Sponsor Family

[17neparks]

When do the plebe's get to meet their sponsor family? On I-day, after, or before? I really want to know who mine will be and figure out if I will like them.

 

[BDHuff09]

You will have a meet and greet with them about a week before Plebe Parent Weekend

 

[17neparks]

Ok thank you!

 

[Capt MJ]

When do the plebe's get to meet their sponsor family? On I-day, after, or before? I really want to know who mine will be and figure out if I will like them.

In recent years, there has been a Sponsor Meet and Greet on Sunday afternoon before PPW the following weekend, as BD noted.

On that Sunday, sponsors enter Alumni Hall, go to a check-in table and get their list of assigned plebes. You are all sitting in numbered company groups, and the sponsor comes to your detailers to find you. You have a couple of hours to relax and chat.

It's voluntary on both sides. If it doesn't click with your assigned sponsor, you may get invited over to a roommate, teammate, classmate sponsor's house and get "adopted" over time. Or, you can go to the Sponsor Coordinator and request new.

It all works out. Sometimes you become lifelong friends, sometimes you just go over there when you are out of ideas, food, money. Sponsors have a wide variety of sponsorship styles. Some have military backgrounds, some are grads, some have no military connections, some are rookies, some have sponsored for decades. Some plebes find they don't need or want the support.

For parents reading this - sponsors have to attend training on basic rules, are provided USNA key contact numbers, must agree to a basic background check. Mids are not supposed to be used as babysitters, free labor or similar.

We have been enriched by our sponsor mids we over the years, and maintain close ties with many.

 

[Blessedmom]

DS has 3 sponsors: 1. Official sponsor 2. Sponsor of roommate 3. Sponsor of Company mate. He likes it this way, says it gives him flexibility. Sometimes I feel he is using sponsor for wifi to play league of legends, lol. He says sponsor 1 is cool, sponsor 2 has a huge house, & sponsor 3 has great food. We send all 3 sponsors gifts on a regular basis, they are the best!

 

[Happy2BaNavyMom]

I feel SO lucky as my DS has a Sponsor family already! A local (CA) friend of mine has a sister who is a Sponsor (lives in Annapolis) and when he found out my DS was in, he made it happen! Also, due to business connections, have another friend who is willing to be "Sponsor B". BLESSED!! From everything I've read - - Sponsors are nothing short of Angels on Earth!

 

[Capt MJ]

For anyone else who has an opportunity to "pre-arrange" a sponsor, those sponsors enter the name of the desired plebe on annual profile update form. I think there is a place on the plebe's form to request.