Parent planning questions

YorkieMom75 said:
AFAYahoo is right. This year it's at 0830 also. The CO Parents' Club put out the time on their website (see my previous post on the I Day BBQ). They also recommend getting there early to view it from the Chapel wall.
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Also, bring binoculars as all the cadets look the same at a distance!!:thumb:
 
Thanks for all of the help! Do any of you who have previously attending remember how long it took you to get off of the campus after the ceremony?
A rough estimate would be a huge help in booking our return flight. Also, i did not know until we received packet today that the USAFA reimburses airline ticket. Is it as simple as it sounds with just bringing your itinerary and receipt? Thanks for any help!
 
dallas5684 said:
Thanks for all of the help! Do any of you who have previously attending remember how long it took you to get off of the campus after the ceremony?
A rough estimate would be a huge help in booking our return flight. Also, i did not know until we received packet today that the USAFA reimburses airline ticket. Is it as simple as it sounds with just bringing your itinerary and receipt? Thanks for any help!
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The only time there's a "Real" traffic jam, is during football games. Any other time it's not that bad. You have to realize however that the United State Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, is the 2nd LARGEST college campus in the country. Berry College in Georgia is the largest with a lot of ground used for certain research and classes. The air force academy is over 18,000 acres. At 2am with no traffic, it will still take you about 15-20 minutes to drive in the south gate and get to the cadet area.

Assuming normal traffic in Colorado Springs, Castle Rock, and Denver, it will take about an hour to drive from the gate to Denver International Airport. Throw in the additional time on base, and you're looking at approximately and hour and a half. Unless you're from Wyoming. Then it takes about 30 minutes less. (We drive 85mph everywhere).
 
dallas5684 said:
Thanks for all of the help! Do any of you who have previously attending remember how long it took you to get off of the campus after the ceremony?
A rough estimate would be a huge help in booking our return flight. Also, i did not know until we received packet today that the USAFA reimburses airline ticket. Is it as simple as it sounds with just bringing your itinerary and receipt? Thanks for any help!
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I would plan on flight after lunch. You could easily make COLO Springs airport early afternoon. Denver I would target mid to late afternoon. Plan on being there early very early and standing till mid morning. :shake: Then it will be very hard to break away. It is more the emotion versus traffic........:thumb:
 
dallas5684 said:
Also, i did not know until we received packet today that the USAFA reimburses airline ticket. Is it as simple as it sounds with just bringing your itinerary and receipt? Thanks for any help!
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Your appointee will fill out paperwork during BCT for the airline ticket reimbursement, so make sure he/she brings the receipts you mention. But just so you know, the reimbursement will be to your cadet's pay account, not you, so you'll have to work that out with him or her! :shake:
 
Make sure you have all your documentation ready at the gate (DL or mil ID). Also, know they might look into your trunk, etc.

The other suggestion I have is DO NOT EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT while on base. I know a few parents who have learned this lesson the hard way... I'm just saying.

Christcorp: perhaps my sons learned their driving techniques in Wyoming? :shake:
 
Thanks everyone for all of the help! We booked a late afternoon flight out of Denver so hopefully it will all work fine! And thanks for the tip on the "reimbursement" going to DS! I might have never known! lol
 
dallas5684 said:
Thanks for all of the help! Do any of you who have previously attending remember how long it took you to get off of the campus after the ceremony?
A rough estimate would be a huge help in booking our return flight. Also, i did not know until we received packet today that the USAFA reimburses airline ticket. Is it as simple as it sounds with just bringing your itinerary and receipt? Thanks for any help!
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Also, make sure your DD/DS knows the distance from your home to the airport, as she/he will probably also get reimbursed for that.
 
