arrival

I-Day is June 23rd in the AM. Unless you live within a coupe of hours drive time, you'll need to arrive on the 22nd.
 
Flights to Intake

This is a pretty small thing, but I am going to ask anyway. Does anyone know when the appointees will get the air tickets? I am going to be heading to Colorado Springs for intake with my daughter and would like to be on the same flight in if possible.
 
This is a pretty small thing, but I am going to ask anyway. Does anyone know when the appointees will get the air tickets? I am going to be heading to Colorado Springs for intake with my daughter and would like to be on the same flight in if possible.

You will get it with plenty of time to book your flight. I did the same thing last year. Enjoy your daughter these last few months.
 
I Day

The threads about I-Day are starting and will be getting a lot of attention as June 23 gets closer. For parents: Plan to go to I-Day if possible. Get a hotel for June 22 and June 23. You'll likely get on campus early on June 23 (@8:00 to 9:00...don't be the first, don't be the last) and wait in a few long lines with your child before saying good bye, and then soon see him/her get on the bus for that wonderful ride up the hill.
During this time you'll meet parents from every nook and cranny, large city and small town in America. You'll go to the parent club picnic at the campground and probably join a hundred or more parents buying Academy clothing and stuff at the visitor center. A few hours later you may visit the chappel wall and watch as small groups of freshly minted (i.e. freshly shorn and outfitted) basics walk across the t'zzo carrying large duffel bags. You'll get eye strain hoping for a glimpse of your child. (We saw our son walk by in a group of 5 basics and the sight is forever in my memory.) That night enjoy a nice dinner, get to bed early and then return to the chappel wall for the swearing in ceremony. Last year it was at 9:00am and space along the wall was shoulder to shoulder by 8:00am. Once they're sworn in and march away, you'll get that "holy crap" feeling...its a mixture of intense pride, fear for your child, the enormity of it all, and the realization you won't hear anything for about 3 weeks (ie. Doolie Day In around July 9 or 10). Don't miss it if you can. However, if you can't be there, the bed and breakfast program is supposed to be wonderful.
 
Thank you for the info!

Thank you Mikeandcris for the practical information. I assumed we would be done mid-morning on I-day, I'm going to call and change our reservations for one more night!!
 
The threads about I-Day are starting and will be getting a lot of attention as June 23 gets closer. For parents: Plan to go to I-Day if possible. Get a hotel for June 22 and June 23. You'll likely get on campus early on June 23 (@8:00 to 9:00...don't be the first, don't be the last) and wait in a few long lines with your child before saying good bye, and then soon see him/her get on the bus for that wonderful ride up the hill.
During this time you'll meet parents from every nook and cranny, large city and small town in America. You'll go to the parent club picnic at the campground and probably join a hundred or more parents buying Academy clothing and stuff at the visitor center. A few hours later you may visit the chappel wall and watch as small groups of freshly minted (i.e. freshly shorn and outfitted) basics walk across the t'zzo carrying large duffel bags. You'll get eye strain hoping for a glimpse of your child. (We saw our son walk by in a group of 5 basics and the sight is forever in my memory.) That night enjoy a nice dinner, get to bed early and then return to the chappel wall for the swearing in ceremony. Last year it was at 9:00am and space along the wall was shoulder to shoulder by 8:00am. Once they're sworn in and march away, you'll get that "holy crap" feeling...its a mixture of intense pride, fear for your child, the enormity of it all, and the realization you won't hear anything for about 3 weeks (ie. Doolie Day In around July 9 or 10). Don't miss it if you can. However, if you can't be there, the bed and breakfast program is supposed to be wonderful.


