Where Are They Now

AF6872

AF6872

15-Year Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2007
Messages
4,871
I have been here for quite a while. My Daughter was Commissioned over twelve years ago as a 2lt Marine. She will soon graduate J.D. from an Ivy Law School. In my opinion she would not be in this position without her experience at the Naval Academy and command positions in the MC. Chime in about the kids and the influence of the Academy.
 
So, the gardener refuses to take credit for the rose?…….OK?

I absolutely agree with OP's assessment of the role the USNA plays in preparing Midshipmen for leadership roles in the USN, success in the private sector and life in general.

My own DD loves her work with the Navy. The continuing education the USN has delivered to DD post USNA has been eye opening for me, (I think she’s been in some kind of school about 30% of the time since she joined the fleet). Looking another 10years down the road, DD has begun to consider what she’d do if she were not AD. I found myself suggesting that a JD would make sense for her. I never thought I’d be saying that never-ever-ever. The life of the average trial lawyer just isn’t that great, especially when you take your work and clients seriously.

That said, a JD combined with:
a) a demonstrated ability to understand STEM material, and address real world Tech issues/products;
b) a demonstrated ability to manage real people toward on-time/on mission goals and solutions;
c) a history of challenging ones self to perform, experience, and achieve beyond standard expectations;
This is a highly valued combination in high-end legal practice, Gov agencies 😒, and private sector Tech.

I’m a BS in Econ + JD from a top 50 University (public). I spent the first 2-3 years of my post JD carrier proving myself on the Superior Ct motions-calendar arguing preliminary stuff to be leveraged in settlement before trial for a partner's client. Your daughter has already demonstrated much of what I had to prove to a law partnership or a business. She will likely be hired by an Gov agency, a Tech Corp, or a high-end law firm because of her USNA degree and her time as a MC Officer/Pilot more than where she went to law school.

Congrats to your DD, AF68. You are obviously just the old worthless SOB that she could never really payback………….but then there are those grand-kids.

On my soap box again:
IMO, a “Where Are They Now --Where Are They Going” thread should be stickied to the Std. USNA board. Shoot, i bet that thread would be 50 pages long within a year and joyful to read. ‘ Guests’; DDs/DSs and their parents could get a feel for; the broader community they might be joining, the pride and thankfulness of parents, the “tool box” the USNA delivers to Mids, and the exciting stuff USNA grads are doing in the Navy. I think that view of USNA and life in USN is needed over there……………just saying
 
Just Dad said:
That said, a JD combined with:
a) a demonstrated ability to understand STEM material, and address real world Tech issues/products;
b) a demonstrated ability to manage real people toward on-time/on mission goals and solutions;
c) a history of challenging ones self to perform, experience, and achieve beyond standard expectations;
This is a highly valued combination in high-end legal practice, Gov agencies 😒, and private sector Tech.
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When I left Active Duty and transition to the Reserves, I affiliated with a small unit at a small reserve center in New England. At the time, I worked for a major (Fortune 50) corporation as a somewhat junior Program Manager in the Aerospace Industry. I immediately became XO of my reserve unit. A few months later, we had another officer walk in and affiliate - another USNA SWO from the class behind mine. Civilian job wise, they'd come to the area because his Med School grad wife had a residency in the area. He was thinking about law school and was working in a lumber yard for some $$ plus was now becoming a drilling reservist. When he heard what I was doing, he remarked that he had dropped off a resume there but hadn't heard anything so I took his resume to my boss and BAM. . . a couple of weeks later, he had the same title as me. The next fall, he started doing law school on the company dime just as I was working on my MBA. Eventually, he finished law school and our company hired him as a lawyer and moved him to the midwest to a major site and he did intellectual/patent law for the rest of his career in addition to 30 yrs Navy/Navy Reserve service.

By the way, his major at USNA was Area Studies - Latin America.
 
The Gardner may till the soil but the Rose blooms and thrives on its own. Her major USNA was Chinese and spent a Summer and Semester there. Crap there goes the security clearance for the next four generations.
 
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Only one in the Office that ever had a security clearance and could not get through HIPAA.:)
 
AF6872 said:
e been here for quite a while. My Daughter was Commissioned over twelve years ago as a 2lt Marine. She will soon graduate J.D. from an Ivy Law School. In my opinion she would not be in this positio
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OldRetSWO said:
When I left Active Duty and transition to the Reserves, I affiliated with a small unit at a small reserve center in New England. At the time, I worked for a major (Fortune 50) corporation as a somewhat junior Program Manager in the Aerospace Industry. I immediately became XO of my reserve unit. A few months later, we had another officer walk in and affiliate - another USNA SWO from the class behind mine. Civilian job wise, they'd come to the area because his Med School grad wife had a residency in the area. He was thinking about law school and was working in a lumber yard for some $$ plus was now becoming a drilling reservist. When he heard what I was doing, he remarked that he had dropped off a resume there but hadn't heard anything so I took his resume to my boss and BAM. . . a couple of weeks later, he had the same title as me. The next fall, he started doing law school on the company dime just as I was working on my MBA. Eventually, he finished law school and our company hired him as a lawyer and moved him to the midwest to a major site and he did intellectual/patent law for the rest of his career in addition to 30 yrs Navy/Navy Reserve service.

