PPW- What to expect?

We bought the printer on Sunday afternoon so when he reported back to the Hall he just took it with him.

Another bit of advice - allow plenty of time to get your Plebe back to Bancroft. Especially Sunday afternoon. We spent about an hour just wondering around the yard meeting other Plebes from his Company. They will have to change before Formation and Formation is at 6m so that does not mea getting back at 6pm.

This past Commissioning week, we got to the 8th and I drill performace right at 10am - stands totally full - did not expect that. My son pipes up "To be on time in the Military is to be late."

My son's sponsor parents wanted to meet us Sunday evening after PPW since we were not leaving until Monday. She wanted us to know all her rules and what our expectations were with out Plebe there. She also didn't want to take away our time with our Plebe over PPW. He had a great sponsor family and spent a lot ot time there all 4 years.

Correct me if I am wrong but they can not wear civilian clothes even at a Sponsor House (WINK).
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Double WINK! She stated her house her rules so he had a nice stash of civies for Sat afternoon. The 22 mile rule is another wink! Roommates family was from the Pax River area - military family - his mom would regularly take them home on Sat and bring them back Sat night.
 
Our son did not want the printer that was recommended. He wanted a smaller one. We ordered it from Staples when AC year started. It was delivered the next day. We made sure that it took the same ink as the recommended one, so the midstore would carry his ink.
 
22 Mile Rule no more, and civvies...and sponsors

At the recent USNA Sponsor training (yes, that's required), I understood the Dant to specifically comment it's no longer 22 miles, but bounded by DC and Baltimore. With the growth in class sizes over the last few years, they have had to expand the size of the sponsor pool, and expanded the geographic boundary accordingly. Common sense applies. You don't want to have a sponsor so far away and subject to the challenges of the Beltway/I-95 that the back-and-forth commute eats up too much of the plebe's liberty. The 22-plus expansion is for both plebe liberty and sponsor location. For the official answer on any rules, the sponsor program coordinator or company officer can address.

With regard to civvies...sponsors are briefed on USNA rules regarding plebes. The reality is it's an individual thing between the plebe's conscience and the sponsor's house rules. There are many philosophies applied. Our house, each of the preceding generations of mids donates stacks of usable blue-rim t-shirts, blue shorts and sweats, and the plebes get a kick out of wearing vintage stencilled regulation PE gear from departed sponsor brothers and sisters going back to some fine specimens from '98. The rattier and more stained, the better. They hear all the funny stories of their predecessors, like the blue ink pens left in the cammies that exploded in the dryer...oh sorry, that's another thread. All of the fun Navy-related T-shirts, such as company shirts, Army-Navy shirts, sports team shirts, etc., also vintage, are used by the youngsters. The most popular are those loud yellow/gold detailer shirts from years past. They dig around in various chests and closets to find the saltiest gear. In general, plebes are focused on food, sleep, food, sleep, TV, movies, food, sleep, and what they are wearing, as long as it's comfortable and not their day uniform and nap-worthy, is not a huge issue. Parents should let their plebes work it out with the sponsor family and stay out of the rules thing. :wink:

There have been other threads on this, and I am unraveling this thread laterally, but "Things to bring sponsors" might include: laundry detergent, gift cards to Sam's Club/Safeway/Giant, gas card, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond (towels and sheets). Many mids families have sent us gift baskets prior to the holidays to share with our mid family, such as the Michigan family who sent goodies from the Cherry Republic, or the New Hampshire family who sent gallons of NH maple syrup, or the SC family who always brought baskets of peaches in season. We never ask for anything, but it's very nice to occasionally get something we can plow right back into supporting the mid family. Especially since we take about 4-5 a year...and have anywhere from 6-10 at dinner on Saturdays, between plebes, buddies and upperclass dropping in. We are looking forward to meeting our '14 plebes in a few weeks!:biggrin:
 
lovethenavy said:
Yes, I was wondering about the same thing. What do we do with the Printer once we buy it? Drop off DS at the gate with his "packages" of items he has gotten during PPW. I can see my son saying NO WAY to that. He will do anything to not draw attention to himself.....any advice to us newbies? I also wanted to send him a small compact clothes steamer.
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If you buy the printer while he's still in his Plebe Summer area, he'll have to store it there. Then, when they move to their company areas, that will be one more thing to carry.

I could never understand the obsession with printers during Plebes Parent Weekend.

My advice:

1. Buy a printer in the Midstore, that way you'll be assured of always having the correct ink cartridges available. If you buy some off brand printer from somewhere else, they may not carry the ink. Plus, you don't pay taxes.

2. Have your midshipman buy it himself once he knows where his academic year room is located. That way all he'll have to do is carry it up to his room. Simple.
 
