Time again for my annual trip to visit the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas, where I attended school for five years.  They have an alumni reunion every spring about this time, and I’ve been fortunate enough to visit each of the past eight years.  Whereas some schools have reunions for particular classes (10 years, 20 years, etc.), MMA hosts an annual reunion for all former Cadets, regardless of when they graduated.  That’s probably a good thing, considering that our graduating classes are pretty small (60 to 80 people), and Harlingen, Texas is pretty much the definition of “off the beaten path,” something that becomes quite apparent as you head south from Corpus Christi.

I visit every year  not only to see old friends and meet new ones, but also because I believe in the values that the school teaches and the way that they instill those values.  In a world gone mostly mad, with children running roughshod over their parents, it’s nice to visit a place where young men are taught simple but important values like respect for themselves and others, responsibility, and integrity.  The school has an enviable record of sending graduates to good colleges, including the service academies.  It’s the finest military school in the country and, in my mind, among the best college preparatory schools as well.