Zero week started today for my AROTC son. Who else?

Week two has arrived. First Bio and Chem quizzes. BUT today she gets to wear the uniform! A uniform that was worn by both grandfathers, her uncle and her father! I smile bc I know others don't think much about the uniform perhaps especially college students, but I feel such pride! I could tell the first time she tried it on and sent her Dad a picture it was a big deal! That name on their chest, the flag on their arm and that little cadet private rank!! Love it!!
 
ENwifeArmyMom said:
Our dau needed to know her blood type also. I looked everywhere for that info, called her ped office...nothing! Apparently unless you asked for it, they have been hospitalized or given blood we don't know!! lol I had no idea!!
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I figured it would have been on some record from birth or pediatricians office...nope.
 
KeyzCat said:
You forgot to tell us how soon after leaving till you started bawling.
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Actually, I held it together ok after we dropped him off. He was my second one that week to be dropped off (twins) and I was so tired that my emotions were low key. Ask me about Sunday at home when I walked by their rooms! It's all good though, they're where they are meant to be. I do feel a little bit hollowed out this week.
 
running615 said:
Actually, I held it together ok after we dropped him off. He was my second one that week to be dropped off (twins) and I was so tired that my emotions were low key. Ask me about Sunday at home when I walked by their rooms! It's all good though, they're where they are meant to be. I do feel a little bit hollowed out this week.
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You will have to keep us updated how the twins are doing at difference places! My oldest is the AROTC cadet, however I have twins going off to college next year. They have chosen to go together and are fortunate enough to be recruited to play sports together in college, still really worried about having two children leave at once, one was hard enough! It makes it easier that she is loving it. She met her squad and squad leader yesterday and so far has been busy non-stop!
 
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DS passed the APFT with no problems today at 0500. I'm sure that's a big relief to him. I know it was a big hit to his ego to fail last week. I guess we can safely say it was the cramps that knocked him out of the running on the situps last week. He wasn't sure on his final score, but he said his push ups and sit ups were both in the 60s and his run was 13:54. Not bad for the flat-lander in mountain country. He got there early to warm up today (no warm up last week) and also had prepped with Gatorade and proper nutrition (duh.)
 
Dckc88 said:
You will have to keep us updated how the twins are doing at difference places! My oldest is the AROTC cadet, however I have twins going off to college next year. They have chosen to go together and are fortunate enough to be recruited to play sports together in college, still really worried about having two children leave at once, one was hard enough! It makes it easier that she is loving it. She met her squad and squad leader yesterday and so far has been busy non-stop!
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I will keep you posted! They are my only ones so it is really quiet around here! You are lucky they will be together, mine are at rival schools. Good luck with your twins Senior year, it flies by!
 
running615 said:
Actually, I held it together ok after we dropped him off. He was my second one that week to be dropped off (twins) and I was so tired that my emotions were low key. Ask me about Sunday at home when I walked by their rooms! It's all good though, they're where they are meant to be. I do feel a little bit hollowed out this week.
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Dckc88 said:
You will have to keep us updated how the twins are doing at difference places! My oldest is the AROTC cadet, however I have twins going off to college next year. They have chosen to go together and are fortunate enough to be recruited to play sports together in college, still really worried about having two children leave at once, one was hard enough! It makes it easier that she is loving it. She met her squad and squad leader yesterday and so far has been busy non-stop!
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I neglected to mention in my earlier post that DD is a twin, so after dropping her off in Chicago, we got up early the next morning to race up to St. Paul and drop off her sister. Wife and I were doing fine until they started crying while hugging each other goodbye. But both are doing great and are in their element, one in ROTC and one doing music and art. This has made it much easier to adjust to the instant empty nest.
 
running615 said:
Actually, I held it together ok after we dropped him off. He was my second one that week to be dropped off (twins) and I was so tired that my emotions were low key. Ask me about Sunday at home when I walked by their rooms! It's all good though, they're where they are meant to be. I do feel a little bit hollowed out this week.
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It sure doesn't get any easier, wait til they commission and head off to the real Army, then you're luck to see them once a year.
 
tjb1975 said:
DS passed the APFT with no problems today at 0500. I'm sure that's a big relief to him. I know it was a big hit to his ego to fail last week. I guess we can safely say it was the cramps that knocked him out of the running on the situps last week. He wasn't sure on his final score, but he said his push ups and sit ups were both in the 60s and his run was 13:54. Not bad for the flat-lander in mountain country. He got there early to warm up today (no warm up last week) and also had prepped with Gatorade and proper nutrition (duh.)
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Awesome news!!
 
