Acceptance Day

Blueblood1

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Mar 23, 2015
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Does anybody know about acceptance day? I was not planning on going originally, but it turns out I will be in the Denver area anyway. I have heard conflicting stories -- would we get a few hours with our cadet and is there a schedule anywhere? I was not able to find anything on the website.

Thanks.
 
If you are there, definitely consider going. Per WebGuy, it will be August 4th this year. Parents will be lined up at the North Gate waiting for it to open. You will get to view the Acceptance Day parade when the Basics are accepted into the Wing. You then have a few hours to walk around with your newly accepted Doolie after you see them get their boards on the parade field. There will be time for lunch with your DD/DS and you should consider bringing extra food for their squad mates, many of whom will be without a parent and will really appreciate some "real" food. DW took lots of food which was all eaten. You can arrange with local food places (e.g. Subway, Chick-fil-A) to pick up the food early in the morning before you go to the Parade. DW got a cooler at Walmart the night before to keep everything cool. DW saw the parade, watched a few of the Falcons which she really enjoys, ate with her Doolie, met some of his new best friends and went shopping in the C-Store with him. She loved her few hours there! She would tell you that this was one of her favorite USAFA experiences to date (DS is 2016er and will graduate in May so we aren't done yet). DS also said that he really appreciated spending part of A-Day with his Mom.
 
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We couldn't be there last year, but our DD's wonderful sponsor family went to A-Day and took pictures. Priceless!
 
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We went out last year and it was great. So proud of DS watching him March across the field to be accepted into the squadron/Wing. It was great to see him in such great spirits after BCT. If you can afford to go then I would highly recommend it. If you have to choose between Parents Weekend and A-day, go with PW.
 
Definitely go if you are that close! I went last year and following the parade had until around 1:00 with my son and a few of his friends. As Blackbird said, take some food with you so your time isn't taken up standing in line! Enjoy that hug you'll get from your cadet!!
 
We drove 20 hours each way to go to A-day to spend an hour and a half with our son. Smart move? Probably not. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

Stealth_81
 
If you can, please do go! And take TONS OF FOOD (because you can be mom & dad to those cadets whose parents have to wait till PW to see them). Let them use your phone too - the whole time if they'd like.
 
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If you are there, definitely consider going. Per WebGuy, it will be August 4th this year. Parents will be lined up at the North Gate waiting for it to open. You will get to view the Acceptance Day parade when the Basics are accepted into the Wing. You then have a few hours to walk around with your newly accepted Doolie after you see them get their boards on the parade field. There will be time for lunch with your DD/DS and you should consider bringing extra food for their squad mates, many of whom will be without a parent and will really appreciate some "real" food. DW took lots of food which was all eaten. You can arrange with local food places (e.g. Subway, Chick-fil-A) to pick up the food early in the morning before you go to the Parade. DW got a cooler at Walmart the night before to keep everything cool. DW saw the parade, watched a few of the Falcons which she really enjoys, ate with her Doolie, met some of his new best friends and went shopping in the C-Store with him. She loved her few hours there! She would tell you that this was one of her favorite USAFA experiences to date (DS is 2016er and will graduate in May so we aren't done yet). DS also said that he really appreciated spending part of A-Day with his Mom.
What time does it start, and how early do you suggest arriving? I am considering going to it as well. Also, how will we find our Cadet after the parade if they don't have phones to use?
 
If you are there, definitely consider going. Per WebGuy, it will be August 4th this year. Parents will be lined up at the North Gate waiting for it to open. You will get to view the Acceptance Day parade when the Basics are accepted into the Wing. You then have a few hours to walk around with your newly accepted Doolie after you see them get their boards on the parade field. There will be time for lunch with your DD/DS and you should consider bringing extra food for their squad mates, many of whom will be without a parent and will really appreciate some "real" food. DW took lots of food which was all eaten. You can arrange with local food places (e.g. Subway, Chick-fil-A) to pick up the food early in the morning before you go to the Parade. DW got a cooler at Walmart the night before to keep everything cool. DW saw the parade, watched a few of the Falcons which she really enjoys, ate with her Doolie, met some of his new best friends and went shopping in the C-Store with him. She loved her few hours there! She would tell you that this was one of her favorite USAFA experiences to date (DS is 2016er and will graduate in May so we aren't done yet). DS also said that he really appreciated spending part of A-Day with his Mom.

Thanks. I just got conflicting news as to whether or not we would have time with our cadet. Is there a set time, or place to check when parade will commence?
 
If you are there, definitely consider going. Per WebGuy, it will be August 4th this year. Parents will be lined up at the North Gate waiting for it to open. You will get to view the Acceptance Day parade when the Basics are accepted into the Wing. You then have a few hours to walk around with your newly accepted Doolie after you see them get their boards on the parade field. There will be time for lunch with your DD/DS and you should consider bringing extra food for their squad mates, many of whom will be without a parent and will really appreciate some "real" food. DW took lots of food which was all eaten. You can arrange with local food places (e.g. Subway, Chick-fil-A) to pick up the food early in the morning before you go to the Parade. DW got a cooler at Walmart the night before to keep everything cool. DW saw the parade, watched a few of the Falcons which she really enjoys, ate with her Doolie, met some of his new best friends and went shopping in the C-Store with him. She loved her few hours there! She would tell you that this was one of her favorite USAFA experiences to date (DS is 2016er and will graduate in May so we aren't done yet). DS also said that he really appreciated spending part of A-Day with his Mom.
What time does it start, and how early do you suggest arriving? I am considering going to it as well. Also, how will we find our Cadet after the parade if they don't have phones to use?

