LDAC Question from a parent

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SPM

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I am trying to do some planning for the summer and I have a couple of questions about LDAC that I'm hoping folks can help with.

1. Typically when do cadets find out when they are scheduled to attend LDAC?

2. I think I've seen that there is some sort of ceremony at the end of LDAC. Is there one and is it typical for families to be invited and attend?

Thank you!
 
I guess it depends on the family and what they want to do, but unless you live close to Ft Knox, I wouldn't suggest going to LDAC graduation.

It's a real short and basic ceremony, more of a formality of completion than anything else, and you won't get hardly any time with your cadet. As soon as they graduate and change, they hop on buses to the airport (unless picked up by parents). I told my parents to not even bother trying to make a trip, especially since it's only 29 days.

But if you're nearby or interested in going to something like that, you may find it worth while.
 
My opinion is that it is not worth going very far out of your way to attend LDAC graduation. We are local so it only "cost" a vacation day to attend when DD went last summer. It's a nice enough ceremony, but we couldn't even pick out our cadet when she marched by, and only a handful of cadets are individually recognized. We did get to check DD out of camp, take her to lunch and then straight to the airport for her post-camp flight to her CTLT assignment.

If it's an easy drive or cheap flight, or if you want to visit that part of country for other reasons, or if your cadet is an end of camp commissionee, then go for it. Otherwise, I don't think you will get too many bad marks in your parenting gradebook if you choose not to attend.
 
Thank you to all.

Sounds like LDAC graduation is not something that I need to build summer vacation plans around.
 
Initially I didn't tell me parents about the ceremony... then the fiance did.... Oops... :rolleyes:

They made a whole vacation of visiting Seattle and watching me. I was able to cancel my ROTC arranged flight back so that I could stay with them longer in Seattle. If you do visit, you're allowed to check your cadet out the night before the ceremony for a few hours for dinner. This is meant for end of camp commissionees, but my cadre were fine with me going. You just have to sign out of the appropriate places.
Obviously with it at Ft. Knox, things will greatly change. but I figured I'd chuck my two cents in
 
I have another LDAC parent question--
Do cadets have access to their computers/internet during training? I ask because my son is applying to medical schools this summer and also attending LDAC. There are secondary applications that will be sent out after the initial applications and they are supposed to be returned ASAP (to show interest). If not, he will manage but it would be nice to know in advance so he can plan accordingly (right now he's assuming the answer is "no").
 
Nope. He'll have his phone for a day or so at the beginning and end, but that will be it. Even if he did, he wouldn't have time to use it.
 
Thanks for the confirmation. His command is helping him with the "best" time to send him to maximize his time to complete secondaries--I'm sure he's not the first or last in that position. He will plan accordingly! (hopefully!)
 
My son is going this year as well. I asked about the graduation ceremony. He said he would not want me there and no other parents attend.
 
nnmfam said:
My son is going this year as well. I asked about the graduation ceremony. He said he would not want me there and no other parents attend.
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We live close to Ft. Lewis, when my son graduated from LDAC in 2011 we went, the stands were pretty full of parents and family members. Not sure how many traveled or whether they just lived close enough. After seeing the number of family members there I would have to disagree that no other parents attend.

As far as the ceremony it was nice but probably not worth an airline ticket, if you live close though, there isn't any reason not to go. Since LDAC is at Ft. Knox this year we won't be making the trip.

We did fly down to his Flight School Graduation, funny thing is that I think that ceremony was shorther then LDAC's graduation.
 
nnmfam said:
My son is going this year as well. I asked about the graduation ceremony. He said he would not want me there and no other parents attend.
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We also live near Ft. Lewis and a lot of parents attended our daughter's graduation. I would expect many parents in the Ft Knox area will attend.
 
nnmfam said:
My son is going this year as well. I asked about the graduation ceremony. He said he would not want me there and no other parents attend.
Click to expand...

Imagine a 20 year old boy (they are still boys, contrary to their opinion) not wanting his parents around for the LDAC graduation.:wink: Remember, for all they have gone through, they still aren't at the finish.

In my DS's case it isn't that he is embarrassed by us, but rather he doesn't think he's really accomplished anything yet. That will come when he's commissioned and receives his bars.

I haven't yet asked my DS about LDAC graduation. If he asks to come, we'll go--faster than you can say "How do you get to Ft. Knox?"
 
