm room, she began to have second thoughts.
“If you are an officer, you are supposed to make good decisions and follow the rules. You are supposed to mediate when everyone wants to go out and kill everyone,” she said. “The goal was to have fun, and it ended up some guys just chose to hurt people.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/05/us/at-west-point-annual-pillow-fight-becomes-weaponized.html?smid=tw-bna&_r=0
Posted in these groups: 
United States Military Academy (USMA West Point)
United States Military Academy (USMA West Point)
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 108
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Many reasons make this unacceptable. One being that now they have risked causing medical disqualifications and service related injuries. Next is the fact that if the story was not about Academy cadets but enlisted troops, you can almost certainly bet that people would be getting Article 15's and possible summary court martial's for assault and battery. I would say some form of punishment needs to be handed out that the situation was allowed to get out of hand. Those who encouraged people getting hurt should probably be expelled from the academy. If they get away with it, then what kind toxic leadership crap will they bring into the fleet?
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1LT William Clardy
SGT William Howell, the simple answer to your question about Article 133 is that the cadre whose duty it is to provide oversight and guidance to the cadets should also be relieved for cause. Any cadre or upper-class cadets who actually countenanced the bloodletting in advance (even if just by an admonition of "if you aren't bleeding, you weren't trying") should face either formal charges or, if the Commandant considered it appropriate, be offered non-judicial punishment as an alternative to a formal court martial.
Any barracks-room barrister would also know that the "consensual assault" defense would fail on the grounds that the consent was predicated on an implicit limit to the severity of the assault. Agreeing to a pillow fight and then swinging a brick voids the consent.
Any barracks-room barrister would also know that the "consensual assault" defense would fail on the grounds that the consent was predicated on an implicit limit to the severity of the assault. Agreeing to a pillow fight and then swinging a brick voids the consent.
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SGT William Howell
1LT William Clardy You have a point. Did not think that far in advance. I concede. Still I think the Army is going to hope this dies before this is considered a scandal. There will be heads to roll from commissioned staff if this does not die.
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1LT William Clardy
And well there should be, SGT William Howell. This is exactly the sort of fiasco that the cadre should be a final safeguard against. Even if they were caught unaware by a small renegade contingent of cadet leadership, by the next sun-up they should have had a solid handle on which cadets were responsible enough to be expelled from the Academy and been visibly (pour l'encouragement de les autres) expediting that process long before the NT Times got wind of anything.
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SPC Bob Mulholland
Hopefully commanding Officers will be Court Martialed. If this was a regular Army company, what would happen to those in charge?
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Damn right they should be punished. They made the whole institution look like a bunch of idiots.
The real crime here is who let a bunch of officers in the larval stage running around without any NCOs. There are leash laws you know.
The real crime here is who let a bunch of officers in the larval stage running around without any NCOs. There are leash laws you know.
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CPT (Join to see)
CW4 Guy Butler I watched half a dozen different videos showing the "pillow fight" and I noticed that it appeared that they were 100% in compliance with wearing their reflective belts with their PT uniform. I had numerous off color dry Humor comments pop in my mind upon seeing this.
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SSgt (Join to see)
The buckle on the belt could be dangerous... maybe remove it and stich the belt to the pillow?
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CMSgt James Nolan
PV2 (Join to see) I would think that through the UCMJ, yes. This is a case, that in my opinion, should be handled in-house so to speak. I would imagine that upon a real investigation being conducted-and the soon to be officers having integrity, the reality will be that there were a handful of culprits and instigators. Will all have that integrity-sadly, no. Those are who were involved with shenanigans would be disciplined. The rest is just run of the mill "indoctrination".
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2LT (Join to see)
LCDR (Join to see) - that's because all the midshipmen were lost at sea practicing a surrender to IRAN.
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They should be expelled from the Academy. There is no reason to intentionally hurt your peers.
