C/O '26 parents - place to commiserate and share. Roller coaster for the next 3 years!

... so I had to teach DS '26 the art of pocketing the difference between meals costs and DOD Per Diem rates. As I predicted, his leave expenses surpassed both Protramid and YP. On his latest outing with friends, he paid $82+ for dinner.
To be fair, this is the first time in his life when he is out on a training mission and spending wildly (as it should be) like a drunken Sailor. Many many moons ago, I was part of an annual training rotation in Singapore and Thailand. My first day, I often wondered why the veterans were always lurking in the streets and bringing small bags of "hawker" foods to their 5-star hotel rooms (Singapore) or sat under a nipa hut eating while flies are swarming (Thailand). "Hawker" street food costs $2.50 and a bowl of Thai fried rice with a can of soda is $1.25. Thailand DOD Meals Per Diem Rates for 2022 is $91.00 (Phuket); Singapore is $135.00.
 
Galwaygal said:
Just curious if those taking summer courses will finish up early or is this early finish just specific for Protramid?
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DS took two voluntary summer courses post plebe year and one the following summer. None ended early. Intense semester long curriculum crammed into that very tight timetable. Worked out well for him.
 
Heatherg21 said:
DS took two voluntary summer courses post plebe year and one the following summer. None ended early. Intense semester long curriculum crammed into that very tight timetable. Worked out well for him.
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DD figures it will be intense but we think she can do it, at least hopeful, as she did all AP courses in high school and did well in academics this past year. We are driving to the Academy this weekend to give her a boost before the intensity begins!
 
No. Per diem is only given when you are on a duty/assignment away from your normal duty station.
 
NavyHoops said:
Don’t they get COMRATS? Or whatever it is called now. Essentially whatever USNA allocates to feed a Mid/day they get back.
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Yes they do. And they don’t share.

I remember how interesting all that was after their ORDER to stay at home during spring break 2020. And then summer school. Made some serious money!
 
... so COMRATS (commuted rations) earned at the daily $13.55 rate per day or $406.50 monthly. Compared to my stipend 30 years ago, this is luxury. Back then my glorious moment was to buy a large Dominos pizza with a 2 liter coke after getting paid.
 
Just mentioned it to my kid. Between the that and the first held pay drop they should be getting, he's going to be good for San Diego!

I thought I was in heaven when they suspended tax withdrawals during Desert Storm when we were in theater. I came back from Saudi feeling like a straight baller. Had over $5k in my account. The Stuttgart PX took a LOT of that over the next week after I landed back in country. :p
 
... so a young 20+ team member on a 10-month deployment in OIF/OEF can rack up easy 30K with combat hazardous pay, jump pay, family separation pay, language pay, plus tax free status. Not too familiar with USN, if DS goes SWO, then Sea Pay will probably be almost guaranteed. Unless he goes to that other community... haven't brought the subject as of yet.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
Hopefully they have a fun adventure out in San Diego!
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LOL..they will. Should say "to much fun...."
Its almost crazy to unleash a bunch of (mostly )19-20 year olds in San Diego after just finishing Plebe Year...at least back in the day we had an additional year to mature being let loose on the world ! (Perhaps the 21 year old drinking age will temper it a little)
 
Old Navy BGO said:
LOL..they will. Should say "to much fun...."
Its almost crazy to unleash a bunch of (mostly )19-20 year olds in San Diego after just finishing Plebe Year...at least back in the day we had an additional year to mature being let loose on the world ! (Perhaps the 21 year old drinking age will temper it a little)
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Not as long as the trolley line still goes to San Ysidro/Tijuana....
 
I think the risk of bad decisions exists regardless of when PROTRAMID occurs, honestly. DS and friends spent time sleeping, going to a ball game, eating, spent time at the beach, went to the zoo. Tons to do that won't get you an ARI.
 
That's not to say bad decisions don't get made. During DS's time in San Diego, someone did totally screw up, got really intoxicated, and ended up in a medical situation as a result. Others who were there, if memory serves, also got into some hot water for the handling of the situation (taking care of each other is paramount). It was pretty bad, talked about amongst the plebes and across the yard. Might have been a pretty solid deterrent for the following class.
 
Heatherg21 said:
That's not to say bad decisions don't get made. During DS's time in San Diego, someone did totally screw up, got really intoxicated, and ended up in a medical situation as a result. Others who were there, if memory serves, also got into some hot water for the handling of the situation (taking care of each other is paramount). It was pretty bad, talked about amongst the plebes and across the yard. Might have been a pretty solid deterrent for the following class.
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Of course..its part of learning and growing up. Midshipman aren't immune to doing dumb things, and often pay a much bigger price than if done at State U. It's not just alcohol (although often contributes to the decision making process), but young guys (yes , I will step out a limb and suggest that its more guys than women) let loose for the first time tend to act before considering consequences,.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Of course..its part of learning and growing up. Midshipman aren't immune to doing dumb things, and often pay a much bigger price than if done at State U. It's not just alcohol (although often contributes to the decision making process), but young guys (yes , I will step out a limb and suggest that its more guys than women) let loose for the first time tend to act before considering consequences,.
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Well, I'm a girl and made plenty of bad decisions in my youth. So glad the internet and cell phones weren't around for that!
 
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