I Day Woes

usmahopefulnc said:
After a long, incredible journey, it's really almost here. Im not gonna lie, Im terrified. I am sad about leaving my family and my hometown. Im wondering if this will be worth it. I would appreciate any words of advice...
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You're going to be okay.
It isn't going to be as bad as enlisted bootcamp, and safety is a priority.
You're just going to be yelled at a bit and run around too.
 
I'm a Zoomie, not a Squid, but the stories have a similarity. Here are 2 quick ones from a couple of my USAFA classmates -- stories from 37 years ago . . .

Story #1: "The barber leaned down and whispered "You want to keep your hair?" My friend had cut his hair fairly short before showing up, so hope sprang and he replied "Sure". The barber then boomed "Well then hold out your hands, 'cause here it comes!" . . . . :welcome1:


Story #2: "My Dad was a musician, which should impart my level of "military preparedness" for basic. After the PTSD trauma of exiting the bus, getting my Bruce Jenner hairstyle shaved off, and being issued mystery items as a newly minted basic, I was deposited in my room shortly before lunch time and told to "get squared away..."--I had no idea what "squared away" meant. About twenty minutes later I saw a blue shirt walking past, which was fortunate, because I was getting tired and thirsty. I walked out into the hall (in my socks, no less), and asked, "Hey man, where's a coke machine around here?" My immediate response to his reaction in that first 1/4 second was, "What does this dude have against Coca-Cola?" Then I realized, under his spittal-assisted tutelage, that maybe I shouldn't be prosecuting this line of questioning. For the next week, I was "Coke Man" and the default demo basic--at least until succeeded by [name withheld out of respect ;)], who, when reciting his knowledge of Air Force ranks, when asked about Colonel, responded, "Colonel, O-6, denoted by a silver...bird..." "What kind of bird, Mr. XXXXXX?"

"Ma'am, it's a ...chicken!" Saved by basic cadet chicken."
:jaw:

Try not to be "Coke Man" . . . definitely don't become basic cadet chicken

You will have your own stories . . eventually they will even seem funny . . . you will be fine
 
^^ Excellent!

I was my platoon's Dive Captain for about the first week and a half. If it was droppable, I dropped it. Ah-WOOOOOOO-gah!!
 
A squadmate and close friend of mine was on triple sir/ma'am sandwiches for a while...it was hard not to laugh. A detailer was trying to motivate our platoon the night before the last plebe summer PRT...he threw his Nalgene bottle on the hall deck (where everyone was lined up), it popped right back up and hit a plebe in the face...thankfully the classmate wasn't hurt. Since we were required to sing songs under VADM Rempt, one of the detailers said we sounded worse than a bunch of people stepping on cats.
 
I remember some double sir sandwiches but never saw a triple! I always enjoyed the lists of 100 differences between a man and a woman when Plebes couldn't get it right. Some of those lines were classic. One of my favorite ones was as a Detailer. We had an alpha room inspection (for parents these are the formal very detailed room inspections) and I had a young man leave mints on his pillow. I nearly lost it trying to keep a straight face and tear into him, but man that was a good one.

For the parents new to this... Plebes have to write a thought of the day and turn it in every night at Blue and Gold. Yes every night after shower and 'personal time' they line up and sing Blue and Gold. It's usually a pretty funny part of the night as they pass word, check their feet for blisters, hand out mail and things like that. The thoughts of the day are to sort of gauge mentally where Plebes are, they can write if something is wrong and they need sick call or need something from the Mid Store. For the most part they are pretty benign but every once in awhile a Plebe will cry out for help if they are at their breaking point. I had one young man who wrote a small riddle daily like 'If a turtle loses it shell is it homeless?' Or 'Why did kamikazee pilots wear helmets?' Every day we had to select 5 of these to send to the Plebe Summer OIC, a USMC Colonel to read. Well every day I had to hand deliver this one and we discussed it for a solid 5 minutes. At the end of the summer I brought the young man to the Colonel to introduce him and get a coin. Their Detailers should return these to them. Keep them. I still have mine along with all the letters everyone wrote me during PS. Plebe Summer is stressful but it is also funny as heck.
 
In the moment, I-Day is everything, because, at the end of the first day, it's all you know. It's startling, it's a shock, it's madness, it's emotional, it's mind-numbing . . . all at once. However, by the end of the first week, by the end of the summer, by the end of plebe year, by graduation . . . and the rest of your life, it really is nothing more than a blip or a blur. My memories of the day are more from the pictures my parents took than actually remembering the day itself.

IMHO, it's harder on parents. For them, I-Day symbolizes the beginning of true independence/emancipation of their child. It's all done in a single day -- hugging them at Alumni Hall as a civilian and, then, 8-10 hours later, seeing them as a member of the military. And knowing they won't see their kid for another ~45 days. And that their child is now truly an adult. It's a lot to process.

For both, it's kind of like jumping into cold water. Immediate shock and then gradual acceptance. It's just the memories are more the shock for the parents and the gradual acceptance for the mid.
 
