Laptop question

[Lazyboy]

Did I hear somewhere that plebes are issued laptops, which their monthly pay pays for?

I’m asking because I was considering buying one for my DS’ birthday.

 

[Capt MJ]

Did I hear somewhere that plebes are issued laptops, which their monthly pay pays for?

I’m asking because I was considering buying one for my DS’ birthday.

There are several past threads about this - part of the pattern of appointment waves generating late winter-early spring “money and gear and stuff” questions.

If the pattern holds true, plebes will be issued a PC laptop, which are authorized to access the USNA system. WiFi is very limited or non-existent around the Yard, but I hope a current or recent mid updates us on that. He would not be able to take it to Plebe Summer, and it would be one more thing to deal with as he settles in with multiple roommates and associated uniforms, books, their issue laptops, at the start of his new crazed and busy life in the ac year.

I recommend holding off until he tells you what and when. Many of our sponsor mids got themselves a nice upgrade, quite often as they started 2/c year and celebrated taking on their service obligation.

The ACE Loan, which all mids get, is the chunk of money that covers all this stuff, and it is repaid from their pay. This enables any plebe to show up with empty pockets.

This link has been posted recently, but it never hurts to re-post, as the pre-report series of questions begins. Click on the Midshipmen Stipend and Budget Book link on this page:
https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Student-Life/General-Information-for-Midshipmen.php

The issue laptop will be mentioned. This link is updated for each new class.

 

[helmsdown]

Yes they are given a "configured" laptop which is insured and will be paid for out of their monthly pay.

 

[Lazyboy]

Thanks. Lazy morning, you got me the answer quicker than I could on my own.

 

[Capt MJ]

Thanks. Lazy morning, you got me the answer quicker than I could on my own.

More reading... this was last year’s (2021) Permit to Report (PTR) Package. Class of 2022 should start seeing their updated version in April. It’s the To Do/To Bring List - 15 pages. Welcome to the military.

https://www.usna.com/document.doc?id=1256


No doubt we’ll be seeing the annual vaccination, socks, extra sports bras, phone, passport, birth certificate, bank accounts and other threads soon!

 

[pleber16]

I'm still using the laptop I was issued as a Plebe. So are a lot of my classmates. And the computers they issued to subsequent classes were even better. The computer repair center is available for anything the 4 years you're there, and before graduation they'll wipe it clean for civilian use and install the whole Microsoft Office package. When I turned mine in for that I told them the battery didn't hold a charge as well as it used to and they replaced that too.

 

[time2]

While you may choose to have a PC for personal use, you can't connect it to the USNA network (similar to how most companies operate). Laptops intended for use on an internal network are configured for compatibility and to avoid the introduction of virus files that might infect the network.

 

[Musicman]

To clarify, mids are allowed to own and operate personal laptops (like a MacBook for instance) although they will not be able to connect to the network? Thanks in advance!

 

[Capt MJ]

Yes

 

[Sandydesert]

Class of 2020 received new, in the box computers during the last 2 weeks or so of PS. They were allowed time to set them up, load required software, etc., then had to return the computers to the box and all boxes were kept in a secured location until the start of ac year.

 

[CrewDad]

What is the Laptop brand and model# you get as Mids at USNA?

 

[Capt MJ]

It’s probably a competitive bid each year, or else part of a multi-year government procurement contract. It may or may not be the same as last year. It won’t be an Apple product.