Phones/communication during plebe summer

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anthonyf0084

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I recently accepted my appointment to USNA, and like the other incoming plebes I'm super anxious for the Summer. I was wondering how phones came into play during Plebe Summer. I'm more than ready to give my phone up and disconnect for the summer, but I was seeing if anyone knew how phone calls home would work? Letters home or anything of that nature? Anything helps. Thanks!
 
Yes..you will disconnect over the summer. Phones and chargers are collected on I-Day. You will get 2-3 chances to make calls during the course of the summer. A current midshipman or detailer might be able to give more detail on timing, and there are several older threads about calls home.
You can certainly send and receive letters (you won't have a lot of time to write, but letters received are always welcome) and can receive care packages (again, lots of threads on SAF about care packages during Plebe summer).
 
PS for '25 (so summer 2021) they got 2 calls home between I-Day and PPW. DS was limited to ~20 minutes and was surrounded by other Plebes on phones. DS phone did not charge so he had to use someone else's. Make sure your parents answer all calls between I-Day and PPW.

Letters are always welcome but remember they are not very timely. Sometimes DS had no letters for several days and then he got a pile of them.
 
Number one rule....make sure you address properly with correct Company:

MIDN John L. Doe
USNA Class of 2026
"X" Company
Annapolis, MD 21412

Letters will be returned in not so timely fashion if not addressed correctly.

Also note that as PS wraps up they move to a PO box and if your letter does not arrive prior to the swap over the letter will be returned.
 
May I suggest sending bad dad jokes? My 2024 said they were a big hit during plebe summer. I also mailed him self-addressed stamped envelopes in the hope he would write us. He did. He did say he may have forgotten his home address so having them pre-addressed saved him. ;)

It is the case that they literally may be too busy to write and if that happens, you can lean on your fellow parent club plebe parents and I recommend Zoom cocktail hours to commiserate.
 
If you don't want to number your letters, just date them at the top. That way, even if you open a bunch at once, you can put them in chronological order.

Parents . . . this is the time to really, really loosen the cord. Your plebe will be given at least two opportunities to call home during the summer. The dates and times will be published well in advance. Keep in mind that PS is all about highs and lows. You can be on cloud 9 one day and in the pits the next. You can't predict where your plebe will be the days s/he calls. There are lots of threads on how to react to your plebe being down -- suggest you read them before PS.

Your mid will be "strongly encouraged" to write some short letters or postcards every so often. S/he will be REALLY BUSY. Not writing isn't an indication of anything other than that. Also, know that if anything really serious happens, you will be notified.

Finally, if you're not much of a writer, consider printing articles of interest from your local newspaper (if you read on-line) or clipping if you get paper copies. I can't tell you how much it means to see pictures or read articles about a local business opening or closing, what's going on at church, a house down the street up for sale -- just the normal stuff that reminds your kid of home and brings a smile to her/his face.
 
fun idea for letters sent to plebe and letters received from plebe - I put all the ones received and the ones she wrote and put in a book - over Christmas we all read them and had a ball talking about all the plebe summer fun!!! it jogged her memory and we had some great conversations! just 2 phone calls during plebe summer - and those calls went too fast!!!!
 
In the pre-covid plebe summer for class of ‘23, there were 3 phone calls that were all well announced. The reception was sometimes spotty but the detailers did a good job making sure everyone was able to make contact with home. I remember one plebe even got to call on a Monday since his call did not go through. The detailers are VERY in tune with the well being of the plebes.
 
usna1985 said:
Parents . . . this is the time to really, really loosen the cord. Your plebe will be given at least two opportunities to call home during the summer. The dates and times will be published well in advance. Keep in mind that PS is all about highs and lows. You can be on cloud 9 one day and in the pits the next. You can't predict where your plebe will be the days s/he calls. There are lots of threads on how to react to your plebe being down -- suggest you read them before PS.
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Once again @usna1985 hits the nail on the head. DS experienced the highest highs and lowest lows las summer. PS is meant to stress but not break them.

