Newbie Parent Questions

Brawny77

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Jun 9, 2015
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A couple of questions. We are really greenhorns to this.

1. When are plebes released for Thanksgiving. All week? The Wed. just before?
2. When will we know what his address will be. I would like to circulate some stamped, addressed post cards at his graduation party so people could send him mail after I day
 
I think leave over thanksgiving depends on a number of things, so I'm not sure anyone can say exactly when or how long. If your plebe is on restriction, they won't be home. If they go to BGO info sessions, forget what it's called for the mids, they get a little extra time. You should get their mailing address for Plebe Summer when the PTR paperwork arrives in the next few weeks. Their final address won't be determined until later after Plebe Summer.

I hope this is all accurate information. Someone correct it. Please.
 
You can download the 2016 academic calendar from the USNA website

If they play it right and are in good standing, they can get an extra day or maybe 2 at thanksgiving - they have to have so many appointments set up to discuss how wonderful USNA is with high school prospects

My DD received a number of invitations to meet this past Thanksgiving

The Permit to Report might have the mailing address - if not it will be coming soon
 
Actually, the address comes after the PTR packet, much closer to IDay.
They will receive a letter after all the PTR stuff has been submitted with their report time and company assignments. The addresses for Plebe Summer are company specific. And their companies will change from an alpha to a number at the end of Plebe summer so look forward to another address change.
 
This is off topic - encourage your Plebe-To-Be to sign up for the Sponsor Parent Program. I believe information about the program is included in the PTR. Besides being an incredible source of support and encouragement, DS's sponsor parents suggested that we send his mail and care packages (after Plebe Summer) to their home address.
 
You can download the 2016 academic calendar from the USNA website

If they play it right and are in good standing, they can get an extra day or maybe 2 at thanksgiving - they have to have so many appointments set up to discuss how wonderful USNA is with high school prospects

My DD received a number of invitations to meet this past Thanksgiving

The Permit to Report might have the mailing address - if not it will be coming soon

I want to say that the getting home early option is usually only available to upperclassman? but wouldn't want to be quoted on that either.
 
If you can get a reasonable price on one way ticket, go ahead and book the Return flight from home to School on Sunday after Thanksgiving. A morning flight so they get there early in the afternoon. The few extra hours you squeeze in of visiting is not worth the angst they suffer over worrying about being late. That Sunday is the most traveled day of the year!
 
I want to say that the getting home early option is usually only available to upperclassman? but wouldn't want to be quoted on that either.

That was how it was for us, not sure if it has changed.
 
This is off topic - encourage your Plebe-To-Be to sign up for the Sponsor Parent Program. I believe information about the program is included in the PTR. Besides being an incredible source of support and encouragement, DS's sponsor parents suggested that we send his mail and care packages (after Plebe Summer) to their home address.

Let your kids decide on mail. They get a PO Box. The Post Office can get really busy during book times and be really slow, but usually it's fine and just like any other disgruntled postal employees you have encountered. The reason I mention this is every sponsor and Mid is different. While most open their homes a lot they may have company or go out of town. So if you want mail or your package and they are busy or you have duty, you want to wait 2 weeks? Most probably don't.
 
http://www.usna.edu/AdminSupport/_files/documents/instructions/5000-5999/5720.1N.pdf

This may not be the most current version, but I suspect it is still limited to 1/c and 2/c, with 3/c in critical areas. This is the program run by Admissions that allows mids to depart early to go home and speak in high schools in their area, as recruiting needs dictate.

To answer the original question, Thanksgiving leave, the class day starts extra early on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, squeezing all 5 periods of the academic day in before noon. Once academic classes are done for your mid, and any other required events or any required sign-out performed, they are free to go. Depending on what time liberty is secured (vacation officially over) on Sunday night, mids traveling by plane must schedule their flight to land a specified number of hours before that report back no later than time.

Caveat: This is the way it has been done for many years. There is always the chance for tweaks. I have watched the Sunday return time vary among 6, 8 and 10 pm over the years. If the "nose count" that night is particularly painful, and people (Commandant's staff) are up after midnight trying to get an accurate count of who's back and who's not and why and where are they - the next year it's back to 6 pm.

