New Thanksgiving Break Schedule

Blackbird

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While at In-Processing this last Thursday, we stopped by the Academic Affairs table and were given an Important Dates to Remember sheet that listed, among other dates, the Thanksgiving Break.

Thanksgiving Break: 17 Nov - 25 Nov 12: Military Training is scheduled to end at 11:30 am on 17 Nov 12. No flights earlier that 1:30 pm from Colorado Springs or 3:30 pm out of Denver. Information about commercial bus transportation provided by 10th Force Support Squadron to and from Denver International and Colorado Springs Airports will be announced in Happenings, the weekly newsletter distributed to cadets. Cadets should forward this information to their parents for travel planning if/as appropriate. Ticket sales begin around 6 Sep 12. Only those who buy tickets by 9 Nov 12 are guaranteed a ride. Tickets sold after 9 Nov 12 will be on a space-available basis only. Buses leave ON TIME from the base of the Core Values Ramp. All cadets must be back in their squadron by 7:00pm. (10SVS/SVROC/333-4602)

I recognize that these dates are different than the schedule posted here that is also on the USAFA site. However, the gentleman in Academic Affairs that spoke to us was excited that they were trying something different and had moved a few days around to allow the cadets to have a full week off at Thanksgiving. We have not booked airline tickets based on this new schedule yet and I would love to get a confirmation from someone else that this is valid. However, I did check flights on Kayak.com last night. Nov 17 is a Saturday. And Saturday has very limited flight options heading east particularly out of Denver since cadets can't leave until after 3:30 pm MST (5:30pm EST).
 
I'm seeing this posted elsewhere as well, and it's definitely different than the official calendar we received or what's happened in the past. I really hope it's not the case since going back on Sunday (after Thanksgiving) as opposed to Monday will cost a fortune for airfare. This timing doesn't make a lot of sense to me either as USAFA has a home football game on the 17th against Hawaii. I know in the past the Wing hasn't been there for games over Thanksgiving Weekend itself, but it seems very strange to schedule a home game and then release them that morning! :confused: My son is in D&B so I'm betting he'll have to be there for the game in any case so I guess I'll hold off on buying tickets for now.
 
Last year their leave was from Nov. 22 (LMD) to Nov. 27th. They were to return by 1900 on Nov. 28th. So, if this year the leave is Nov. 17-25 then it is possible they will return by 1900 on the 26th. It is nice to have them home through the weekend.
 

Ah, that makes a lot of sense then requiring them to stay until the next morning and have them clean rooms and get checked out. I was looking at the original press release for the schedule which showed it on 11/17 but found the updated one on the same website.

I did speak with the new parent liaison at USAFA who said she's received several phone calls about it and was trying to get confirmation on the dates. She took my number and said she'd give me a call back once she had the info. I'll post here if I hear anything back.

I just saw that Southwest had a sale on flights now through the end of the week and the Sunday (11/25) flight looked kind of reasonable (yes, still $200 one way but that's about what I've started to expect to the Midwest, at least for a holiday period). Maybe I'll go ahead and book that and I could always change it to Monday and just get the credits if that happens. Thinking we'll have a LOT more trouble getting a Sunday flight than Monday! Thanks!
 
This is what I received back - looks like it has in fact changed!

Please see the updated USAFA academic calendar for 2012/13 on the website at http://www.usafa.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-111208-035.pdf. Apparently the calendar was modified in May 12 but not posted on the web. Thanksgiving break is from 17 – 25 Nov. Remember that each cadet has different schedules and may have military duty so your cadet will need to let you know when he/she will be free to depart USAFA (LMD=last military duty).

v/r
Sue

SUE CHRISTENSEN
Special Plans and Events Specialist
 
One thing that is constant at USAFA -- change!

But does it make sense to anyone why they now have off Friday, Oct 5 before the HOME Navy game, and now have classes Friday, Nov 2 before the AWAY Army game?
 
As we always said "If it made sense, it wouldn't be West Point!" :rolleyes:

Seriously, I have no idea other than maybe they figure they'll have a lot of fun activities that involve everyone at USAFA for the Navy game but that most people won't be going out for the WP one? I know my son will be with D&B so now he'll be missing extra classes then.

