All- Academy Balls

This thread is resurrected from nearly 4 years ago, could be a record!
 
missymaywah said:
Are cadets allowed to bring non-military/student guests?
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Yes. The cadet/midshipman's date and guests do not have to be military or students. Our whole family went every year and our son brought non-military dates each time.

Stealth_81
 
our USNA son brought a huge group of his highschool buddies. A female (same grade in his high school) from USAFA brought a huge group of her high school girlfriends. We had the entire back corner of the ball and they had a great time. They've already planned on a repeat for this year.
 
My twins brought Baby Sister (one year younger) as both their "dates" during their 3* year. I believe they had fun, but it was bad timing for them so they didn't go back.
 
Hahaha, I see that I was the second reply in this thread back in 2011. We never made to our All-Academy Ball during the 4 years the cadet was at West Point for the same reasons back in 2011---too far, too expensive, cadet had no interest. He didn't want anything to do with West Point over Christmas---that was his time for TV and naps. :)
 
All-Academy Balls were fun to attend in Tennessee because, 1. people usually thought we were USNA midshipmen, and 2. there were so few USCGA cadets (1-3) that we were unique. That was until some USMMA midshipman showed up, then we were as "rare".

My first All-Academy Ball was my 4/c year. We lined up to walk out (as we were introduced), and a ******-bag zoomie stepped up and said "Air Force Academy is first, we're always first, and you're last." He had some more garbage to share before my 4/c classmate reminded him of the USAF's role in the attack on the USCGC POINT WELCOME during Vietnam. That shut up the zoomie and reminded us that All-Academy Balls are often the first experience for many freshman cadets and midshipmen with interacting with other service academies. Give them a good impression of your school. That zoomie didn't. And while I've since met some great zoomie friends, that left a bad taste in my mouth for a long time.

Eventually our dances became the "All Academy and ROTC Ball." Didn't really make a difference to me. I had my fill of dances after years at CGA.

My last All-Academy Ball, in Nashville, JROTC cadets were invited (I have no idea why). I still haven't forgotten the Army JROTC cadet who insisted he should be allowed to march out to be introduced too. He was not a happy camper when he was reminded it was ALL -ACADEMY and he was a high schooler.
 
The North Texas All Academy Ball is a great event. Each senior gets introduced and a short biography of their time at the academy is read. The guest speakers are usually well-knowns. General Ritchie, USAF-Ret introduced my son in 2012. Author Stephen Coonts spoke last year. Students are also given play money to gamble with and each guest is given an etched wine glass.

And referring to the current post about athletes getting in to the prep school. North Texas gets its' share of appointees. Of the 50 or so seniors honored every year maybe 1 or 2 were IC's. Where are they all coming from?

It is fun to see all the academy kids in dress uniforms and hear about their accomplishments and where they are headed. Thumbs up!
 
Attending WI AAB December 26th, 2014 and have questions

Maybe Stealth_81 can help. Our family is attending with our plebe daughter and looking at the formal dress code. Father and brother are wondering if they should wear a full suit, vest, and jacket or is a tux the better choice? Daughter plans on attending in her SDB's but changing into a full length gown after dinner, is that appropriate? If so, about how many of the female cadets/midshipmen change?
Thank you for helping me navigate these waters!:wiggle:
 
Generally All Academy Balls specify which uniform (or equivalent) should be worn. Sometimes folks don't have the correct uniform, so they were the closed thing to it.

In my experience, we wore dinner dress blues (DDBs) which are essentially the military's tux (black tie). Other people, not in uniform, wore tuxes. For cadets/midshipmen without DDBs, they wore, what we called full dress blues, FDBs.. which were the "suit coat" looking uniforms, but with bow ties.
 
At the Wisconsin events that we attended, most of the civilians that we saw were in dark suits. Tuxes are present but not in large numbers. Cadets wore Mess Dress or Service Dress, as LITS said. All of the female cadets changed into ball gowns after the formal dinner presentation. I hope you enjoy your time at the All-Academy Ball. It is a great time to see all of the cadets and midshipmen from all of the academies who represent your state or area.

Stealth_81
 
My twins took their baby sister (a college frosh at the time) as their collective date to the one AAB they attended. Sis looked fantastic and sons looked all grown up and bad-a$$ in their mess dress. I still have the picture of the three of them setting off that night. Treasure it.

As for the questions:
The good - the bad, great food but they were bored.
what you liked - what you would change LOVED the cost (FREE!), liked the dancing and the promenade. But they were home only for a short time and it's a long night, with long drive each way.
good turn out - poor turn out, never as good as the organizers hope, I think.
did your cadet/mid want to go or did they go b/c parents wanted them to go, My cadets went because their sister wanted a new boyfriend and figured she'd find some likely candidates there. Sister rules the roost.
was the date of Ball a good date - would you prefer the date at another time, bad timing for kids home only for a few days, but can't imagine any other time.
Venue: swanky downtown hotel as I recall, with $$$ parking.

Think that the kids had an OK time, but in the two additional years they were at USAFA, they opted to stay home for family poker night instead.
 
Illinois All Academy Ball

I can't say enough great things about last year's Illinois All Academy Ball.
My son (mid) went and brought four of his highschool buddies. Our table was assigned next to another table from the Air Force (a girl and four of her friends). My husband and i spent a large part of the evening talking to them and fellow shocked plebe patents)

My son and his group had so much fun he is bringing 14 this yr.

The good
Tickets are very well priced, service academy students free, other students half price.

The hotel is a very nice hotel in a suburb of Chicago. Easy high way access. Very great discount given. Early check in provided so bunch of future sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines hanging by the pool or playing pool with eachother in the game room.

Hospitality rooms for each branch (merchant marine, coast guard, airforce academy, West Point and naval academy)

Formal part begins at 5:30 ish. Formal military dress, civ men in suits, women in ball gowns. Beautiful ceremony great orchestra, wonderful dinner, dancing , photography area and photo booth,

At about 9:30 it completely changes. Orchestra is over, the DJ comes out and it turns more into a college (well behaved) dance. There was even a West Point vs navy break dance competion.

My husband and I left about that time. Many adults in lounge area or hospitality rooms (I'm kind of a wimp so I was in bed by 10:00)

Midson said dancing was till after midnight then big groups from the different academies just all hung out in the large lobby area until about 2:00.
 
bunnylady said:
Maybe Stealth_81 can help. Our family is attending with our plebe daughter and looking at the formal dress code. Father and brother are wondering if they should wear a full suit, vest, and jacket or is a tux the better choice? Daughter plans on attending in her SDB's but changing into a full length gown after dinner, is that appropriate? If so, about how many of the female cadets/midshipmen change?
Thank you for helping me navigate these waters!:wiggle:
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Last yr some girls changed-some didn't. (About 50%)
Your daughter will probably have a brief on the protocol before leaving the yard.

Coast guard and airforce girls did not change it seemed. The mid girl next to us said she got permission to change for the dance part.

I'd guess like everything else at the academy it depend on her year and company, but she will know what her rules are.
 
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