Doolie Day Out

ebotterb3

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Feb 20, 2015
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How does it all work? Are the sponsor families informed of where and when to pick the cadets up? What if they can't pick them up? How will they know? My DS's sponsor family is new being a sponsor. He is a good friend of, a good friend of ours, who are both military and really wanted to be his sponsor but sometimes the sponsor duties will fall more on his wife, so we are trying to figure out how it all works.
 
My DD's sponsors are also good friends of ours. They were told when and where to pick up the basics. Some sponsor families are asked to take a few extra basics who haven't yet been assigned sponsors or who's sponsors can't pick them up that day.

Don't worry. USAFA has been doing this for a long time. They've got it figured out and every basic will have a sponsor family on DDO.
 
Thank you for the info! DS sponsor Mom told him the day before I-day to call and let them know what he wanted to do because she has a 90th birthday party to go to out of town that day and didn't know if he would want to go along or just hang out at their house or stay at the academy. Are they able to call? Sponsor Dad is out on assignment. Just didn't want her waiting for a phone call if he can't make phone calls. I'm sure they have a contact person, but like I said, they are new at this too.
 
We are sponsor parents for DDO, yes everyone will be accommodated. We were in contact with Sponsor Office the other day and re-affirmed our desire to pick up additional cadets if needed. They responded back thanks and they will keep us informed, as we are real close to Academy and can pop over and pick up more Cadets if there is any fall-thru with other Sponsor parents.
From what I have seen there is intense local interest and effort to support this worthy break for your Doolies!

2018Dad
 
Thank you for the info! DS sponsor Mom told him the day before I-day to call and let them know what he wanted to do because she has a 90th birthday party to go to out of town that day and didn't know if he would want to go along or just hang out at their house or stay at the academy. Are they able to call? Sponsor Dad is out on assignment. Just didn't want her waiting for a phone call if he can't make phone calls. I'm sure they have a contact person, but like I said, they are new at this too.

I don't believe your DS will have the opportunity to call, but if he's like 99.9% of the other basics, he'll probably just want to hang out at the house and SLEEEEEEP! No way would he want to stay at the Academy -- this is a much needed R&R from BCT.

Also, if he goes to the 90th birthday party, he'll have to wear his uniform.
 
Ok, I'll let her know that he probably won't be able to call her and let her know that she can contact the sponsor office to work out the details if she wants. I'm really trying not to micromanage this but I've learned so much on this board, that when I hear things that don't make sense according to what I've read here (like he's going to call her), it makes me wonder if she has all the info, being this is their first time as sponsors.
 
If it is like last year...they will get their phones back early on DDO..so they will be able to call. What the Doolies really need is an accessible power outlet to charge their phones as they sleep!! Of course they will be collected and stored upon their return to the Academy that evening!!
 
2018Dad is correct. They will get their phones back that morning so they can call home. That may be too short a notice for the party? Guess you could leave it up to the sponsor to decide. (though I think the basic will still just want to sleep. :) )
 
I wanted to get back to the original question and shed some light on the process to clear things up as much as possible.

As sponsor parents we have submitted quite a good deal of paperwork for background checks.
The Cadet Sponsor office then assigns Doolies to the various sponsors.
The Sponsor Office sends us paperwork that we have to bring and display just to get in the area to pick them up. The Doolies have our names and we have theirs. Double check in place!

So it's not just drive in and open the door. There is a process in place to insure absolute safety and identification to have Doolies leave with just their sponsor and no one else.

We have base passes to be able to come in/out either gate so we can get them back on time in any situation. (Again more paperwork and background security checks)

I hope this little bit answers your original question. I cannot be more specific than this for obvious reasons.

2018Dad
 
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Thank you 2018DAD. DH organized the sponsor family threw one of his Army friends so I'm partially out of the loop and I'm not 100% sure that the sponsor mom has the proper clearances in order to pick him up. DS didn't take his phone with him to the Academy because he is due for a new one shortly and we figured he couldn't use it any way, so we would ship him the new one when it's time. But he does have her number so he could call her that morning from a land line I suppose. I'm sure it will all be fine. We just have to work threw whether the mom has all the clearances and credentials to pick him up or not.
 
Your son won't be arranging anything about which sponsor picks him up on Doolie Day Out. That's all handled beforehand-a lot of people end up going to sponsor families that may not necessarily be theirs during the school year.
 
Your son won't be arranging anything about which sponsor picks him up on Doolie Day Out. That's all handled beforehand-a lot of people end up going to sponsor families that may not necessarily be theirs during the school year.
Ok, I guess I won't worry about it. Either his sponsor family picks him up or he'll go with another family. Thank you for the info.
 
