What now?

Kalebmom said:
My son just accepted his appointment to the usna! What as a parent do I need to do?
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Let him take the lead in executing all the To Do items that will crop up. Continue supporting him as administrative assistant and sounding board as needed and requested. Above all, enjoy the months between now and the end of June, when the pattern of everyday family life will abruptly alter.

Go to the link below - which is still for the Class of 2026 but will update in the spring for 2027 - read every page, link, hamburger menu item and steer your son to do the same. Of particular note is the “Permit to Report,” (PTR). Most of this does not change from year to year, though I expect COVID adjustments will be made. Use these pages as heads-up guidance but realize it is not the 2027 guidance.

If he doesn’t have a passport, he should apply for one and get that knocked out. He does NOT need to report in with it, but he will want to be prepared for international travel. Much easier to apply while still at home than as a plebe.

Immunizations will likely not change. If he hasn’t had this season’s flu shot, it’s easier to find now than in June.

Go browse all the threads that typically pop up in the spring about Permit to Report, What To Bring, Induction Day, etc.

Explore connecting with the USNA Parents Club for your area. You can be as much involved - or not - as you wish. They usually have an appointee send-off social event before I-Day. They have also been in your shoes. Note the Naval Academy Alumni Assn, an independent non-profit, helps coordinate the Parents Clubs. They are not official government or USNA organizations.

Home - www.usna.com

Welcome to the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation, serving graduates and supporting the mission of the Naval Academy.
www.usna.com


Savor each day he is still at home. Here’s Plebe Summer Home.

www.usna.edu

Plebe Summer Home

Plebe Summer Home page for Plebe Summer at USNA.edu. Updated Thu May 08 14:33:50 EDT 2025.
www.usna.edu
 
Congrats! Enjoy the moment. My DS is a Plebe starting his 2nd semester and time has flown this past year since his appointment.

Start making travel & lodging plans for IDAY and Plebe Parents Weekend if you and family are able to.

Join your local USNA parents club. They are great resources for info and help.

Still have him proceed with plans B, C, & D. Every year there are a few horror stories of something happening before IDAY. An injury or an incident that prevents an appointee from being able to be admitted on IDAY. Not trying to scare, but it is a harsh reality. Last year my DS was able to keep a NROTC scholarship till IDAY and we gladly paid a deposit at that university as a plan B insurance option should anything bad happen.

Congrats again and enjoy the ride!
 
Risk management between now and I-day is the name of the game. Senior parties, alcohol, relationships, cars, injuries, etc. A million self-induced things can go wrong between now and then. Good, honest, adulting will go a long way.
 
Get lodging for I-Day (if you plan to attend) and PPW. You have the luxury of knowing really early that your DS will be a member of the Class of 2027, so can book early. There are MANY threads discussing the pros and cons of hotels vs. homes (e.g., Air B&B) and whether you should stay close in or further away.

Fully agree with the above . . . remind your DS about not doing something stupid (think drugs and alcohol) between now and I-Day . . . and beyond. That includes stuff like marijuana that may be legal in your area.
 
usna1985 said:
Get lodging for I-Day (if you plan to attend) and PPW. You have the luxury of knowing really early that your DS will be a member of the Class of 2027, so can book early. There are MANY threads discussing the pros and cons of hotels vs. homes (e.g., Air B&B) and whether you should stay close in or further away.

Fully agree with the above . . . remind your DS about not doing something stupid (think drugs and alcohol) between now and I-Day . . . and beyond. That includes stuff like marijuana that may be legal in your area.
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Thank u! Do you know if the dates are out for Ppw yet? Also do you know if the academy pays for my sons plane ticket to get there, I’m thinking they do not i just want to make sure before i purchase his ticket
 
Kalebmom said:
Thank u! Do you know if the dates are out for Ppw yet? Also do you know if the academy pays for my sons plane ticket to get there, I’m thinking they do not i just want to make sure before i purchase his ticket
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The Academy will reimburse your son for his plane ticket. More information will be in his PTR.
 
LST271 said:
The Academy will reimburse your son for his plane ticket. More information will be in his PTR.
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Mine submitted multiple times, never got reimbursement, but that was Covid 2020 Plebe summer so not surprised.
 
Kalebmom said:
Thank u! Do you know if the dates are out for Ppw yet? Also do you know if the academy pays for my sons plane ticket to get there, I’m thinking they do not i just want to make sure before i purchase his ticket
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Plebe Summer runs 50 days. For the next class that is Jun 29-Aug 18 2023 and PPW always falls on the sixth weekend (Aug 11-13).

Parent events start on Thursday. Plebes are released at noon formation on Friday. You will see them Fri, Sat, and Sun but they must report back to Bancroft every evening to sleep.
 
