Twic enrollment center

[jasperdog]

... Remember, if any Plebe Candidate has time management issues now, they most likely will not if they make it through the program.

A little harsh no?

I mean really I won't speak for you but given I graduated a year after you I can truly say while my time management skills are much, much better than they were 33 years ago, I certainly had few if any time management skills when I reported to KP in July 1978. Further by the time I graduated in 1982, I'm really not sure it's fair to call the skills I perfected relative to procrastination and cramming, which were very similar to my the majority of the 253 classmates that all got our degrees, licenses and commissions that same June day in 1982 had also learned while "at the zoo", time management skills.

That said, I think they are serious about making Plebes who report without a TWIC loose a day or so of Thanksgiving and Christmas break to go get one instead of loosing time in scheduled classes to do so. If you can get it beforehand, I definitely would do so. Of course when I say "you" here I mean the PC him or herself vice the parent, after all consider the journey and adventure of going to get your TWIC as your first sea year preparation task. After all in 14-20 months you'll be going to report aboard your the first ship for sea year and traveling around the world alone, do you really need Mom or Dad to drive you to the TWIC enrollment center, even if it is 4-8 hours away? Better yet, seek out another new Plebe entering the class of 2015 and it'll be like you have a sailing partner....

 

[cmakin]

A little harsh no?

I mean really I won't speak for you but given I graduated a year after you I can truly say while my time management skills are much, much better than they were 33 years ago, I certainly had few if any time management skills when I reported to KP in July 1978. Further by the time I graduated in 1982, I'm really not sure it's fair to call the skills I perfected relative to procrastination and cramming, which were very similar to my the majority of the 253 classmates that all got our degrees, licenses and commissions that same June day in 1982 had also learned while "at the zoo", time management skills.

That said, I think they are serious about making Plebes who report without a TWIC loose a day or so of Thanksgiving and Christmas break to go get one instead of loosing time in scheduled classes to do so. If you can get it beforehand, I definitely would do so. Of course when I say "you" here I mean the PC him or herself vice the parent, after all consider the journey and adventure of going to get your TWIC as your first sea year preparation task. After all in 14-20 months you'll be going to report aboard your the first ship for sea year and traveling around the world alone, do you really need Mom or Dad to drive you to the TWIC enrollment center, even if it is 4-8 hours away? Better yet, seek out another new Plebe entering the class of 2015 and it'll be like you have a sailing partner....

Hmm. I don't think that I was trying to be harsh. The comment was made that there would be accommodations to get TWICs to those that did not have them by the start of Indoc. I just made the comment back that while these accommodations would be likely unavoidable for last minute alternate appointments, those that already have their orders should get them right away.

My last point is that by surviving the KP program, one is certainly given a good base in time management and prioritizing.

I do agree that the PC themselves should take charge in getting all the necessary preparations done. It IS an adventure. I know that I did all of my visits to the Congressman's office, visits to the local AFB's for physicals and physical testing, preparation, etc. with little involvement from my parents and rightly so.

I have one question, though. Did we have to bring so much stuff with us (clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc.) in our day? Those first few days of Indoc were such a shock to the system, I don't recall the last couple of months leading up to it very well. Either that or old age. I do remember the smell of sweat, fear and new khakis, though.

 

[KPEngineer]

Be Careful with this one...... At Open House in April we were told that they must come with their TWIC card....if not they would have to cut their Thanksgiving or Christmas leave time short so they could get one before they go home for holiday leave...........

While losing any vacation time is no fun, if it's a choice between one day of Christmas leave and having to fly somewhere or drive eight plus hours to get one, I would gladly give up the leave day just for the convenience of being able to do it close to school and in a government van.

Not a sermon ... just a thought.

 

[KPEngineer]

I have one question, though. Did we have to bring so much stuff with us (clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc.) in our day? Those first few days of Indoc were such a shock to the system, I don't recall the last couple of months leading up to it very well. Either that or old age. I do remember the smell of sweat, fear and new khakis, though.

I only brought one small book bag and the clothes on my back. The only thing in my bag was socks, underwear and PT clothes. It sure was humorous watching my classmates lug around multiple bags, boxes and fans that just ended up in the baggage locker for the next several months.

