Supplies issue

anne99

anne99

Parent, Class of 2021 USNA
5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
196
At what point are the plebes issued the big supply of stuff that includes "everything they need"? Is it during plebe summer or just before the academic year?
 
Both, and certain uniform items will continue to be issued after academic year starts. It's all about logistics - they have to issue everything to over 1100 Plebes.
 
anne99 said:
At what point are the plebes issued the big supply of stuff that includes "everything they need"? Is it during plebe summer or just before the academic year?
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They receive the bulk of "stuff" on I-Day, but they will continue to get stuff throughout the summer, including uniforms like their summer whites. After PPW, they will get most of what they need for the Ac year, like computers, suitcases, books - and, of course, more uniforms!
 
I see that there is a lot of stuff that has traditionally been sent in care packages, like Shout wipes, envelopes, stamps, febreeze, foot powder, etc. I'm just wondering if I might need to send that stuff during the summer if they don't receive it until the AC. Don't want to inundate my plebe with crap he doesn't need. I'm sure he'll let us know what he wants at some point, but he's not much of a letter writer (except to his girlfriend).
 
anne99 said:
I see that there is a lot of stuff that has traditionally been sent in care packages, like Shout wipes, envelopes, stamps, febreeze, foot powder, etc. I'm just wondering if I might need to send that stuff during the summer if they don't receive it until the AC. Don't want to inundate my plebe with crap he doesn't need. I'm sure he'll let us know what he wants at some point, but he's not much of a letter writer (except to his girlfriend).
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You can definitely send packages during Plebe Summer. In fact, I encourage it! Some things (medication, even OTC, are not allowed), but stuff like Body Glide (as per AF6872 above), Shout wipes, etc. are all welcome.
 
anne99 said:
I see that there is a lot of stuff that has traditionally been sent in care packages, like Shout wipes, envelopes, stamps, febreeze, foot powder, etc. I'm just wondering if I might need to send that stuff during the summer if they don't receive it until the AC.
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All these items that were "traditionally" been sent, and I imagine they may still be listed in the local parents club handbooks that maybe out of date, are all provided to the Plebes during PS - I just confirmed the items you listed with my Plebe.

Plebes receive the care packages pretty much as quick as they arrive daily, or how detailers in a company could fit the distribution of packages/letters into their daily/weekly schedule. The clerks at the post office are actually quite annoyed if the detailers don't come quick enough to get them - you can imagine how quick the piles (by company) grow for 1100 plus Plebes with loving parents, friends and relatives.
 
Look on the USNA website for the Budget Book. It will detail specifically what plebes are issued - right down to the underwear and deodorant. There are previous threads that give lots of suggestions for care packages, and you can also tell your plebe to write you or tell you in their scheduled phone call if there are specific things he/she wants. My DS especially liked getting protein bars, jerky, air freshener,and more footnoowder. Keep in mind that, during PS, their detailer will open and search through care packages, so don't send contraband
 
I sent 4 shoebox sized packages during PS, mailed one about every 1.5 weeks. The first box was mailed a day before I-day, and it was a plastic box with a tight -fitting lid, stuffed with high-protein bars, sports drink water flavor enhancers, trail mix, healthy snacks. (Bancroft has mice and mids need at least one-mouse-proof container. for snacks.) No candy, sugary stuff, or junk food- it will get confiscated by the detailers. The other boxes contained extra bottles of shampoo, body wash, foot powder, and more snacks; postcards/cards; inspirational sayings that I found from a "famous quotations" book and handwrote onto colorful index cards, gel inserts for running shoes. I also sent a desk-top sized 4x6 in. American flag and a stand. (They will need the flag to avoid being accused of mutiny if more than 2 plebes are in the same room at the same time-wait until after I-day to send it.) Take the protein bars and drink flavors out of their original boxes and you can fit more to mail.
Last year, plebes were REQUIRED to write a letter home to parents within the first week of PS. (Mine was so exhausted he forgot to turn it in by the deadline to be mailed-I didn't get it until he gave it to me at PPW.)

Do not under any circumstances, send cutesy stuffed animals to female plebes. It's not college.
 
Regarding sending drink mix powders: the plebes have access to pretty much unlimited Gatorade. They can even scarf up as much as they want and keep it in their rooms. Some make it a competition to see who can collect the most. That said, my son specifically said NOT to send powdered drink mix.
 
2020Vision said:
Regarding sending drink mix powders: the plebes have access to pretty much unlimited Gatorade. They can even scarf up as much as they want and keep it in their rooms. Some make it a competition to see who can collect the most. That said, my son specifically said NOT to send powdered drink mix.
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+ 1000
 
2020Vision said:
Regarding sending drink mix powders: the plebes have access to pretty much unlimited Gatorade. They can even scarf up as much as they want and keep it in their rooms. Some make it a competition to see who can collect the most. That said, my son specifically said NOT to send powdered drink mix.
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I sent the liquid flavor enhancers in the little plastic bottles. Not as messy as the powders and a lot faster to add.
 
Yes, I saw the list in a previous budget book. It's quite extensive. I just wondered if they had a cess to ALL that stuff early in plebe summer (esp stuff like shout wipes, foot powder, etc.).
 
Over the years, one of the more clever ideas I have seen involved equipping your plebe with stamped, pre-addressed letters or postcards, with variations of fill-in-the-blank sentences along the lines of:

Dear mom and dad,

This week was great/good/bad/don't ask.

Funniest thing that happened this week was ______________________.

Best thing I ate this week was _____.

I am healthy except for a little______.

Please send _______.

Don't send _________.

Tell ________________ I said hi.

Overall, I feel ________.

Love,



Have fun with this, customize to your family, stick them in the first package you mail.
 
Don't forget the Midstore - there's quite a bit of stuff there. Not sure if plebes will have access to the Midstore during PS, but we found it easier to add $ to DS' yard card for purchases made during the AC ...
 
I'm surprised I have not seen this in more replies - compression shorts. My Plebe requested that we send him more compression shorts. I found this to be a common request (and for sports bras and underwear for the female Plebes). We must have sent 5 new pairs over the course of PS.
 
Every mid is different. I know that care packages certainly are a welcome site for many plebes. My class of 2018 DS said he only wanted letters after the first care package of energy bars .... said that there were mice and he didn't want to have to figure out where to put everything. He just wanted to keep it simple. He did say; however, to send lots of letters. He loved reading the letters we sent ( I had each mid sib, me and his dad write a paragraph in each letter ) .
My mid said the midstore had everything they needed.
 
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