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Dumb question. My son is still in the waiting and praying phase but I am curious. How much civilian clothing do they even need there? Any at all? We've been holding off on buying much of anything right now because we have no idea what his world will look like in 6 months. Do they bring laptops? How much personal stuff do most bring with them?
 
SnootyHen said:
Dumb question. My son is still in the waiting and praying phase but I am curious. How much civilian clothing do they even need there? Any at all? We've been holding off on buying much of anything right now because we have no idea what his world will look like in 6 months. Do they bring laptops? How much personal stuff do most bring with them?
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They are pretty much not ALLOWED to have civilian clothes with them as plebes so any clothes that they already own or get will be for while they are on leave.

DO NOT BUY A LAPTOP FOR THEM FOR USNA. USNA will issue a laptop so that everyone has the same machine and capability.

You will get more info on what to bring but essentially, its a backpack with personal papers, wallet, running shoes. They will get almost everything issued to them down to soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. Whatever else they need can be sent later.
 
SnootyHen said:
Dumb question. My son is still in the waiting and praying phase but I am curious. How much civilian clothing do they even need there? Any at all? We've been holding off on buying much of anything right now because we have no idea what his world will look like in 6 months. Do they bring laptops? How much personal stuff do most bring with them?
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Plebes-to-be report in wearing a set of civilian clothes (go watch the videos of I-Day, it’s polos and shorts/khakis and often their running shoes), a day pack with required paperwork and any other required items, zip lock baggies with phone and charger, that’s it.

Go read the pages, links and hamburger menu items for the Class of 2026 Plebe Summer, particularly the Permit to Report and Parents Guide. It will be updated in the spring for 2027, but it doesn’t change much.
www.usna.edu

Plebe Summer Home

Plebe Summer Home page for Plebe Summer at USNA.edu. Updated Thu May 08 14:33:50 EDT 2025.
www.usna.edu
The less they bring over and above required items, the less they have to carry around all day.

They could report with their paperwork and a toothbrush, and it would all be fine.

This is N*ot College.
 
Plebes generally don't rate civvies (civilian clothes) while at USNA. They PROBABLY could get away with wearing them INSIDE their sponsor's house on weekends during Ac Year. However, they're not supposed to and it's really just as easy to wear USNA PT gear and sweats. They can obviously wear civvies on LEAVE (winter break, spring break) but (unless things have changed) must wear a uniform when departing on and returning from leave.

Less is more on I-Day. It's just more junk to carry around -- and junk the mid really won't use. You can supplement stuff based on what they want / need over the summer, at PPW and during the year. Also, once Ac Year starts, they will have WE liberty so can go to the store or the mall to buy stuff.

This is NOT like college. You don't load up a UHaul with a bunch of stuff, drive it to the school and spend a day helping them move in. All of their furniture and bedding is provided. All of their clothes are provided. All of their books are provided. All their toiletries are provided (additional available in MidStore). All their food is provided. All of their cleaning supplies are provided. School supplies are provided (and available in the MidStore).

It can be a bit weird as you and your plebe-to-be watch all their friends preparing for "regular" college. You will have stuff to do per the PTR (i.e., get fingerprints, vaccinations, etc.) but not what most are doing (shopping for mini-fridges).

The most important things for the next 6 months are: plebe-to-be getting and staying in good shape, completing the PTR, finishing h.s. academics strong, enjoying time with family and friends and not doing anything stupid.
 
There are some things that make sense to bring or better to mail to your MIDN. These are listed in the PTR Package See 2026 version link below. These items include extra compression shorts, sports bra's, etc. Many MIDN find they appreciate more than the amount issued by USNA. Perhaps a recent Plebe can weigh in on that. Some Parents Associations provide tips on these items including mailing them to Pleebes during PS (many families Mail a box after I day from Annapolis-hint US. Mail to Plebes is slow). https://www.usna.edu/PermitToReport....ImportantInformationClassOf2026FINAL5-10.pdf
 
I guess this goes for all the academies, but I assume they all have their own ‘midstore,’ to buy toiletries. Also, I assume you buy it with cash?
 
TheToast said:
I guess this goes for all the academies, but I assume they all have their own ‘midstore,’ to buy toiletries. Also, I assume you buy it with cash?
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When I was a midstore for NASS and again in November for CVW they were not accepting cash. I had to use my ApplePay.
 
LST271 said:
The Academy will reimburse your son for his plane ticket. More information will be in his PTR.
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Almost forgot...the Academy does NOT reimburse Midshipmen for travel at Thanksgiving, Christmas or other leave periods. They pay only when traveling on orders such as reporting on I-Day.
 
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