Class of 2024: The Journey Begins

well service academy forums- I report today at 0830. Thank you to everyone for the helpful tips and words of advice. Can't wait to start this journey.
Good luck and enjoy the ride.
 
Yes, they make them tuck their shirts in immediately when they walk in the doors. Would be surprised if there are a lot of photos during ROM, but the good news is with them being in smaller groups this year they will be easier to find once you find their platoon!
 
That smell. White works with whatever fabric finish is on there, fresh sweat, dried sweat, fear sweat, aged sweat, fermenting sweat, plus regular grime and dirt. I arrived for duty in the summer and had never smelled anything like that, concentrated funk, in a no-AC (at that time) setting. Especially when they ran by in formation, they left a lingering vapor trail of Eau de Plebe.
 
That smell. White works with whatever fabric finish is on there.

They say smell is the strongest sense when it comes to memory. Anyone who has been a plebe will IMMEDIATELY be transported back to PS at the first sniff of White Works. It's hard to explain, but it is unique and memorable. That said, I think the last Supe said they changed vendors or something a few years ago and the smell is now either not there or different.
 
Random question...
Do they use any data to place roommates or build platoons (ie, mix of states, athletes, etc?) or is it generally random?
 
It’s random, but then they tweak to spread out prior enlisted, varsity athletes, other demographics.
 
I also want to thank all of those on this board who helped us during the long grind of preparing for nomination process and application process. I last heard from my 2024 at 5:30 am 6/30 and he let me know they would probably be taking phone right away when he got picked up in a few minutes. News from the COVID Classes Check-In:
  • Bancroft's insect and mouse populations went crazy. Mids leaving for spring break in March were told to get rid of any food before they left. Professional "packers" (who packed up mids who couldn't get back to collect their stuff) put food they found into trashcans--even open packages, and just left them.
  • Plebes are getting a mix of MREs and packaged meals. Since a lot of the Plebes have been on the yard many times (Sports Camps, STEM, NASS, CVW), they are assuring others that life will get better after ROM is over.
 
Bancroft's insect and mouse populations went crazy.

Easy solution .... issue the Plebes a few mousetraps and create a little competition or bounty system , maybe a little carry -on at meals. Midshipmen are by nature competitive, and it would be very effective !

My First Class year, a couple of our Plebes took it upon themselves to have a mouse-trapping competition; and hung their daily kill on the bulletin board just inside their room each morning. That might not have gone over well in some of the Companies, but our Company Officer (a mustang USMC Major) thought is was funny.
 
Couple updates:

1. DS says that thus far, the in-processing is going very well. Only 1 case of positive Covid he has heard of, promptly quarantined. By comparison, it's going way better than what I hear from my alma mater in C Springs. USAFA let the inbound doolies keep their phones and have already gotten some very inappropriate social media posts about how easy their basic is...my guess is those posters have an interesting few weeks in their near future. Also not as strict on the Covid mitigation and suffering a far higher rate than USNA.
2. DS, who's training officer for his company, says once ROM is over, the plebes will have a good grasp of what plebe summer is all about. And anything the shortened summer schedule might miss, they have reserved plenty of time during the academic year to revisit.
 
My son arrived last night late and reports he was taught to make his bed and given an MRE. Met his squad leader at some point. His report time is today at 145 but they sucked him in the machine this morning. Was able to talk for a few mins on phone between in processing (mom I look dope in my new (PT) uniform) and phone taken away literally while we were on the phone. He is in high spirits and can't wait to meet his roommate. Name tags for uniform and on door already provided. Was thrilled with his name tags and 5 boxes of supplies. Big white bag of uniforms was very heavy but some of the girls were outperforming some of the boys carrying it. (Go ladies of 2024!)

MRE was vegetarian taco-flavored pasta and he couldn't heat it up with the chemical packet due to some problem with the packet. I think it sounded grim but he didn't complain! My Navy vet Dad laughed so hard when I told him about that. My son is a foodie so I had to laugh at him eating MRE's. I wonder if they will convert to Kings Hall delivered meals once everyone arrives or after quarantine or not at all during Plebe Summer.
Also, he said he will not have any contact with us through his laptop during ROM so I believe we will not talk again until July 12th.
Room holds 3 but only two name tags and two sets of those 5 boxes of supplies. 36 pairs of socks. Lots of pictures taken during in processing.

He is on his way! And I started my Waldo search in the photos but only one blurry picture so far...
Thank you for this. We haven't heard anything since we dropped off our DS yesterday, and I'm assuming we won't until the 12th, so I appreciate any little insight into what's going on. This year is so different than my own experience.
 
Easy solution .... issue the Plebes a few mousetraps and create a little competition or bounty system , maybe a little carry -on at meals. Midshipmen are by nature competitive, and it would be very effective !

My First Class year, a couple of our Plebes took it upon themselves to have a mouse-trapping competition; and hung their daily kill on the bulletin board just inside their room each morning. That might not have gone over well in some of the Companies, but our Company Officer (a mustang USMC Major) thought is was funny.

My dad sent me a an old newspaper clipping of where his school district had a rat killing contest, and his school proudly won, with one kid bringing in over 70 rat tails during the week. Obviously, this was several decades ago.
 
And anything the shortened summer schedule might miss, they have reserved plenty of time during the academic year to revisit.

DD the Detailer assures me that what plebes miss in quantity (weeks), they’ll make up in quality (rigor). Before leaving for the Yard last weekend, she mentioned “forward leaning rest” a lot. 😆
 
Are the males expected to show up with a shaved head this year or is the barber shop still open?
From iday photos, almost all the boys complied and had the "one blade" cut before coming. They had barber chairs set up and they re-did a few that were too long. Most families made the "shearing" a social event a few days before departure. My son's best friend cut his with a few other closest friends wailing and guffawing in the background of the video.
 
I am here, looking at the random things that annoy me when he is here, yet makes me miss him terribly today
I lost it yesterday when I realized he had cleaned his toilet for me. My home office is right across from his bathroom and I had completely quit using it years ago... for all of the reasons moms of boys know well. I went in to reclaim/clean the bathroom yesterday and realized he must have been cleaning it at 4 or 5 in the morning before we left for Denver Airport. 😭😭😭
 
Bland and boring email home came in today from the new USNA account. "Please send hot sauce" and "I have a met a lot of great people" the only interesting items. Thinking this might be a mandatory "write home" thing as it wasn't even in his style of writing.
 
Man, USNA has gotten soft. Letting them keep phones and letting them send emails home now. I thought this was supposed to be Plebe Summer?
 
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