USAFA: 2015 Incoming Questions

A

AFalconpride

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Messages
14
Hello! As a parent of an incoming cadet, I have many questions! Some dumb I am sure, others maybe not so.

Here goes! When you arrive to "check in," what personal items should you bring? Orthotics, personal hygiene stuff, books, etc? Also, when can our boy call home? How long before they can communicate?

Thanks!
 
Congratulations on your son's achievement!
Soon you will get what is referred to as "the exploding envelope." It has all the forms and instructions. It will give you a detailed list of what to bring, but basically, its toiletries, the clothes on your back, and the required completed forms. (Many recommend sending lots of compression shorts too.) Just about everything else will be supplied, or at least it was last June.
As for phone calls, my son called me just before he went up the steps on Induction Day, and then I didn't hear from him until his squad had their glider day. I think I heard from him one other time during BCT, and then when it was over. You sanity-saver will be Webguy. He takes tens of thousands of photos during BCT, and to the horror of your friends, you will look at every one in the hopes of catching a glimpse of your boy. You get access to Webguy by joining the Association of Graduates.
I find the "search" function very useful. Click on Air Force Academy, and then you will see a search box in or near the blue line. Type in any subject you have questions about, and it will pull up all threads that deal with that subject.
Welcome to the roller coaster ride!
 
what to bring

Basically stick to the list. Everything else you could possibly imagine is issued. However, one thing I would also recommend is to bring a few plastic shopping bags to put some of the toiletries in. They should come in handy when traveling to Jack's valley, because many then-basics, myself included, opened our ruck sacks to find that the body wash, shampoo, etc. had opened in the bag and stained a lot of the clothes inside.
 
What do we do now?!!

Yes, congratulations to your new cadet. The only pieces of information I can offer are yes, stick with the list, and have your kid run, run, run. The AFA is at altitude, and unless you're from Colorado, it takes some time to acclimate. Doing your basic sit-ups, pull-ups and push-ups are important too, as they will be challanged to do this stuff often during their basic experience. There's still time to improve stamina, so that's what I'd have your child work on.

With regards to communication, at least for the first two mos., it's basically one way... via the WebGuy, as stated previously; our cadet had one opportunity to speak with us and that was by chance (a kind instructor's heart...) during "Second Beast" (phase two of Basic Cadet Training (BCT)) while the freshman were encamped in Jack's Valley, their outside component of military training. My daughter, through the kind heart of an instructor whom let their squad call home for a minute (this was a pretty awesome time for both of us), was able to say "hi" to us and let us know she was doing well.

As parents, we tried (and succeeded) to write my daughter daily.. your call, but in speaking to my daughter, this was much appreciated. I personally tried to tap into her messed up sense of humor by writing things the only way that a dad with like sense of messed up humor sometimes can... in crayon... on the back of cereal boxes... cut and paste words from magazines; it was nutty, but she appreciated the humor. I also tried to send her a couple of sticks of gum once during her "second beast" (ha.. not allowed... ;) ), and the gum found it's way into the greedy hands of her cadre (BCT Instructors). Finally, we did something completely spontaneous by traveling from the left coast to Colorado on the day of her march out of Jack's Valley (she said that our being there was so unexpected, yet appreciated, that it nearly forced her to cry in mid-stride (they were all pretty haggard and beat by the time they had completed their time at Jack's). I took photos of the freshaman class, her flight marching from Jack's, as well as doing the same in front of Arnold Hall, when they made it "to the hill..." [This all seems nutty to you, but you'll soon understand...].

In any event, I wish your new cadet luck! Enjoy family time (and for your child... sleep and good food) for the next couple of months. Again, congrats.
 
OBXmom said:
Congratulations on your son's achievement!
Soon you will get what is referred to as "the exploding envelope." It has all the forms and instructions. It will give you a detailed list of what to bring, but basically, its toiletries, the clothes on your back, and the required completed forms. (Many recommend sending lots of compression shorts too.) Just about everything else will be supplied, or at least it was last June.
As for phone calls, my son called me just before he went up the steps on Induction Day, and then I didn't hear from him until his squad had their glider day. I think I heard from him one other time during BCT, and then when it was over. You sanity-saver will be Webguy. He takes tens of thousands of photos during BCT, and to the horror of your friends, you will look at every one in the hopes of catching a glimpse of your boy. You get access to Webguy by joining the Association of Graduates.
I find the "search" function very useful. Click on Air Force Academy, and then you will see a search box in or near the blue line. Type in any subject you have questions about, and it will pull up all threads that deal with that subject.
Welcome to the roller coaster ride!
Click to expand...
Thanks! We appreciate the advice!
 
anyone?

I'm brand new to this forum, but have read most of the posts. You all seem so helpful. I hope to get advice. Has anyone out there dealt with enuresis(bedwetting) and getting a waiver? My son will be devastated if this DQ's him from attending a military academy.
 
Journey -
suggest you post your question on the DoDMERB Forum section.
Or, email Larry Mullen (his info is all over the DoDMERB section) and he'll get you an answer
Good luck
 
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