Visitors at USAFA

Okay.....I have another question! I know that the cadets are not allowed to leave campus until Labor Day Weekend, but between BCT ending and Parents weekend can they have a visitor on campus on the weekend? We have friends that are traveling to Colorado Springs around August 12 and wanted to know would they be able over the weekend to go by and see DS. I thought I could call AFA on Monday and ask, but I figured one of you that have already been through it would have the answer! Thanks!!
 
dallas5684 said:
Okay.....I have another question! I know that the cadets are not allowed to leave campus until Labor Day Weekend, but between BCT ending and Parents weekend can they have a visitor on campus on the weekend? We have friends that are traveling to Colorado Springs around August 12 and wanted to know would they be able over the weekend to go by and see DS. I thought I could call AFA on Monday and ask, but I figured one of you that have already been through it would have the answer! Thanks!!
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I'm not sure about a visitor being on campus, but if all else fails, your son could meet them at the Cadet Chapel on Sunday and they could talk there since the Chapel is open to visitors even without cadet escorts (check the Chapel hours/service times/etc). If its a training weekend (I haven't looked for a schedule yet) your son might be tied up with squadron activities for part/most of Saturday so Sunday might be the best bet.

____________
Proud Mom, C4C
 
Calling AFA ?

IMHO. Calling the academy will not offer you any better answer then the one you have. There are to many variables that can not be answered with any certainty. Will he have a phone to communicate? Will they give it to him on weekends? Training? Knowledge? There are many things that go on for a doolie other than academics which will have started by that weekend. He may be allowed to go to service on Sunday but my money would say that's it.
You have to play this by ear at the time it is happening, there is no way to make definite plans on something like this. Calling the academy I think not, but this is my opinion and your dime. Good Luck to your son and your family. Welcome to the ride. My son will be looking forward to greeting the Class of 2016 as they come off the bus ;)
 
I agree with scraper.

I would not call! The AFA will see him as an adult like the AF sees an enlisted member straight out of HS. 18 is legally an adult.

It is now his responsibility to relay the info to you.
 
As a parent, I think new parents are getting some very harsh comments on these forums right now. Yes, these Basics will be considered adults -- but that doesn't mean that a new parent can't reasonably ask for some advice before spending money on a trip to Colorado Springs. Absolutely agree that there may be variables in August that can't be answered until August. Your Basic may not have a phone available to them and it may be difficult to discuss this by phone -- I think it is reasonable to expect that your cadet will be allowed to attend Chapel on Sunday morning (even if it is a training weekend) and that you can (probably) bring a picnic lunch and eat with them on the Chapel grass or the grass by the Arnold Hall parking lot (maybe at one of the Subways -- depending on what is open on Sunday). If you are attending the Acceptance Parade -- you can make a plan in person. If you are not attending the Acceptance Parade -- your Cadet will be able to use his/her own phone or borrow some upperclassman's phone to call home after the parade -- by that day your cadet will have a schedule of Blue and Silver weekends (weekends when there are training obligations on Friday evening/Saturday morning). Also check the USAFA football schedule if you are planning a trip anytime in the fall to USAFA. If it is a home football weekend -- buy a (usually cheap) ticket to the football game. You will be able to attend your son or daughter's squadron's tailgate (picnic, barbecue) and see them during the game (they won't be able to sit with you for the whole game, but usually can see you for a while and may, I emphasize may, get a pass for Saturday night if the team wins). Flexibility is the key -- that is the real message here -- the entire time your son or daughter is at the Academy there will be these unknowns and these frustrations. It gets much better once they are a 2nd Class or 1st Class cadet. Their schedule is more predictable, generally, and they and you can make more certain plans.
 
Thanks guys for the post. We are not a military family and know nothing about the military lifestyle, so this whole experience is new to me. Friends that are coming to the area just ask about a visit with DS, told them I would ask. Think they will be better to try to see him when they go back next year. Sounds like DS will be really busy and without having contact with him myself it would be very difficult to arrange for them to see him. No big deal just thought I would check.
 
dohdean said:
As a parent, I think new parents are getting some very harsh comments on these forums right now. Yes, these Basics will be considered adults -- but that doesn't mean that a new parent can't reasonably ask for some advice before spending money on a trip to Colorado Springs.
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Agreed! We don't want to scare anyone off--attending an academy comes with a whole different set of expectations/rules compared to a civilian college, so its normal to have questions. And especially if you aren't in the military, things that are obvious to those who have lived the military way their entire adult life (or longer if parents were also in the military) aren't always so obvious to those of us with no background to draw upon.

dallas5684, another thing to consider is that right before Acceptance Day in August, the new cadets fresh out of BCT will receive their computers so your son can e-mail (or Facebook message) to make plans even if he can't call you. On a side note, if your son doesn't already have a gmail or yahoo mail etc. account, it might be wise for him to set one up. My son says he gets tons of AFA e-mails in his official AFA account and its much easier for him to use his gmail account for anything personal--keeps things separate and easy to find.
 
