Progress at the Academy?

Dear Mikey,

This morning at about 0800 I got an email saying we had new read files, which are documents that every cadet must read and then initial that they signed it. While I believe this is a good step, I’m not sure all cadets will fully read the documents and an issue such as this should be briefed where all cadets will listen. It’s funny that it took you posting a billboard with the letter on it for the academy to do something about it. Do they really not think it is an issue or do they just not care? I thought I would give spire a chance, just to see how it was so I went to Cru. It was fine at first but when I didn’t show up one Monday a few of the cadets made small comments saying that God would help me with my grades more than EI (Academic “Extra Instruction”)will. Who says that? Seriously, I mean what are they teaching these cadets to make them think their religion and going to Spire on a Monday is going to help them more than going to get EI with a teacher. So then I stopped showing up to spire and realized just how much of a big deal this is. Yeah they try to tell us it isn’t a problem but I saw firsthand how it really is a problem, and when it takes a month to send an email to us cadets from the Chief of Staff of the Air Force it shows how messed up our leadership is. I sat around for weeks wondering if any cadets would hear about this email, if our
leadership would show what kind of problem was at this school and they failed…again. They covered it up just like anything else they don’t want to deal with. I’m glad you were able to show the message to the community and force General Gould’s hand to do the right thing. Mikey you fight everyday to make this place safe for the cadets who are pressured by the spire groups, and the cadets that attend spire.

Sincerely,
A cadet who wouldn’t feel safe here without you and what you do. (USAF Academy Cadet’s name, rank, title and Cadet Wing Squadron withheld)

P.S. If they try to say it isn’t a problem and spire isn’t directly related to the cadet wing, then why do the spire leaders have proximity cards to access the cadet area at any time they wish? They are not permanent party or cadets, they SHOULD NOT possess a proxy card. They like all other visitors should have to be escorted in…what makes them special?

Click here to read the documents that this cadet was sent (PDF)

The following email was also received from a USAFA Faculty member:

On Friday, half of the academic departments are having two hours of scenario-based religious respect training (the other half do the same on 14 Oct).  Here’s the rub–we had to send a department member to “facilitator” training to help with the department event.  That’s not so bad.  What is bad is that the dean and vice dean are MANDATING that a chaplain (and lawyer) be in EVERY department meeting while we review and discuss the scenarios.  Wow, do you think that might affect free and open discussion?  Is the chaplain there to grade us and report back to the head chaplain?  Are the military and civilian professionals in the departments unable and unqualified to have a discussion about these issues without a commisar there to assure our orthodoxy?  I know my department head’s not happy about it because we discuss these issues just fine several times a year and haven’t had a problem–unlike some departments.  It would be great to have lawyers and even chaplains on-call to answer questions that may come up and can’t be resolved in our departments, but to have them there watching our every move, listening to our every word, etc will stifle the entire event.  I know I’ll probably just sit there and not say a word.  Why risk doing otherwise?  It’ll only prolong the agony on an otherwise free day with no classes and I’d risk running afoul with the Powers That Be.

(USAF Academy Faculty Member’s name, rank, Faculty Dept. and title withheld)