I tell DH stories about plebe summer or plebe year and he's never ambivalent. It's either "That is the craziest thing I have ever heard" (e.g. fashion shows, rack races, the second who ordered me to report with 50 classmates' copies of Reef Points - parents, your plebes can get smoked being outside their rooms without their copy of Reef Points on their person) or "That is the funniest thing I've ever heard (pretty much all the other plebe hassles, trials, and tribulations). I hated plebe summer, but I would not be a smidgen of the person I am now without those six weeks. Also, I get the feeling that DH is just a teensy bit jelly about not having the PS experience.:cool:
 
Yes, it is hard for me as a mom...when I am driving & the weather is hot I feel awful, when I am eating a good meal I feel guilty & when I am comfortable in bed I worry DS will fall out of his bed (bed is high, no side rail?). He grew up in the suburbs outside of Philly, a spoiled suburban kid who doesn't know much about suffering or hardship, longest time away from home was during NASS. Oh well, hope he is doing well!
 
Blessedmom said:
Yes, it is hard for me as a mom...when I am driving & the weather is hot I feel awful, when I am eating a good meal I feel guilty & when I am comfortable in bed I worry DS will fall out of his bed (bed is high, no side rail?). He grew up in the suburbs outside of Philly, a spoiled suburban kid who doesn't know much about suffering or hardship, longest time away from home was during NASS. Oh well, hope he is doing well!
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HE IS. He has already made friends. He has already done something, at least one thing, he didn't think he could. He has thought about home and his mom a lot. He's had conversations with you in his head, standing there in formation, sweating, waiting for something to happen. He's already thought about making you proud. He's laughed a few times already - really laughed, not just chuckled to get along. I'll bet he's also had a moment when he's felt like, I belong here. I really belong here. I don't get it all yet but this is where I need to be.
 
So true. Today he got some time at church (if that his his thing) and thought alot about family. They also got some down time to eat donuts away from Detailers. Chaplains made the rounds to check on them and they got a chance to actually talk to their new friends. Tomorrow they will get a BBQ (and field meet if they still do that) then watch fireworks. He will get another chance to talk and laugh. Then Tuesday will roll around and he will be looking forward to his first call home and can't wait for Sunday again! They are starting to do things right every once in awhile and starting to move like a military organization. They now know the Detailers are really there for them, they really care about them and want them to succeed. We mentioned this is a blip although it seems huge right now. He will be a lot more uncomfortable and do harder things in his career than this. Hang in there, he is where he wants to be and is thriving!
 
NavyHoops said:
And guess what? Your Detailers are sitting back at Bancrft running around right now thinking if they have what it takes to train you? They are nervous about doing the job right! The first few days will feel like a fog, that is ok. So is everyone else!
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Hoops ... as always ... you are so right ... I remember being a part of the Summer BCT cadre at USAFA and wondering how we were all going to pull this off ...

The Plebes are going to get a whole new set of experiences, and the Cadre are going to be learning too, albeit under supervision. It is frankly a pretty good model.

My first real leadership experience was as Cadre to USAFA Class of 85. I was a 2 degree (junior) and was the squadron training sergeant (highest ranking junior in the squadron) and responsible for the "proper training" of "my basics". It all worked out since at the end of BCT our squadron finished in first place among the 10 BCT squadrons. (We swapped out cadre half way through, and when we left, our BCT squadron was in first place by a goodly amount, and then they maintained the lead to finish in first.) I was always proud of that. I think "my basics" initially thought, in those first few days, that I was some goon. I was pretty hard with high standards but felt I was fair. I had just returned from 3 weeks at Army Airborne School (also known as "Air Force Appreciation") and had the haircut to show it. Later I was told they all thought I was the equivalent of the Tom Cruise character from the movie TAPS (his insanity, not the looks) and they were just waiting for me to stab a bible with a sword and light it on fire. The surprising, and humbling thing to me is I still have "strangers" come across a restaurant, or some other room, to greet me, reintroduce themselves as having been one of "my basics" from BCT and to thank me . . . It is amazing the impact you can have on people and that they, in turn, can have on you

Parents . . . In 2 years, your Plebes will be the Cadre . . .and in 4 years they will be responsible for their assigned troops . . . pretty awesome
 
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Usna1985, so true! I Day is the start of a remarkable transformation of our DD and DS!
 
usna1985 said:
In the moment, I-Day is everything, because, at the end of the first day, it's all you know. It's startling, it's a shock, it's madness, it's emotional, it's mind-numbing . . . all at once. However, by the end of the first week, by the end of the summer, by the end of plebe year, by graduation . . . and the rest of your life, it really is nothing more than a blip or a blur. My memories of the day are more from the pictures my parents took than actually remembering the day itself.

IMHO, it's harder on parents. For them, I-Day symbolizes the beginning of true independence/emancipation of their child. It's all done in a single day -- hugging them at Alumni Hall as a civilian and, then, 8-10 hours later, seeing them as a member of the military. And knowing they won't see their kid for another ~45 days. And that their child is now truly an adult. It's a lot to process.

