Mystic Seaport Flag Ceremony - Phase 1 on Eagle
Phase 1 on the Eagle begins the weekend of July 24 which is coincident with the flag ceremony. Swabs in alpha, beta and Charlie company traditionally are flown to join the Eagle on flag ceremony weekend. In the past, those swabs will not attend the ceremonies at Mystic Seaport. Two years ago when my son was at Mystic, new cadets from Alpha Beta and Charlie company's were leaving for the airport at the same time the remaining cadets were leaving for Mystic Seaport. Before you make plans to visit your cadet, check with them as to whether they will be attending the Mystic ceremonies.
Since I live about two hours from the Academy, I attended the ceremony and had a fantastic day. It was a proud moment to watch the cadets marching into the Seaport and to observe how much they had matured in that short time. We got to spend several hours after the ceremonies with our son at the Seaport which in itself is a great place to visit. The cadets were then bussed back to the Academy where we were again able to join them for an extended visit. If you live across country from the Academy, it would be a long and expensive trip for a few hour visit. The parents that attend are more than happy to share their phones and even adopt additional cadets for the day. Other cadets whose parents could not attend for the most part have bonded with fellow cadets that made plans of their own. They typically share pictures and many are posted at the Coast Guard Academy parents Association website which is free to join for the first three months. It is a worthwhile method of obtaining a wealth of information which is shared among the parents.
I did not attend the shoulder board presentation since my son advise me that it was a very short ceremony and there was no time for visitation afterwards.
Best of wishes to all of the new cadets and their new Coast Guard extended families.