R-DAY facts

djjon22

5-Year Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Messages
68
hey everyone. last year i had the opportunity to attend R-DAY rehearsal. i went through the entire process as if i was a cadet. i can tell you everything that happened down to the second. if anyone has any questions feel free to post it.
 
Why do people bring bags with personals if they are taken away and issued everything they need?
 
Because a lot of times you need stuff that they don't provide you. This can include anything from runners lube to hair clips. Also since they mass issues many things, its sometimes better to bring your own stuff, esp when it comes to undergarments and socks.
 
There's a string orchestral group at West Point, and I'd like to play cello in it as a cadet. Would I bring my cello when I report for R-Day? I don't want to be 'that guy' though who brought a cello...
 
What uniforms do prior service come in if they are NOT coming from USMAPS? I have seen pictures of prior service in uniforms on R-Day and am not sure if that is just USMAPS cadets or all prior service.
 
There's a string orchestral group at West Point, and I'd like to play cello in it as a cadet. Would I bring my cello when I report for R-Day? I don't want to be 'that guy' though who brought a cello...

If your parents are coming up A-day, I would strongly recommend just having them bring it then. If you bring it to R-day, you will be lugging it around and you will not have a chance to play (except possibly at the talent show at the end but that's one time) the entire summer. Furthermore, your chello will be kept with the other civillian bags, generally sitting in a trunkroom which is not necessarily the best housing area for an instrument. I did this with my guitar and am very thankful I did. You need to make sure you have a good place to keep it as there have been some nasty instances of instruments dying in trunkrooms if your company won't let you keep it in your room. Tryouts for clubs and such occur after the summer so you would have time to play then.
 
Why do people bring bags with personals if they are taken away and issued everything they need?

You're going face a point in time on R Day when they tell you you have 30 seconds to transfer anything you think you'll need from your civilian bag to your green flight bag.
My advice -- Only transfer NECESSITIES. You're going to be hauling that green bag on your back all day. More you put in, heavier it is. And it's going to be your stuff + everything you're issued. And you will be able to access your civilian bag later to get things you left in it.

You're issued only the bare minimums. The running shoes are pretty crappy that they issue you, the underwear is enormous and not enough pairs of that or socks. The toothbrush is steel wool glued to a plastic stick.

I'm guessing as the time comes closer, they will start issuing you guys a suggested packing list. But it is pretty vital to bring some of your own stuff.
 
What uniforms do prior service come in if they are NOT coming from USMAPS? I have seen pictures of prior service in uniforms on R-Day and am not sure if that is just USMAPS cadets or all prior service.

Prepsters came in civilian clothes this year to integrate them with everyone else. I saw quite a few priors come in ACU but also recognized a few who were in civilian clothes as well. I am pretty sure it is up to you.
 
Prepsters came in civilian clothes this year to integrate them with everyone else. I saw quite a few priors come in ACU but also recognized a few who were in civilian clothes as well. I am pretty sure it is up to you.

Thank you. I'm a bit nervous on academics, need to brush up on Calculus/English when I get home.

In CBT, do New Cadets sleep out in nature everyday? Or is it just for FTXs/events? If not, do we sleep in the barracks on normal nights?

Also food - do we eat MREs all day every day, or do we get delicious chow in the Chow Hall?
 
Thank you. I'm a bit nervous on academics, need to brush up on Calculus/English when I get home.

In CBT, do New Cadets sleep out in nature everyday? Or is it just for FTXs/events? If not, do we sleep in the barracks on normal nights?

Also food - do we eat MREs all day every day, or do we get delicious chow in the Chow Hall?

You will sleep in the baracks and eat in the Mess Hall the majority of the time. You will only sleep in the field for specific training exercises and eat MRE's fairly often (more so during the second half of Beast).
 
You will sleep in the baracks and eat in the Mess Hall the majority of the time. You will only sleep in the field for specific training exercises and eat MRE's fairly often (more so during the second half of Beast).

Good information, thank you.

Also what is the policy on wearing military awards that have been earned? Will I be allowed to wear it on my uniforms as a plebe?
 
Good information, thank you.

Also what is the policy on wearing military awards that have been earned? Will I be allowed to wear it on my uniforms as a plebe?

They're yours. You earned them. You wear them on the uniforms on which they are appropriate. Congrats on the Acceptance and thank you for (continuing and expanding upon) your service.
 
They're yours. You earned them. You wear them on the uniforms on which they are appropriate. Congrats on the Acceptance and thank you for (continuing and expanding upon) your service.
Hooah, thank you.
 
You don't wear them until after March Back. When you put them on the first time, the people who have been giving you heck will then stare at you in awe. :shake:
 
You don't wear them until after March Back. When you put them on the first time, the people who have been giving you heck will then stare at you in awe. :shake:

Ohhh that sounds like fun. Haha :D

Does that include combat patches as well on the right sleeve? Or do we wear those in Beast? It would be kind of cool going low profile.
 
Ohhh that sounds like fun. Haha :D

Does that include combat patches as well on the right sleeve? Or do we wear those in Beast? It would be kind of cool going low profile.

Most prior guys were allowed to wear ribbons during beast on the W/G, our company did not allow that though. Deployment patches however were always allowed.
 
Also what is the policy on wearing military awards that have been earned? Will I be allowed to wear it on my uniforms as a plebe?

Two stories:
One from son in 2014: Classmate got a hard time from cadre during Beast: "What do you think you're doing! While you were home playing video games with your friends, we were here learning to be leaders!" etc. Next morning at formation from plebe: "Permission to make an adjustment, sir?" "Granted!"
Took out Ranger tab from one of his three deployments and slapped it on uniform.

Other from history. US tradition is that all military officers have to salute Medal of Honor winners. Calvin Titus was an Army bugler who won the Medal of Honor for actions during the Boxer Rebellion, and received it in a ceremony during his plebe year from President Teddy Roosevelt. Can only imagine that they didn't give him too hard a time.
 
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