At my regiments graduation, there was a fair number of parents/family, but they were mostly those of end of camp commissionee's, those that lived nearby, cadre from their school, or friends stationed at JBLM. A couple cadre from my school that were working at LDAC and a few friends I had stationed at JBLM stopped by mine just to say hi.

I'm not referring to anyone in this thread, but some parents hype LDAC up to be much more than it actually is. In the grand scheme of things, LDAC is nothing (in my opinion). That's why most cadets don't ask their parents to attend or want them to spend the money for the trip. Though if I was a parent and lived within a reasonable drive's distance (5 or less hours maybe), I would probably go. It's not a bad ceremony, especially with them adding a family day this year.
 
Dear Cadet (yes you)

Sometimes people want to go to something like LDAC graduation for reasons other than (or in addition to) witnessing their son or daughter graduate. If you are a current cadet, before shooting down your parents' idea to attend something, ask them WHY they want to go.

I would want to go to LDAC graduation:
* As an excuse to organize a gathering of the other parents from my son's school that I've already bonded with on other occasions.
* To hear any speeches made about the experience, i.e.: to learn more about what it was all about.
* Because it would help ME understand a little bit more about the military world, and since I am usually not "invited in" on ANY level, even one small event is something I'd be interested in attending if I could.
* To show support for not only my son, but the group of cadets from my son's school who made it through junior year, pre-camp, and LDAC. It might be one small step, but it's a bigger step than, say, NOT EVER MAKING IT TO LDAC IN THE FIRST PLACE because you dropped out or whatever.
* To show support for all of the cadets in that LDAC graduation -- I, for one, appreciate each and every cadet's commitment to becoming a leader in our military. It's an admirable thing for a young person to do, and I look for EVERY opportunity to show my appreciation for that spirit.
* Because I might actually get a chance to have lunch or dinner with my cadet, and these days since he goes to school so far away, ANY chance to spend an hour with him sounds like fun to me. If he doesn't have time for that, I'd still want to go, especially if I can connect with other parents from our school. Camaraderie among military families is extremely important to me.

So, you know, dear cadet, it's not always just about you.
 
LOL, like I said that is my opinion. You're free to do whatever you please. Like I said, it's not a bad ceremony and a good number of parents do attend (and the cadets do enjoy seeing people in the stands), but I advised the OP on their question, that LDAC graduation is not a huge deal so if a parent doesn't want to spend the money making it a trip when their DD/DS does not care if they attend or not since they would get very little interaction with their parents, it would be fine. If it was up to me, there wouldn't be an LDAC graduation, only a short commissioning for the EOC's. I'd rather have those support soldiers that have to stand out there with the cannons and make graduation happen do something else training than supporting cadets. JMO

Whatever reasons you want to attend are yours and entirely up to you, so it really doesn't matter to me. If someone wanted to attend because they thought the parade field at LDAC was pretty and they wanted to examine the grass, or if they wanted to see CDT Joe commission, I honestly don't care. It's all personal preference.

I preferred that my parents and I spend the money they would've spent coming to JBLM to instead go on a vacation where I would get to spend more than 30 minutes with them. It wasn't about me, it was about them getting to spend time with me.

Respectfully,
 
As somebody who went through "Advanced Camp" many years ago myself, as well as my DH having been Cadre at summer camp when he was an ROTC instructor, I can say that if my children end up going through Army ROTC, we will not plan on going. It doesn't seem to be the same sense of culmination like an enlisted solider graduating from basic training. It seem more like just a step the cadets have in the process to get to their culmination, which is when they earn their commissions. Now THAT is the BIG event that I would never miss. But to each their own......if you feel the need to be there, then go and enjoy your visit If you don't, I can't imagine any cadet feeling a sense of let down if their parents don't come. They just want to chill out with all their new friends and then get the hell out of there!
 
payitforward said:
* As an excuse to organize a gathering of the other parents from my son's school that I've already bonded with on other occasions.
* To show support for not only my son, but the group of cadets from my son's school who made it through junior year, pre-camp, and LDAC. It might be one small step, but it's a bigger step than, say, NOT EVER MAKING IT TO LDAC IN THE FIRST PLACE because you dropped out or whatever.
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Just so you know all cadets are spaced out through LDAC. The odds of being with another cadet from same school in the same Reg is not too bad, company is lower, and Platoon is even lower than that. Just so you know!:thumb:
 
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