 Ambivalent about his presence there , McCain chose not to conform to the Academy 's rules and some of its traditions . Each year he was given over a hundred demerits – earning him membership in the " Century Club " – for offenses such as shoes not being shined , formation faults , room in disorder , and talking out of place . His father came to the Academy to reprimand him on his behavior a number of times . He hated " plebe year " , the trial by ordeal and hazing of entering midshipmen that would eventually weed out one quarter of the class . He did not take well to those of higher rank arbitrarily wielding power over him – " It was bullshit , and I resented the hell out of it " – and occasionally intervened when he saw it being done to others . At 5 @-@ foot 7 inches and 127 pounds ( 1 @.@ 70 m and 58 kg ) , he competed as a lightweight boxer for three years , where he lacked skills but was fearless and " didn 't have a reverse gear " . In his final year , he managed the battalion boxing team to a brigade championship . 
