Mid Leave

Great example here, of know your own stuff. Don’t rely on the SAF as your ‘bible’ for rules and regulations.
 
usnabgo08 said:
As stated many times on the forum, policies can change from year to year. Specific leave periods can be published in notices. For example, in 2019, Thanksgiving leave was published in a notice…by the way…only published about a month before the holiday…(https://www.usna.edu/Commandant/Dir...SHIPMEN-THANKSGIVING-LEAVE-LIBERTY-POLICY.pdf). Notices are lawful orders. The last page references the “4 hour” rule.

Keep in mind the larger picture…MIDN are going to be future officers…don’t want to be that ENS or 2ndLt (or anyone for that matter) cutting leave times close and missing unit movement. Ship underways and deployments don’t change because someone is late. Think of the trust eroded when you are expected to live and exceed standards and to set the personal example, but fail to.

There are many choices you get to make in life and the military, but there are also consequences. You get to decide the risk vs. reward. I know of many officers who would stay aboard ships the night before an early underway to ensure there was no possibility of missing movement.

Outside US leave requires proper clearances per foreign clearance guides. USNA has an instruction on this process, but understand there is vetting. Routing of internal paperwork typically requires the first O6 in the chain of command and going to a restricted area requires the first Flag officer (Superintendent) approval, but understand there are external permissions required, with most requiring a minimum of 30 days lead time to process. In the 2019 Thanksgiving notice, outside continental US leave wasn’t being entertained.
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Thanks for digging up the notice - I was pretty sure the 4-hour rule was still in play or at least until fairly recently and suspected it might be in a specific leave notice, and appreciate you got your trowel out.
 
One of the things you learn in the military is that it is VERY, VERY hard to plan ahead with certainty when it comes to leave, due to things within your control and some beyond your control. It's the way it is, it's the way it always has been, and it's not going to change for you.

That's why we all say: "Semper Gumby."

As for the OP, if you book T-giving now, leaving out of BWI after 1500 (out of DCA or IAD a couple of hours later) and planning a return flight to be back at USNA at 1800, you should be fine. The report back time could move later but you'll still be ok. For Christmas break, you have to wait for the exam schedule to be promulgated.
 
When do MIDs report back after winter break? The posted (though tentative) Spring calendar shows the term starting on Tuesday, January 10.
Is it "safe" to assume they have to be back a day before or Sunday?
 
OutThere said:
Is it "safe" to assume they have to be back a day before or Sunday?
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Maybe. Maybe not. The only constant in the military is change. Semper Gumby. Hence the regular advice here that if you do reserve now, book one-way tickets, ideally on Southwest because of their exchange/refund policy.
 
OutThere said:
When do MIDs report back after winter break? The posted (though tentative) Spring calendar shows the term starting on Tuesday, January 10.
Is it "safe" to assume they have to be back a day before or Sunday?
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Mids typically come back a few days before classes start to handle admin, get briefs, etc. “Reform,” or reformation of the Brigade after a leave period, is what you are looking for. That is the day midshipmen are due back by a specific time, unless they are otherwise directed.
 
Capt MJ said:
Mids typically come back a few days before classes start to handle admin, get briefs, etc. “Reform,” or reformation of the Brigade after a leave period, is what you are looking for. That is the day midshipmen are due back by a specific time, unless they are otherwise directed.
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Thank you! The parents, especially non-military, have so much to learn...
 
As stated above...best not to make flights too soon. If you do, make them "refundable". The exact schedule will likely change.
 
I would not make plans for any leave period until you understand the policies for that leave period, including dates and times. Always make plans as flexible as possible.

Comes into play particularly with summer cruise. I had a three week surface cruise turn into a five week surface cruise. Some MIDN got pretty upset that they lost two weeks of their leave block and had some summer trips ruined. Turns out the LTs in the training office were the opposite of sympathetic when they decided to call back to USNA to complain.

Don't book anything until you have dates and times. If you do book early, understand that you may have to spend more money on rebooking or flexible tickets. Understand that even if those dates and times are in black and white, they may still change.
 
OutThere said:
Thank you! The parents, especially non-military, have so much to learn...
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We’ve got you! We all have as much to learn as you do. The reality is we quickly learn to make plans in pencil. And to be ready and willing to erase and adjust. Semper Gumby is real. For every evolution.
 
@dav1y did your parents find the USNA international parent group? They specifically have much advice/knowledge in the ‘international travel’ realm. And it’s nuances (ie early paperwork required. Missing that deadline means a hard ‘no’…and it’s happened!).

They are a ‘been there, done that’ resource for your parents specific to USNA.
 
Most of the other plebes in your class will also be trying to get to the airport, so it’s pretty easy to split fares/get a ride after exams. Sponsors are usually more than willing to help you out, as are midshipmen friends who live in the area.
 
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