2012 Mystic Flag Ceremony

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ssellis1

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We are trying to set our summer schedule - does anyone know the date of the Mystic Flag Ceremony that this sumers swabs will be participating in?

Thanks
 
You can reasonably assume that it will be on July 21st, however, you cannot make any other assumptions as to what companies will be there and which will be heading to Eagle. If your swab is not there, it's a nice ceremony but really not worth attending.
 
Honestly, it's not long enough to be worth it for the swab either. Enough parents will be there for your swab to hang out with. My grandfather came. It's just not long enough to get a whole lot out of. If you can make it, great! If you have to choose between Mystic and a long weekend, make it the long weekend.


That's just my opinion. I liked seeing my grandfather, but it wasn't a "long" day. Maybe that's changed.
 
If you can just hold off until Parents Weekend. You'll be amazed by the change in your kid.
 
Okay, I need to jump in with a mother's point of view. :) I agree with Luigi that you can reasonably assume July 21st. Last year Alfa, Bravo & Charlie companies did not attend due to Eagle. Mystic and/or an Eagle visit is a great way to confirm that your son or daughter is alive and doing well. I asked my daughter what she thought regarding to visit or not to visit, and she said it would be fine either way. However, I would suggest letting your child know well in advance what to expect. You don't want to have them expecting you and then you not show up. And, to be honest, you can't really count on letters getting read promptly, so don't wait to the last minute to inform them. My daughter had plenty of mail, but no time to read it.
 
Mystic Flag Ceremony

Now from a Fathers point of view: My wife and I drove up to Mystic from Sarasota Fl and we found that it was great for us and for DS. The ceremony was fun to attend and we did get to spend some quality time with DS after the ceremony. Remember, other than letters, there is no other form of communication with your swab.

We went out to dinner and got to take some great pictures of him in his dress uniform. I must say though that it was tough to leave him (again) but we knew that we would return for a long wknd on Labor Day. Also you might get some time with your swab at church services on Sunday.....but no guarantee.

Sculler Dad
 
Then things have changed, because as a swab we were not allowed to leave Mystic Seaport. It was a "walk around and hang out" kind of day.

For me personally, the tease would have been harder on me than just not seeing my parents and friends.

I was able to see them during my EAGLE port call...and that was brief but nice.
 
Traditionally, it has been Alfa, Bravo, and Charlie companies on Eagle during Mystic. But with the changes to the summer program, the Eagle order will most likely be changing. I wouldn't plan anything that's non-refundable until you know further.
 
Hehe, now I feel older. "Traditionally," in my experience, it was Xray, Yankee and Zulu! :wink::biggrin: All those other companies were something we had to look forward to IF we made it.
 
LineInTheSand said:
Then things have changed, because as a swab we were not allowed to leave Mystic Seaport. It was a "walk around and hang out" kind of day.
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Things have changed. :wink:

  • Parents line the parking lot and the Mystic Seaport entrance waiting for buses to arrive.
  • Buses arrive around 0830-0900 with wide-eyed swabs staring out the window.
  • Buses park, swabs assemble by company (including band) and march to the Seaport with parents following closely among/behind/beside.
  • After a brief formation and instructions, swabs are at liberty for about 2 hours. Cell phones are passed around, friends are called, family is hugged, swabs are fed/watered with plentiful food & drink brought in coolers by the parents
  • Swabs re-assemble and march to the area near the Charles W Morgan whaling ship.
  • 1100 - Speeches, Class Flag presented, swabs march back to the buses.
  • Buses return swabs to Chase Hall and are released to liberty (sometime around 1230-1300, and it ends at 1800) AFTER they have passed another inspection.

The morning liberty at the Seaport give just enough time for a quick hug, maybe a phone call to a few friends, a quick Gatorade and snack, and a few stories/Q&A sessions with parents. After they are released from Chase in the afternoon there is plenty of time to go shopping (Walmart is packed with swabs during this time) or hit a local New London/Mystic/Groton restaurant.

Around 1700, swabs start to get really nervous, looking at the watch and knowing that the line of cars to get back into the base will be long, with no excuses being accepted for returning late. It's not unusual to see car doors flying open on Mohegan Ave and a group of 4 or 5 swabs running down Bear Dr to get back to their company before the deadline.
​

If you are close enough to drive, it's worth it as long as your swab is there. Otherwise, don't' come, you'll be sad and bored.

If you have to fly to get there, I would skip it and instead make Parent's Weekend the "big 1st visit as everyone will have much more liberty time (Friday night until early Sat morning, and again from the football game March-On until Sunday evening) and be much more relaxed without a looming deadline.

:beer1:
 
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am1 said:
We went out to dinner and got to take some great pictures of him in his dress uniform.
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I admit I didn't attend last year, but I don't think they were in dress uniforms, as "Trops" is the normal attire (sans shoulder boards, which are not awarded until early August).

5967927524_a4df815911.jpg


And "dinner" might be tough unless you are starting the meal around 1500, as a 1800 return is mandatory.
 
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Thanks for all the replies. We are only a couple of hours away in Southern NJ so we don't need to make major travel plans. As our cadet will be sailing with the Dinghy Team we were told not to plan on parents weekend as she will most likely not be on campus most weekends. Trying to plan for her brother as he wants to attend a camp this summer, but not miss visiting with his big sister.:smile:
 
I'm not saying that anyone should book tickets on this information, but from the schedule command staff got, 21 JUL 12 might be a very good day to see your swabs if you are close enough to visit.

Honestly though, just tossing in my two cents here, unless you live within really a tri-state area, the six or so hours really isn't worth it. From what I recall I spent a majority of that time on liberty sleeping anyways.
 
Luigi59 said:
I admit I didn't attend last year, but I don't think they were in dress uniforms, as "Trops" is the normal attire (sans shoulder boards, which are not awarded until early August).

5967927524_a4df815911.jpg


And "dinner" might be tough unless you are starting the meal around 1500, as a 1800 return is mandatory.
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DDBs (Dinner Dress) aren't issued until well into the school year.
 
Luigi59 said:
Hence my correction of a previous poster who stated they were in "dress uniforms."
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No no Luigi, I don't begrudge your correction of a previous poster, I was only building on that.

They have DDBs, DDWs, SDBs, FDBs... and then a number of variations of each. Of course ODUs could have been issued.

When I was a cadet FDBs were parade uniforms and SDBs came in "Alfa" and "Bravo". Towards the end of my time in the Coast GUard Alfa's went away, and a newer variation became FDB while Bravos just became SDBs.

And those are just SDBs! Don't get me started on Trops changes, winter dress, working blues, ODUs, horrible old Bermuda shorts, Undress (mix of working blues and trops).
 
LineInTheSand said:
When I was a cadet FDBs were parade uniforms and SDBs came in "Alfa" and "Bravo". Towards the end of my time in the Coast GUard Alfa's went away, and a newer variation became FDB while Bravos just became SDBs.
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Now that you mention it, I have never seen a white shirt with the SDB uniform (SDB-A) going back to 2006.
 
Except that we're still issued that white shirt, even though we don't wear Alfas anymore.
 
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