Basic Training and Leave

TempleCadet

5-Year Member
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Jan 28, 2012
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I normally wear contacts, but I heard that during basic training they issue individuals a pair of "birth control" glasses. Lol
Can I bring contacts to basic training and wear them or do I absolutely have to wear the glasses they issue.
In addition, how many times can a doolie leave during his first year at the academy?
 
I normally wear contacts, but I heard that during basic training they issue individuals a pair of "birth control" glasses. Lol
Can I bring contacts to basic training and wear them or do I absolutely have to wear the glasses they issue.
In addition, how many times can a doolie leave during his first year at the academy?

You must wear the glasses during basic training. I've seen some pretty messed up pictures of infections in people's eyes, who wore contacts during basic training and got dirt in them.
 
I normally wear contacts, but I heard that during basic training they issue individuals a pair of "birth control" glasses. Lol
Can I bring contacts to basic training and wear them or do I absolutely have to wear the glasses they issue.
In addition, how many times can a doolie leave during his first year at the academy?

It all depends on your squad and how many passes you get. We were outstanding squadron during basic for first and second beast so we got extra passes for that, and I did stuff on silver weekends to rack up performance passes. So after all of that I left almost every weekend first semester, but second I think I only left a handful of times.
 
IIn addition, how many times can a doolie leave during his first year at the academy?

Like USAFA Falcon 15 said, a lot will depend on your squadron. Be aware, too, that passes can be cancelled for many reasons (bad inspections, academic issues, etc.), even at the last minute. It happended this past year where some cadets planned to leave over a 3 day weekend and had passes cancelled in their squadrons. Many unhappy cadets and parents that weekend!
 
I normally wear contacts, but I heard that during basic training they issue individuals a pair of "birth control" glasses. Lol
Can I bring contacts to basic training and wear them or do I absolutely have to wear the glasses they issue.
In addition, how many times can a doolie leave during his first year at the academy?

I heard that the Air Force has done away with BCGs this year. http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/01/military-eyeglasses-recruits-012012w/
 
I normally wear contacts, but I heard that during basic training they issue individuals a pair of "birth control" glasses. Lol
Can I bring contacts to basic training and wear them or do I absolutely have to wear the glasses they issue.
In addition, how many times can a doolie leave during his first year at the academy?

You wont care what you look like nor will any of your fellow teamates during BCT. Between the dirt and lack of sleep you will be more comfortable in BCG's. But do bring contacts for when it ends.
 
I have found the Academy to be pretty good about leave. My son came home (east coast) for a weekend in October during his first year. We were at one of his brother's last HS Football games and one of the parents with a son at WP, could not believe that my boy was home for the weekend.
This is his 2nd year, and I live in Colorado now for work, He comes home just about every weekend. Some weekends he has to study or has training, but most, he comes home usually with some of his friends.
I think some people make it out to be worse than it is. He definitely gets more leave than his buddies that go to USNA, and USMA. I have never heard him say he hates it there, although he does say that he likes it as much as you can like a place like that.
He has made some great friends, and it seems like the upper classmen really are pretty good to him and his friends. They usually get to borrow a car from an upper classman when they need it to run errands or to go to Denver.
He told me last year that an exchange student from WP said to him, that Doolie's, had more freedom than he did, and that young man was a junior.
I have never felt he has it too bad.
 
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My sons spent tons of time with their sponsor family (still do!) and that was great for them, and I believe not charged as a "pass."
 
My sons spent tons of time with their sponsor family (still do!) and that was great for them, and I believe not charged as a "pass."

I don't thimk it is as bad as people think unless you are on Acpro or conduct violations.
 
Avoiding any kind of probation is a good thing!

The basic pass package for freshmen isn't very much, but there are many things you can do to increase how many passes you get. Making any merit list (dean's list, commandant's list, athletic director's list) or doing something worthy of a performance pass with any regularity can add up pretty quickly.
 
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