Parent Planning

USNA13DAD

10-Year Member
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Mar 23, 2009
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Son will be a plebe in class of 2013. He has to take care of the hard stuff but I have questions concerning planning during the next couple of years.
1. Army/Navy game I am getting requests concerning tickets already how many tickets do mids/parents receive.
2. After Army/Navy how much time do mids have prior to returning to the buses to return to the academy (if plebes are treated differently with this respect appreciate that as well). Do I have time to take my mid and others out to dinner after the game. I live in the Philly area do we have time to take them home, looking for that type of info.
3. Specifically during the summers about how much notice do mids have of their summer schedule training/leave. For instance would you know by the end of the academic year the schedule for the summer or is it generally less notice than that (i recognize there may not be hard and fast rules but looking for general info)
4. Current mids: are vacations with the family a thing of the past. When you get free time do you generally just want to decompress at home, take trips with other mids etc. or would a week of skiing in the winter or a week at the beach with the family still be something that would appeal to you.

As a parent of an independent person I am already starting to feel like a 5th wheel but would like to be there for support when he needs us and get out of his way when he doesnt.

To all current and future mids thank you for your service. :thumb:
 
1. Army/Navy game I am getting requests concerning tickets already how many tickets do mids/parents receive.

Plebe parents can buy up to 4 tickets. Go to www.navysports.com for details on ticket purchases for home and away games.

2. After Army/Navy how much time do mids have prior to returning to the buses to return to the academy (if plebes are treated differently with this respect appreciate that as well). Do I have time to take my mid and others out to dinner after the game. I live in the Philly area do we have time to take them home, looking for that type of info.

They generally have a choice of catching a bus right after the game, or several hours after the game. I think the last batch of buses leaves ~2200. You will probably have time to have dinner together. If Navy wins, the Brigade MIGHT be granted an overnight, but don't count on it, even in the event of a win. Savor it if it is granted, though!

3. Specifically during the summers about how much notice do mids have of their summer schedule training/leave. For instance would you know by the end of the academic year the schedule for the summer or is it generally less notice than that (i recognize there may not be hard and fast rules but looking for general info)

At this moment (exam week), we know which Blocks of training our current Plebe will have (Blocks 0-2), but we do not know where she will need to report for her summer cruise. Your Mid will probably know the exact times/dates/locations of their summer cruise ~2 weeks in advance, but even that can change. We know a member of the Class of 2011 whose summer cruise last year changed in location, type of vessel, etc. at least three times. Be ready to be flexible.
 
#1. Lucky Dad. The Permit to Report package will include Plebe Parent information for Army/Navy. It will be the first time (minus $$$$) you ever get to the head of the line. Your Plebe/You are allowed four tickets. After Plebe year your Mid can order tickets starting in the spring for next years game. The Tailgate run by the Alumni Association is great by the way.

#2. Regs are sometimes lax after Army/Navy. Depends on the Company (and score). They may have to report to the Bus at a certain time after the game (I think one or two hours later?). Being that you are close he could skip Bus and you could drive him back by report time. You would have to check with others on this forum for actual experience. My Mid skipped Bus after Notre Dame and we drove back with no problem.

#3. They know their summer schedule before the end of the academic year. They get about thirty days leave or maybe more depending on summer schedule. It all depends upon what Blocks they get for training and which for leave.

#4. Our Mid misses vacations with the family. Although watching her sleep 24/7 during her times with us is not my idea of a great bonding experience. As you say, current Mids will have to chime in here.
 
Plebe Parent Army Navy game will come in information this summer as tickets for A-N are set aside for plebe parents.

Need Mid's alpha number to order tickets after Plebe year.

Plebes usually have to catch the earlier busses - at least in son's company that was the case. If they do get an overnight, it typically has to be taken back in Annapolis. You sign up for return bus earlier in the week.

Summer training commences in Annapolis and ends there - even if the cruise location changes. Typically you can not fly directly to location nor directly back. Mine will be going overseas for block one - flight leaves BWI - connects for international flight in our home town. He can not leave from home - must report to Annapolis. Same is true on return flight - He can not get off the plane here.

Vacations - depends on your Mid. Spring Break - don't count on spending it with Mid.
 
Our plebe had a preapproved overnight in Philly after A/N. He got lucky with that. It is all company dependent. I don't know how much visiting we got to do. My husband took pictures of our plebe and me both asleep on the coach in our suite. He was tired from being a plebe and I from traveling so far. After our nap we ordered in and watched movies. It was good for him to relax. He didn't even mind sleeping on the sofa bed. He said it was better than his rack. The next afternoon he returned to Annapolis on Amtrak.

Our son just found out his summer training schedule yesterday. We don't know if/when it will change. His blocks have changed already once.

He has agreed to a family vacation when he finally gets home this summer. He is, however, already planning for future spring breaks elsewhere.

Hard to believe that Plebe year is almost over. I'm sure it has gone much faster for us than for him.
 
Thank you

Thank you for your responses. The permit to report is sitting in the mailbox waiting to be opened by my son as it came in todays mail so that would have answered my Army/Navy question but I didnt realize that the package came until after I posted the question and didnt know it was part of the package. Its funny I remember taking my parents out to dinner in Philly when my son was very little and we saw all these Navy guys with their families eating and than realized that they were Mids from the Army/Navy game. Of course he was very impressed with the uniforms funny how life comes full circle.

Thank you for your information as this forum has been been most informative.
 
Can't wait for Herndon! Thanks to JetBlue, we were able to get cheap tickets.
 
By the way, 2013 Dad, on top of all the changes and late notice, you should factor in sports to family trip planning. If your Mid plays a spring sport, there may be no spring break, and sometimes sports participation eats into summer training blocks as well. I have no experience w/ fall/winter sports, but I'll bet they do some schedule damage, too.

Our Youngster still loves family vacations. I think we get extra slugs of his older siblings' time because they'll get to see him those trips (and yeah, it probably helps that they're on Mom and Dad).
 
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