End of week 3 and it has been a hard one for DS. So all the prep work before he got to school getting to know his roommate's family and the room things coordination didn't last a week. I did not get told that second week the roommate was becoming aggressive, threatening and a giant jerk. But he let me know on Saturday some of the things like when the roommate and friend came in demanding DS get up and get out his PS4 for them to use but when DS didn't stop working on his homework to jump up he tells DS he is going to throw DS's laptop across the room. I guess that is the new way to ask to borrow someone's game system... the other things I was like yea jerk moves but be glad you are trying to be an officer cause I've had far worse bunkmates in the Army as enlisted at that age. Told him if he got his contract to start for Spring since they give free room to contracted ROTC he could move to a dorm room with the shared living area but private bedroom. So he was happy to have something to look forward to and work towards. Then Sunday he is feeling sick so he already is a go to bed early person even more so with PT at 6am. So I was really shocked when he pops up on messenger at 10:30pm his time telling me the roommate and the idiot friend came in doing the jerk fip on all the overhead lights acting the fool but then they come over and yank his covers off standing over him acting like crazy people. At the point that you have only known someone 2 weeks and you feel comfortable making threats to damage your property and then crossing the physical boundary I was not thrilled that he was in a situation where he and his property are being threatened at end of week 2 there is a real reason to worry that this escalation is not a good sign. The requests to move had opened with moves supposed to be available starting Monday so he went Monday to housing put in for a move and then Tuesday he had a move request denial saying the type of room requested was not avalible which made no sense since had requested all the options with private bedroom which makes up most of their housing options so I called spoke with the housing supervisor about the issue get told they will send the new room offer then he can just accept it and get key to start the move. They take a few hours and get the message and it was for another shared room which I was doing the pound head on the wall call them back he then sends what we had asked for first right away he goes gets his key gets most everything out of the room he had to miss one of the rush activities has been trying to get things in his room on top of classes, PT, Rush week activities everyday and being sick been a rough week for him. I feel bad that I wasn't there to give a hand getting the move done a bit easier or had just bit the bullet and gotten the private bedrooms and shared space living and kitchenette to begin with because now he is moving in to an already established room dynamic but at least he learned the hard way he just prefers to keep his big TV, PS4, Firestick and Roku in his room not even offer to put in shared space. It frustrates me not just for the extra expense of room nut we also had bought things for a room that had a full kitchen with stove and new room only has a small microwave which we also have a microwave , microwave cart pantry shelves and food that worked in a room where there was a shared kitchen with stove. Soo he is done with classes for this week in 10 mins then has to get stuff still in his car up to his room so is not a break in target downtown for Rush even at ballgame, He has Friday to get his room fixed up and hopefully be able to get to put the pantry shelf and food in the shared kitchenette so not living in an over priced closet not feeling comfortable to even interact. The contracted Cadets are going to have a mini FTX next weekend nothing said about if non contracted can volunteer to go but since they are not issued gear think we would have to buy it all and he has no place to put it right now. I think maybe having all this crazy hit the fan maybe we will have a smooth rest of the year! He does feel like he is going to get a bid on Saturday to Lamda Chi Alpha yeah.
 
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WOW!!! So sorry to hear about all that @KeyzCat ! I am also sorry for the extra expense, however, not having his own space could put his success in jeopardy! So glad he got moved and that he feels better soon!
 
Infantry_Dad said:
Or when you do see them... all your vacations are spent at various Army bases throughout the US
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We lucked out as both our ended up in the same state. One at Fort Sam in San Antonio and the other at Fort Hood. On top of that, we have relatives all over the state so going back we can kill multiple birds on one expanded trip.
 
Whoa, whoa, whoa KeyzCat....what a nightmare. On one hand I would want to be there but I'd also regret what I might do to the other kid. My son went thru something similar in nature but not nearly as bad. My son was a top wrestler in high school and lives to lift weights. The school was essentially trying to place my son with a kid that had already had problems with previous roommates. The RA of that housing unit made us aware of this. I called and told the housing folks that if this other kids started any kid, my kid was going to wreck him....with my blessing. The housing people tried to threaten me and said my son would get kicked out of school and I moved my complaint up to the Dean of Students regarding them putting my son in with somebody they already know to be a risk. They ended up letting my son out of his housing contract and we moved him off campus....it was less convenient for him overall but we actually ended up saving $200 a m month.
 
Dckc88 said:
WOW!!! So sorry to hear about all that @KeyzCat ! I am also sorry for the extra expense, however, not having his own space could put his success in jeopardy! So glad he got moved and that he feels better soon!
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Thanks didn't think I would share all that but by us sharing the crapfest stuff as well as the good things maybe it will help someone that follows to learn from our experiences. Service academies and colleges where there are ROTC only floors, dorms you are not going to have the opportunity to pick your roommate or move if someone is just a jerk BUT in those situations someone making threats and crossing physical boundaries is not going to be tolerated by the cadre and senior cadets. Not to mention you aren't going to have very much extras allowed anyway so even if you have to move can take you 10 mins lol If you are limited to shared rooms I wish I had been more adamant about him and the roommate completing the Nakid Roommate contract but it seemed to be a situation with this kid that a roommate contract (not as bad as Sheldon) would have done nothing to stop it. It is important for them to figure out how to deal with different personalities and figure out conflict resolution but we have to also let them know that when certain lines are crossed it is time to bring in outside sources in a way that protects them and their belongings.
 
Dckc88 said:
Daughter passed her APFT this morning! She didn't quite max, but a 277 first try as a freshman, has this mama smiling from ear to ear!
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277 is a strong number in the grand scheme of things, Freshman or Senior for that matter. Congrats to her and now she can say "show me the money!!"
 
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