golfindad
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2016
- Messages
- 385
Just thought I would gather some thoughts about the next 2 months. I hope others jump in as well.
The day before indoc begins, go on campus and into the bank, and set up a bank account at Navy Federal--go into the branch and set it up, which is different from just filling out the paperwork outside under the ez-up. We set ours up as a joint ownership, which eases the funds transfers. Ds spent very little at the start, and now probably blows through couple hundred a month, mostly on protein mix, and junk, but also uses cash for food on team movements and the like.
Buy lots of things at the NEX with USMMA on it. And, it is a chance to walk through the NEX with your DS/DD to see what they have and where.
When attending to drop off DS/DD at the end of June, expect DS/DD to be stressed and nervous. However your DS/DD handles stress and nervousness, expect it to be in overdrive the day/night before and the morning you drop them off. For mom, and for dad to, put your game face on. They don't need more stress. The bathroom, or closet of the hotel room is a great place to hang and get yourself together and face clean so DS/DD doesn't see how his leaving has affected you.
The drop off time will be a couple hours window. I believe last year it was a 7am start. Our DS wanted to get it over with, and was one of the first to line up. Hanging around with other nervous folks is not fun. And, if you go early, you will go right in the door and start processing. If you wait, a fairly long line forms outside, which just leaves them more idle time to be stressed about what they are doing.
There is not much for mom and dad to do then for about an hour. On the 2021 facebook page, they will probably post a map with where your DS/DD can be seen throughout the day. The campus has numerous barriers set up, restricting where you can stand and watch. Warning--you will not be able to get a photo with your cell phone. A camera with a 200mm is needed, 300mm lens is better, and will allow you to get close photos of your DS/DD. Every site will have you placed 100-200 yards or so away. Another good thing if DS/DD goes in early, is that you will be able to get to the different locations where you can see your DS/DD running, being yelled at, etc., first. It really is a neat feeling watching DS/DD run by--something you just have to experience. You can see indoc photos and videos on you tube, and other platforms. Be sure to watch muster and the superintendent's speech to the regiment. It is emotional to watch DS/DD march into lunch after muster, and being told to leave the campus.
If you do not have it already, you will soon get a list of supplies DS/DD will need. All of them can be purchased through the NEX. Do it. It runs about the same price, and, the supplies are delivered to DS/DD. If you do not purchase through the NEX, DS/DD has to carry all of the supplies throughout the day. The supply list also has a computer and printer package. Buy it. It is well worth having them have it for DS/DD, especially since the computer has to have security features to operate at KP. Total cost of the supplies, computer package, haircut fee, laundry fee, etc., was about $4,000. Half of that was the computer package. You do need to carry some things, and you will figure out what that is with DS/DD--certain undergarments, gold bond, chapstick, etc.
DS/DD needs to keep up physical fitness.
Get your TWIC card asap.
Get your passport, or renew your passport asap.
Make sure health insurance meets the Academy requirements. There is a checklist the Academy sends you, and call your carrier to make sure it meets the requirements. If it does not, DS/DD will be changed about $2300 for the year.
For guys, be sure you have razor and shaving crème. They will say electric is ok for indoc, but it is not. Gold bond too may be helpful.
If you are not yet on facebook, get on it. Facebook will have pictures of indoc, almost every day, and you will want to pour over each photo for a sighting of DS/DD, (and yes, you will complain about how the photographers are biased against your DS/DD and how they favor some other company). Plus, once they start classes, facebook messenger is the only way that your DS/DD will be able to communicate with you.
Make sure DS/DD phone is fully charged and maybe has a small back up battery. They will give up there phones on day one, but will get them back for 5 minutes two weeks later. While you will know the day of the call, be ready to be flexible on the time of the call. While they may say the call will be from 4-430pm, there is an equal chance that it will not be at the announced time.
Your DS/DD will be stressed during these calls. Encourage, encourage and encourage. Practice this so you can do it well on the calls. lol.
