KTMDad
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2014
- Messages
- 175
Appointees and their families......We were in your shoes a year ago. As many have said, congratulations. We thought it might be informative to share some of our knowledge for those whose journey is just beginning.
Please keep in mind that USAFA has been doing this for many years and works each year to improve the process.
Once Appointed and your DS/DD accepts the Appointment, you are part of the USAFA family. They want you to succeed.
USAFA will tell you what you need to know, when you need to know it, and in plenty of time. Their mission is not to disqualify an Appointee with some trick.
If you post something to the Portal as requested, they WILL get to it. Please keep in mind that this is an extremely busy time for them and they have a process.
Packing list – USAFA will give it to you in plenty of time and you should follow it. It is very simple – again nothing that needs weeks of lead time to get. You do not need Costco size bottles of shampoo or body wash as your Basic Cadet will have plenty of opportunities to purchase things at the C-store (like a drug store). So pack light and only bring what it on the list. If they do not have “socks” on the list, you do not need to bring socks. The only item our DS varied on was bringing black (not some bright color) compression shorts. I believe DD’s might have some other underclothing or hair suggestions which I have seen but didn’t pay attention to as we focused on our DS.
Do not try to sneak anything into BCT (snacks/spare phone/etc) that isn’t on the packing list. It will be found and there are consequences for bringing such items.
Basic Cadets can bring their cell phone/charger which they will turn in and get back on Doolie Day Out (just for that day).
Appointees need to keep working out like they did for the CFA. Do not be the Basic Cadet that can’t hold a wall sit for 15 seconds or can’t do 20 pushups or can’t run a mile. Last year there were a few who basically didn’t work out after the CFA and it was miserable for them (mentally and physically).
You do not need to arrive in Colorado Springs a week before I-Day to get acclimated to the altitude. If you want to vacation in COS, then by all means you should. Our DS wanted to spend every last minute possible at home (which is near sea level) with friends/family so we arrived a day before. Again, USAFA has been in the same location for many years so they have a process to get Basic Cadets acclimated.
If you are dropping you Basic off on I-Day and can make it happen, stay for the swearing-in ceremony the next morning. It is an amazing sight to see all of the Basic’s in uniform and learning to march. You get to see the transformation from civilian/student to Basic Cadet. Bring binoculars and you will not have any interaction with your Basic Cadet.
Sign up for Write2them.org. This is a way for you to write an email to your DS/DD and this group prints them and delivers them to USAFA each day (except Sunday’s). It was an easy way for us to send letters each day without having to worry about snail mail delivery. Plus you can add multiple other users to your account. Write to them often and encourage others to write to them also, but do not send pics or food as it will be taken away. The pic’s get returned at the end of BCT but the food doesn’t.
Sign up for WebGuy. You will spend hours each evening searching for pic’s of your DS/DD and see what they are doing each day. It can be tough as you might see some pic’s that make you wonder how they are doing and other days you might see that twinkle in their eye knowing everything is okay. It is a rollercoaster.
If you are able to, go to Acceptance Day. It will be the best hug you will ever receive, the best 2 hours ever spent with them and you will see the transformation of your DS/DD into a Cadet. The date isn’t published, but it is typically the Tuesday after completion of BCT so it might be Aug. 9th.
Make plans to attend Parent’s Weekend which is on Labor Day weekend. Plan to arrive on Thursday as there are events all day Friday. Your Cadet will be able to spend Friday night with you but will have to be back at USAFA in the morning to attend the football game. After the football game, they will be yours until Monday evening (I believe they need to be back before 7:00pm).
Join your local parents group/club and the USAFA Class of 2020 Face Book group (it is a closed group so you need to request to be added - there is a thread about joining FB groups). These are the folks who have gone through or are going through the same thing as you and will understand the roller coaster. For example, after you drop off you DS/DD on I-Day, your well meaning friends will say that they understand how you feel as they have dropped their kid/s off at college. The difference is their kid wasn’t getting yelled at as soon as the bus rounded the corner and you are completely cut off from talking to them until Doolie Day Out. These groups will allow you to talk about things, ask questions and just have a resource that understands this journey. For as much as it is the Appointees journey, it is also the entire family’s journey.