I am not sure what time it starts this year, but I'm sure with a little research you can find out either online or from the parents club. Last year we arrived about an hour before the parade started and had no trouble getting seats. When we entered the parade field bleachers, they supplied us with a diagram of the field and approximately where our son's squadron would be. We sat across from his squadron on the field so we could go directly to him. I wrote him a letter about 2 weeks before A-Day and told him we would be there and as soon as they were dismissed we would come to his squadron and meet up. It was really no trouble at all finding him. Like Stealth, we drove 20 hours each way to be there on A-Day. Crazy? Yeah. But like Stealth, I would do it again, for sure. Got to spend about 3 hours with him. We were very fortunate that our schedule worked out to do so. We took plenty of food and enjoyed meeting the others in his squadron.
 
If you are there, definitely consider going. Per WebGuy, it will be August 4th this year. Parents will be lined up at the North Gate waiting for it to open. You will get to view the Acceptance Day parade when the Basics are accepted into the Wing. You then have a few hours to walk around with your newly accepted Doolie after you see them get their boards on the parade field. There will be time for lunch with your DD/DS and you should consider bringing extra food for their squad mates, many of whom will be without a parent and will really appreciate some "real" food. DW took lots of food which was all eaten. You can arrange with local food places (e.g. Subway, Chick-fil-A) to pick up the food early in the morning before you go to the Parade. DW got a cooler at Walmart the night before to keep everything cool. DW saw the parade, watched a few of the Falcons which she really enjoys, ate with her Doolie, met some of his new best friends and went shopping in the C-Store with him. She loved her few hours there! She would tell you that this was one of her favorite USAFA experiences to date (DS is 2016er and will graduate in May so we aren't done yet). DS also said that he really appreciated spending part of A-Day with his Mom.
What time does it start, and how early do you suggest arriving? I am considering going to it as well. Also, how will we find our Cadet after the parade if they don't have phones to use?

I am not sure what time it starts this year, but I'm sure with a little research you can find out either online or from the parents club. Last year we arrived about an hour before the parade started and had no trouble getting seats. When we entered the parade field bleachers, they supplied us with a diagram of the field and approximately where our son's squadron would be. We sat across from his squadron on the field so we could go directly to him. I wrote him a letter about 2 weeks before A-Day and told him we would be there and as soon as they were dismissed we would come to his squadron and meet up. It was really no trouble at all finding him. Like Stealth, we drove 20 hours each way to be there on A-Day. Crazy? Yeah. But like Stealth, I would do it again, for sure. Got to spend about 3 hours with him. We were very fortunate that our schedule worked out to do so. We took plenty of food and enjoyed meeting the others in his squadron.


Stupid question, but to the new Cadets line up with their BCT squadron or their Academic Year squadron at the Acceptance Day parade.
 
They will line up along the parade stands in their BCT flights while the cadet wing marches on in their academic year squadrons. Then the BCT flights will march out to join their academic year squadrons in an "inverse wedge" to be accepted into the cadet wing.
 
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Blue blood, does your DD or DS not know you plan on coming yet? If not, I would suggest a surprise if it interests you. My family surprised me on A Day and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
 
You all are putting ideas in my head! I can't go parents day, because I run our family business and it's Labor Day which is a busy weekend but I could fly out on the 3rd and back on the 5th! I miss my cadet and love SURPRISES!
 
The basics in my DS squad were allowed to call home just a few days before Acceptance day last year so we were able to coordinate then. We also told him in a letter that we would be there, just because I felt it would give him something to look forward to. Whether the visit is a surprise or not, it is so worth it if you can make it happen.
 
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Blue blood, does your DD or DS not know you plan on coming yet? If not, I would suggest a surprise if it interests you. My family surprised me on A Day and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

If I can swing it, I would like to make it a surprise.
 
They will also have their computer a few days before A day so you can communicate that way. Their email address will be C19john.smith@usafa.edu. Now if your cadet has a perhaps common name like John smith, not sure what they do with duplicates but this works for 99%.
 
Thanks. I just got conflicting news as to whether or not we would have time with our cadet. Is there a set time, or place to check when parade will commence?

Blueblood we are not sure about the time for the parade. Our experience was a few years ago but we are thinking that the parade was at 8 or 9 am.
 
Thanks. I just got conflicting news as to whether or not we would have time with our cadet. Is there a set time, or place to check when parade will commence?

Blueblood we are not sure about the time for the parade. Our experience was a few years ago but we are thinking that the parade was at 8 or 9 am.

Last year's parade was at 9 a.m. We left our motel (just a couple miles outside the North Gate) at 7:45 a.m or so and had no problems getting in and finding a good seat.
http://www.usafa.edu/superintendent/cma/newsletters/2015/May15.pdf
This link states that this years Acceptance Day Parade is 9 a.m. Tentatively. As usual, things can change. Last year DS had his phone before A-Day and we were talking and texting the night before (this may not be the case for other squadrons). He became our confirmation contact for parade time. If you are surprising your DS/DD it would be easy enough to contact USAFA the day before to confirm the time.
 
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