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This incident exposes one of the more interesting dynamics at play in an environment so steeped in tradition and insular as the USMA. The article mentioned that this pillow fight was a part of Academy tradition going back as far as 1897. Think about that. Now consider the fact that unlike most colleges and universities, the vast majority of the faculty, staff, and administration at West Point are alumni themselves. This fosters an environment that is supportive of the continuation of the annual rituals and rites of passage that mark the phases of a Cadet's life at this institution, be it as seemingly trivial as this pillow fight should have been for Plebes, or as formal as the ring ceremony is for each incoming class of Firsties. The simple fact is, because everyone from top to bottom is so shrouded in the history and culture of the place, those looking from the outside are quick to presume that Academy Leadership either condoned the misconduct or turned a blind eye to it while it was going down. In reality, because this is an institution established to develop the Army's future leaders, many of these activities are planned and executed by these future Army Leaders, with requisite faculty and staff oversight. Trust is confidently placed in these Cadets knowing that they are guided by the USMA Code of Honor (I will not lie, steal or cheat...), The USMA Motto (Duty, Honor, Country), as well as the Army Values. With these checks in place, as well as with faculty supervision, we never hear about the vast majority of the events that occur at that majestic fortress on the Hudson. Until something goes wrong. We won't know what happened on this particular August night until the investigations are complete. However, we can speculate that somewhere along the line, Cadets in positions of leadership, good Cadets who had earned the trust and respect of their faculty, staff, and administrators, reverted back to that irresponsible kid that still lingers within them and decided to spike the proverbial punch bowl and make this the pillow fight to end all West Point pillow fights! In light of all of the carnage, and the many careers that will likely be destroyed or never even begun, sadly, this may indeed have been the pillow fight to end all pillow fights.
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SGT William Howell
MAJ (Join to see) Sir, I knew you would be the voice of reason in this. In this day and age the public is so fast to pull the pin and make judgements based off shoddy reporting without knowing the real facts.
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LTC (Join to see)
My Dad graduated USMA Class of '67. He said he did not recall any pillow fights in his four years there. Though there was plenty of other rabble rousing and craziness.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
SSgt Joseph Baptist - I agree for the most part but mass punishment isn't something I'm comfortable with but have no problem with punishment and prosecution for those who not only encouraged this but let it get out of control. I also agree, tradition is one thing but intentional acts to injure another person or Cadet is not acceptable anytime, anywhere. If this is the type of concern they have for their fellow Cadets where does that lead when they are in command of soldiers ?
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Anybody who was putting dense, heavy objects into their pillow case doesn't have enough gray matter to be making command decisions and should be summarily dismissed. How stupid could they really be?
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SPC(P) Warren Soriano
I completely agree. What was the thought process, or the perceived outcome, of the cadets who put heavy/dense objects into their pillow cases and swinging it at a fellow cadet? These are future military leaders. Once they're commissioned, they will not tolerate this type of behavior from their subordinates - why should it be tolerated when they're the subordinates. Leadership also needs to be punished (students and cadre).
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CPT (Join to see) absolutely there should be charges against those who intentionally "weaponized" their pillows with the intent to hurt other cadets. These are they kind of officers we DON'T need in our Army!
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LTC (Join to see)
Sgt Kelli Mays absolutely agree! It's a shame where our military leadership and the quality of those who are bringing in is heading
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The following comments and opinion are my own and my own only: they should not be seen as a reflection of the opinions or thoughts of West Point proper.
BLUF: Myself and every cadet I have spoken with wants those who injured their teammates to be expelled and face charges for their actions.
There are multiple issues with the stories as it has been reported in media. In addition, people have drawn erroneous conclusions about the whole event that lack evidence. While long, I hope people take the time to read this response since I am currently at West Point and participated in a pillow fight my plebe (freshman) year a few years ago.
1) The idea that we tell plebes to wear IBAs and ACHs because we expect them to get hurt ( connotation being we want them to get hurt as used by others or that that is the "point") is completely unfounded and insulting. We tell plebes to wear that gear because we understand history. Every year we work to mitigate risks associated with events. There have been many years without any serious incidents because we take precautions. Just imagine a mob of 1300 people swinging pillows around. You don't need solid objects in the pillows for there to be some risk of injury. That is why we tell them to wear protective gear: we are realists and want to keep the event safe.