Not so humorous though when my SDI told me to drop my bag, then proceeded to tell me that he didn't mean for me to drop my bag on his foot.

 

[Suzie]

While losing any vacation time is no fun, if it's a choice between one day of Christmas leave and having to fly somewhere or drive eight plus hours to get one, I would gladly give up the leave day just for the convenience of being able to do it close to school and in a government van.

Not a sermon ... just a thought.

Again, they were very adamant when they told the parents at open house that their child must come with the TWIC card....even when parents were telling them they lived far from a TWIC center......

I guess you had to be there, but there is no way I would have DS show up without it. And yes, we drove 8 hours plus.....

 

[jasperdog]

...

I have one question, though. Did we have to bring so much stuff with us (clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc.) in our day? Those first few days of Indoc were such a shock to the system, I don't recall the last couple of months leading up to it very well. Either that or old age. I do remember the smell of sweat, fear and new khakis, though.

Sorry - I was just giving you a hard time, I won't do it again ..evah

As to your last point I still have a photo of me with showing up with a buzzcut and one suitcase, it was a big one and garish orange, but I don't know if it was nearly as big as some I saw in 2008 when we dropped our son off. That said all he had was one sea bag and a box with a fan in it, that he's never needed and either sold or gave to someone who did. So I don't think we brought nearly as much as some do, that said I'm constantly amazed at how much stuff keeps coming back from KP to home at various points like before he went to sea - it's like the stuff goes up there and multiplies - is there some sort of Star Trek replicator now at KP that wasn't there back when we went? I don't know but if I find it, I'm bringing some diamonds up with me next time we go up there.

 

[KPMum2012]

Given the exponential increase in "stuff" DD has acquired, and I've had to carry home for this sea term, I'll second the belief in some sort of Star Trek replicator. . . .

 

[cmakin]

Sorry - I was just giving you a hard time, I won't do it again ..evah

As to your last point I still have a photo of me with showing up with a buzzcut and one suitcase, it was a big one and garish orange, but I don't know if it was nearly as big as some I saw in 2008 when we dropped our son off. That said all he had was one sea bag and a box with a fan in it, that he's never needed and either sold or gave to someone who did. So I don't think we brought nearly as much as some do, that said I'm constantly amazed at how much stuff keeps coming back from KP to home at various points like before he went to sea - it's like the stuff goes up there and multiplies - is there some sort of Star Trek replicator now at KP that wasn't there back when we went? I don't know but if I find it, I'm bringing some diamonds up with me next time we go up there.

Oh, I can take it. "Back in the Day", I was despised by my roomates (surprise) come finals week. Both myself and another classmate didn't believe in the whole "cramming" thing and would often just play backgammon while our roomates crammed with their buddies. In retrospect, I probably should have crammed a little bit, but I did graduate with a respectable 2.8. My Backgammon friend? No, he didn't need to study. He made it through the legendary Rickover interview and recently retired from the Navy after a career on nuke subs, including a tour as Captain of a boomer. . .

When I showed up for Indoc, I believe that all I had was a small suitcase, too. I seem to recall pretty much having everything taken away, and making the trek through Zero Deck getting all my stuff issued, and what little hair I had taken away.

 

[Lynpar]

I am looking at the stack of stuff on my dinning room tableI have bought just to satisfy the list. Packing it into a backback that will fit in an overhead? Doubt it. Looks like he will have to check the bag on the plane.

 

[Texmom]

Making Stuff fit

Hint: Those vacuum space saving bags are wonderful. Sucks the air right out of those towels,sox, and other treasures

 

[Sea Faring Moose Mom]

KP Replicator - I believe

DD 'says' that she will be able to fit 4 years of accumulated 'stuff' into her S40 as we do the 'Mommy and Me' road trip back to Colorado.

I am more of the opinion that I will be making some trips to the UPS store to send back a few boxes of light weight things as we load the volumns of weighty books collected into the car.

 

[Lynpar]

What an awesome trip that will be. Something about driving west through the country that is inspiring and reflective. Some of those highways are a pleasure to drive. Must be from Hollywood planting those seeds. But I also used to live in Colorado.