Tough on West Coasters who have to change planes when connecting from a region airport. Sunday is essentially lost as a travel day. Many families change it up and take the family east to visit friend or relatives, easing the trip on the mid to something shorter, allowing more time together. NYC is a popular meet-up. We usually have several mids here at the house, whose finances don't permit a Thanksgiving trip home and then winter break trip a month later.
 
This year and last year our son flew home Wednesday night; plebe year he was back to the academy on Saturday night. As a youngster he was able to stay until the following Wednesday because he was selected to visit local schools to discuss the academy experience. (A great opportunity youngster year!). It can however vary individual by individual depends on class schedules how soon they can leave. Living on the west coast we always send him back Saturday so he has a day to get back on east coast time. I don't know the actual report time on Sunday.
 
Must add: we originally told our son he didn't need to come home for Thanksgiving since it was so short and Christmas was just around the corner--WRONG! We were informed by other parents FLY THEM HOME THEY REALLY REALLY NEED IT!! Especially plebe year.
 
OP. Last year, the plebe summer address was not available in time for graduation. Instead, we passed out blank cards and envelopes at the graduation party and asked people to write a note. We collected the notes in a box during the party. Later, over plebe summer we would send a few notes along with our letters and photos.

I don't think many HS graduates these days know how to write or mail letters.
 
For Thanksgiving 2015, Mids had to report back at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday. If they were flying, their return flight had to arrive before 4:00 p.m. OPINFO (extra leave to provide info about USNA to your hometown communities) was only an opportunity for upperclassmen, not the Plebes. So, it is a very short holiday for them.
 
Must add: we originally told our son he didn't need to come home for Thanksgiving since it was so short and Christmas was just around the corner--WRONG! We were informed by other parents FLY THEM HOME THEY REALLY REALLY NEED IT!! Especially plebe year.

Question: Would meeting them, say, in Las Vegas or Phoenix be as good? Or do they need to see friends? We're from Ohio.
 
Question: Would meeting them, say, in Las Vegas or Phoenix be as good? Or do they need to see friends? We're from Ohio.
Our experience was that our DS really wanted to see friends on Friday night and Saturday of Thanksgiving - and we live less than an hour from Annapolis, so he had been home once already. For college kids, Thanksgiving weekend is one of the biggest times to get together with friends. If it doesn't conflict with other plans, I think your plebe will love being home at Thanksgiving.

And I agree with the PP about collecting unaddressed notes to send during PS - we didn't have his address by Memorial Day (HS graduation weekend) but gave guests a card and an optional envelope (in case they wanted their note to remain private) and we sent them every few days over the summer.

Finally, with respect to mail - letters seem to get distributed first, and packages later, if the mail room has to prioritize. During plebe summer, the mail gets backed up, and it does so at the beginning of each semester when midshipmen are having books and all sorts of things delivered. Forewarned is forearmed...
 
Thanks for the great answer, I will do as you suggest. Let me add that my son is going to USAFA which explains why I was considering Las Vegas or Phoenix. Probably sounded weird, since I see now I am on the Naval Academy page. Apologies! My son was just offered an appointment Wednesday and this is my first day on the site.
 
My Plebe Year we didn't get to go home for Thanksgiving. No one in the Brigade did. But that's because we played Army at the Rose bowl in Pasadena that year (1983). The entire Brigade and the entire Corps of Cadets was flown out to Pasadena for the long weekend. We had Thanksgiving with host families, marched in a parade, and cheered at the game. Since that's not likely to happen this year, plan to get your Mid home, or to a family member's home, if you can, but leave time for them to get back by noon on Sunday. The weeks after Thanksgiving go by in a blur - Army-Navy Game and finals are the focus and those three weeks between holidays are jam packed. Those few hours on Sunday afternoon to prep for the week ahead will really be valuable time to readjust.
 
Newbie question here too: I was thinking about buying items for his dorm such as sheets, blankets, robe, towels, microwave, TV, refrigerator, coffee machine, fan, water boiler, etc... are these needed? Do SA supply them with basic appliances? I am clueless :(
 
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