charlestonmom5
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2015
- Messages
- 142
Who’s getting excited?! Anyone know how many 2024 basics are expected to report?
Who’s getting excited?! Anyone know how many 2024 basics are expected to report?
After we dropped off our DD, we went to the Colorado Parent's BBQ. There we met a retired AFA grad who described his I-Day (Vietnam era I guess from his age):
His mother would't take him to the AFA so his aunt drove him up to the ramp to drop him off (in those days). There an upperclassmen was waiting. When the car stopped, the cadet opened the door, ripped him out of the car and started to berate him.. His aunt just drove away...He remembered that he was upset at the time as his aunt had dropped off her son the previous year thus knew what was in store, but didn't tell him. And that's the way it was.
New parental involvement styles, cultural expectations and social media have changed how all this happens.
DH took the train from Philly to Baltimore, then a taxi to Gate 1. Walked in, checked in, saw his parents at Christmas. No I-Day fuss and events, no PPW, no Thanksgiving leave, no spring break, no 2/c parents weekend, no mobile phone, no internet, no regular communications.
He laughs and laughs too.
In non-ancient times (1989), I flew alone from the middle part of the country to Baltimore. There was a USNA shuttle there. I checked in all by my own self. I had a blue Jansport backpack, my allowed running shoes, my Velcro nylon wallet with a twenty my dad slipped me, a big manila envelope of documents, my DL and SS card and original birth certificate. I do not recall whether there was a PPW that summer or not (it's all kind of a blur except the athletic socks with a blue stripe and a gold stripe at the top and other random inconsequential things). I'm pretty sure I didn't call home during PS. I had a really great sponsor family. I didn't see the 'rents until I flew home for Xmas.
When I separated and went to a SLAC in the middle of the country, I moved in with two pairs of Levis, the shoes I was wearing, my white crewneck T-shirts, a navy blue V-neck lambswool sweater, a rugby jersey from my time at USNA, socks & underwear, toiletries, and a few textbooks. Desk lamp. Iron. Probably a few floppy disks (google it, kids). That was it. It all fit into my issue seabag, which I used constantly until it finally got destroyed during my NOLS time. I see kids moving in where I teach now and I'm agog at how much STUFF they have. How many clothes! All those shoes! Rubbermaid totes and U-Hauls and comforters, oh my!