Working part time when on lave?

slacker

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
15
Can a cadet at USMA (while on leave during the summer and not attending other schools, etc.) work part-time to earn a bit of extra money?

Are there restrictions as to jobs?

Can't find another thread on this one and could not find anything on the USMA site. If I'm missing something; my apologies in advance.
 
You probably won't have time to work a part time job. But if you do, the restriction should be the same as regular soldiers - require your chain of command approval (implied condition is that it must be reputable) and must not interfere with your duty.

So if you want to work as a bouncer at a night club, it might not work.
 
Can a cadet at USMA (while on leave during the summer and not attending other schools, etc.) work part-time to earn a bit of extra money?

Are there restrictions as to jobs?

Can't find another thread on this one and could not find anything on the USMA site. If I'm missing something; my apologies in advance.

If you watch the Nat'l Geographic DVD series "Surviving West Point" (which IMO should be required viewing for all candidates, since it contains so much perspective on what to expect at WP), you'll note at least one cadet who works a job during his winter break -- working for a construction company for whom he worked prior to attending USMA.

But I think MemberLG's point is a relevant one... it appears that once you become a cadet at WP, you are a cadet 24/7 for 4 years, and all you do or don't do, on base and off base, is done as if you were in uniform.
 
I appreciate the responses so far and must apologize for my spelling...meant "leave" in the thread title, not "lave"!

DS is a US soccer referee and can pick up some local games when he's on leave. That's where I was going.
 
If you watch the Nat'l Geographic DVD series "Surviving West Point" (which IMO should be required viewing for all candidates, since it contains so much perspective on what to expect at WP), you'll note at least one cadet who works a job during his winter break -- working for a construction company for whom he worked prior to attending USMA.

But I think MemberLG's point is a relevant one... it appears that once you become a cadet at WP, you are a cadet 24/7 for 4 years, and all you do or don't do, on base and off base, is done as if you were in uniform.

If I recall, USMA regs now prohibit moonlighting during the summer. Army Regs do not, but USMA regs do. Just a thought.

Also, the summers are much busier now than they were 10 or 15 years ago when that NatGeo documentary was made.
 
Also, the summers are much busier now than they were 10 or 15 years ago when that NatGeo documentary was made.

I was curious as to when "Surviving West Point" premiered......the series started in Feb. 2002. Scoutpilot has a good point----West Point has changed a lot since SWP was produced! I guess it's good for an overview but it definitely needs to be viewed "with a grain of salt." West Point is constantly evolving.
 
Correct. 2002 and (I think into 2003).

Lots of changes since then. That's why I'm asking and appreciate the responses. Believe me, if I could find them (or DS) I would not be asking here.
 
Correct. 2002 and (I think into 2003).

Lots of changes since then. That's why I'm asking and appreciate the responses. Believe me, if I could find them (or DS) I would not be asking here.

I'm left wondering why you think your kid would need a summer job while he's a cadet.
 
If I recall, USMA regs now prohibit moonlighting during the summer. Army Regs do not, but USMA regs do. Just a thought.

Also, the summers are much busier now than they were 10 or 15 years ago when that NatGeo documentary was made.

I was curious as to when "Surviving West Point" premiered......the series started in Feb. 2002. Scoutpilot has a good point----West Point has changed a lot since SWP was produced! I guess it's good for an overview but it definitely needs to be viewed "with a grain of salt." West Point is constantly evolving.

Thanks for setting the record straight on this.
 
Also, the summers are much busier now than they were 10 or 15 years ago when that NatGeo documentary was made.

Even to the point that USMA has adjusted leave periods for AY 2012-2013 to provide for an additional week during the summer. This is to allow more flexibility in MIAD and similar scheduling.

Sorry cadets, that 2012 xmas break will be shorter!!!!
 
I'm left wondering why you think your kid would need a summer job while he's a cadet.

For the average 2015 plebe (soon to be yuk/PFC) there are barely two one week periods left unscheduled depending on which MIAD they took and the current CFT timeslot. Maximum of three weeks if all the dates align.

So even if they "needed" a job, there realistically just won't be much time for one.
 
For the average 2015 plebe (soon to be yuk/PFC) there are barely two one week periods left unscheduled depending on which MIAD they took and the current CFT timeslot. Maximum of three weeks if all the dates align.

So even if they "needed" a job, there realistically just won't be much time for one.

Not to mention that it is HIGHLY unlikely for the leave period to be in one solid block. I don't see how it would work in an official job where they would have to do paperwork to hire and terminate you just to have you there for a week or two.
 
Well there are always some exceptions, but very unlikely. I just happened to get Air Assault 4, immediately after CFT. Since CFT doesn't start until July for my class, I have leave from 25 May until July. It just happened to work out that way, but this is not normally the case. Just about everyone I know has leave split into two week periods at different ends of the summer.
 
As a parent of a cadet who is finishing her third year at USAFA, I think it would be very hard to work while you are home on leave. Having said that, I can see perhaps working in a family business or perhaps filing in at a job that you held previously (maybe subbing for others who are on vacation while you are home on leave). In our (college) town, I think it would be very hard to find an employer who would want to train and employ someone, even a cadet, who is only home for a short time over the summer and even less time over Thanksgiving and Christmas. You will also need down time after being at an academy and (no doubt) your parents, siblings (if any), family and friends will want to see you and spend some time with you. If there is a financial hardship that makes looking for some kind of employment absolutely necessary, I would recommend getting a commitment from someone you or one of your friends has worked for during high school -- maybe that employer would be fine with having you sub during the limited periods that you will be at home. But I think this would have to be someone who knows you -- it's a real hassle for an employer to take on someone who is only going to work for a couple of weeks.
 
ScoutPilot is correct in his assertion that current USMA regs prohibit cadets from having outside employment, so timing of leave really doesn't matter.
 
Back
Top