I'm most annoyed though by the return on the 25th - I can't find anything under $240 or so just for the one way return on that day (I wouldn't consider booking coming home yet) and the only flight I can find on Southwest is at 7am, which I'm sure he'd just love!
 
Marcieme,

Thanks for following up and providing verification for the new Thanksgiving schedule.
 
As we always said "If it made sense, it wouldn't be West Point!" :rolleyes:

Seriously, I have no idea other than maybe they figure they'll have a lot of fun activities that involve everyone at USAFA for the Navy game but that most people won't be going out for the WP one? I know my son will be with D&B so now he'll be missing extra classes then.

I'm most annoyed though by the return on the 25th - I can't find anything under $240 or so just for the one way return on that day (I wouldn't consider booking coming home yet) and the only flight I can find on Southwest is at 7am, which I'm sure he'd just love!

Now why would you believe they havn't made another mistake on classes for Navy and Army games respectively.
 
I'm a newbie, so do you think it would be safe to book flights on Saturday afternoon or is there a chance that they still might have some sort of military duty to perform? Seems to me that if they're having bus transportation to airports that they'd set a time that everyone would be free to go.
 
Actually, I meant to say "safe to book flights on SUNDAY afternoon" in my post above. (Drop and give me 20!)
 
I'm a newbie, so do you think it would be safe to book flights on Saturday afternoon or is there a chance that they still might have some sort of military duty to perform? Seems to me that if they're having bus transportation to airports that they'd set a time that everyone would be free to go.

My suggestion would be to wait. Not every cadet will have their last military duty (LMD) at the same time, and it will become clearer once they have an idea of how things work. Also, since change happens all the time, there is no guarantee that this plan might not change once again before Thanksgiving.

Stealth_81
 
Regarding flight changes...

I don't know if waiting is the best advice, especially if your basic cadet is flying on Southwest Airlines like my son. This is the busiest time of the year for the airlines and the flights are already largely booked. I don't want to wait and have no flight options left. So, I have already changed my original flight plan (for my son) and thankfully, Southwest Airlines does not charge a fee for this change. They said that the flights are filling up rapidly...
 
Thanks for all the insight. I'll go with the Sunday afternoon depart and Saturday night return. That should play it safe and a great price overall.
 
If you purchase a SW flight or another airline with no fees, obviously you have more freedom to book now and change later if need be. If you can find a flight in the evening (after 6PM), you will probably be safe. However, if your option is a mid-afternoon flight on a legacy airline with exorbitant change fees, definitely wait.

We have had a different pre-Thanksgiving class/training schedule each of the last three years. USAFA is always subject to change, and they usually don't decide what they want to do as early as we would like. At this point, even USAFA staffers have no idea what time that Saturday cadets will be released because the schedule is a couple months away from being made and finalized.

Now for a bit of my perspective. I'm a big proponent of letting your cadet take charge of this (ticket purchasing) and most other responsibilities. Come the school year, your future officer will (or should) have a much better idea of his/her schedule, and when he can leave and needs to return. If there is uncertainty about that or other things (for ex. how busses work), it is well within his ability to ask. Of course, still feel free to provide the credit card, but the much of the legwork should be done by your son or daughter. In this case, I understand that you are trying to nail this down before your basic has the opportunity and access to do it, so please take this opinion for the future.
 
Thanks for all the insight. I'll go with the Sunday afternoon depart and Saturday night return. That should play it safe and a great price overall.

Any reason in particular that you're going with a Saturday night return? The cadets won't have to be back for accountability until 7 pm (Colorado Springs time) Sunday night--that part is the least likely to change in my opinion. My son may have to take an early Sunday flight, but he prefers that over flying in Saturday night to the ghost town that the AFA will be. :shake:
 
It was just a matter of others involved in traveling within the family. It will give him time to get back and relax a little too. He won't mind.
 
I agree with AFAYahoo- especially if your son is a freshman, he probably really won't want to be back Saturday night! I went ahead and booked a SW flight for my son's return Sunday morning - 7am was really the only option. All of the cheaper fares were sold out on all flights except that one and a 7pm one. I wanted to get that one taken care of though as it's one of the busiest travel days of the year. I don't think getting something reasonable the previous weekend (whether Sat or Sun once I know for sure) will be nearly as much of a problem.
 
Besides sponsors, what other options are there for a doolie that opts to stay and not fly home?
 
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