By the way, his major at USNA was Area Studies - Latin America.
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You can teach an engineer to be a lawyer, but you can't teach a lawyer to be an engineer.
 
AF6872 said:
No congrats to me it was all her. She is no longer active duty since the second grandchild but SIL is still flying reserves. There are some AD and veterans in her Law School class. Surprisingly quite a few.
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Well, congratulations then on your not having to spend $75k a year on law school tuition.
 
I paid nothing. They still had to pay since she did not qualify for full education benefits since the time served for qualification for full benefits does not count four years Navl Academy only active-duty time after commissioning. Who Knew? The graduation was a boring nightmare with keffiyeh, and signs and I can only paraphrase Seargent Harper God Save The United States Of America. I will not pay the Jizya.
 
AF6872 said:
I paid nothing. They still had to pay since she did not qualify for full education benefits since the time served for qualification for full benefits does not count four years Navl Academy only active-duty time after commissioning. Who Knew? The graduation was a boring nightmare with keffiyeh, and signs and I can only paraphrase Seargent Harper God Save The United States Of America. I will not pay the Jizya.
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If people reading this are wondering - SA and ROTC grads must serve 36 months past initial active duty service obligation to earn 100% of VA education benefit in Post-9/11 GI Bill. The initial ADSO doesn’t count for the benefit, nor does the SA time.
 
That's three years after five and dive, correct? So, eight years active duty for 100%.
 
Capt MJ said:
If people reading this are wondering - SA and ROTC grads must serve 36 months past initial active duty service obligation to earn 100% of VA education benefit in Post-9/11 GI Bill. The initial ADSO doesn’t count for the benefit, nor does the SA time.
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With the exception of those who entered the Coast Guard Academy prior to January 4th, 2011. Cadets and Prep School scholars who entered before this time began accruing Post 9/11 GI Bill eligibility upon graduation from USCGA.

The Post-9/11 Veteran Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 amended it so CGA cadets who entered after January 4th, 2011 would be more in-line with the DoD Service Academies ADSOs

Source: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-111publ377/pdf/PLAW-111publ377.pdf

Several of my classmates/people from my time around the Academy went on and have used their Post 9/11 GI Bills for law school, medical school, business school, and other graduate programs. And then fulfilling careers in law, medicine, finance, management consulting, tech, healthcare, etc.

Myself? Pretty pumped to use my Post 9/11 GI Bill to earn a part time MBA from a great school here in TX :cool:. I make too much at this point to go back full time. I'm considered an expert in cybersecurity nowadays, and interested in B school for networking as I start my own consulting firm. I might possibly break into PE for cyber products as well
 
Capt MJ said:
That GI Bill can also be used for certificates and other professional training.
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I have colleagues who received GI Bill money while we were in the fire academy (6 months) and during the subsequent 12 months after graduation while in a “probationary” status (considered the equivalent to “apprentice” status in the building trades). Not a bad return on investment considering they were all Montgomery GI Bill era veterans. I had my Montgomery GI Bill contribution returned to me (less taxes) when I was selected for NAPS & USNA.
 
Capt MJ said:
That GI Bill can also be used for certificates and other professional training.
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GrilledCheese94 said:
I have colleagues who received GI Bill money while we were in the fire academy (6 months) and during the subsequent 12 months after graduation while in a “probationary” status (considered the equivalent to “apprentice” status in the building trades). Not a bad return on investment considering they were all Montgomery GI Bill era veterans. I had my Montgomery GI Bill contribution returned to me (less taxes) when I was selected for NAPS & USNA.
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SAME ........ I am a Montgomery GI Bill guy and was paid through the police academy and until I was done with training pipeline to be let out on my own. Still not sure I should be out on my own and that was 26 years ago. ;)
 
A long time ago under the old GI Bill I received $300 a month if taking the required credit hours a semester. Veltrans in my state only paid $50 a semester in student fees and were granted free tuition at State Colleges and Universities. Boy did I shaft the government for that MBA. A fair exchange since my first service paycheck was $90 a month. When discharged I was making over $100 a week the big bucks.
 
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