On the eve of I Day

E

eiei

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Jun 23, 2018
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On this last day of having a civilian DD, I would like to thank all the kind folks on this forum who have offered up all their words of wisdom through this tumultuous last year. Patience, perseverance and more patience are the takeaways for me. My daughter is excited for tomorrow so I am trying to keep my tears in check. She is also rocking her super short hair on this super humid day!
Thanks again and hope I can pay it forward!
 
You are most welcome. Get some protein and carbs and fluid into her tonight and early tomorrow morning.
 
I won't have a Plebe there tomorrow and I'm excited. I have a number of memorable parts of IDay, hearing Adm Carter quote John Paul Jones, the Oath, the flyover and seeing my Plebe walking towards us with a goob smile which helped assure me she'd be alright. The night before we met Capt Chadwick at Bancroft. His assuring words re-enforced our family's all in attitude and lessened the impact of those large doors closing.

Good Luck to all the incoming Mids.

“Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me."

John Paul Jones
 
Hurts to have em go, but you did good mom---really good.

She will be fine---- she will be great!

Keep eyes open for the extra stuff the Navy and USNA does for your daughter beyond the class room, over summer blocks, Etc. She will be learning/growing 18hrs a day for the next 4 years (maybe 20hrs a day over PS). Remember, United States Navy is "eating its own cooking" in the form of the fine Officer your daughter will be when she commissions out of the USNA. This shows in the outstanding education/experience your DD will receive at the USNA; only service academies have this relationship to their students.

I've balanced having less time with my own DD against where she is (and will be) in life and figure she made one helluva deal when she accepted her appointment.
 
I just came back from Hospital Point on the Yard.

The big tents are all set up. The wx (weather in military shorthand) promises to be classic - hot and humid. Wear sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, dress for the weather, no one will care how you look!

I spoke with one of my contacts at the Alumni Assn who was there; 1183 is the expected number of plebes reporting in. I would assume that includes the FONATs (foreign nationals).

Families, even if you didn’t book the catered lunch in one of the tents, make sure to go in the tent with all the sponsors. There are tables with State/regional parents clubs, local hotels (ask if they have a “USNA Friends and Family” booking code for a good rate, snag the Doubletree Hotel cookies), other sponsors, all kinds of free swag! Just go over the footbridge near Alumni Hall to the big tents. They usually have a big tent just for shade and sitting down, open to all.

Other stuff to do while your P2B gets run through inprocessing:
- MidStore shop until you drop. Assign a family Sherpa to haul the bags back to the car, even if they have to shuttle via bus to the Stadium.
- Check out the Museum. AC!!! Bathrooms!!!
- Did I mention MidStore?
- Snack at the Drydock in Dahlgren Hall. AC!!! Bathrooms!!!
- Wander through the Visitor Center Store, slightly different stock then MidStore. Discount for military ID and parents DBIDs. AC!!! Bathrooms!!!
- Under the bandstand gazebo on Worden Field across from Alumni Hall, there are bathrooms. Hospital Point, it’s Sun-Baked Portapotties.
- Look for the Link In The Chain grads wandering around, talk to them. For Class of 2023, that would be the Class of 1973, who started their journey 50 years ago. They will be involved with 2023 for all 4 years, cheering them on. They will take gold from donated ‘73 class rings to be added to the gold for 2023’s rings. They will hand out butter bars to the new ensigns and second lieutenants on Commissioning Day as they come off the stage. They will cheer you up and tell you sea stories.

I’ll be there. I’ll be wearing a Navy polo, Navy ball cap and Bill the Goat earrings. [emoji16]
 
1,183 is smaller than last year, but I supposed that's not significantly smaller. The class of 2022 is 1,189 right now, after having lost 30 since I-Day.
 
Capt MJ said:
I’ll be there. I’ll be wearing a Navy polo, Navy ball cap and Bill the Goat earrings.
Click to expand...

> By the way, did the good CAPT mention the Midstore? You too can buy a Navy polo (and have a million versions to choose from), Navy ball cap (ditto) and Bill the Goat Earrings (and every other accessory known to mankind, including temporary tattoos).

Best of Luck to 2023 ...and the Parents. Enjoy the Ride. I know there will be a lot of nervous parents and Plebes tonite, but sorry, I will sleep soundly ...you will all do fine ! (Look at it this way, if I got through it, you can too !)
 
Actually, I will probably wear one of my I’ve-been-there ball caps, nicely salty, worn in the line of duty. Just like hundreds of others...

Colors of the day are navy blue, gold and Marine red!
 
I was stymied by DS in the Mid Store. He said, “ Why do you need any of that - YOU’RE not going to USNA!” I didn’t have a good answer, except “Because I can”. Besides, he won’t be with me tomorrow when DW and I go back in. I’ve read the stories about how the Mid store has everything you could possibly imagine. They were wrong- it has everything beyond what you could imagine.
 
ders_dad said:
I was stymied by DS in the Mid Store. He said, “ Why do you need any of that - YOU’RE not going to USNA!” I didn’t have a good answer, except “Because I can”. Besides, he won’t be with me tomorrow when DW and I go back in. I’ve read the stories about how the Mid store has everything you could possibly imagine. They were wrong- it has everything beyond what you could imagine.
Click to expand...

Tell him you’re now a Navy fan and follow their sports, absolutely nothing to do with him going there.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji16]
 
Don’t miss the Bill the Goat guest soaps, what every home needs.
 
Capt MJ said:
Actually, I will probably wear one of my I’ve-been-there ball caps, nicely salty, worn in the line of duty. Just like hundreds of others...

Colors of the day are navy blue, gold and Marine red!
Click to expand...

But ALL vet/military branch gear is welcome, even those Other Academies. It’s all good. Don’t hesitate to wear it.
 
Seems not long ago that we dropped off DD for I-Day - she graduated and commissioned last month. She is at I-Day again today, but this time on the other side working as a new Ensign.

Good luck to all soon-to-be Plebes and parents. It's certainly and interesting ride.
 
Don’t take the 1183 as gospel, since I obtained it in informal chitchat. There will be a USNA press release “by the numbers” today, as well as coverage on the local news. After the sweat has dried and the dust has cleared, a final number will be arrived at.

There will undoubtedly be no-shows, those who balk at the door to Alumni Hall, medical turn-backs, etc. We also don’t know if Admissions offered any Hail Mary appointments in the last few days.
 
Shuttle from the stadium is a complete logistical cluster. Somebody didn’t do their job. 1.5 hour wait. We walked to Gate 8. Thought DW was going to have heat stroke. But I had a few extra moments with DS that were great.
 
ders_dad said:
Shuttle from the stadium is a complete logistical cluster. Somebody didn’t do their job. 1.5 hour wait. We walked to Gate 8. Thought DW was going to have heat stroke. But I had a few extra moments with DS that were great.
Click to expand...

Oh my. I suspect many decided to “come early,” not at their assigned time, which front-loaded the bus line.

Hydrate and recover. The marathon begins.
 
ders_dad said:
Shuttle from the stadium is a complete logistical cluster. Somebody didn’t do their job. 1.5 hour wait. We walked to Gate 8. Thought DW was going to have heat stroke. But I had a few extra moments with DS that were great.
Click to expand...

Oh wow. And so it begins!
 
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