Service academies exempt from Supreme Court affirmative action ruling

As a 2LT I finished the Intell Officer Basic Course with a 100% average, the first time that had ever happened. I had a degree in Russian History and spoke Russian, and had served as a Russian enlisted linguist. My requested first assignment was to work in a specific assignment against Russian intelligence operatives. That posting went instead to a young woman who barely graduated the course, and who had no knowledge of anything Russian. I asked why and was told that since she was a minority single parent, assigning her to that position would enable the gaining command to "check three boxes", which they needed to do. I went off to an assignment as an EW officer in Europe, which was very good, but I could have been much better employed in the first position. I don't much like social engineering and affirmative action instead of meritocracy.

MAJ Hugh Blanchard that was a severe waste of a highly qualified peson..... you.

MAJ Hugh Blanchard - I have always heard there is an outfit in DC called the EEOC that tracks hires of women and minorities. If your organization does not meet their requirements, it is sanctioned or sued. When I was faced with EEOC hires, I just worked around them, kinda political hires.

Yep. It's all political BS, amounts to wasted space.

While serving as a Tac at VFMA&C I was an adviser on kids seeking USMA nominations for Rep. Curt Weldon (R, PA). We would review their academic records and interview them, then give him a rank-ordered list with our recommendations.

Unlike those congress persons who used their nominations as a political tool, USMA knew Weldon's approach and regularly came back to him for nominees to replace others who failed to qualify.

My own son (USMA '00) benefited from having Weldon as his representative and was the third to get in because of it in '96. He is retiring on 31 Aug. as an O-5 after having spent his last tour in Stuttgart as the SOC-Africa J3 plans officer. . . .