Fishburne Cadets Have Uniquely Rewarding Summer
Fishburne Cadets Amico and Wright used their summers to full advantage.
Story and photo by Cadet Daniel May (Stafford, VA)
Most rising seniors get summer jobs such as lifeguarding, being a busboy at a restaurant, or counseling at a summer camp; however, Fishburne Seniors Cadet James Wright (Seattle, WA) and Logan Amico (Pittsgrove, NJ) wanted a more challenging experience. For nine weeks this Summer, Wright and Amico were at Army basic training, an experience that neither will forget.
The average day for an Army recruit is very demanding both physically and mentally, “The PT was almost a 24-hour-a-day thing” recalled Cadet Amico, “From wake up to sundown we were always doing something physically strenuous.”
The mental aspect was demanding as well as the recruits were deprived of sleep and treated harshly by their drill sergeants. Although the adjustment was very difficult, Wright and Amico said that Fishburne prepared them.
“I didn’t feel homesick like a lot of my battle buddies (Army term for teammates) did, being at Fishburne helped me to feel comfortable in new environments,” said Wright. Not only did Wright feel comfortable in his environment he excelled, earning the distinction of Honor Graduate. Amico stated that the military structure of Fishburne prepared him for the strict discipline of basic training and that it made the adjustment more comfortable.
Both Amico and Wright plan on making the military a career in the future. Amico plans to apply to the Naval Academy, VMI, and VA tech. Upon graduating, he would like to be an infantry officer. Wright plans on attending the University of Washington where, after graduation, he plans on commissioning as an Army sapper (combat engineers). When asked about what attracts him to that field Wright stated, “Being able to use both my mind and body to accomplish a mission sounds like the job for me.”
Basic Training is a maturing experience. Recruits must learn to cope with a variety of stressful situations ranging from being punished as a group for an individual’s mistake, to being belittled by a drill instructor at basic training. In this crucible young men learn skills such as patience, teamwork and focus. Skills that not only make a young man a trained solider but a better Cadet as well.
Amico and Wright will look to use the benefits of basic training this fall. Amico’s big take-away from Basic training was the importance of teamwork and how to effectively cooperate with other people. “From being around people with diverse backgrounds at basic training I realized that compromise is vital part of any organization. In order for people to get what they want they have to be willing to give up a little to the other person,” Amico stated.
For Wright, basic training helped to sharpen his mental focus “After going to basic I now know how to focus on the task at hand and block out all distractions,” he explained.
When asked about how he would implement the lessons he learned at basic into his leadership style at Fishburne, Amico said that, “I will always consider the advice of other leaders in my unit. In order to keep everyone on the same page I will make sure everyone has their voice heard.”
Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools for boys in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built upon the structure of an Army JROTC program. Boasting a 100% college-acceptance rate for the past 10 consecutive years, FMS has also been designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academics. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation, accredited by US Army Cadet Command. For more information visit www.fishburne.org.
