<p>a famnet member posted an “alternate” address to ship packages that require a P.O. Box. The post said " THE PACKAGE SHOP" at Arnold Hall receives them. Your cadet will be charged a $2.00 fee when they pick up the package. The address is: </p>
<p>Your Cadet’s Name
2302 Cadet Drive, PO Box XXXX (your cadet’s PO Box #)
USAF Academy, CO 80840-XXXX (your cadet’s PO Box #)</p>
<p>Heres my questions: </p>
<p>How will our cadet know if, where, and when there is a package? </p>
<p>How will they know to bring $2.00 cash to pick it up? </p>
<p>After the Acceptance Parade/Ceremony, will our cadet have quick access to their personal cash that was “locked up” on I-Day? </p>
<p>Should I let my cadet know in a letter now about the package?</p>
<p>Can I send chewing gum?</p>
<p>Can I have Magazine subscriptions (Scientific American, US News & World Report, etc.) forwarded to cadets P.O. Box?</p>
<p>eventually the package shop sends an email (which they'll have pretty much as soon as basic is over, whenever they can get their computers), but you can send your cadet an email to tell him earlier since I know my email filtered those into the junk email box and I always forgot to check that so my mom sent me an email when she sent a package. his email will be <a href="mailto:C10Firstname.Lastname@usafa.af.mil">C10Firstname.Lastname@usafa.af.mil</a> otherwise send him a letter, and he'll get his money right out of basic. Good luck to your son with everything!</p>
<p>Realize that you can send pakages to your cadet's p.o. box. You only need to send them to the Package Stop for FedEx or UPS, as they don't send to p.o. boxes. Save the money and send packages to the p.o. box. The way it works is that the cadet will either get a key in their box that matches a locker that has their package, or they will get a slip of yellow paper with their number on it that they need to bring to the window to pick it up. </p>
<p>I honestly thought it was a hassle when I had to go to tha Package Stop to pick something up (although it was less than 5 times the entire time at the Academy). If you do send it to the Package Stop, as SJ mentioned, he'll get an e-mail which'll tell him to pick it up and bring money.</p>
<p>You can send chewing gum (after BCT) as well as magazine subscriptions directly to the p.o. box.</p>
<p>When I send a package I always send it via USPS and get a tracking # (costs $0.45) then I e-mail the tracking # to my son, that way he will know when to expect his package. USPS will deliver to a P.O. Box, whereas UPS and FEDEX will not. USPS also has flat rate Priority Mail Boxes available that are a great deal. It's a flat rate no matter how much they weigh. It's amazing how much stuff you can get into those boxes!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info! One more question. Is there a maximum size or maximum weight restriction on packages? I know the USPS has a box that has no weight restrictions for a flat rate. If it fits in the box, it ships.</p>
<p>There are no restrictions on the size of packages that the cadets can receive. Just remember that they have to carry it back to their rooms. You will be surprised how much they appreciate that first package!!!<br>
Best of luck to you this summer--Hope you find lots of pitures of your cadets on the various sites--enjoy the phone calls on Doolie Day out! It does get better as the time goes by.</p>
<p>My son is a jump master and teaching the introductory parachuting class this summer. Your cadets will have the opportunity to take that class next summer. </p>
<p>Many of his friends are cadre for BCT. </p>
<p>A couple of tips of that we did for our son while he was a Doolie:
Wrote every day, his first phone call he said to "me if you think of something put it in a letter and send it," send as many letters as you can. So I sent cards, news articles, cartoons etc. After that call I tried to get something in the mai to him twice a day. </p>
<p>I was able to down load pictures of F-16s and sent those to help him stay focussed on his goal. </p>
<p>Prior to I day we had given out cards and pre-addressed stamped envelopes to friends. I reminded them to write, he ended up with lots of mail.<br>
I shared the pictures that I found of him on the AOG and USAFA sites with his friends so that they could see what he was doing. </p>
<p>At Parents weekend you will have a chance to sign your cadet up for a Zoomienet account. You can put money in for them and they are able to order food to be delivered from a number of restaurants, the amount is deducted from their account so they don't have to worry abot paying. My son ordered his favorite Panda Express meal whenever he was feeling down. It provided him with a small amount of control over one aspect of his day. You will have to check if they are allowed this year, but he said that it helped to get him through the first semester.</p>