2) Unfortunately, I do believe it possible that some upper class cadets made comments about "needing" to come back bloody or else you "didn't try". Toxic leadership ( by which I mean Cadets in leadership roles) does exist at the academy just as it exists in the military. It is not a pervasive problem by any means, but it does exist. Why don't we remove them? Most cadets have a congressional nomination to attend the academy: it's hard to kick people out by saying "they are a bad leader." How easy is it to kick people out of the military in general when they pass all of their fitness tests and are competent in their fields? I will be honest and say that I hate that aspect of the Academy... But it is real.
3) Contrary to what has been said in some articles, there was first aid available for cadets. Not only that, but upper class cadets did get involved when an injury occurred. When injuries occurred, we tried to identify how and then resolve that issue. We did not laugh it off or treat it like a joke.
4) Myself and the other cadets I have spoken with are all furious that a plebe intentionally hurt his/her peers. We all very strongly believe that they should be expelled and potentially face other actions. What they did was abhorrent and completely counter to what we have all tried to foster while at the academy. The pillow fight is supposed to be a fun event for plebes to unwind and relax during without upperclass cadets screaming at them.
I would write more, but I feel that it would not be beneficial at this point. I have read many of the comments and seen the overall opinion of cadets in general. I will say that I was a 13M in the Army for two years before I went to the Academy and that might affect my way of thinking. Regardless, do not be so quick condemn cadets for an event such as this when you rely upon flawed media stories.
Again: these thoughts and opinions are my own and do not reflect the thoughts and/or opinions of the Academy.
BLUF: Myself and every cadet I have spoken with wants those who injured their teammates to be expelled and face charges for their actions.
There are multiple issues with the stories as it has been reported in media. In addition, people have drawn erroneous conclusions about the whole event that lack evidence. While long, I hope people take the time to read this response since I am currently at West Point and participated in a pillow fight my plebe (freshman) year a few years ago.
1) The idea that we tell plebes to wear IBAs and ACHs because we expect them to get hurt ( connotation being we want them to get hurt as used by others or that that is the "point") is completely unfounded and insulting. We tell plebes to wear that gear because we understand history. Every year we work to mitigate risks associated with events. There have been many years without any serious incidents because we take precautions. Just imagine a mob of 1300 people swinging pillows around. You don't need solid objects in the pillows for there to be some risk of injury. That is why we tell them to wear protective gear: we are realists and want to keep the event safe.
2) Unfortunately, I do believe it possible that some upper class cadets made comments about "needing" to come back bloody or else you "didn't try". Toxic leadership ( by which I mean Cadets in leadership roles) does exist at the academy just as it exists in the military. It is not a pervasive problem by any means, but it does exist. Why don't we remove them? Most cadets have a congressional nomination to attend the academy: it's hard to kick people out by saying "they are a bad leader." How easy is it to kick people out of the military in general when they pass all of their fitness tests and are competent in their fields? I will be honest and say that I hate that aspect of the Academy... But it is real.
3) Contrary to what has been said in some articles, there was first aid available for cadets. Not only that, but upper class cadets did get involved when an injury occurred. When injuries occurred, we tried to identify how and then resolve that issue. We did not laugh it off or treat it like a joke.
4) Myself and the other cadets I have spoken with are all furious that a plebe intentionally hurt his/her peers. We all very strongly believe that they should be expelled and potentially face other actions. What they did was abhorrent and completely counter to what we have all tried to foster while at the academy. The pillow fight is supposed to be a fun event for plebes to unwind and relax during without upperclass cadets screaming at them.
I would write more, but I feel that it would not be beneficial at this point. I have read many of the comments and seen the overall opinion of cadets in general. I will say that I was a 13M in the Army for two years before I went to the Academy and that might affect my way of thinking. Regardless, do not be so quick condemn cadets for an event such as this when you rely upon flawed media stories.