Be very careful during phone calls home to encourage and build up your child. There are threads and posts about those wanting to DOR. There is one in particular from last summers AFA plebe summer and I know the person stuck it out and made it through PS and Plebe year. If I can find the thread I will re-post.
 
The phone call times are all pre-determined and they occur on the second. But the advice to be open to unknown numbers at and around that time is a good one. My DS's phone was not charged and he was given a detailer's phone to use on the first call. Also, cell reception in some spots on the Yard can be horrible (like Worden Field, which is where they will space out some of the plebes).

Most calls will be great (especially second and third calls) but be prepared for a not-so-great call (especially the first call) and be encouraging. On the bad calls, what you typically are getting is not the physical and mental toughening that is taking place but homesickness, pure and simple. That too shall pass.
 
LT360 said:
Be very careful during phone calls home to encourage and build up your child. There are threads and posts about those wanting to DOR. There is one in particular from last summers AFA plebe summer and I know the person stuck it out and made it through PS and Plebe year. If I can find the thread I will re-post.
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Found it...https://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/exhausted-doolie-parent.82817/post-875484
 
LT360 said:
Be very careful during phone calls home to encourage and build up your child. There are threads and posts about those wanting to DOR.
Click to expand...
This is important. Listen to your mid. Respond with empathy. Know that the most recent revolution likely dictates the mood they’re in. The highs and lows of PS are like that. Best thing a parent can do is to not overreact — whether positively or negatively. Affirm, encourage, and be steady yourself. Let them lead the conversation and try not to pepper them with too many questions.

P.S. Most poignant thing about Grant Vermeer’s story is that three years later, he was PS regimental commander, i.e. the head honcho — a dramatic, head-snapping turnaround, if ever there was one.
 
Also know that thousands and thousands of Plebes have gone through this experience. And there is literally nothing that USNA hasn’t seen….even add a global pandemic to that. So whatever struggles your person is going though (and they WILL all struggle…), they can make it, and its nothing new to USNA.

Stay positive, empathize. Listen, don’t SOLVE. Encourage them to lean on their peers. And that if they need to, reach out to Chaplains. They are AMAZING at EVERYTHING. They have magical powers that can work unofficial channels, behind the scenes, to vet out whats what. And they are experienced in all things.

Plebe summer is one of the most amazing experiences our family has had. Seeing what your person is able to do is startling and eye opening. Parents weekend is THE BEST.

Congrats to everyone. I’m so happy for the adventure y’all are about to take….one you have no idea how awesome it is 🙌

BTW….a BIG hint: put your plebe on speaker phone, and have another phone recording the conversation. You most likely wont remember what was said, and will want to go back and dissect every piece of information. We even had friends come over for one of the calls. It was a special surprise for our now Firstie!
 
I don't feel like my Plebe will be homesick, he is so ready to fly the nest. He is also not really communicative so I expect to receive the one required letter and I assume he will call (maybe...). Can I assume that the Detailers will stay plugged into his mental state? I think he will be fine, he is pretty even keeled and in good shape and a humble kid. I think he will take it all in stride, but it will be interesting for sure. You'll know how it's going when I come back in July to report that he called in tears :)
 
Huursoldaat said:
I don't feel like my Plebe will be homesick, he is so ready to fly the nest. He is also not really communicative so I expect to receive the one required letter and I assume he will call (maybe...). Can I assume that the Detailers will stay plugged into his mental state? I think he will be fine, he is pretty even keeled and in good shape and a humble kid. I think he will take it all in stride, but it will be interesting for sure. You'll know how it's going when I come back in July to report that he called in tears :)
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The Detailer staff are well trained. My DS is looking forward to being a Detailer next summer and beyond. The Detailers switch halfway through so if the first set Detailers have missed something the Second set surely will see it.
 
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