Be sure you have a HIPPA form executed by your DS/DD allowing you access to their medical records. A medical power of attorney and a general power of attorney are good ideas as well. Be sure DS/DD executes a will before leaving home, and you keep it in a safe place.
Be sure to bring athletic gear if needed. cleats, sport gear, sweats if needed, etc.
You will hear a lot of things on facebook, and they will upset you--(its cold at night in the barracks and they don't sleep under a cover; they don't sleep enough; the food is bad; etc) take it all with a grain of salt. With regards this stuff, it is worse for you than DS/DD.
Write all the time--use snail mail. It is the only way to communicate during indoc(with the exception of the phone call) and it does lift spirits. Mom and dad should write, brothers and sisters should write, and grandparents should write. Be sure to address it to "plebe candidate ________" until acceptance. Do not expect letters to come back. If they do write, they write while lying on the floor of their room, using light that comes under the door. They are busy 24/7, and, at times they will not even have the ability to read the letters they get for a couple days, much less write back.
Make hotel reservations now for indoc; and acceptance/parents weekend. We stayed in Carle Place and around there, where the are a variety of mid to regular priced hotels, springhill, courtyard, Marriott, and the same for Hilton, etc.
Teach DS/DD how to do laundry. They probably won't do laundry, but it is good to teach them anyway.
don't try to learn "the book", etc., before you go. Waste of time.
Expect DS/DD to have a bucket list of things they wish to do, people they wish to see, before leaving home. Do all of this. It will be a long time before they have a chance again. And, you will figure out that your DS/DD is on a much different track than their friends, and it will begin to show a little.
This is also a learning period for mom and dad. Learning to let go is the hardest thing to do. And this process makes mom and dad grow as well. You will want to fight all of the battles for ds/dd, but as time moves along, you will learn that you cannot, and, what you think is a major issue, really isn't. Alternatively, you will find that the major issues your ds.dd has really don't seem to big to you. Don't dismiss them, and instead just work them through it with encouragement.
Most of all--Enjoy the ride!
The day before indoc begins, go on campus and into the bank, and set up a bank account at Navy Federal--go into the branch and set it up, which is different from just filling out the paperwork outside under the ez-up. We set ours up as a joint ownership, which eases the funds transfers. Ds spent very little at the start, and now probably blows through couple hundred a month, mostly on protein mix, and junk, but also uses cash for food on team movements and the like.
Buy lots of things at the NEX with USMMA on it. And, it is a chance to walk through the NEX with your DS/DD to see what they have and where.
When attending to drop off DS/DD at the end of June, expect DS/DD to be stressed and nervous. However your DS/DD handles stress and nervousness, expect it to be in overdrive the day/night before and the morning you drop them off. For mom, and for dad to, put your game face on. They don't need more stress. The bathroom, or closet of the hotel room is a great place to hang and get yourself together and face clean so DS/DD doesn't see how his leaving has affected you.
The drop off time will be a couple hours window. I believe last year it was a 7am start. Our DS wanted to get it over with, and was one of the first to line up. Hanging around with other nervous folks is not fun. And, if you go early, you will go right in the door and start processing. If you wait, a fairly long line forms outside, which just leaves them more idle time to be stressed about what they are doing.
There is not much for mom and dad to do then for about an hour. On the 2021 facebook page, they will probably post a map with where your DS/DD can be seen throughout the day. The campus has numerous barriers set up, restricting where you can stand and watch. Warning--you will not be able to get a photo with your cell phone. A camera with a 200mm is needed, 300mm lens is better, and will allow you to get close photos of your DS/DD. Every site will have you placed 100-200 yards or so away. Another good thing if DS/DD goes in early, is that you will be able to get to the different locations where you can see your DS/DD running, being yelled at, etc., first. It really is a neat feeling watching DS/DD run by--something you just have to experience. You can see indoc photos and videos on you tube, and other platforms. Be sure to watch muster and the superintendent's speech to the regiment. It is emotional to watch DS/DD march into lunch after muster, and being told to leave the campus.
