<p>Second day flat rate box $8.99, with the box being free, I have found to be the best deal from GA. If your post office has the self serve machine you do not have to stand in line to mail. Get to the postage buy going through the "Buy Stamps" menu. I usually send an email the day I send the flat rate to let him know that package is on it's way.</p>
<p>If I want to make sure it is on time I use Express office and FedEX.</p>
<p>Yikes! My mid must be starving - he only gets 1 or 2 cares packages per semester. I think he might've gotten 3 during Plebe Summer. My guy is pretty low maintenace tho'; doesn't need much. Just some homemade cookies now & then. </p>
<p>We opted to send some stuff to Iraq instead - that's a good alternative - [url=<a href="http://www.anysoldier.com%5DAnySoldier.com%5B/url">http://www.anysoldier.com]AnySoldier.com[/url</a>] - if you want to do Care Pkgs. In our case I tho't the folks in Iraq were more needy... So far, our mid hasn't lost any weight tho', I'm pretty sure.</p>
<p>^^^^ mine has- 30+ lbs. He didn't "have it" to lose.</p>
<p>Bill0510- the moms had it "right" all along. It is t-24hrs until we get them home, and we are still talking about food. But I get 20 days to feed him well, and you can bet his plate is going to be FULL.</p>
<p>As for the stuff to Iraq- great mission. They need it too.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you go to the gomids.com site, there is a disucssion about the BOV meeting yesterday. Pretty funny.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>USNADad&Grad- with all due respect, the humor is getting by me today...I guess the stress of finals is coming across the wire and dampening my funny bone!</p>
<p>All I want right now is for my mid to be home for a little while - wishing the same for all the troops out there -</p>
<p>navy 2010 - your mid has dropped more than 30 lbs.??!!</p>
<p>That's alarming! (Especially if you're sending Care Pkgs. too!). His metabolism must be on overdrive! Mine works out/runs daily & isn't really getting Care Pkgs., but if anything, he's probably gained weight/muscle this semester (& he doesn't do protein shakes or anything like that). I'd be pretty concerned if there was a 30 lb. weight loss. Hope you can fatten him up a little over the holidays!</p>
<p>Mom2: The REAL deal is to print the mailing label at home, then you don't even have to stand in line at the m achine.
Go to usps.com or usps.gov. You can pay for and print priority mail labels on your home computer. </p>
<p>My already skinny mid has not been able to put on any weight; I guess that's a plus since he did not have any to lose.</p>
<p>sad to say, 30 lbs at last count.
something he did not do all plebe summer, or plebe year.
alarming? you bet.</p>
<p>And yes, lots of care packages.
Lots of protein drinks.
he had tons of muscle when he reported back ......some drop due to less time weight training (academic demands)<br>
unfortunately some meals that he finds plain "unedible."
and he is not a fussy eater.</p>
<p>but i remind him that he is there for academics first....
and to restate my now favorite quote, the rest is "secondary, optional and conditional."</p>
<p>lax burns a lot.<br>
no doubt the stress of finals burns off whats left.</p>
<p>you can bet we will be serving all his "favorites" when he comes home this time around... and lots of it!!!! T-24 hours and counting!!! :)</p>
<p>I am a pebe Mom who just welcomed my son home for the holidays. I agree that the powers that be must must request an increased amount of money to feed the midshipmen.
My son has always been on the lean side; usually has a slim athletic build. During plebe summer his 6 ft frame went down to near 140lb and someone noticed and put him on energy drink supplements to keep up. I have great confidence in the system there (second time parenting a mid, never had food issues before this year).
We live far away,and when I pry it out of him he does admit that some meals are just gravy, some they run out of food (but eventually get something). He does not really care much, just trying to make the grade and be a successful plebe. His first trip home at Thanksgiving it did concern me how thin he is, and now that Christmas break is here, he is "painfully thin" to me, his Mom. He isn't the kind of guy who gets hungry, or would complain about that. In order to eat what he needs, he needs it provided or he won't bother to seek it out. The food situation at USNA is therefore of great concern to me, but again, I have faith in the system and believe it will be corrected in time.
With biofuels utilizing lots of our corn crop, it costs more to raise the livestock, produce the milk, etc and food just costs more now. There must be more money allocated to feed the midshipmen. It does not make sense to get private sponsors for some sports teams (which is what is going on), while others do not get enough to eat.
Sorry if this is too long or if I have offended anyone; it must sound terrible to the parents of the 2012 class to read this, but I bet you will have your own , different issues next year!</p>