I-Day USNA 2021 Field Reports: Share!

NavyHoops said:
The peacoat collar turned up supports the neck perfectly and allows a great sleeping position in class.
Click to expand...
Peacoat or bridgecoat collars works the same way for mid watches on the quarterdeck too. Even in the standing position while leaning against a bulkhead.[emoji3]
 
Kevlar on the iron sites of an M-16 while spending endless hours in the prone position. I can still sleep anywhere, anytime, and in any position. Being a basketball player I learned to sleep on any mode of transportation... my work colleagues are always impressed at my ability to fall asleep before take off and wake up on landing. For the new Plebes they are learning this fine art. They will probably have their first formal uniform inspection this Saturday. You can watch them fall asleep in formation and start to sway slightly. They will get better at. It's also why you will see half a Plebe Chemistry class standing up.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
You'd be amazed at how many kids follow their siblings to USNA. In a way , its a good thing, because they go with their eyes wide open.
Click to expand...
Could not agree with this statement more.... my DD is trying to follow in her brothers footsteps ( USNA 2018) and she has seen the good, bad and the ugly of Academy life. My DS always brings mids home with him on long weekends so she has gotten the full measure of all that it entails.
 
MAC_Daddy said:
I wrote this on a blog and this it's appropriate here:

We concluded one of the, longest, happiest and saddest days of our lives. Bittersweet to say the least. When I saw DS's shaved head, all I could see was him as a baby. That's when it hit me hardest and I was overcome by emotion. We were leaving our son in the hands of someone else to take over the next stage of his transition to adulthood. Interlopers on the process of parenthood. Now, someone else was going to have dominion over my child. We will no longer be the primary authority in his life. He has left the nest and will only be a visitor to this place we call home. A four year weaning process cut down to 30 minutes. The emptiness of his familiarity will be profound, but all growth comes with cost. I know that time will moderate this new normal.

He's entered a world that will provide extraordinary opportunity and risk. A place that will push him like nothing he has ever experienced, but will make him a man like no other place can. It was his decision to do this, and we are at peace with it in addition to being proud. A remarkable individual, who is at a school filled with people just as remarkable. Not special people, but extraordinary people. Selfless, smart, leaders, and I truly believe the best this country has to offer. How lucky they are to have one another and how amazing they will be on this journey together. He's in the right place. Our Service Academies maintain an expectation and value system of excellence, the only constant in a free society of variables. Where our political parties and leaders, media, institutions and many facets of society have failed to maintain civility across the spectrum, these people give me hope and renewed conviction that indeed we are still the greatest nation that has ever existed. We are the shining light on the hill, and it is they that carry the torch.

None of us set out to raise superheroes, just a better versions of ourselves. Help them learn from our mistakes while letting them learn from theirs. Our DS, like all three of our children, is an amazing kid, but we didn't do it alone. He had God given talents that we as parents helped nurture and maximize. But he was surrounded by people who genuinely cared for him and conditioned him to be his best self. In addition to blood relatives, our extended family at Church, summer league swim team, and year round club team (old and new) have been a blessing. The coaches and teachers DS has been exposed to have been paramount in helping develop his intellect and moral character that permeates the soul. And his friendships that he developed, were just as diverse as anyone and all great young people that we are proud of. He represents a piece of each of them that have touched his life.

So, as I step off this soap box, I say thank you to all who have helped DS on this path, but we are no where near finished yet. This is just a new beginning for him, a journey of a lifetime. May God Bless America and all those who keep her safe. GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!
Click to expand...


Really hit home again when I read this just now. I feel exactly the same way. It takes a village for sure. Miss my plebe so much, but know he is doing what he has dreamed of. Proud of all the plebes. His dad had the hardest time, visibly. I held it in on I-day while he saw me, then lost it afterwards. He is our last son of three to leave the nest, and his brothers are several years older than him. His phone call on Sunday was just wonderful medicine for me and by DH, he sounded tired but very upbeat. Go Navy! Beat Army!
 
GoBigRed88 said:
All in all a great day! My DS did have a bit of a scare during in-processing. He is college re-applicant who completed his DODmerb 2 years ago. When he got to medical on I-Day he took the test for color deficiency and failed. They asked if he had a waiver. He said no, he had passed it when tested 2 years ago. They gave him a 2nd test, which he also failed. They then told him that there are only a handful of waivers available to be used on I-Day and he would have to wait to see if they had one for him. He waited 3.5 hours before finally receiving word that his waiver request had gone up the chain and finally been approved. I can't quite imagine how stressful that 3.5 hours must have been for the poor guy. In my 30 mins with him after taking the oath he was literally giddy~I think primarily with the thought that after all the hard work to get there, it could have been yanked out from under him! I am so grateful that I was completely oblivious to what was going on in Alumni Hall ( I took a tour, shopped the mid store etc, etc). So grateful it worked out for my DS. He would have been devastated if they sent him home.

I'm assuming he will be tested for this again during Plebe Summer?
Click to expand...
So happy for him! whew!
 
In RT I perfected sleeping standing up in line for chow. We were so packed in it was impossible to fall forward or back, when everyone started moving head would snap up and shuffle forward...then quick snooze...repeat.
 
I am laughing at all the sleeping comments. It must be a universal truth in the military. I can assure you that USMC grunts can sleep anywhere, anytime, and under any condition. Give a Marine a 5 minute break and he can squeeze 4.5 minutes of sleep out of it.
 
My Strength of Materials professor at USNA was a Royal Navy LCDR and a strict disciplinarian on sleeping in class..he didn't throw chalk or the eraser...he dropped the whole BOX of chalk on an unwitting head that nodded off. Repeat offenders stood the rest of the semester...unfortunately his class was right after lunch...
 
My Chem Prof was an eraser thrower. You could never get the chalk out of working blues. My EE Prof was a Marine Major... we did a lot of push ups for head nodding.
 
vmiwifeandmom said:
Really hit home again when I read this just now. I feel exactly the same way. It takes a village for sure. Miss my plebe so much, but know he is doing what he has dreamed of. Proud of all the plebes. His dad had the hardest time, visibly. I held it in on I-day while he saw me, then lost it afterwards. He is our last son of three to leave the nest, and his brothers are several years older than him. His phone call on Sunday was just wonderful medicine for me and by DH, he sounded tired but very upbeat. Go Navy! Beat Army!
Click to expand...

I love this! I've read it several times, and each time it touches my heart. You are a beautiful author!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top