Class '2026 Plebe Parents Weekend

Hello all,

This may sound like a silly question but does the base allow VHIC (VA Healthcare ID) access? It doesn’t seem it’ll matter too much if it doesn’t. I was enlisted and didn’t really feel the need to get a retire Deers ID since my current card allows me in installations local to me here.

Also I imagine the earlier the better but what time should we be there on Thursday and Friday? I know we won’t see them til Friday but if I can gain access I’d like to get a little more familiar before waiting in anxiety inducing traffic. Thanks all in advance!
 
Zetashinn said:
Hello all,

This may sound like a silly question but does the base allow VHIC (VA Healthcare ID) access? It doesn’t seem it’ll matter too much if it doesn’t. I was enlisted and didn’t really feel the need to get a retire Deers ID since my current card allows me in installations local to me here.

Also I imagine the earlier the better but what time should we be there on Thursday and Friday? I know we won’t see them til Friday but if I can gain access I’d like to get a little more familiar before waiting in anxiety inducing traffic. Thanks all in advance!
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Scroll down, click the link for acceptable forms of ID.

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Visit USNA page for Leaders to Serve the Nation at USNA.edu. Updated Wed Dec 06 12:28:56 EST 2023.
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If you are asking about drive-on access, you will need a DoD CAC, or a DBIDS card, which is issued to parents who have submitted the correct form (or I should say, will be issued this weekend at tents outside of Gate 1). If you are just talking about gate access at Gate 1 as a walk-in, then an acceptable form of Government ID is all that is required (per Capt MJ's list above ^^ ).

And you can't drive on with a DBIDS for large events like this weekend anyway, so you have to walk in the gate.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
If you are asking about drive-on access, you will need a DoD CAC, or a DBIDS card, which is issued to parents who have submitted the correct form (or I should say, will be issued this weekend at tents outside of Gate 1). If you are just talking about gate access at Gate 1 as a walk-in, then an acceptable form of Government ID is all that is required (per Capt MJ's list above ^^ ).

And you can't drive on with a DBIDS for large events like this weekend anyway, so you have to walk in the gate.
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USNA posted that vehicles can drive on the Yard this weekend. Of course it is a moot point for any Plebe parent that has not received credentials yet.
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Plebe Parents' Weekend Home page for Plebe Parents' Weekend at USNA.edu. Updated Thu Aug 08 06:23:28 EDT 2024.
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Well, that's good news!

They are issuing DBIDS cards starting today, so parents can pick them up outside of Gate 1 if they have already submitted the paperwork.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
Well, that's good news!

They are issuing DBIDS cards starting today, so parents can pick them up outside of Gate 1 if they have already submitted the paperwork.
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It will likely be a temporary piece of paper, rather than a card, if it is like previous years (and good for only 1 year). The card itself requires fingerprinting, background check, and photo. Takes about 20 min if there is no line but they are not going to be processing a couple thousand cards today and tomorrow.
 
It would be nice if all the Federal agencies would just play together and recognize CACs from other groups, or use one system for verification. It would make this whole process so much easier. Put your name in a system, oh look, you've already had a full scope background check and have a clearance? Bam, no prob, you're good to go.

But I've been in and around the government long enough to know that will never happen. :P
 
Driving on didn't matter for my '23's PPW because the Yard was the last place he wanted to be! I dropped off my family that Friday morning and parked at one of the decks in DTA. We would pick him up and drop him off at one of the pedestrian gates throughout the weekend. It was nice renting a house within walking distance if things got too congested, which actually was not an issue for us. He made a point of arriving an hour before assigned report time, and the crowds were not that bad at that point. I drove on the Yard for the first time that Monday morning so we could see the AM workout.
 
IronmanDaremo said:
It would be nice if all the Federal agencies would just play together and recognize CACs from other groups, or use one system for verification. It would make this whole process so much easier. Put your name in a system, oh look, you've already had a full scope background check and have a clearance? Bam, no prob, you're good to go.

But I've been in and around the government long enough to know that will never happen. :p
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I'm still trying to figure out why my DBIDS expires May 20 when commissioning is May 26. I know driving in is impossible CW, but having that DBIDS is even helpful for going through the pedestrian gates.
 
I wonder how much trouble my kid would get in if I rolled up on the Ducati to pick him up for liberty sometime. It is a vehicle driven by his parent ..... ;)

(Editor's note - I would never do that!!).
 
brewmeist said:
I'm still trying to figure out why my DBIDS expires May 20 when commissioning is May 26. I know driving in is impossible CW, but having that DBIDS is even helpful for going through the pedestrian gates.
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That is weird. But, like you said, it’s closed anyhow. However, your Mid can drive you on! We used that method a couple times. Piggybacked with their required trip.
 
brewmeist said:
I'm still trying to figure out why my DBIDS expires May 20 when commissioning is May 26. I know driving in is impossible CW, but having that DBIDS is even helpful for going through the pedestrian gates.
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One of the parents in our local USNA parents group alerted us to this - the DBIDS card is only good for 3 years. If you get one, say, on May 20 of plebe year, it will expire May 20 of Firstie year- just before commissioning. We waited until June after plebe year to get the card
 
ders_dad said:
One of the parents in our local USNA parents group alerted us to this - the DBIDS card is only good for 3 years. If you get one, say, on May 20 of plebe year, it will expire May 20 of Firstie year- just before commissioning. We waited until June after plebe year to get the card
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The cards are very easy to renew. Do it during one of your visits before it expires (and maybe even after). They’ll add enough time to the expiration date to get you past Commissioning Week. It’s not a problem at all.
 
MidCakePa said:
The cards are very easy to renew. Do it during one of your visits before it expires (and maybe even after). They’ll add enough time to the expiration date to get you past Commissioning Week. It’s not a problem at all.
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That's good to know.
 
brewmeist said:
That's good to know.
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Yes, when we were there for Herndon this past May I had the whole place laughing on the floor. I intentionally waited to renew it in May of ‘22 to get through to Commissioning ‘25. When they handed me my new card it was dated for THAT same day and not through the end of May, I had a little moment 🤣

They assured me that when we make it back to the yard they will extend it to make it through commissioning!
 
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