Newbie Parent Questions

Blessedmom said:
Newbie question here too: I was thinking about buying items for his dorm such as sheets, blankets, robe, towels, microwave, TV, refrigerator, coffee machine, fan, water boiler, etc... are these needed? Do SA supply them with basic appliances? I am clueless :(
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You don't need to buy any of that. They are issued robes, slippers, everything.

They are also issued all of these music. supplies:image.jpg
 
Brawny77, my DS didn't come home for Thanksgiving. We're on the west coast and worried he wouldn't get back in time, so he spent the holiday with his roommate's family on the east coast. He came home for Christmas and Spring break, but to be safe, he was back on the Yard by Saturday afternoon.
 
Most "basic appliances" are forbidden due to fire regs. When your plebe is an upperclass, he will figure out what he can get away with. Spoken as a BattO who did room inspections, both announced and unannounced. :) The stuff I used to find.... I think it was stuffed into the overheads (ceilings) behind the tiles during formal inspections! Made me laugh.

Let him take only what is on the list to PS, going lean and mean, and let him get his own stuff once ac year starts or tell you what he wants.
 
Here's a question.... For my son's 18th bday next weekend he wants to take a few of his friends to tour USNA. His dad and I are driving them. Since he has accepted his appointment, would it be helpful to him to contact admissions and ask for a "backstage pass" of sorts or is that a silly thought? You know, something other than the general tour. Wisdoms?
 
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Best not to supply with any appliances, especially plebe year. They are issued irons, alarm clocks, pretty much everything they need and/or are permitted to have.
 
OK I now understand that I should be working on getting my Daughter home for Thanks-Giving; make sense to me.

We live in Seattle with really limited direct flights to the Baltimore/DC area. The are options with a stop here and there but the increase in Flt-Time offsets any gain from leaving earlier.

So, my kid gets on an 8 AM flight and lands at BWI at 4PM Three hours to get to Annapolis seems really easy ------- except its Sunday after Thanksgiving. So Question.

So what happens if she gets delayed en-route and arrives late. Yes I know what AWOL means, but as a practical matter ---?
 
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Yes with thanksgiving travels/traffic, delayed flights, & crazy weather...just seems too risky for students living far away? I guess if worst comes to worst, parents/families can goto Annapolis for Thanksgiving? Stay at a hotel there or close by? Or meet up in D.C., Atlantic City, Phila., or NYC?
 
We live in California and there has never been a problem--but we always fly our mid back on Saturday night just to hedge our bets. I could be wrong, BUT thought I read or heard somewhere that as long as their flight is set to arrive by a certain time and delays result in them arriving late they are not in trouble. Not 100% certain what the actual flight arrival time is.
 
Just Dad said:
OK I now understand that I should be working on getting my Daughter home for Thanks-Giving; make sense to me.

We live in Seattle with really limited direct flights to the Baltimore/DC area. The are options with a stop here and there but the increase in Flt-Time offsets any gain from leaving earlier.

So, my kid gets on an 8 AM flight and lands at BWI at 4PM Three hours to get to Annapolis seems really easy ------- except its Sunday after Thanksgiving. So Question.

So what happens if she gets delayed en-route and arrives late. Yes I know what AWOL means, but as a practical matter ---?
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Exactly why there is the "land no later than X hours prior to expiration of leave" rule. That helps to provide a cushion. If she has a delay that will have her arriving after report-in time, it's a simple matter of keeping her chain of command informed. If the delay is such she arrives after the report-in time, she will have the itinerary to prove her original travel plans were within regs. She would be fine. It's those mids who cut it too close, and Mother Nature or Murphy's Law burns them, and their itinerary shows they were due to land inside the cushion - well, there would be consequences.

The return time has been 6, 8 or sometimes 10 PM. A flight landing NLT 2 PM would be a relatively safe bet, assuming a 4-hour window is still in effect.

We have had several sponsor mids fly in from Seattle, and it's an early, early launch for them that day. Or we have picked them up late Saturday night, and they bunk at our house and sleep in on Sunday, and we get them back over to the Yard at a time they choose.

"Getting back on time" and "if you are not early, you are late," and "you may have good reasons, but there is no excuse to be late," are parts of the military culture that are soaked in very early in the process. I still call into phone conferences 5-10 minutes early, and invariably find everyone else who was a vet waiting on the phone (which we laugh about), while the "civilians" all call in on the hour or a few minutes after.
 
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When you receive the PTR packet it says exactly what they are allowed to bring. It is very limited!! Mine went with the clothes on his back and a small cleat bag with his soccer cleats, and his fully charged cell phone in a labeled zip lock bag---phones are taken and locked up until first call. They only thing he asked for were several extra pairs of sliders. They have very limited storage and most if not all after to move at the end of the summer.
 
Blessedmom said:
Yes with thanksgiving travels/traffic, delayed flights, & crazy weather...just seems too risky for students living far away? I guess if worst comes to worst, parents/families can goto Annapolis for Thanksgiving? Stay at a hotel there or close by? Or meet up in D.C., Atlantic City, Phila., or NYC?
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Yes, to maximize time together, meet-ups are common in the Northeast corridor. I think many plebes, though, would rather have a crazy trip for a few short days at home, even if it's the coast-to-coast thing. A good conversation to have. They want to wear their favorite jeans, see friends, nap on their favorite sofa, play with the dog, drive the car, stand in front of the refrigerator for 5 minutes deciding which of their favorite treats to eat. To just be "normal" again.
 
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You will know company before IDay and all mail will go to a generic address for the detailers to sort and deliver (ex MIDN 4/C XXX Platoon A Company 2, 1 Wilson RD, Annapolis MD 21412). Toward the end of plebe summer they will be assigned a permanent mailbox so the address will change to (ex) MIDN 4/C XXX Box 99999 1 Wilson RD Annapolis MD 21412. You could hand out post cards with all but the platoon/co number filled in and then add them later.
 
Just Dad said:
OK I now understand that I should be working on getting my Daughter home for Thanks-Giving; make sense to me.

We live in Seattle with really limited direct flights to the Baltimore/DC area. The are options with a stop here and there but the increase in Flt-Time offsets any gain from leaving earlier.

So, my kid gets on an 8 AM flight and lands at BWI at 4PM Three hours to get to Annapolis seems really easy ------- except its Sunday after Thanksgiving. So Question.

So what happens if she gets delayed en-route and arrives late. Yes I know what AWOL means, but as a practical matter ---?
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Plan for your mid to be back on time, with a sufficient cushion. Delays happen, and your mid won't be in trouble as long as they inform their chain of command of their whereabouts and plans to get back to the academy.

Some plebes don't get to go home for Thanksgiving due to the distance, time, or cost. Rest assured they will be taken care of, either with a sponsor family or a friend who lives close. Even our battalion officer offered for any mid still around to join his family for Thanksgiving dinner.

As for sheets, towels, etc.- it's all taken care of. The saying goes that you could show up to I-day naked (don't.) and you'd be fine, and it's true. I brought an American flag and that's about it.
 
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