Homeless to WestPoint to tragedy

[Jumping Frog]

It sounds like he left West Point before he graduated.

People who leave West Point (or any of the service academies) were always obligated to serve their time commitment as enlisted personnel. Unless this is another of the ordinary duties in life that have succumbed to liberal political correctness.

I could be wrong, but I think cadets from West Point do not enlist. The get a commission.

You need to understand the context. We were discussing the implications to someone who leaves before graduation. Of course they are commissioned as officers once they graduate, but they serve as enlisted people if they attend more than two years but do not graduate.

They serve as an E-3 if they leave during their Junior year and as an E-4 if they leave during their senior year, per the link reference, above.

[JustMe]

what I got was that he went to WP under a different name. Could it be he "left" WP at their request?

[lbuehler325]

After separtion from the the USMA, it appears that the requirement to serve out only applies to persons who have finished the first two years.
http://www.apd.army.mil/jw2/xmldemo/r61 ... n.asp#tab3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Does anyone know if a year at USMAPS creates any obligation for civilian students?

If you are enlisted while at USMAPS, you are still obligated to complete your enlistment term if you are unable to gain admission to USMA. If you are a civilian, there is no commitment. If enlisted, and you gain admission to USMA, you are discharged, effective R-Day minus 1... and become just another New Cadet upon arriving at West Point (similar to the Green to Gold program terms). Then, you do not incur a service obligation until the first day of class on your Cow (junior) year. I don't know the stat, but I'd imagine most folks leave following Plebe (freshman) year if they decide the military isn't for them.

The story doesn't address it, but I'd imagine this fellow graduated hugh school in 2009, went to the prep school for a year (ending 2010), and attended West Point for no more than two years... where he was likely separated for academics (based on that being the reason he left the football program).

[Excaliber]

Suicide, Ballony story.

That's what I always think when I hear about someone killed while cleaning a gun, but this case might just be stupidity.

To me this would be a more plausible conclusion if he hadn't done it in front of two witnesses.

Witnesses don't preclude suicide.

We don't have enough facts to make more than guesses here, but suicide is at least as reasonable an explanation as accepting that pointing a gun at one's head and pulling the trigger was really thought to be a way to prove safety - even for the dullest knife in the drawer.

[WildBill]

Suicide, Ballony story.

That's what I always think when I hear about someone killed while cleaning a gun, but this case might just be stupidity.

To me this would be a more plausible conclusion if he hadn't done it in front of two witnesses.

Witnesses don't preclude suicide.

We don't have enough facts to make more than guesses here, but suicide is at least as reasonable an explanation as accepting that pointing a gun at one's head and pulling the trigger was really thought to be a way to prove safety - even for the dullest knife in the drawer.

I know that, but also removing the magazine before pulling the trigger doesn' sound right either. As you said, we don't have enough facts.

[WildBill]

what I got was that he went to WP under a different name. Could it be he "left" WP at their request?

I think that name change was due to an adoption. West Point is a tough school and is not for everybody. It could be USMA requested that he leave, but the article doesn't say. The article does say he left athletics to concentrate on academics so maybe he was having problems in his classes.

[Excaliber]

Suicide, Ballony story.

That's what I always think when I hear about someone killed while cleaning a gun, but this case might just be stupidity.

To me this would be a more plausible conclusion if he hadn't done it in front of two witnesses.

Witnesses don't preclude suicide.

We don't have enough facts to make more than guesses here, but suicide is at least as reasonable an explanation as accepting that pointing a gun at one's head and pulling the trigger was really thought to be a way to prove safety - even for the dullest knife in the drawer.

I know that, but also removing the magazine before pulling the trigger doesn' sound right either. As you said, we don't have enough facts.

Consider that a magazine isn't needed for suicide with a .45.

I've never heard of someone who fired more than one of these rounds into his own head.

[Beiruty]

Is this why, magazine-disconnector were used on even historic pistol such as FN Browning HP 9mm?

[WildBill]

Is this why, magazine-disconnector were used on even historic pistol such as FN Browning HP 9mm?

I have read that this was a safety feature for that purpose.

[WildBill]

Some more information:

http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Hund ... 872562.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;