(Hindsight Editor: Alton (Spike) Lewis, 5 P/R 75, J-8)
Yes, hindsight is 20/20! It's the ability to describe an event in perfect clarity and be knowledgeable about every aspect, after it has occurred!
Let's get started with our first episode of 20/20 Hindsight!
Just before our NSPRAA Conclave, during Blue & White Weekend 2011, I had an opportunity to see something I hadn't seen in a long while, a set of pledgees who appeared to be pledge battle-worthy. When I use that obscure term, "battle-worthy," I am not referring to the fact that they have been beaten or hazed into some rock hard state, but rather that they appeared to be mentally and collectively together. Yes, they took on the outer appearance of looking like they had their act together. They looked like a line that bore the semblance of being "a unit of one" to coin and modify a term from the Army. I'm referring to the Spring 11 Pershing Rifles Line from Fort Valley. And I'm not taking anything away from the Morgan pledgees that were on line; they were good in their own way. But, I am saying that there was something about the Fort Valley line that was just impressive! The logical question that then follows, after seeing them, is "What made the line so special, so tight, so collectively together?"
The answer: It was the fact that a very mature and seasoned couple of brothers brought years of experience and knowledge to the table. It's the same reason that God made parents the oldest, so they could impart their knowledge on their younger, less worldly offspring. Creating pledgees is the same thing. Older, more mature, skilled and knowledgeable people must get involved in birthing and rearing new Pershing Rifles. Am I advocating becoming deans and taking the pledge processes away from the undergrads. Hell no! Am I crazy? (Don't answer that.) However, what I am advocating is that when there's alumni involvement, like in taking on duties and roles of management oversight, advising, and testing, i.e., the production of new, active and knowledgeable Pershing Rifleman, the end result can be a marked improvement, as evidenced when a few concerned and knowledgeable brothers brought love, talent, and time to the table to pledge and cross the brothers from Fort Valley. A big shout out and major accolades are extended to the following alumni brothers for a job well done:
Martin Jones, 2 P/R 97, Co J-8, Dean
Mark Winston, 1 P/R 81, Co G-8, Asst. Dean
Terrence Henry, 5 P/R 87, Co U-4
Thomas Dryer 10 P/R 89, Co H-4
Dion Lyons, 2 P/R 86, Co C-16
Anthony Smith, 3 P/R 83, Co A-4
Keith Kizzie, 5 P/R 85, Co P-4
But, please understand. It's not the fact that the alumni was involved in creating such a collective line that's the 20/20 part. Nay, it's another aspect in its entity. Right in the front row of the Conclave sat an impressionable kid, a young man or young adult, who is still, I would imagine, trying to figure out who he is, let alone what the Pershing Rifles organization is about and what is best for it and the affiliated alumni organizations. He was the Undergraduate Commander of Pershing Rifles, P/R Brother Nathan Jurgens. This young man has the ability to influence his staff and all the other undergraduate units in the organization. So, what is it that he can influence that would help both undergraduates and the Alumni? The answer: having/allowing/mandating that alumni, where available, play an active role in pledging/initiating new members into the society.
So, to the 20/20 part. It was a missed opportunity to positively influence an impressionable young man and subtly (or even boldly) suggest that alumni should be involved in the making of new Pershing Riflemen, and that involved, by no means, is equating to taking over, but rather to provide maturity and advice to the Dean of the line and be directly involved in the pledge activities by mandate of the headquarters.
So, the next time we meet as a NSPRAA collective body, let's take on tough issues and take advantage of perfect storm opportunities, as well. At the last gathering, that's what I would have done. But, then again, hindsight is, after all, 20/20. (<:)