SLE 2018 (Session 2) Travel Advice

MG23Hopeful

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DS will need to travel to West Point from Nevada, and we are struggling to figure out the best option for airline tickets, etc. He got some info from West Point today, but it was lacking some key details. Does anyone know what time participants need to arrive at Newark to use West Point's busing? We also didn't see the preferred timeframe for flying out of Newark at the conclusion of SLE. I think we may need to put him on a midnight flight and he will arrive the next morning. Do any west coast/long distance participants have any alternative ideas? I doubt it would work to have him fly in Friday night and get a room on his own, since he's 16. We also have no idea what time we should have him fly home. I'm feeling anxious to get his flight booked before prices start going up. I was thinking we could contact admissions, but I thought I'd see if anyone on this forum has any advice first.
 
They should release travel info soon with time frames to arrive and depart. When I went to SLE last year, I believe they recommended arrivals before 2 pm the day of. And departures they preferred to have them no earlier than about 2 or 3 pm the last day. Personally, I took a red eye flight from California and arrived around 6 or 7 am the day of and just waited until they started the shuttles to West Point. The time frames could change however.
 
DS will need to travel to West Point from Nevada, and we are struggling to figure out the best option for airline tickets, etc. He got some info from West Point today, but it was lacking some key details. Does anyone know what time participants need to arrive at Newark to use West Point's busing? We also didn't see the preferred timeframe for flying out of Newark at the conclusion of SLE. I think we may need to put him on a midnight flight and he will arrive the next morning. Do any west coast/long distance participants have any alternative ideas? I doubt it would work to have him fly in Friday night and get a room on his own, since he's 16. We also have no idea what time we should have him fly home. I'm feeling anxious to get his flight booked before prices start going up. I was thinking we could contact admissions, but I thought I'd see if anyone on this forum has any advice first.
Somewhat related. Transport from airport. Uber always an option. My cousins from Ireland flew into JFK & took Uber to just outside Philly - cost $250 - so not bad against compareable mass transit & faster.
 
They should release travel info soon with time frames to arrive and depart. When I went to SLE last year, I believe they recommended arrivals before 2 pm the day of. And departures they preferred to have them no earlier than about 2 or 3 pm the last day. Personally, I took a red eye flight from California and arrived around 6 or 7 am the day of and just waited until they started the shuttles to West Point. The time frames could change however.
Great, that helps a lot to know that others have flown all night and it worked out okay. We will wait a couple of days to see if we get more specifics on arrival and departure times.
 
DS flew from Denver last year on a 7:00 a.m. ish flight and was able to get to the WP bus in plenty of time. Four hour flight plus 2 hour time difference. He said a bunch of Western State folks were on the same bus. He flew himself (but well seasoned traveler) and the clear instructions on where to go were easy to follow.
 
My son went to Summer Seminar at Annapolis last June from California. We put him on a Red Eye with a transfer. He arrived around 8:00am and the Mids were ready for all the arrivals... We weighed this against an all day flight leaving West Coast around 6:00am with arrival around 3:00PM and then baggage and transportation to Navy base... We didn't want to chance the late arrival or any delays.. All in all he was excited to get there early on Saturday morning and mingle with the others and play some basketball, take a quick nap before everything started later that day... Coming home we put him on a 5:00pm flight to ensure no rush leaving...
 
DS will need to travel to West Point from Nevada, and we are struggling to figure out the best option for airline tickets, etc. He got some info from West Point today, but it was lacking some key details. Does anyone know what time participants need to arrive at Newark to use West Point's busing? We also didn't see the preferred timeframe for flying out of Newark at the conclusion of SLE. I think we may need to put him on a midnight flight and he will arrive the next morning. Do any west coast/long distance participants have any alternative ideas? I doubt it would work to have him fly in Friday night and get a room on his own, since he's 16. We also have no idea what time we should have him fly home. I'm feeling anxious to get his flight booked before prices start going up. I was thinking we could contact admissions, but I thought I'd see if anyone on this forum has any advice first.
We are from Florida. Driving my DS to Annapolis first. Dad will pick up from NJ then I wash and pack for West Point. We’ll also drive and pick up from West Point. Then drive back to Florida for Boy State. Hoping To do it again in July for AIM and Marine Summer Leader. Any one going to session 1 NASS and SLE session 2?
 
My daughter flew a red eye and hung out in the Newark airport until the WP bus was ready to go. She had been a seasoned solo traveler by then so we, nor she, were worried. However, she did NASS 3 days later so we made a family vacation out of it and flew out to pick her up from SLE, drove down to Annapolis and stopped in Philly along the way. After leaving her at USNA, we then went on to DC for a few days before heading home.
 