For both, it's kind of like jumping into cold water. Immediate shock and then gradual acceptance. It's just the memories are more the shock for the parents and the gradual acceptance for the mid.
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As a father whose son is currently in his first week of Beast at West Point, you really hit the nail on the head. We are waiting to get our first phone call, and hope he sounds positive, but I do know that he was way more ready for this than my wife and I were. Sending a 17 year old kid to a SA it tough. Last Monday (R-day) was perhaps the most emotional day of my life. But after we hugged him, and after he started walking away, knowing we were extremely choked up, he deliberately looked back and smiled to put us at ease. It worked too, at least with me (dad).

I know my son has a great temperament to survive at USMA, but I also know it will be hard. Mostly though, I'm going to miss him.

I think these new cadets or mids need to just remind themselves that they are not going to get killed or even beat on. Just finish the marathon. One hour at a time. When it's done it's done.
 
LongAgoPlebe said:
HE IS. He has already made friends. He has already done something, at least one thing, he didn't think he could. He has thought about home and his mom a lot. He's had conversations with you in his head, standing there in formation, sweating, waiting for something to happen. He's already thought about making you proud. He's laughed a few times already - really laughed, not just chuckled to get along. I'll bet he's also had a moment when he's felt like, I belong here. I really belong here. I don't get it all yet but this is where I need to be.
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Ok, I held back tears all week. Even I-Day, but you just got me. I am so proud of every mid!
 
Often tell entering Plebes to remember two things:
1. They can't kill you;
2. They can't stop the clock.

Plebe Summer/Plebe Year does end, and every Plebe gains an enormous amount of satisfaction and confidence for having endured and conquered it.
 
MIHOSER said:
My S is a 2014 grad, so his I Day was in 2010.

When asked about Plebe Summer now, he will say it was as if he was attending a really bizarre summer camp with very strange rules, but that if you went with the flow, instead of trying to fight it at every turn, it passed by without too many bumps.
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This is EXACTLY my description of RT when I got home. I loved every minute of it, even when we were getting yelled at.
 
Love the clock reference. Can remember looking at that one lonely X on the calendar and then later so short I needed a ladder to get out of my rack. Then one day and a wake up. They will remember the great times and great friends before all else. Met DD on Stribling exhausted, sweating (those Plebe Whites are like a sweat box) and hungry. How was today? Answer: I had hockey coaches yell at me more, please hand me that sandwich. Get darker sunglasses it is the sun that makes the eyes tear. I have some pictures of Plebes running the Ho Chi Mihn trail for slurpies (I think they closed it off and under oath I could not identify anyone involved) and hanging banners from the lamp posts out toward the stadium at night before a home football game. Police pull up and shine the light and tell them don't fall we have to do a lot of paperwork if you do and drive off.
 
Not to highjack the thread but parents should start thinking about PPW. It is a long way off in parents scheme but not that long away as it is 8/11/16 on Plebe calendar or hotel and realtor calendar. Questions to ask. How many will go? How will they get there? Transportation for all from BWI or Amtrak and back and forth to gate 1 or walk? Just parents, maybe a hotel. More than two but less than or four total, maybe two hotel rooms. More, maybe a rental? We have had great luck with "Home Away" for rentals in the Annapolis area (PPW, Graduation and Wedding). There are some other great rental sights in Annapolis with some great rentals for families and friends. Daily cost may look high but figure the hotel rate per night for a number of rooms and it doesn't look so bad and some have yards with grills. Without friends from home your plebe will probably only shower and sleep so plan accordingly. Friends of my Plebe said that touring DTA with her in her summer whites was like being with a rock star but then again when in your life do you get to be a tourist attraction. As an aside, curfew during PPW is a nightmare and you will see Plebes jumping out of cars and running to check in as you wait in your car in the long line to get to the gate. Don't know if they still play the Christmas Carols out the windows of Bancroft as parents leave at end of PPW but I still laugh when I think of that.
 
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AF6872 said:
Love the clock reference. Can remember looking at that one lonely X on the calendar and then later so short I needed a ladder to get out of my rack. Then one day and a wake up. They will remember the great times and great friends before all else. Met DD on Stribling exhausted, sweating (those Plebe Whites are like a sweat box) and hungry. How was today? Answer: I had hockey coaches yell at me more, please hand me that sandwich. Get darker sunglasses it is the sun that makes the eyes tear. I have some pictures of Plebes running the Ho Chi Mihn trail for slurpies (I think they closed it off and under oath I could not identify anyone involved) and hanging banners from the lamp posts out toward the stadium at night before a home football game. Police pull up and shine the light and tell them don't fall we have to do a lot of paperwork if you do and drive off.
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So you don't have to search:
http://www.serviceacademyforums.com...Parents-Weekend-Commissioning-Week-CVW.47512/
 
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