R Day advice

[forumjunkie]

nukepharm: I concur with #1. I was surprised at how emotionally draining I found R-Day. We've dropped our son off at boarding school 2500 miles from home four times prior to this dropoff and never once did I cry or have any misgivings after those high-school partings. This was different. WP is not regular college. Military life is not life as usual. Not for one moment was I unaware that I was on a military base and not a college campus. I did not purchase any swag. I did not cry either, but I was sad in my soul when we left and the heaviness is still there. I don't know when or if it will every go away. The Army has my boy.

VelveteenKid was a bit nervous but excited prior to R-day and really enjoyed meeting classmates at the reception Sunday afternoon. He felt he'd found his peeps. I'm waiting to hear how Velveteen(new)Cadet is reconciling the reality with the dream. I pray it's all he hoped it would be.

 

[forumjunkie]

http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/parents-cant-make-i-day.43079/

I have experienced the same feelings, still do, Son will graduate next year and I still mist up just thinking about it. I had already dropped off Big brother at tradtional college never thought about it twice, and never even misted up once.

This time, I would burst into tears at intervals through out the day for weeks before the big day. Sometimes I cry buckets on the way home from the airport after leave, thing is you have to believe me I am actually considered a bit callous my my own family, so it is not that I am just an emotional softie.

The Up side, I do so treasure my "Extended Family" it has been unbelievable to me how suportive the "Family" is here and on the parents e-mail blog that you will get later on. People will literally drop what they are doing and drive across a city to help out some unknown Mid or Cadet that is stranded by weather or even just forgot a uniform piece for a hometown Ball. It is AWESOME!