First off, I want to say that you're asking questions that you and many others have. I can sense a tone of worry in your post. Remember that the Air Force has been doing this since '57 and they studied what was being done at West Point and Annapolis prior to that. They are investing over $400,000 into your son. They will do everything they can to protect their high value asset. I assure you that your son will find a way of base for the day and get a call in to you. Be prepared for the "I hate this place" comments. Your Basic may just need to vent. A-Day will be her before you know it. Then Parents' weekend, Thanksgiving, and Winter Break. After Recognition things improve significantly. Remember this is a crazy rollercoaster ride with many ups and downs. Find a parents' club to share your concerns and worries offline from your son. Service Academy parents have experiences unique to the military. Friends with regular college students can't understand the commitment of our offspring or the discomfort of radio silence. I write all this to encourage you to support your DS on his journey to becoming an officer in the world's greatest Air and Space Force. You got this, ebotterb3!
 
Step one of letting go.... Let go, don't worry, he's a smart young man, he and the Air Force will figure it out without my help. Thank you all for helping me through this. I'm really not a control freak, I just like to be organized LOL!
 
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ebotterb3, CHILLAX. Please.

They have been running DDO a LONG time. Your child will find his way. Yes, he will probably have a chance to call you. OK to sit by the phone and have your heart skip a beat when it rings (and faint when it's a political call!).

You may be very surprised to find out the CHILD you sent away just a few weeks ago is now fully capable of figuring his way into a car on DDO, without even asking permission from Mom or Dad.

Your son or daughter is now an adult. Pray for him/her. Write. Remember with your every breath. But stop worrying!
 
Oh, I was afraid you were going to see this post fencersmother! Thank you for taking it easy on me LOL! I totally appreciate your sense of humor.
 
ebotterb3, I have been through what you are experiencing as a double-whammy, when my twins went off to USAFA. My little homeschooled babes, all alone in the world! Well, they made it through and are now pilots (one along side PIMA's son whose path was different but who had the same destination!).

For moms and dads, the stress and sense of loss can sometimes be startling, even over-whelming, especially if you were the Queen of the Home, Organizer-Extraordinaire, and IN CHARGE.

Try to find pix on webguy, and do take some comfort in knowing that your child was considered "good enough" to be at BCT at "The World's Premier Leadership Institution."
 
Have your son or daughter send you a selfie picture with their phone on Doolie Day Out - a picture of them that you won't have to search thru Webguy to find them!
 
How does it all work? Are the sponsor families informed of where and when to pick the cadets up? What if they can't pick them up? How will they know? My DS's sponsor family is new being a sponsor. He is a good friend of, a good friend of ours, who are both military and really wanted to be his sponsor but sometimes the sponsor duties will fall more on his wife, so we are trying to figure out how it all works.

-First. Don't worry about Doolie Day Out. This is not one to sweat. Some people think that helicopter parenting is a recent phenomenon. I can assure you that my mother was worried the day I went skiing and she heard that someone was buried in an avalanche. That was 30+ years ago. She called the CQ to find out if it was me and that was when it cost $1 a minute to make a long distance phone call. I still kid her about that one--although it was very embarrassing for me at the time.

-Second. Your DS or DD will have the opportunity to call home. In my day we called collect from the sponsor's phone and had about 10 minutes to talk. Your DD or DS will get their cell phone and can most likely talk as long as the batteries hold out. Of course they may be more interested in talking to their girlfriend or boyfriend so don't get upset if they don't talk to you all day.

-Third. Your childrens' sponsors will most likely spoil them. I plan on a BBQ with hamburgers, brats, pulled pork, and grilled salmon for those who have a more refined taste. I'll have ping pong, croquet, yard chess, darts, etc. I have nine this year--the most since I sponsored all the basics from DD's athletic team a few years back. Of course, the things they will really want to do is to call home, sleep, watch TV, and eat. There will be plenty of that regardless of who sponsors them.
 
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If it is like last year...they will get their phones back early on DDO..so they will be able to call. What the Doolies really need is an accessible power outlet to charge their phones as they sleep!! Of course they will be collected and stored upon their return to the Academy that evening!!

Last year, some of the cadre charged the basics' phones for them the day before so they got a fully charged phone. It was a much appreciated gesture!

Also, we took some fun pictures and then sent them to him after he let us know he had his phone. I took my first ever selfie and sent it to him. I was sure to point that out to him:D!
 
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