More sock questions...

Would hate to find out that you didn’t have room for it all. Then you’d be at risk of being “that guy.”

This is your adventure and your endeavor. Your parents may be well-meaning, but perhaps good time for you to take charge.
 
@Casey , I drove my son up to the C store a few months before he reported to beast. While we were there, a cadet was also there and he said that the issued socks were just fine. So I bought the ones they sold at the C store for him (the same as the issued socks) and my son also found them to be quite acceptable. My point being - you may not need to spend big bucks on socks and there is certainly no need to do so for beast - when things can and do get lost. My son is an OG now and he managed just fine with the C store socks - it was his choice to continue using them. And no book liners either.

@DutyHonorCountry--GoArmy - yes, you will still have room for everything. My 2 cents when packing for beast - large zip loc bags are key. Get the super large size ones. Use the gallon sized bags for your smaller items and then put everything into maybe 3 or 4 extra large sized zip loc bags (I found them at Target, but I"m sure many places sell them). This will make it super easy for you to transfer everything from your suitcase to the issued one (you have to do this in a very short time and under great pressure - people yelling at you - so the bags just make this step easier and quicker). Good luck!
Wanting you to bring all the optional items is just your parents way to wanting you to be well provided for. :) You have caring parents.
 
Cadets are training to lead Soldiers. Soldiers are issued socks and boots and military clothing. If cadets are too fragile to wear issued socks or boots or military clothing, how can they lead Soldiers? How can they know how long it takes for issued socks to dry or how long Soldiers can walk in issued boots or when they need to be replaced?

No one needs fancy socks for USMA.
 
bookreader said:
@Casey , I drove my son up to the C store a few months before he reported to beast. While we were there, a cadet was also there and he said that the issued socks were just fine. So I bought the ones they sold at the C store for him (the same as the issued socks) and my son also found them to be quite acceptable. My point being - you may not need to spend big bucks on socks and there is certainly no need to do so for beast - when things can and do get lost. My son is an OG now and he managed just fine with the C store socks - it was his choice to continue using them. And no book liners either.
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Yep, issued stuff might not be the most fancy, best solution but it definitely gets the job done or else it wouldn’t be issued.
 
I use the issued socks to ruck. They work fine.

If they don't have enough padding consider wearing your dress socks under or over your boot socks (it works as extra padding).

Rather than worrying about socks, I would make sure the boots and low quarters are broken in(jog or walk with them). This will be more helpful for your feet.
 
I will say just a couple pairs of Fox river boot socks for days spent in boots and make sure your low quarters fit right and are broken in and possibly some black smart wool light weight socks to go with the low quarters. Also use the stuff for blisters if you have any points on your feet that are problem areas while breaking them in. If you look at pictures of past years beast the new cadets that are wearing tennis shoes are mostly due to blisters from the low quarters on rday.
 
I think the thing to remember is that parents feel like they don't have any control as their child goes off to a Service Academy/College...so they control what they can, which is what you send with them.
 
bopper said:
I think the thing to remember is that parents feel like they don't have any control as their child goes off to a Service Academy/College...so they control what they can, which is what you send with them.
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I definitely understand this, but it isn’t going to do that cadet any good at the Academy to have a parent hovering. I am not insinuating that’s what is happening here, but when new cadets raise the right hand on R-day and take the oath making them a member of the US Army, they are an adult that needs to be self functioning and self reliant. There’s a lot of growing that happens at the Academy that parents can assist with mentorship for, but ultimately that cadet needs to figure it out themselves because when they are 2LT’s, they’re going to be in charge of folks of all ages and backgrounds coming to them with all kinds of issues, both personal and professional, and expected to help them figure it out themselves.

That’s where you probably see a lot of the tone from some of these posts coming as hopefully a gentle reminder to parents to let their kids make that transition. If you did well enough to prepare you kid to get into an Academy, you probably did pretty good at raising your kid. Give them the chance to go figure out how to be a leader and make you even prouder. Stressing out can potentially just project stress onto your kid who is not only going to be worrying about their own performance but also minimizing their parents’ stress which shouldn’t be their focus.
 
Casey said:
Stressing out can potentially just project stress onto your kid who is not only going to be worrying about their own performance but also minimizing their parents’ stress which shouldn’t be their focus.
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Your entire post is excellent but this last sentence is very important for the parents and the kid.

Parents need to chill. And don't tell me, "it's easy for you to say."

It never gets easier giving over a child to the military. My son used to call me on his burner phone before he got on a helo. Sometimes I could hear the engine. What? Why are you doing this to me?, I wanted to say. He's now an exercise observer and controller and teaches demolitions and urban assault to 19- 22 year old grunts. Thankfully, he now only calls after making things go boom and everybody went home OK.
 
Are black crew socks with no logos okay to bring and wear with the low quarters throughout beast or do they have to be dress socks specifically? Just asking because crew socks are a little thicker, might help.
 
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