Come on Thursday if you can. You'll get free time with your cadet, and yes they can sleep at the hotel on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday if it's like years past. You'll have to get them to the football game early on Saturday.

It's a great time. Enjoy.


By the way, it's not early... It's getting late for reservations.
They do not allow Cadets to leave with parents until AFTER the football game on Saturday.
 
You best be getting a hotel yesterday.

We made our reservations this year while we were there last year!

They can leave with you Friday but have to be back for the football game. Quick tip, have your cadet DRIVE the car to the game. Parking is or at least was free if they were driving. Learned this last year.

Our son said the visit ending that was hardest on him was when we dropped him off on Labor Day. We stopped back Tues at lunch to say hi before we flew out.
Ok, We have been told several times basic cadets will not leave base with parents til Saturday after football game. Wth?
 
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Here's a copy of last year's PW schedule just to give you an idea of what takes place.. Needless to say, times and activities are always subject to change.. it's the military, in case you haven't figured that out yet. Stick around awhile after you drop your cadet off.. you might even hear a Christmas tune or two..
"I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree.."


Where do we get this schedule for this year?
 
In the link I provided earlier, it states, "Parents’ Weekend information will be e-mailed to parents/guests who register via the Parents’ Weekend Registration link. Registration will begin in late July."

So, I would not expect details until early - mid August. We received the info last year after registering on the 15th of August.
 
Last year many squads allowed the 4 degrees to see family on Thursday evening for a couple of hours on campus. There was a parade and activities on Friday and then late in the afternoon the Cadets were allowed to leave with family, but had to be back at the base early on Saturday morning for military training (apparently tailgating:)). Cadets were free to leave after the game and had to return on Monday at different times depending on class. The 4 degrees had to be back by 5:00 if memory serves me right.

The 4 degrees must be in uniform in public during the entire weekend.
 
For 2, 3, and 4 degrees, they had to be back by about 7:00 pm (1900). The "firsties" could come back later, around 11:00 pm (2300).

Fair warning for all, though, don't wait until the last minute to head back to the Academy grounds. The line to get through the gate, especially the North gate is very long, and the guards were inspecting about every 5th car last year. It took well over 30 minutes to get in the gate. Our DD barely made it back to sign in on time.
 
Unless they changed the rules this year and my DS insist they have not then Cadets can leave with parents at 4:30 on Friday. They must be back for 8:00 the next morning for formation. They can then leave again after the football game and must be back by 7:00 pm on Monday.

There are events throughout the day on Friday so it goes by pretty fast. Enjoy your time on campus. Eat the bad food at Mitch's if your DS/DD is a C4C. Let them show you their dorm rooms and class rooms. It is a fun time and our DS spent most of it talking about his BCT experiences. It was fun meeting his roommates and listening to him after a couple of months away.

Everyone has different stories about the rest of the weekend. Many like to not go out so they can stay out of uniform. We stayed on Saturday and went to Chapel at USAFA on Sunday morning and then to Jack's Valley for the tour around lunch. Our DS had fun watching his brothers try some of the obstacles on the courses. We then drove a couple of hours into the mountains and our DS slept most of the rest of Sunday. We did a half-day rafting trip on Monday so he got to be out of uniform during that time then headed back to USAFA. It went by quickly but looking back on it - it was a blast. I am looking forward to it again in a few weeks.
 
As I recall, DD was very excited to show us her dorm and classrooms; oh & Mitch's too. Would recommend taking in these on Friday; it meant a lot to her.

IMO Parents Weekend, esp. for 4 degrees, is not about the parents, it's about your cadet. They need the break possibly more then you do. Do whatever they want to do, if they want to sleep late, it's OK, eat at Denny's, etc., it's OK. We didn't treat it as a family vacation in the light of itineraries, etc. Our DD just wanted to sleep, do the printer, monitor-type shopping stuff & hang out by the hotel pool. So that's what we did. You know your young adult best, & after spending a little time with your cadet, you'll know what they need from the family over the weekend.
 
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IMO Parents Weekend, esp. for 4 degrees, is not about the parents, it's about your cadet. They need the break possibly more then you do. Do whatever they want to do, if they want to sleep late, it's OK, eat at Denny's, etc., it's OK. We didn't treat it as a family vacation in the light of itineraries, etc. Our DD just wanted to sleep, do the printer, monitor-type shopping stuff & hang out by the hotel pool. So that's what we did. You know your young adult best, & after spending a little time with your cadet, you'll know what they need from the family over the weekend.

Great advice by Wishful. Let DD/DS guide the activities.
 
Echo the above. Don't plan a busy weekend. Plan on going to the mandatory USAFA things on Friday and the ball game on Saturday, and then relax... be prepared to just step out of the room for a while. Our cadet consumed a massive amount of food, and slept. Ate some more, then.... back to sleep. We visited Garden of the Gods on Sunday... more eating, then early to bed... The wife and I hung out in the lobby with other parents while cadets slept.
 
Don't be afraid to ask your DS/DD what they want to do for the weekend. They are now into the academic year, have roommates for the semester and settled into a routine so what they wanted two weeks ago may have changed.

Our DS wanted to show us everything on Friday so we did a lot of walking and listening. Friday when we got to the hotel all he wanted to do was sleep. The same on Saturday after the game. Sunday he wanted us to go to the Chapel for Mass and then tour Jack's Valley. He loved telling us about BCT II and showing his brothers how to conquer the obstacles.

We had asked ahead of time and he wanted to head to the mountains and go rafting during the weekend so Sunday afternoon we drove a couple of hours to Buena Vista. We did a little hiking Sunday evening and then rafted on Monday morning before heading back to the Academy. He slept most of the ride both times. We made it about him, but there was plenty to do and everyone had a blast.

This year we are bringing his Aunt and Uncle and plan on leaving after the game for RMNP and some hiking. I think he wants most of us to go hiking up Eagles Peak with him on Thursday afternoon or sometime on Friday. Year two will still be about my DS.
 
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