If you do not have it already, you will soon get a list of supplies DS/DD will need. All of them can be purchased through the NEX. Do it. It runs about the same price, and, the supplies are delivered to DS/DD. If you do not purchase through the NEX, DS/DD has to carry all of the supplies throughout the day. The supply list also has a computer and printer package. Buy it. It is well worth having them have it for DS/DD, especially since the computer has to have security features to operate at KP. Total cost of the supplies, computer package, haircut fee, laundry fee, etc., was about $4,000. Half of that was the computer package. You do need to carry some things, and you will figure out what that is with DS/DD--certain undergarments, gold bond, chapstick, etc.
DS/DD needs to keep up physical fitness.
Get your TWIC card asap.
Get your passport, or renew your passport asap.
Make sure health insurance meets the Academy requirements. There is a checklist the Academy sends you, and call your carrier to make sure it meets the requirements. If it does not, DS/DD will be changed about $2300 for the year.
For guys, be sure you have razor and shaving crème. They will say electric is ok for indoc, but it is not. Gold bond too may be helpful.
If you are not yet on facebook, get on it. Facebook will have pictures of indoc, almost every day, and you will want to pour over each photo for a sighting of DS/DD, (and yes, you will complain about how the photographers are biased against your DS/DD and how they favor some other company). Plus, once they start classes, facebook messenger is the only way that your DS/DD will be able to communicate with you.
Make sure DS/DD phone is fully charged and maybe has a small back up battery. They will give up there phones on day one, but will get them back for 5 minutes two weeks later. While you will know the day of the call, be ready to be flexible on the time of the call. While they may say the call will be from 4-430pm, there is an equal chance that it will not be at the announced time.
Your DS/DD will be stressed during these calls. Encourage, encourage and encourage. Practice this so you can do it well on the calls. lol.
Be sure you have a HIPPA form executed by your DS/DD allowing you access to their medical records. A medical power of attorney and a general power of attorney are good ideas as well. Be sure DS/DD executes a will before leaving home, and you keep it in a safe place.
Be sure to bring athletic gear if needed. cleats, sport gear, sweats if needed, etc.
You will hear a lot of things on facebook, and they will upset you--(its cold at night in the barracks and they don't sleep under a cover; they don't sleep enough; the food is bad; etc) take it all with a grain of salt. With regards this stuff, it is worse for you than DS/DD.
Write all the time--use snail mail. It is the only way to communicate during indoc(with the exception of the phone call) and it does lift spirits. Mom and dad should write, brothers and sisters should write, and grandparents should write. Be sure to address it to "plebe candidate ________" until acceptance. Do not expect letters to come back. If they do write, they write while lying on the floor of their room, using light that comes under the door. They are busy 24/7, and, at times they will not even have the ability to read the letters they get for a couple days, much less write back.
Make hotel reservations now for indoc; and acceptance/parents weekend. We stayed in Carle Place and around there, where the are a variety of mid to regular priced hotels, springhill, courtyard, Marriott, and the same for Hilton, etc.
Teach DS/DD how to do laundry. They probably won't do laundry, but it is good to teach them anyway.
don't try to learn "the book", etc., before you go. Waste of time.
Expect DS/DD to have a bucket list of things they wish to do, people they wish to see, before leaving home. Do all of this. It will be a long time before they have a chance again. And, you will figure out that your DS/DD is on a much different track than their friends, and it will begin to show a little.
This is also a learning period for mom and dad. Learning to let go is the hardest thing to do. And this process makes mom and dad grow as well. You will want to fight all of the battles for ds/dd, but as time moves along, you will learn that you cannot, and, what you think is a major issue, really isn't. Alternatively, you will find that the major issues your ds.dd has really don't seem to big to you. Don't dismiss them, and instead just work them through it with encouragement.
Most of all--Enjoy the ride!