I don't think any of the comments are harsh. The only thing being emphasized is:

1. DON'T call the academy. They are not a traditional university expecting or happy to hear mom/dad calling about little Johnny or Janie. Just like if your son or daughter had enlisted, and after BMT (BCT for enlisted), they went off to their technical school, you shouldn't be calling their squadron.

2. DO emphasize with your son/daughter that THEY need to check on some things for you. Matter of fact, being you won't have any contact with them during BCT, except through snail mail, and BCT IS NOT THE TIME for your son/daughter to be asking questions about things "After BCT"; I suggest giving your son or daughter a small list of things for them to check on after BCT. They can put this small list in their wallet. A question such as "After BCT, are we allowed to go anywhere after church?; is a good question.

Every class year and every squadron is different. Some get their phones immediately after BCT. Some at Parent's Weekend. Some not until October. They may say that except for going to chapel, the cadet is not allowed to leave the cadet area at all; for any reason. Then again, they might allow them to go to Arnold hall. Again, you need to have your son/daughter ask about this AFTER BCT.

Dohdean; I'm not dogging you, but don't think that it's "Reasonable" that they should be allowed to have a picnic after church or at Arnold Hall. It's just as reasonable for their squadron to say that all squadron members will eat all meals together. Especially so soon into their academy career.

I don't think anyone is trying to be harsh or mean to anyone. We know that the vast majority of posters have no experience with the military whatsoever. But Pima and Scraper are 100% correct. Your son/daughter needs to be the one that finds answers for you. As much as you want to think that the academy is a college, school, university, etc... with similar policies and procedures, it isn't. It's actually the military, which is their job. And currently, your cadet's Job/AFSC/Specialty Code is: STUDENT. And their job happens to be a 24/7 job with some occasional time off. Most people who's son/daughter enlist, have no real problem realizing that they are now in the military. But many academy parents have a hard time realizing their son/daughter are in the military. To them, it's just a university. A little different than traditional college, but still "School". Anyway dallas; there is no harsh intent to anyone's postings to you. They simply wanted to emphasize that your son needs to find the answers out for you; not you calling and finding out. And in the military, it's not reasonable to assume anything. Best of luck to you.
 
AFAYahoo.......Thanks for the info on the computers. Good idea on the yahoo acct! Also, that helps to know that he might be able to contact us by email before our friends are in the area and if it works out that would be good. I only knew he might contact us on doolie day out and really did know that we would hear from him again until Parent's weekend!
 
Combat boots

Hello everyone! To the parents of class 2016 like myself, congratulations on your DSs/DDs getting their much deserved appointments! :thumb: To the others who are parents of upperclassmen, thank you for sharing your experiences and wisdom to us newbies! :smile: We are from a non-military background and the support that I have enjoyed in this forum since last year has been tremendous, I am grateful. I read and re-read the parent information in this thread and found so much that helped me.:wink:

I have a quick question on the combat boots for the incoming basics. The instructions stated that they may purchase their boots before I-day, according to the specs they had: sage green, 8 inch height, rubber sole, waterproof with gore-tex. (This would help so he can start running in the boots prior to BCT.)The instructions also stated they must not be steel toe or safety too, no zippers, that the description and photos were in Bellevilleshoes.com for the Belleville650 or F650 for women. How important is it to get the Belleville 650? My husband loves Danner boots, another military friend likes Corcorans. Of course I'd get DS to try them on for the right size and fit, but is it best to just get the Belleville for uniformity so he won't stand out? Or is it okay for him to bring another brand fitting the specs? I just want him to be comfy...(anxious Mom).:redface:

I would appreciate any input. Thank you in advance!
 
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