Questions on required items list

acecreator71 said:
Either this is new, or the person checking us out did it incorrectly. We stuffed the box full of items purchased from the Parents Assoc, and were charged $10 for one small item from home. Not a big deal, I just didn’t know that was their policy and I’m letting other parents know. I also wanted to let parents know their swab will receive a free box, if they didn’t want to purchase. I didn’t realize that. And during last summer, they didn’t keep track the number of boxes the swabs received.
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Even if they don't officially keep track of the number of boxes, PLEASE keep it to 1 box a week and please keep them to nothing larger than approximately the size of the USPS medium priority box.

The cadre are the ones that have to pick up and deliver the mail for their platoon. The cadre are super busy. Imagine how jam-packed your swab's day is from the time they get up til taps at 10pm. The cadre are up BEFORE your swabs, planning for the day. The cadre are up AFTER your swabs, reading their swabs' daily journal entries, planning for the next day, and discussing their swabs. How did the day go? What went well? What went wrong? Who are they concerned about? Who is spending all their time in the clinic? Who is doing really well? Who should room together for the next room swap (this isn't random). During the day they are getting swabs to and from everything on the schedule, doing PT, doing drills, escorting swabs to medical if needed or to other appointments if needed. The cadre are probably more exhausted than your swabs.

And then they will try to squeeze in time during the day to run to the mailroom sometime when it is open (only open weekdays until 4:30pm) to pick up their own mail and mail for their swabs. If they have a ton of packages for swabs, especially oversized ones, that makes it really difficult. If you send a large box, the cadre might decide to leave it sitting in the mailroom until the end of summer when the swabs can pick up mail themselves. The cadre will never be intentionally with-holding mail, but sometimes they just can't find the time to get to the mailroom to get mail, especially if it means picking up a large number of boxes.
 
Class of 2026 will be the last "real" class
CGAGOBEARS said:
Also, I understand that meal squaring has been eliminated at USCGA for Swabs an 4/C cadets
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4/C cadets ARE swabs and remain that way until they are permitted to wear red shields (as of yesterday).

Also waiting for...

"Class of '26 was the last REAL class"
 
CGAGOBEARS said:
The box sale is a fund raiser for one of the Parents Association Chapters, and all funds go back to supporting the Corps of Cadets. It is not mandatory, but most parents do buy one and enjoy filling it up with snacks and treats for their swab. It is an extra delivery to them in the first week or so that does not count towards their weekly mailed package. The Cadre enjoy delivering tham also.

There is a surcharge if the majority of the items in the box were not sold by the Parents Association. This sale is an anourmous amount of work for the parents who coordinate it, and they do make sure to have a big variety. For this chapter it is their only fundraiser of the whole year, so please consider giving them your support and shipping the special things that your swab will want in the USPS boxes. Again, all funds go back to supporting the cadets.

Also, I understand that meal squaring has been eliminated at USCGA for Swabs an 4/C cadets
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They most definitely do square their meals in swab summer. This continues till around Spring of the 4C year when all the cadets in the class have passed the knowledge exam... I think its called full carry on?
 
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Bulldogmom74 said:
Is this true? If so, my DS will be thrilled as he wasn't a fan of meal squaring during AIM. But he is fully prepared for it;-)
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Don't believe everything you read on here. That comment about eliminating squaring of meals was some VERY BAD intel.
 
Swimmom816 said:
Don't believe everything you read on here. That comment about eliminating squaring of meals was some VERY BAD intel.
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My (now) 2/C son who will be cadre during swab summer said that the sqaring is not actually eliminated but modified to the point where it's not really squaring in the sense of what previous classes went through. I gather that swabs will be allowed to look at their food which will make eating so, so, so much easier.
 
RJB1690 said:
My (now) 2/C son who will be cadre during swab summer said that the sqaring is not actually eliminated but modified to the point where it's not really squaring in the sense of what previous classes went through. I gather that swabs will be allowed to look at their food which will make eating so, so, so much easier.
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Now if we could get them to glance at the ground so they don't twist their foot in a hole, that'd be lovely.
 
Has anyone heard of bringing a sleeping bag in which to sleep on top of the covers so as to keep the bed made to standard?
 
AdventureDad said:
Has anyone heard of bringing a sleeping bag in which to sleep on top of the covers so as to keep the bed made to standard?
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I can’t speak for the Coast Guard Academy, but typically during the initial indoctrination training in various military settings, the newbies all have to make their first report outside their hatches in the morning at attention, bedding in hand. Then the mad dash inside to work in teams to speed-make the bed to standards.

Once the academic year starts, they all learn what the various permissible hacks are.
 
AdventureDad said:
Has anyone heard of bringing a sleeping bag in which to sleep on top of the covers so as to keep the bed made to standard?
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No. It's not on the list, and I highly doubt they would be allowed to use a sleeping bag during swab summer. I don't recall if there is a requirement to actually use the covers during swab summer or not, but I know that a nice blanket was one of the first items my daughter asked me to send her at the end of her swab summer. She's a firstie now and still sleeps on top of her made rack with just the blanket for covers. She folds it up each morning and puts it away, and then she quickly straightens out her rack. I think the majority of cadets never use their covers and just use a blanket.

During swab summer, they will have their rooms tossed multiple times and will have to switch rooms regularly, so they will definitely learn how to make their rack quickly.
 
AdventureDad said:
Has anyone heard of bringing a sleeping bag in which to sleep on top of the covers so as to keep the bed made to standard?
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Class of ‘25 cadet:

Don’t bring the sleeping bag to swab summer. We do sleep on top of our made racks, but, over the summer, non-issued blankets are considered civilian gear and are not authorized for use.

That’s only a rule for the summer though. Once the school year starts, go for it.
 
If you don't have Amazon Prime, sign up for it. It is the easiest way to send items to your Swab.

Amazon served us well all four years at the Academy and into the Fleet.
 
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Seriously. Trust the list because it's built around the mountain of stuff they get. For example for footwear I think they get boondockers (ie boots), sperry topsiders, low quarters, shower shoes and possibly athletic shoes. Not entirely sure about the athletic shoes since you bring your own to swab summer, but honestly after four pairs the point is made that you stick to the list.
 
StPaulDad said:
Seriously. Trust the list because it's built around the mountain of stuff they get. For example for footwear I think they get boondockers (ie boots), sperry topsiders, low quarters, shower shoes and possibly athletic shoes. Not entirely sure about the athletic shoes since you bring your own to swab summer, but honestly after four pairs the point is made that you stick to the list.
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I didn't know they gave them all of that stuff, especially the shoes! I figured they got a pair of boots.
 
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