We have friends and family members that would like to visit DS over the course of the school year. We know he can not see anyone over plebe summer but once that is over can they visit and possibly take him to dinner on Saturdays? What kind of pre qualifications or paper work needs to be filled out. What about family members willing to pick him up for holiday leave? His scout troop would love to visit but wants to know if he will be able to be with them to take them on a tour on Saturday if they show up. I know Semper Gumby! Never found out about SKYPE for calls home after Academic year starts. He has a few friends in the enlisted forces that want to try to keep up with him also that seems to be the preferred way. FB to talk with Sister and friends? Ballgames ---do plebes even get the chance to go to any away games? Example Wake Forest -is only 1 hour away and if he were to get to go could we see him? Is there paperwork we can fill out for all this when we are there for I-day or on line to have done before we get there? Sorry I know I will have more questions as we go !
Before trying to answer your questions, please keep in mind that some times what's OK in one company is not OK in another, and things even in the same company can change a lot from year to year.
1. Going out to dinner on a Saturday: This will probably be OK, within limits. On football home game weekends, Plebes do not rate liberty until after the game ends (depends on start time, but has been ~7PM the past two years). Plebes must be in their company area inside Bancroft Hall when liberty ends. Plebes may usually only ride in cars driven by their parents or sponsors. He/she (not you) would need to get a "chit" (approval) to ride with someone else, but such chits are often approved if the Plebe is doing well.
2. Weekend visits. Once PS is over, Plebes can have weekend visitors. Here are a few suggestions:
- Coordinate visits with other family and friends. Plebes use weekends to catch up on all the things they need to do (homework, cleaning, laundry, etc.). While they love visits, too many can be a bad thing.
- Not all weekends will work. Mids currently rotate on watch ~ 2 weekends per semester. During those weekends, they are not allowed to leave the Yard (not even upper class Mids). Also, they have heavy exam schedules every 6 weeks. Try to coordinate visits to avoid those times.
- It's sometimes best not to stay the whole weekend. Plebes cannot leave the Yard on the last day of a weekend (mostly Sundays, or Mondays of 3-day weekends). You cannot go up to their rooms, and they cannot sit down except in designated places on the Yard. Besides this, many Mids reserve the last day of the weekend for studying. Ask your Plebe what's best for him/her.
3. Giving Tours. Discuss this with your Plebe once he/she starts the academic year. If he/she is like my Mid, he/she will want to get as far away from the Yard as allowable on Saturdays. On Sundays, they must be on the Yard anyway, so that might be better, so long as the visitors leave by mid-afternoon. Visitors need to remember that they will not be allowed to enter the private areas of Bancroft Hall, even in your Plebe's presence.
4. Plebes to away games. This is an area that can vary a lot based on the Supe and Dant. Some years, Plebes have been allowed to request to attend away games. My Mid's Plebe year, no Plebes besides varsity athletes were allowed to travel until after 6 week exams were successfully completed. After that, Plebes who were "SAT" in grades and conduct were eligible to travel. Plebes definitely attend Army-Navy, and they attend Navy-Notre Dame when it's in Baltimore.
5. Seeing Plebes at games. You can definitely see your Plebe at half time of football games, and it's possible to see them before and after games, depending on the timing of when they must report in for company "accountability." (i.e., muster, roll call) They are expected to be with the Brigade during the game, except for reasonable excursions for snacks, etc.
6. Paperwork. Your Plebe will know (or will figure out) what paperwork needs to be filled out, and he/she will take care of it. Nothing for you to do.
