News From Fort Schuyler

April 19, 1999 - Volume 3, No. 19

"Most of the interest came from female high school students. Fortunately, Brenda was on-hand to address their questions and boast about Schuyler. Unfortunately for us, Brenda is transferring to the USCG Marine Safety Office in Honolulu this summer. We wish her well, but will miss her recruiting talents."

"To ‘all’ Schuyler Grads, this is a great opportunity to help the school out; I encourage more of you to participate in College Nights in your local area. You get to meet a lot of people and it is actually fun too." [EDITOR’S NOTE: Volunteer recruiters should contact the Admissions Office. If you are in New York State, call (800) 654-1874. From outside NY State, call (800) 642-1874.]

THOSE PRIMAL RIP-SNORTING DAYS - A broad chronological range of responses were received about the recent NFFS item on "Rip-Off Day." "I don’t know how far back the tradition goes," writes JOHN BORTNIAK, Class of 1976, "but the Class of 1976 ripped off their "undress" blues in the cafeteria on the last day we had to wear them. Quite a sight to see cadets in their underwear in the Mess Deck !"

From the next decade comes this note from BOB VREDENBURGH, Class of 1988, who writes: "During my years at the Dome (1984-1988), my classmates and I tried to wear our initial set of CPO uniforms (2 pants and 2 shirts) all 4 years so you can imagine the shape they were in by senior year. I never heard the term ‘Rip Off Day’. I also didn't consider it a waste, as my uniform was very easy to rip and quite worn out. Any cadet who had a new uniform or needed theirs for the Navy simply didn't join in. Tearing the uniforms was a release that we all enjoyed - similar to ‘Primal Scream’ during finals/license week." /// "Primal scream took place at 10 or 11 PM where cadets blasted their stereos and yelled out of their windows at the top of their lungs for a couple of minutes. Then it was back to studying for the next days final or license exam." /// "These "newer" traditions at Maritime should not be discouraged by the faculty and staff. There is plenty of pressure on 1st class cadets as graduation approaches. How can I pass this final? Will I graduate? Will I find a job? Ripping a few uniforms or screaming are harmless releases that add to the ‘Maritime experience’."

Bringing us up to the 90's was this response from ROBERT F. KENNY, Class of 1992: " Senior Rip Off Day is one of the truest traditions at Maritime. It is a time when all four years of hard work, frustration and disappointment reaches a pinnacle and lets you cleanse your body of it. It signifies the end of your time at Maritime. A time when you "shed" your colors at the Dome and proceed on in life. The staff and faculty should not understand why we did it. It was not them juggling a hectic Maritime curriculum. When the buzz surrounding the Class of 92's Rip Off Day, we were given permission to do it on the Friday before the end of classes. That was totally unacceptable! Just to give ourselves the satisfaction, we did it the day before. The Class of 92 was graduating !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! However, the moment I will always remember is that of Cmdr. Tisdale expressing his disapproval to Scott Farr, who was standing at perfect attention. There's not too many things that a small college can call its own. Let Rip Off Day live on!!!!!!!!!

RELIVING MUG CRUISE - Here is a variation of the virtual voyage from TERRI THOMPSON, Class of 1965: "Even though it has been 30 years since I shipped out, I have found ways to relive my 1961-62 mug year in #3 hold of the Empire State IV, where we spent the entire year and summer cruise while the new dorms were being built."

1. Sleep on the shelf in your closet.
2. Four hours after you go to sleep each night, have your wife shine a flashlight in your eyes, and mumble "Sorry, wrong rack."
3. When you take showers, turn off the water while soaping.
4. Every time there's a thunderstorm, go sit in a wobbly rocking chair and rock as hard as you can until you're nauseous.
5. Have the paperboy give you a haircut.
6. Once a week blow compressed air up your chimney, making sure the wind carries the soot across and onto your neighbor's house
7. Wake up every night at midnight and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on stale bread.
8. Install a fluorescent lamp on the bottom of your coffee table and lie under it when you read.
9. During the next really good 40F degree rainstorm put on a poncho and stand in your front yard for four hours with a set of binoculars staring at the street lights in the next block.
10. Ask your postmaster to hold all your mail and only deliver it every week or so by helicopter drop on your back porch.
11. When you leave work every day, announce "Liberty Call". When you return, have the wife shout, "Captain's on the Bridge".
12. Watch a personal hygiene film before going out for the evening.