My daughter flew a red eye and hung out in the Newark airport until the WP bus was ready to go. She had been a seasoned solo traveler by then so we, nor she, were worried. However, she did NASS 3 days later so we made a family vacation out of it and flew out to pick her up from SLE, drove down to Annapolis and stopped in Philly along the way. After leaving her at USNA, we then went on to DC for a few days before heading home.
And mind you...the smell from her luggage!!! We didn't go to March Back but if her SLE odor was any forewarning of the smells that came from March Back that we heard about...O.M.G!! So be prepared!
We spent an evening in a Philly hotel eating Ginos Cheesteaks and washing laundry during the SLE to NASS transition.
 
I am familiar how NASS laundry smell. Will have NASS to SLE transition this summer. My DS will fly from Newark to Orlando, Fl to make it to Melbourne posts for Boy State June 16 at 11pm. They need to move Boy State around the end of June. There is no way, he can make it to AFASS if accepted! AIM must be very selective, being the only academy Summer in July.
 
I am familiar how NASS laundry smell. Will have NASS to SLE transition this summer. My DS will fly from Newark to Orlando, Fl to make it to Melbourne posts for Boy State June 16 at 11pm. They need to move Boy State around the end of June. There is no way, he can make it to AFASS if accepted! AIM must be very selective, being the only academy Summer in July.
They do that so you can see the swabs and be in a more realistic basic environment
 
Thanks, all who responded. Looks like we will be going for the red-eye, since there are no non-stop flights on weekends out of our airport. I think he'll end up getting to Newark about 8:00, with a layover in Dallas on the way. He's excited to have his first air travel adventure alone-I'm sure it'll work out fine.
I see a lot of people are in the same boat with the VERY full June schedule. He will finish finals Friday before heading to SLE, fly home and leave the following Wednesday for air rifle nationals in Ohio. Unfortunately, the rifle competition will cause him to miss Boys State, which is the same week. He has been selected to attend, but will have to give up his spot. After reading how much Boys State is valued by the SAs, it makes it doubly disappointing. I haven't seen anything about how much "value" is placed on rifle team, but he's captain, so that's his priority. He is an Eagle Scout, has some decent leadership roles in JROTC, but he felt like Boys State would have really helped with the leadership portion of his application.
 
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Check out Ft. Stewart Airport as well in Newburg, NY. We live in Germany and my son flew in to Stewart. It's an easy taxi ride to WP.
 
Check out Ft. Stewart Airport as well in Newburg, NY. We live in Germany and my son flew in to Stewart. It's an easy taxi ride to WP.
But WP bus will pick up and drop off in Newark, NJ airport.
 
Check out Ft. Stewart Airport as well in Newburg, NY. We live in Germany and my son flew in to Stewart. It's an easy taxi ride to WP.
But WP bus will pick up and drop off in Newark, NJ airport.

I don't remember an option for a bus last year that picked up from the Newark Airport. That is why we wound up flying him in to Stewart. We used to live at WP, so we just had friends pick him up from Stewart.
 
My daughter flew a red eye and hung out in the Newark airport until the WP bus was ready to go. She had been a seasoned solo traveler by then so we, nor she, were worried. However, she did NASS 3 days later so we made a family vacation out of it and flew out to pick her up from SLE, drove down to Annapolis and stopped in Philly along the way. After leaving her at USNA, we then went on to DC for a few days before heading home.
And mind you...the smell from her luggage!!! We didn't go to March Back but if her SLE odor was any forewarning of the smells that came from March Back that we heard about...O.M.G!! So be prepared!
We spent an evening in a Philly hotel eating Ginos Cheesteaks and washing laundry during the SLE to NASS transition.
DS will have 24hours transition from NASS to SLE. Is the packing similar that I don’t have to buy 2 sets if I do the laundry? How much staff West Point give away, clothing wise. Navy gave a lot 3 yrs ago.
If you happen to still have copy of the packing lists, and will share will help a lot! Thx!
 
MJ2020, my oldest DS had the same schedule 3 years ago - going from NASS to SLE. My DH flew out to pick him up and drive from Annapolis to West Point. The packing lists are similar, but the laundry is going to be key. All of DS’s stuff from NASS was very stinky and definitely needed a good wash. The things he wore on the Sea Trials day needed several cycles before coming clean.

And yes, he will get a ton of clothes from West Point: several shirts (Polo style as well as work out T’s), a windbreaker, water bottle, etc. Between NASS, SLE, and AFASS, he had an entire new wardrobe!
 
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