Still wondering about the guitar. It obviously isn't an easy item to ship, so does anyone have an opinion regarding whether it would or would not be a good idea to bring it for PPW?
 
I have read and been told that the midstore runs out of printers on PPW. In that case, it is easier to go get a printer when the 'rents are in town to run the plebe out to the mall to an electronics or office supply store.

If the original supposition is incorrect, then I agree with previous posters.
 
MomoftheMagik, could the guitar be stored at the sponsor family's home? Many sponsor families like to meet the plebes and their parents during PPW, my son's did, and we dropped off a bunch of things at their house :thumb:

My son and I totally agree with Memphis. Your mid will have enough things to move and keep track of when he/she moves. A printer is a huge burden, and just one more thing that can get "lost" during the move. Which reminds me: what happened to the investigation into all the "lost" textbooks after winter break?
 
Capt MJ: Sure do wish my youngster had drawn you as a sponsor! His lives 20 miles away and took him to the airport once last year. I think they met for lunch once. They were always busy when he called, so he quit calling! Although he could request a new family, he has a buddy from Vienna, Virginia whose family has somewhat adopted 4 of their boy's close friends. Still, too far to go on a Saturday. I am grateful, however, to have them nearby if something goes awry.

Those with awesome sponsors are very, very lucky!
 
One thing to think about . . . consider what YOU want to do vs. what YOUR MID wants to do. There are (typically) lots of activities on the Yard, such as eating in King Hall, touring the ship in the Yard (actually at sea), visiting the MidStore, sailing on dinghies, etc. These all probably sound great to you but I can promise you that they don't sound great to your mid.

Remember that this is a 4-yr journey and thus there will be other times to do the things YOU want to do. And your mid will probably be more amenable to pleasing you during 2/C PW or graduation week or other times you may visit.

This WE should be about your mid. As others have said, if he/she wants to lie around in a hotel room, watch TV, surf the net, call friends, and have room service -- go with it. If your mids says, "What do you want to do?" the best reply is, "Whatever you would like to do." Even if it sounds terrible or terribly boring to you.

Take pride in all that your mid has accomplished to date but do remember that Plebe Summer is the easy part. Seriously, it is. Celebrate what has gone before but don't forget that the real challenges lie ahead.
 
jennyp said:
Capt MJ: Sure do wish my youngster had drawn you as a sponsor! His lives 20 miles away and took him to the airport once last year. I think they met for lunch once. They were always busy when he called, so he quit calling! Although he could request a new family, he has a buddy from Vienna, Virginia whose family has somewhat adopted 4 of their boy's close friends. Still, too far to go on a Saturday. I am grateful, however, to have them nearby if something goes awry.

Those with awesome sponsors are very, very lucky!
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Jennyp, sorry that your mid didn't draw great sponsors. Sadly, it does happen, but if there is a way to get feedback to the sponsor coordinator it would help so no one else draws that family. CaptMJ, might know how to do this.

I didn't have a great sponsor either and they lived outside/across from gate 8 (by the baseball field). He was an officer instructor on base and he had very strict house rules. Needless to say, I didn't remain his mid. I visited my other friends sponsor house & I was adopted by a nice family I met when I was in Bethesda after shoulder surgery. My doctor's husband was from South Dakota and I am too and we bonded and she brought me home :smile: It was great, I had a key to their place, had free pickings from the fridge, unlimited TV time, unlimited sleep time and everything...oh and great home cooked food :smile:

For the new USNA parents who might hear from their DS/DD that their sponsor family isn't so great remind them that they aren't hitched to them for their 4yrs...if it doesn't work out you can always ask for a different one OR get adopted by one of your friends sponsor family.
 
jennyp said:
Capt MJ: Sure do wish my youngster had drawn you as a sponsor! His lives 20 miles away and took him to the airport once last year. I think they met for lunch once. They were always busy when he called, so he quit calling! Although he could request a new family, he has a buddy from Vienna, Virginia whose family has somewhat adopted 4 of their boy's close friends. Still, too far to go on a Saturday. I am grateful, however, to have them nearby if something goes awry.

Those with awesome sponsors are very, very lucky!
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Many "adoptions" occur along the way, be hopeful. We have picked up youngsters, 2/c and 1/c who started coming over with roommates, sports buddies or company friends. Sadly, I think some folks new to sponsoring think it's a cool thing to do, want an instant baby-sitter or gardening helper, and really don't understand the lack of money/transport/regular schedule in the first year. We hear some sad stories and wish these mids had had better experiences. It's our pleasure to do this, and it keeps us young. I am much more current on movies and music from that age group! I think most sponsor families have the right approach.