Go, really? I read somewhere not to really bother as parents for I-day. We didn't get any parent club info yet so wasn't aware there were any parental 'activities' but that makes some sense. I know my wife really wants to go and support DS those days but I showed her somewhere some advise about the bed and breakfast being a better plan for kids who live far away and that it was better just to come out for parent's weekend instead. The wall sounds like a sporting event or a watching of the 'running of the bulls' :smile:
 
I-Day for Parents

This is a personal decision for each family. If your DS/DD would rather say goodbye to you at the airport, so be it. For our family, DS was grateful we went with him. For us, since we had taken our daughter to move her in to State U several years before, it was important that we also be there to support our son - a form of closure for us. It was heart wrenching seeing him march across the t-zo, carrying his heavy bag of gear, being yelled at by Cadre. It was also awe-inspiring to watch the swearing-in ceremony the next day. We shed a few tears of joy, pride, apprehension - just the beginning of the roller coaster of emotions you experience as parents of a Cadet attending a service academy. We have friends who said goodbye to their son at the airport here in Calif. That was the right choice for them. - Cris
 
Some quick thoughts as our family prepares for I Day as well. My DS is a Falcon Scholar who received his appointment a few weeks ago. Last year we were visiting the academy on I-Day and observed some things that may be helpful to all.

There were a lot of parents who attended. I highly recommend it if possible and if your DS/DD is Ok with you being there. The young men and women who did not have parents or family seemed a bit awkward. They are so nervous. You do not spend much time with them except maybe the first hour. Then you say your good bye's, say a few prayers (amazing site to witness) and the last hug for a while and off they go up the stairs to finish processing and take their official oath. You might then get a glimpse of them as they wait for the bus then that is all for the time being.

They are wisked away up the hill and parents meet one another, support one another, buy class items with their sons or daughters names on it, eat lunch together, then wait at the wall for the glimpse (or the hearing of yelling:eek:) again. As an outside observer last year, it was amazing and you truly appreciate what they are going through.

Then on Friday you head back early to the wall and wait for the swearing in ceremony. They have been up all night and still they march in in formation to take the oath. Parents are with binoculars, signs with nicknames and yelling how proud they are and offering that last bit of moral support. Then off to the store to buy more USAFA stuff then home.....

Again if you can and if your DS/DD is indifferent to you attending I highly recommned it. It is the beginning of an amazing journey.
 
thank you for the information - i really wanted to go and my husband seemed ok with saying goodbye at the airport - am making reservations tomorrow!!:thumb:
 
I Day

OK I'm waaaaaaaaaay ahead of myself on this discussion because! Still waiting for the BFE :unhappy: HOWEVER! I'm thinking this: How can a cadet REALLY know if he wants his parents there or not?! DS states that if he gets in he does NOT want us to fly to CO with him. (He flew to SS by himself.) But my Mommy juices are just a flowin and :shake:... We're a very close family. I hug this kid every day when he leaves for school:wink: And I'm thinking that when he's looking around at all the other cadets who have their family support around them at that very crucial time... he may wish he had us there. Maybe that's just my hope - or - maybe he needs to do this on his own. Either way, I just want it to be the best possible start to his AF career. I need some more feedback on how many parents actually show up on I Day. Do most of them come? I want to hear from people who have done it both ways. And YES I will stay home if (he gets in and) he really wants me to....:wink: (...Anticipating a cutting the apron strings and a whooah! You're not even there yet post...:shake:)
 
On the subject of Airline tickets ..

If you're traveling with your DS/DD you can choose not to have the Academy send a ticket for your DS/DD. They (DS/DD) will later have to complete a travel form for reimbursement. The information for all of this, and more, will be sent to you explaining your options. This is what I remember from last year.
 
gotaplay 2 - i am with you 100%. ds is my only...i already told both my husband and him that i could not imagine saying good-bye at the airport. (although if he really wanted us not to go - i would respect his wishes) i have cheered ds on thru 18 years - i don't intend on stopping now even if its from the wall by the chapel!!! plus i'd love the chance to meet some of you:wink:
 
Traveling this path

i'd love the chance to meet some of you

Supergirl: YES!!! As much as this is about our DSs and DDs - it would be SO GREAT to meet some of these parents who have traveled the path with us!!! Again... not there yet...
 
It really does have to be about what the candidate wants.

Our son didn't want us to come for I-Day, and we accepted that. He felt he needed to use the time on the way there to get himself ready, without any distractions. We could accept this because he had always been that way. For football, powerlifting, and track....and even taking a big test, he needed time before to get himself "into the zone".

If your candidate says that they want to go alone, you need to put your own needs behind theirs.

Trust me, there are going to be many times in their years at the Academy that you will have to stand back and let them do it all alone. It is not easy, but in order for them to become the best officer that they can, you need to let them make the decisions.

Stealth_81
 
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