Again: these thoughts and opinions are my own and do not reflect the thoughts and/or opinions of the Academy.
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PV2 (Join to see)
1LT (Join to see) since you were there, I'm apt to believe you over the media. I hope the injured cadets recover without any adverse affect on their potential military career. I also hope the cadets who "weaponized" their pillows are charged. Lastly I hope the faculty takes a long hard look at these traditions and their effects. I wish you well Sir.
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1LT (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) - Ma'am, just so we can further clear up any confusion on the subject, I would like to quote the actual injuries that occurred during the event. From LTG Caslen, Superintendent, " Unfortunately cadets were injured, with 30 cadets evaluated by medical personnel. Specifically, 24 cadets were diagnosed with concussions, none of them severe. Other injuries sustained included a broken nose, a dislocated shoulder, and a hairline fracture of a cheekbone for one of the concussed cadets. Medical personnel evaluated and released four other cadets with no injuries. No cadets left the Academy because of their injuries. All cadets have been returned to duty." Again, this is not to diminish what happened during the incident. I just want to clear up any confusion as to what exactly happened without resorting to sensationalism from the media. No broken necks, legs, arms, or removals of cadets from the academy. Thank you.
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LTC (Join to see)
Thanks for your comments. Its great to hear from a current Cadet. I do agree the media's accounts of things are usually never totally accurate. That's why the situation has to be thoroughly investigated. No doubt your comments are more accurate than the media, your insights are spot on. l Those who either intentionally or though gross negligence will definitely need to be held accountable and given appropriate consequences to include assault charges if applicable. Again, I just want to emphasize that as I said in my main comments, I am more alarmed by the number of injuries rather than the severity. Fortunately none were severe, were but the number indicates at least safety neglect if not something deliberate. That's why it need to be investigated. Thanks for contributing to RallyPoint. My best to you in your remaining West Point time and in your Army Career.
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1SG (Join to see)
1LT (Join to see)
I might have a different perspective than most commenters, being an Infantryman. In a typical infantry platoon, rough men do rowdy things. It's not uncommon for guys to wrestle around or orchestrate platoon on platoon brawls - not fist fighting, but wrestling around.
These men are battle-hardened, conditioned, and understand the necessity of being tough in ground combat. It take fierce discipline and a well-trained willingness to fight in order to win in the face of a determined enemy.
West Point is not an Infantry platoon. It's the premiere leadership institution of the free world. So in an effort to mitigate risk, you implemented control measures. Much like seasoned Squad Leaders, Platoon Sergeants or a First Sergeant sets boundaries and steps in to prevent chaos. Unfortunately during this event it didn't work and a media firestorm ensued.
I have no issue with your pillow fights. I actually can see the value of it, if executed properly.
I hope West Point punishes and dismisses the students who turned their pillows into weapons. Not only did they put their comrades in danger, they brought shame upon an otherwise honorable institution. Not the kind of leaders I want in my Infantry or my Army.
Thanks for providing some context to the media frenzy.
I might have a different perspective than most commenters, being an Infantryman. In a typical infantry platoon, rough men do rowdy things. It's not uncommon for guys to wrestle around or orchestrate platoon on platoon brawls - not fist fighting, but wrestling around.
These men are battle-hardened, conditioned, and understand the necessity of being tough in ground combat. It take fierce discipline and a well-trained willingness to fight in order to win in the face of a determined enemy.
West Point is not an Infantry platoon. It's the premiere leadership institution of the free world. So in an effort to mitigate risk, you implemented control measures. Much like seasoned Squad Leaders, Platoon Sergeants or a First Sergeant sets boundaries and steps in to prevent chaos. Unfortunately during this event it didn't work and a media firestorm ensued.
I have no issue with your pillow fights. I actually can see the value of it, if executed properly.
I hope West Point punishes and dismisses the students who turned their pillows into weapons. Not only did they put their comrades in danger, they brought shame upon an otherwise honorable institution. Not the kind of leaders I want in my Infantry or my Army.
Thanks for providing some context to the media frenzy.
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