How Sick Is Sick?

officer

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I know that during swab summer, all calls to home are forbidden. But if a swab is sick or injured, do they get to phone home? And if so, how sick/injured do they need to be to get that priviledge?
 
unless they have something that could possibly result in them not finishing the summer i have not heard of anyone being able to call home
 
Last year, swabs had a couple of opportunities to phone home during the summer: they got their cell phones returned to them on the day of the Mystic Flag ceremony and during their Eagle phase. If a swab didn't have a cell phone, there were plenty of people around who were willing to "share". Any swab who wanted to make a call had the opportunity.

Additionally, the swabs who were quarantined with H1N1 last summer were allowed to call home. If your swab is sick enough to be hospitalized, they will likely be able to call you.
 
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When I was in the ward with swine flu and pneumonia, I was allowed to call home about 5 days into my quarantine, along with the 30 other people in the ward with me. I was also allowed to call home once I found out I was being medically discharged. If you have a cold, you're not gonna get to call home. But if you're sick enough to get put in the ward, they will let you call home at some point to let your family know that you're doing okay. Additionally, for future reference to parents, the Academy Medical Clinic is not allowed to disclose any medical information to parents unless their child signs a waiver, whether your child is a minor or not. My parents tried calling to get information about me and the clinic would not tell them until I signed the waiver.
 
T&F, you bring up a very good point that a lot of parents don't realize. When your son/daughter goes off to one of the academies, they are not going off to a traditional college/university. They are NO LONGER your dependent. They are 100% adults and totally in charge of their entire future. Even if they are 17 years old. There is no difference whether they are at the academy, or if they've been on active duty for 10 years and are 30 years old. Parents don't have any legal responsibility or rights when it comes to their son/daughter at one of the academies. They are now 100% adults, no matter what you want. If they sign a release, information can be provided to you.

This can be hard for some parents. Most times, you have 4-5 years for your son/daughter to graduate college and gradually ween them off of your responsibility. At any of the academies, or the 17 year old who signs up as an enlisted member, all of your rights and responsibilities for your son/daughter go away that first day that they take their oath. Any information you may want to know, needs to come directly from your son or daughter, or by their written permission. I know it's hard, but this is not the University of IWishItWasSomePlaceIamFamiliarWith.
 
Parents don't have any legal responsibility or rights when it comes to their son/daughter at one of the academies. They are now 100% adults, no matter what you want. If they sign a release, information can be provided to you.
Same way at any other university or hospital. once they are 18 without a release, you don't get info.

officer - you might want to ask if the CGA has an official policy. At West Point any New Cadet who is admitted to the hospital is allowed to call home. If they don't want to call home - they are "ordered" to call home. I have heard that more than one TAC officer will stand by a hospital bed and tell the New Cadet (or Cadet) to call home, especially if they are facing surgery.
A visit to the ER or clinic is not the same as admitted to the hospital.
 
All very good responses. Don't want my son's leg amputated or anything wthout a phone call. :shake: :eek:-officer
 
All very good responses. Don't want my son's leg amputated or anything wthout a phone call. :shake: :eek:-officer

One of the cadets in my daughter's class was taken to the clinic and later transferred to the local hospital because of appendicitis. Mom and dad were notified when the cadet was going into surgery.
Also know that once the cadet's are sworn in they cannot come home and have medical or dental treatment without authorization from the Academy clinic. Medical and dental treatments all become part of their medical record.
Don't fret, the CGA clinic is very good and the Navy base (Groton) is close by.
 
We found out that our DS had an ankle injury when I successfully stalked photos of indoc that were posted. He also had a tag that allowed him not to run. Just remember that no news is good news. Wrap them in bubble wrap until they sign all the paperwork!!
 
Generally, it is true. You will not get a call. But never say never.

When our cadet was a swab, he called home one evening, inside a week of R-day. Gulp. He was struggling a bit and had gone to the chaplain. As I remember it, the chaplain let him make a call home, sensing that a few minutes would make a huge difference. Probably not even 5 minutes on the phone. He is now 8 weeks and a day from graduation. He did great and has a younger brother hoping to follow in hsi footsteps.
 
Chaplains allowing swabs to make phone calls....nothing created a bigger "craze" in the cadre, and some of the staff when that happened. :eek:
 
they never call anyway

I am on son number 3 going to college- he just happens to be the one going to an SA. I will tell you my own experience regarding the 2 older sons and what I have heard from the other parents whose sons go off to school. They do not call home. Ever. They do not listen to the voice mails on their cells, answer their e mails, respond regular mail, smoke signals, semaphors or anything, and then look perplexed when you finally get ahold of them and grill them over not calling. So be ready.
 
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$$$

They only call home if they need something... typically $$$. Bottom line - no news is good news. If your kid is calling home 24/7 there are problems ahead... So be glad their cutting off the parent drip and beginning their new lives at the Academy. It's the big step from childhood to adulthood, which means YOU must let them grow up.
 
phone stuff

Kids don't call, they text. If you don't have texting on your cell phone and give them grief because it costs 20 cents when they text you, then you are in for a long wait for communication. Some parents are miffed because they want their kids to call once a week, twice a week, whatever, and talk for 20-30 minutes. If you start putting pressure on your SA kid like this, then guess what? They are going to find you as stressful as the academy is and you will get further and further apart as far as communication and your relationship. Better for you to text them a couple times a week and send a short supportive message, even just saying, "love you" or "proud of you" or "know life isn't easy right now, but you can get through it" or anything like that. They love you but they are busy/stressed/trying to build a life of their own.
 
Kids don't call, they text. If you don't have texting on your cell phone and give them grief because it costs 20 cents when they text you, then you are in for a long wait for communication. Some parents are miffed because they want their kids to call once a week, twice a week, whatever, and talk for 20-30 minutes. If you start putting pressure on your SA kid like this, then guess what? They are going to find you as stressful as the academy is and you will get further and further apart as far as communication and your relationship. Better for you to text them a couple times a week and send a short supportive message, even just saying, "love you" or "proud of you" or "know life isn't easy right now, but you can get through it" or anything like that. They love you but they are busy/stressed/trying to build a life of their own.

Well put. I concur 100 percent. We also try to make most conversations "non-business", meaning little talk of grades and classes. We discuss what's going on at home, movies we've seen, funny stories about his little brother and sister, and the like. And, prefacing each phone call with "I know you can't talk long...." takes the pressure off and son can say goodbye knowing that we understand how very limited his time is. That said...I do tell him that a text once a week saying "I'm alive and hanging in there " is appreciated, if not expected.

All in all, since son started at CGA, we've been pleasantly surprised by how much contact we get. Is it as much as we had hoped for? Probably not, but seeing him become independent and able to tackle the academy without needing us to advise him every step of the way, has been good for this mom's soul. I am a bit jealous, though, of the parents who get the daily text...:wink:
 
And the further along they get the less you'll hear from them, their lives get busier and much more exciting as they earn the privilege of leaving CGA for the weekend. Add a "significant other" to the equation...well, that's what growing up is all about :biggrin:
 
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