Visitation Question?

Blueangel5

USAFA 2016
5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
49
Good morning all, hard to believe the countdown is almost at an end! I had a couple of quick questions about people coming out to visit a C4C. What is the official policy for this? Are friends/family allowed to just come out for a "surprise" visit, does there have to be planning and communication with superiors beforehand? Thanks.
 
I see you are from the great state of Ohio. If you are wanting put up the expense to visit your future cadet, I would definitely coordinate. There are plenty of weekends where the cadet will be busy and unavailable due to mandatory training. Best to just talk with your cadet to find and plan for an open weekend!
 
I definitely agree with buffalo--surprise visits are not the best idea just because so many things can change last minute and its a lot of money to spend to not be able to see your cadet. Roughly every other weekend is a training weekend, meaning most of Saturday will be used up (and no leaving on a pass). And at any time, restrictions can come down on a squadron or even the whole wing, and even those with plans might have them cancelled. The military really doesn't care about plans, I know of cadets who had approved plans to fly home for a long weekend and had to cancel them at the last minute for whatever reason.

If you plan a visit ahead of time, your son/daughter will need to put in paperwork that (if approved) will allow him/her to leave the hill and stay with you in a hotel for the weekend (after LMD on Friday generally). If worse comes to worse and you fly to COS and your cadet can't leave, you can meet at the Chapel wall and spend time talking. Its great to visit, and both my husband and I flew out at separate times to do that, but we planned it ahead of time and it worked out fine! Even though it wasn't a surprise, our cadet was still thrilled to see us! As were the friends that came with us to dinner etc.! They love to get away for a bit, especially that doolie year.
 
Remember 4* cannot leave AFA grounds until PW (unless an IC doing travel with their team)
 
Remember 4* cannot leave AFA grounds until PW (unless an IC doing travel with their team)

Good point! And I assumed that Blueangel wasn't talking about during BCT either, as visits (surprise or not) won't happen then.

Many people take the first opportunity and visit for Acceptance Day in early August, you only see your cadet for a few hours after the parade, but it was totally worth it for me last year!

_________________
Proud mom of a C3C
 
Alright thank you all for this information, very helpful! I am the cadet in question, so I will be sure to pass this on to those who would be visiting, thanks again!
 
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