SecNav Ray Mabus and Harvard President Drew Faust have agreed to let NROTC back to the iviest of the Ivies, now that the military has – largely – conformed itself to the academy’s sensibilities:
The agreement upholds Harvard’s promise to bring ROTC back to campus following the repeal by Congress of a ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, the “don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy.
About 30 former and active members of the Navy and Marine Corps and Harvard faculty and students gathered in Harvard’s Loeb House to watch Faust and Mabus end the schism between the university and military that began during the Vietnam War.
“Our renewed relationship affirms the vital role that the members of our armed forces play in serving the nation and securing our freedoms,’’ Faust said.
“At the same time, our renewed relationship affirms the commitment embodied in Congress’s historic December vote to achieve greater inclusiveness within the ranks of the military.’’
Harvard will resume formal recognition of the Naval ROTC on campus, which includes taking full financial responsibility for participating students, on the effective date of the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell’’ some time this summer.
The military has bent over backward trying to accommodate the lame duck 111th congress’ guidance or repealing Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell. Which wasn’t quite good enough for about 15 Harvard students who protested the decision, saying that the military ought to bend over forward and eliminate current proscriptions against transgenders.
You can’t please everyone.
Probably have to wait until the lame duck half of the president’s second term.
If there’s going to be a second term.
+1
Just for once I’d like to see those nitwits protest to Congress, since they’re the ones setting the rules.
My opinion: This is about money since it will likely increase their revenue stream from the federal government. The leadership and faculty at Harvard has loathed the military since the Vietnam conflict and the ban will return if we have another major war with high casualties, once again making the armed services unpopular with left leaning universities. This was never about gay rights.
Harvard is over-rated for the results it produces. I would think having that school on your record would hurt your chances at a promotion board.
Harvard’s rep is based on the fact so much of the eastern Establishment regards it highly. Yale is in the same camp. The products of Harvard I’ve had personal experience with are pathetic. Too much of the student body is made up mostly of legacy and “diversity” admits to allow real rigor.
Dubya is a good example of what you get. An also ran at Yale, but gets into the “prestigious” Business School at Harvard. I’m sorry, but I can’t take the place seriously.
I’m still trying to keep up with this stuff. Wasn’t the transgender group formerly labeled ‘confused’?
Rivet, I honestly have no idea what the group names are these days, only that I’m probably going to be labeled as bigoted if I dare to use one. As a friend once asked, “When did the love-that-dare-not-speak-its-name become the love-that-never-shuts-up?”
I agree with Wilco’s assessment.
– Max
Please God, That Man won’t have a second term. It would be bad for our health in so many ways…
Marianne
Worse part is the GOPers have only floated the names of tired idjits like Romney, Huckabee, NEWT and Sarah Palin to the voters each of which makes one retch as much as the vapid empty suit in the WH…
WE need a dynamic guy like a Chirs Christie from NJ or someone else who can step in like maybe Colin Powell to save us from the empty suits who are all jockeying for the job…
IF the GOP sends us Romeny, Newt or Palin, the fool in the WH will get relelected due to indifference by the American voter..
The numbers will be small. Significance, none. Didn’t need ‘em yesterday, don’t need ‘em today. The in house opposition can go hang, for all I care. Useless mouths to the last one.
That said, no worse than Basin and Range College of Cows and Mines. Welcome aboard, class of 2015.
No better either. Brains and character matter, alma mater doesn’t.
No worse than the Range College of Cows and Mines? If you’ve word on graduates from SD College of Mines and Tech I wouldn’t mind hearing of your experience. Last I’d been told it was a fairly decent educational institution for the engineering and computer-stuff degrees, and I’ve a few co-workers from that institution. Certainly not Ivy League, though. Ivy don’t grow there.
Come to think of it, used to be I went to college at a pretty fair school for engineering. I’ve not kept up on the rank of that program since I graduated. Didn’t need to, had better things to care about. For all my luck they’re noted for graduating teachers and basketball players these days.
– Max
Max- There are a number of state colleges of cows and mines that turn out practical, knowlegeable, competent and quite reasonably well rounded graduates out in “flyover country”. Hahvahd? Pretty much all hat and no cattle. Take away the PC and the nepotism, most of ‘em couldn’t make it to plant manager in any company that actually built something.
The Ivy in League With Each Other grads go into stock, finance, and gummit. There, they have pretty consistently screwed up by the numbers since 1945. Spend a lot of time telling the rest of us how great they are. For myself:
Show me.
All I have seen is nuthin, so far.
ROTC is good for you. I had to participate in the first two years, no choice, there. I think it did me good. At the very least, it taught me how to shine my shoes, and march, and counter-march (I was a bandsman).
P.s. It was an easy A.
Lets review this non-event…God’s in his heaven;…all’s right with the world…NROTC is the first and hopefully the last back at Harvard…I’ve always thought you Gomers were simpatico. Best
PS,Hopes here the Senior Service refuses to bend over to these useless ciphers.
I was going to make a quip about wasted taxdollars on disinterested Harvard garbage…
but then I remembered our med group Commander graduated from Harvard Medical School, and he’s a pretty good guy.
Liz, No doubt he was “pretty good”…but as a Medic…he was likely not a ROTC grad. Best
There have always been paths there for the few Harvard grads who wish to serve. I went through AOCS and flight school with a Harvard man who was a fine officer. It is wrong to paint them all with the same brush.
…Okay – taking bets now that as soon as the ROTC facility at Hahvahhd opens, there will be ‘spontaneous demonstrations’ that get all kinds of attention for a few days before the school leadership ‘suggests’ that it’s just not safe and that perhaps this isn’t a good idea.
And being what we are today, the ROTC facility will slink away.
Mike
OT but thought you’d be interested:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704150604576166362512952294.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop
Harvard has a record of turning out bright, clean, articulate leaders who are adept at many useful skills.
I can think of one community organizer who conned, er convinced people to elect him president.
Maybe the Navy needs officers with skills like that.
Maybe not.