<p>Your Basic will be allowed to open their packages after Acceptance into the Wing--which I believe is August 8??. I have heard that some squadrons do let their basics open theirs early. You can go ahead and mail it this week and either the Post Office will hold it, or your Basic may be allowed to get it, but not open it until later. I did not hear any stories last year of basics getting in any trouble for a package arriving a day or two early. My theory last year was better early and earn a few pushups, than late with nothing to open when he could!</p>
<p>I have always used those priority mail boxes, which cost $8.10 for any weight items. The boxes are free at the post office, or on their website. The boxes usually get from our home in St Louis to COS in two days. I have sent them to all of my children spaced over several states, and they all seem to get them in two days.</p>
<p>Usually ordering out food is considered a privalege at first. It all depends on the squadron leadership, but your cadet may or may not be able to order out food for some time. But hey, might as well put some money in there. It won't go anywhere and they'll get to use it sooner or later. And oh yeah, ordering out food only becomes more popular with time put in at the Academy. Mitch's gets old and I know seniors who hardly ever eat non-mandatory meals. Would someone please tell my mom about this?</p>
<p>Zoomienet.com is the salvation of many cadets, my son included! I put money in the account periodically, and then keep an eye on the account to see when to add more. I think Zoomienet even emails me when he gets under $50. Anyone can put money in the account....grandparents, friends, aunts, uncles, etc. The money does stay there from year to year, so you will not lose any over the summers. I am not sure when during the four degree year zoomienet becomes a priviledge for the cadets, but I am sure our cadet used it all of second semester. He is even using it right now while he is there for GE and BCT prep. This is a good thing Mom of surfnkid!</p>
<p>I will be at the Acceptance Parade but I will need to leave campus by
12:15 pm to catch my flight home. My question is, will my son be able to get the package I bring back to his room? I read somewhere, it is best to provide clear plastic storage containers for the cadet to keep his/her stash organized. What size container is best? Should they be air tight? Since I have never seen the campus and dorms, where do they keep their stash? Is this the time to provide goodies for the entire squadron since most of the cadets will receive something from home?<br>
for example, I purchased a 100 count box of tootsie pops at Sam's Club yestarday. Is this type of candy a good idea? Has anyone ever sent a goody box addressed to the Squadron Leaders without identifying who it is from? </p>
<p>I have one more question for any parent that has an upperclass cadet in Cobra/Reb Eleven. I am bringing my son's acustic/electric guitar in a hard case next week. I have made arrangements with my son's sponsor family to store the guitar until he is allowed to have it on campus. Could someone inquire about when my son will be able to get his guitar? He is considering playing with the praise/worship band. The sooner he has his guitar, the sooner he can try out.</p>
<p>I could be wrong but I don't think having a guitar should be a problem at all, especially if it is for the worship band. At the worst, he may need to fill out some paper work (an SSS) to get it approved by his AOC.</p>
<p>momof 3 Our cadet is in the class of 09 and I believe it was parents weekend we took her to get some clear plastic containers for food items and other things, I cant remember the exact size but her roommate also had some rubbermaid ones, both 15 qt and 20 qt, the girls used different ones to store snacks, cleaning supplies, shoe polishing supplies, etc. I dont believe that they need to be air tight but get ones with a lid as they stacked them on top of each other. There was a bookcase like thing in their room that they stacked the containers on. They came in handy at the end of the school year, packing left over school supplies,etc.</p>
<p>AOC stands for Air Officer Commanding(er). Basically, it's your son/daughter commanding officer. You can contact them in emergencies (or even other times) but your Basic could get some grief if it's a frivelous call. As someone on this forum said, it would be a little like you calling your son or daughters boss after they got a full time civilian job. It would embarrass them. But in an emergency or important situation, it's someone you can contact. As for SSS, sounds like one of a million forms to fill out for various things (!) but I never heard of it.</p>
<p>Momofboyz -- According to Surfnkid (see 3day pass thread), an SSS is a Staff Summary Sheet. Check out the 10th post on that thread for more details.</p>