ResQ
05-31-2006, 04:55 PM
Oh and to those that will follow and plan on attending the academy... I have been through a myriad of other highly competitive try-out programs...and this was by far the hardest out of them all. Not so much for the academics, not so much for the PT...it was just one ENORMOUS gut check... and I am afraid I will always get that sick feeling in my stomach everytime I enter the academy grounds...
ResQ, could you elaborate a little more on why our Academy experience was the hardest program you've been through? I think you are in a good position to compare and contrast which may be beneficial to others.
...If it will help get us qualified people who aren't afraid of some hard work....anything for you DW!
Maybe not the hardest ACADEMY...but the biggest gut-check...
This academy demanded more attention to detail and consistent discipline than any other program I have been through. This is because you are "present" all the time. There is no going home at the end of the day, knocking back some cold ones and letting your guard down. You are at the mercy and under the scrutiny of the Staff and your peers ALL THE TIME. They always said EVERYTHING that happened at the academy had a reason and what I am understanding is, just like being a peace officer now, you can't let your guard down...you can't just speed a little...be delinquent on some bills a little...cuss someone out at the store a little...you have to be cautious of everything you do ALL the time because if you get in trouble off duty, it will reflect back on the department... PERIOD! Being conditioned to respect that was VERY hard. I just wanted a few minutes to catch my breath on most days...maybe get a little more sleep...just leave for a few hours and relieve some stress...but even when I did any of that or tried to get a little of that...I found my decisions being made by what I wanted from the future...not from what I wanted right then. I had to weigh everything I did against the consequences. In all the other schools/academies I went through, there were breaks, there was a time to be on your game so you could test and then you could relax after you performed...but not CHP! Always one more task, a little more stress, a little bit more equipment and rules to be accountable for...someone watching and listening to every little thing you say to see if you will discredit what you have chosen to uphold...ALL THE TIME. It was like the water torture...DRIP DRIP DRIP...it was driving me crazy...it doesn't go away and you can't make it stop. The ones that had it a little bit easier were the honest, hard-working, conscientious ones.
I am not saying this isn't do-able...it is just a matter of putting your mind to it. It is VERY do-able...
ResQ, could you elaborate a little more on why our Academy experience was the hardest program you've been through? I think you are in a good position to compare and contrast which may be beneficial to others.
...If it will help get us qualified people who aren't afraid of some hard work....anything for you DW!
Maybe not the hardest ACADEMY...but the biggest gut-check...
This academy demanded more attention to detail and consistent discipline than any other program I have been through. This is because you are "present" all the time. There is no going home at the end of the day, knocking back some cold ones and letting your guard down. You are at the mercy and under the scrutiny of the Staff and your peers ALL THE TIME. They always said EVERYTHING that happened at the academy had a reason and what I am understanding is, just like being a peace officer now, you can't let your guard down...you can't just speed a little...be delinquent on some bills a little...cuss someone out at the store a little...you have to be cautious of everything you do ALL the time because if you get in trouble off duty, it will reflect back on the department... PERIOD! Being conditioned to respect that was VERY hard. I just wanted a few minutes to catch my breath on most days...maybe get a little more sleep...just leave for a few hours and relieve some stress...but even when I did any of that or tried to get a little of that...I found my decisions being made by what I wanted from the future...not from what I wanted right then. I had to weigh everything I did against the consequences. In all the other schools/academies I went through, there were breaks, there was a time to be on your game so you could test and then you could relax after you performed...but not CHP! Always one more task, a little more stress, a little bit more equipment and rules to be accountable for...someone watching and listening to every little thing you say to see if you will discredit what you have chosen to uphold...ALL THE TIME. It was like the water torture...DRIP DRIP DRIP...it was driving me crazy...it doesn't go away and you can't make it stop. The ones that had it a little bit easier were the honest, hard-working, conscientious ones.
I am not saying this isn't do-able...it is just a matter of putting your mind to it. It is VERY do-able...