I know this thread has been up awhile, but I have been a bit busy lately and it is an important topic to me. Please accept my apology for such a late post.

According to Mr. Ricks the cost per student to the taxpayer is $300,000 as opposed to $130,000 for an ROTC graduate. I wonder if he actually looked into how those figures were calculated, or how the money was spent? I am curious about his statistical sources and collection methods. How much of the budget for West Point was instructional, and how much was administrative, how much was spent on the student? Too many unanswered question here in regards to sources and statistics.

In an rebuttal criticizing Mr. Ricks' arguments for closing the service academies, three West Point graduates who are now Congressmen claimed the cost per graduate was $200,000. If the $200,000 per graduate number is correct than it closes the cost gap between ROTC and USMA graduates significantly. Even a person with a grasp of basic math can see the difference between $170,000 and $70,000.

Mr. Ricks goes on to claim that some commanders prefer ROTC graduates to West point graduates. Using these commanders alleged preferences, he tries to make the case that ROTC students are better educated and less cynical. Mr. Ricks should remember that the word some is not indicative of a majority if he desires to make a case against West Point, or the other service academies. Anyone could easily say that if some commanders prefer ROTC graduates over service academy graduates than the majority of commanders prefer service academy graduates, or OCS graduates over ROTC graduates. Has he factored in the commanders who could care less about the comissioning source of their officers, but asses them based on the merit of their martial works?

Mr. Ricks manages to insult not only the service academies, but the community college system that many civillians and soldiers rely on for their first years of higher education. Mr. Ricks states rather boldly that,“They [West Point Graduates] remind me of the best of the Ivy League, but too often they're getting community-college educations.” This argument is little more than Mr. Ricks displaying his adherence to the credentialism and academic elitism that has infected America. His point seems to be nothing more than the academic environment and the degree obtained from university X is superior to the same degree from university Y, or community college Z.

Academically speaking no university is truly superior to another. It is simply a matter of people thinking, or being told one university, or form of higher education is superior to another. While community colleges may only offer an associates degree, the class loads and standards are often the same for that level of education.

In all fairness to Mr. Ricks I have run into the same brand of credentialism and academic snobbery from a fair share of both French and US military officers, senior NCOs as well in recent years. The behavior is abhorrable to say the least and has been warned about by both military and civillian leaders as far back as Cyrus the Great.

As Mr. Ricks' bemoans the lack of professors with doctorate level degrees credentialism strikes again. Isn't it reasonable to conclude that if a professor has graduated from a 4 year institution covering the subject matter that he or she should be able to teach that subject matter? I think it is quite reasonable, particularly if said profesor goes on to earn a masters degree. To say otherwise implies that the professor did not truly learn the subject matter as an undergraduate student and all the vellum hanging upon his wall is worthless.


Is anyone else seeing a reoccurring theme in his article? Credentialism, elitism, academic snobbery, and narrow minded views from a journalist who makes a feeble attempt at sensational journalism, and fails.