And in response to USNA'02 above, yes, plebes can give it a shot, but they can always go see/email Rose the Sponsor Coordinator and ask for a different sponsor, or just indicate to Rose that it didn't work out. It's not for parents to do, though. We have had adoptees who went to their assigned sponsors just once or twice, didn't fit right, and they then let Rose know we were now the sponsors. The Academy does keep track of the assignments, and uses the sponsor of record as a contact point, so it's best to get the record straight. Bottom line, this is a program for the plebes, with a continuing relationship up to both sides to decide. There is no mandatory requirement for a plebe to go to a sponsor's house, and if he/she decides it's not right, well, time to get invited along to others. Most sponsor families are generous and know they may acquire adoptees. Our house rule is, a mid can bring along a friend without asking, more than one friend, please text us in advance so we can expand the meal plan. Often, we drive up to the Mid Store for the Saturday pick-up, and there's our mid with a friend who's been stuck with the "too busy" sponsors, and we just throw 'em in the mix. And yes, we occasionally get plebes who don't fit with us, and they prefer going to someone else's house and establishing a sponsor relationship there, well, that's fine too.
 
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USNA'02 said:
For the new USNA parents who might hear from their DS/DD that their sponsor family isn't so great remind them that they aren't hitched to them for their 4yrs...if it doesn't work out you can always ask for a different one OR get adopted by one of your friends sponsor family.
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Also, keep in mind that some Plebes also just do not want sponsor families.
 
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Mongo said:
Also, keep in mind that some Plebes also just do not want sponsor families.
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I was one of those Plebes.

In fact, in my day, there were very few midshipmen who opted into the sponsor program. And the few that did, really just wanted a place to park and hide their illegal car - usually Youngsters.

I could never understand why anybody wanted any contrived, "pretend" friends when your ACTUAL friends were your classmates.

I never wanted to awkwardly hang out at the residence of somebody who was 35 years older than me when I could go to Timmy's and get a sub and a pitcher of beer with my mid-friends.

To each their own, I guess.
 
Expect a zombie. All I wanted to do was lay down and eat. Some normal clothes that wont remind them of the academy while in the hotel room are always nice.
 
Memphis9489 said:
I was one of those Plebes.

In fact, in my day, there were very few midshipmen who opted into the sponsor program. And the few that did, really just wanted a place to park and hide their illegal car - usually Youngsters.

I could never understand why anybody wanted any contrived, "pretend" friends when your ACTUAL friends were your classmates.

I never wanted to awkwardly hang out at the residence of somebody who was 35 years older than me when I could go to Timmy's and get a sub and a pitcher of beer with my mid-friends.

To each their own, I guess.
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Exactly. I never realized the program was old enough to include you but I agree. One of the greatest attributes of the Academy is the friendships developed. I see the sponsor program as possibly a detriment to that attribute. I spent an hour on the phone yesterday with a friendship developed many years ago initially nurtured on Plebe liberty.

Also, Plebe year is supposed to be difficult and stressful. That stress and difficulty is part of what molds USNA grads into the officers that they become. "Time out" with a prearranged coping mechanism is not necessarily the best solution.

My son, who in someone's infinite wisdom was assigned one of his coaches, immediately decided that a coach was an authority figure grom which he was attempting to get away during his few hours of liberty and dumpted him. I silently applauded him. The friends he commenced bumming around with instead, are now his lifetime best buddies. One spent the weekend with him just this month. Though, living closeby and being at all their games, I think I became their surrogate sponsor.

To each his own.
 
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I saw the entire spectrum. My sponsor lived 25 miles away; my parents lived 40 miles away. Whom do you think I'd rather spend time with? Plebe year, my parents would usually come to visit, if I had spare time. After that, if I could get away, I went home. If not, I hung out with my friends. I never went to my sponsors.

One of my best friends had sponsors who became lifelong friends of his -- he was frequently at their house even after plebe year. One of my roommates, who had the same sponsor as I did, went a few times plebe year but not after that. My roommate never went to her sponsor's house b/c they really didn't hit it off and she preferred to spend time with friends from USNA. Another roommate lived 5 miles away so she didn't even get a sponsor.

It really does depend on the mid and the sponsors in terms of how the relationship goes plebe year and whether it continues beyond that.
 
Thanks for the responses. Son didn't worry about it at all. Kind of felt like Memphis, I guess. I didn't worry about it either. Just think it would be cool to have a sponsor like MJ. And with a buddy from Virginia whose family is within striking distance of the yard, I feel like I can get a mom there if need be........
 
Depends on the sponsor you get really. Sometimes you really luck out and end up with a rich guy who sponsors lots of guys. Or sometimes you end up at a trailer park with a family trying to convert your religion (true story).
 
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