Finally, enjoy the time home with them. It will go very fast.............
Please keep in mind that USAFA has been doing this for many years and works each year to improve the process.
Once Appointed and your DS/DD accepts the Appointment, you are part of the USAFA family. They want you to succeed.
USAFA will tell you what you need to know, when you need to know it, and in plenty of time. Their mission is not to disqualify an Appointee with some trick.
If you post something to the Portal as requested, they WILL get to it. Please keep in mind that this is an extremely busy time for them and they have a process.
Packing list – USAFA will give it to you in plenty of time and you should follow it. It is very simple – again nothing that needs weeks of lead time to get. You do not need Costco size bottles of shampoo or body wash as your Basic Cadet will have plenty of opportunities to purchase things at the C-store (like a drug store). So pack light and only bring what it on the list. If they do not have “socks” on the list, you do not need to bring socks. The only item our DS varied on was bringing black (not some bright color) compression shorts. I believe DD’s might have some other underclothing or hair suggestions which I have seen but didn’t pay attention to as we focused on our DS.
Do not try to sneak anything into BCT (snacks/spare phone/etc) that isn’t on the packing list. It will be found and there are consequences for bringing such items.
Basic Cadets can bring their cell phone/charger which they will turn in and get back on Doolie Day Out (just for that day).
Appointees need to keep working out like they did for the CFA. Do not be the Basic Cadet that can’t hold a wall sit for 15 seconds or can’t do 20 pushups or can’t run a mile. Last year there were a few who basically didn’t work out after the CFA and it was miserable for them (mentally and physically).
You do not need to arrive in Colorado Springs a week before I-Day to get acclimated to the altitude. If you want to vacation in COS, then by all means you should. Our DS wanted to spend every last minute possible at home (which is near sea level) with friends/family so we arrived a day before. Again, USAFA has been in the same location for many years so they have a process to get Basic Cadets acclimated.
If you are dropping you Basic off on I-Day and can make it happen, stay for the swearing-in ceremony the next morning. It is an amazing sight to see all of the Basic’s in uniform and learning to march. You get to see the transformation from civilian/student to Basic Cadet. Bring binoculars and you will not have any interaction with your Basic Cadet.
Sign up for Write2them.org. This is a way for you to write an email to your DS/DD and this group prints them and delivers them to USAFA each day (except Sunday’s). It was an easy way for us to send letters each day without having to worry about snail mail delivery. Plus you can add multiple other users to your account. Write to them often and encourage others to write to them also, but do not send pics or food as it will be taken away. The pic’s get returned at the end of BCT but the food doesn’t.
Sign up for WebGuy. You will spend hours each evening searching for pic’s of your DS/DD and see what they are doing each day. It can be tough as you might see some pic’s that make you wonder how they are doing and other days you might see that twinkle in their eye knowing everything is okay. It is a rollercoaster.
If you are able to, go to Acceptance Day. It will be the best hug you will ever receive, the best 2 hours ever spent with them and you will see the transformation of your DS/DD into a Cadet. The date isn’t published, but it is typically the Tuesday after completion of BCT so it might be Aug. 9th.
Make plans to attend Parent’s Weekend which is on Labor Day weekend. Plan to arrive on Thursday as there are events all day Friday. Your Cadet will be able to spend Friday night with you but will have to be back at USAFA in the morning to attend the football game. After the football game, they will be yours until Monday evening (I believe they need to be back before 7:00pm).
Join your local parents group/club and the USAFA Class of 2020 Face Book group (it is a closed group so you need to request to be added - there is a thread about joining FB groups). These are the folks who have gone through or are going through the same thing as you and will understand the roller coaster. For example, after you drop off you DS/DD on I-Day, your well meaning friends will say that they understand how you feel as they have dropped their kid/s off at college. The difference is their kid wasn’t getting yelled at as soon as the bus rounded the corner and you are completely cut off from talking to them until Doolie Day Out. These groups will allow you to talk about things, ask questions and just have a resource that understands this journey. For as much as it is the Appointees journey, it is also the entire family’s journey.
Finally, enjoy the time home with them. It will go very fast.............