<p>My son just received an LOA. I would like to hear from cadets (and family members) who have gone through the Basic Summer Program and R-Day as to what they would recommend in preparation for a Class of 2010 member? What did you do from November to June to prepare? What would you do different? Any tips would be helpful. Thanks!</p>
<p>Continue to get good grades. Don't do anything stupid vis-a-vis the law. Stay in shape - won't be hard if your son is doing a varsity sport. If not, run and lift weights. My son also put 50 pound weight in his backpack and found a few wooded parks nearby with lots of up and down geography. He would go out and hike at a fast pace for an hour or two at a time. Get lots of sleep. And don't freak out when they start sending out all of the lists and pre-R-Day stuff - it's not as complicated as it sounds. Make sure your math skills are sharp. If you have time, take a writing course - basic, how to organize an essay.</p>
<p>Last, enjoy your senior year and don't get too attached to your girlfriend(s).</p>
<p>RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN</p>
<p>and RUN!!!!!</p>
<p>Since you are in AK, I would suggest having your candidate run the stairs in the pool bleachers. That helps with the humidity and heat training. Running in the heat and humidity was the biggest challenge for my swimmer! Good Luck to your woop!</p>
<p>Run on hills. My poor cadet had only run in Illinois which is very flat. Although a good runner, the hills just killed her. </p>
<p>Also, last year there was a lot of discussion surrounding Knowledge and whether or not the appointees should begin learning it. I think at the least he could learn additional verses of the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful. And I'll bet the definition of leather doesn't change from year to year.</p>
<p>O.K, Momoftwins, I am curious: Definition of leather? Additional song verses? </p>
<p>Is your daughter in her first year?</p>
<p>Thought this letter home from a Class of 2009 cadet from Tennessee might give you an idea of how CBT was this summer. The new cadet completed CBT successfully and is a proud cadet private.</p>
<p>Dear Ma and Pa,</p>
<pre><code>I am well and hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer that Cadet Basic Training beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places at the academy are filled.
</code></pre>
<p>I was restless when I first got to West Point because you get to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. but I am getting so I like to sleep late. We each get our own bed.</p>
<pre><code>Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your bed and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave and wear shoes but it's not bad. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs and bacon; but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you over till noon when you get fed again.
The way they eat, it's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "ruck marches' which the Platoon sargeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, its not my place to tell him different. A "ruck march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. The city guys get sore feet and ride back to the barracks in trucks.
The next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I got this big medal for shooting. I don't know why. The bullseye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move. And it ain't shooting at you, like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges - they come in boxes.
</code></pre>
<p>Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. </p>
<p>Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and fill out their applications before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in. Got to go and put my dirty clothes in a bag. Can you believe it, someone is going to do my laundry for me. All I have to do is put my clothes in a bag and give it to them.</p>
<p>Your loving daughter, Gail.</p>
<p>Aspen,</p>
<p>When I started reading your post, I thought this must have been written by Jethro Bodine, but dang it if it wasn't written by Ellie May Clampett.</p>
<p>Aspen, you've outdone yourself...LMAO now means laughing my aspen off!</p>
<p>HA! HA! HA! LMAO! I like the shootin' & the food part. Makes me feel right at home! HA! HA! HA! Too funny. Bless Gail's pea pickin' heart! You guys stop the funnin' around and answer AKDad's question! HA! Oh never mind. I'll give it a go even though my son is at USMMA. AKDad, at USMMA, there is a book that pertains to Plebe knowledge. It contains various information that Plebe's must learn. When the academy was formed, who is the academic dean, the school's mission, ect. Then there are things like: When an uppperclassman comes around at lunch and asks "How's the cow?" There is a proper response to the question that must be given. Something about "It walks, it talks, it's full of chalk, blah blah blah...Also they must learn the proper response (about two paragraphs long) when asked what time it is. At USMMA, they weren't allowed watches so I can imagine how well that went.... I cannot tell you exactly whats in the book as I've only seen a bit of it BUTT (yes BUTT) they could be asked "What ranks higher than a Candidate?" The proper answer for USMMA would probably be: "Higher than Rear Admiral Van Sice's dog SIR!" Oh yeah, Boss. I bet he has a tea cup poddle too! ;) A little white one. DO NOT send out the dog militia. I have two dogs. Manly protective schnauzers. Pipe in here you guys. Give him the WP version. I'd dang sure want to know what the "leather" meant before I went to Beast. Hee Hee. I must type like 2,000 words a minute or something. Think I'll end it here.</p>
<p>aspen, this was just as good as the Old Fart's PAE. Yet again, people at work are staring at me for laughing out loud.</p>
<p>"Gail" has met her match. I know a smart, sweet, wonderful female cadet (with a twin) who gave concussions to 2 other female cadets during the Combatives final. They were both on medical profiles for 4 days.</p>
<p>I love it! I'm laughing my BUTT off!</p>
<p>The Coasties' "knowledge" comes from Running Light, their swab manual. For example, the answer to the question, "What is the Coast Guard?"; "The Coast Guard is that hard nucleus about which the Navy forms in time of war, sir!"</p>
<p>Aspen: Too funny! Thanks for the laugh!</p>
<p>Aspen....</p>
<p>You really out did yourself this time...I think I broke a rib from laughing so hard!</p>
<p>By the way, I seond the "girlfriend" advice.....my son was just "dumped" by his and boy its been rough!</p>
<p>ahhhh. the old dumpster-roni. Well...won't she just be sick when he takes another girl to the All Academies Ball? I have a couple of girls that would love to go with him. You just let me know. Oooo, do I have a chip on my shoulder or what. Mama Cat! Rrrrr Psssst Pssssst! You should see Momoftwins daughter. Maybe we can arrange a little something here. That girl has eyes that would melt the heart of Vlad the Impaler! He's moving on to bigger and better things. Weeeee!</p>
<p>Yeah!!! I want him to ask someone to go to the Ball...cause parents can go too and i have a gown all ready to go!</p>
<p>Hey, Jamzmom (Mama Cat is a way cool screen name also). Thanks for melting my heart. You know any mom just loves compliments about her daughter's beauty - especially when there are so many pictures of her with those ugly Beast glasses.</p>
<p>Regarding the girlfriend/boyfriend dumping issue, I was wondering during ppw how many of those girls found their guys are changing a bit too much. And how many of the boys really felt like they were in a different world. We hear joking reference to the 2% club and I guess the vast majority of these girls won't be at graduation. It's tough enough to be at a service academy. It's tough enough to have a long distance relationship while in college. This mix likely has just too many challenges.</p>
<p>We took my 16-year old daugher (hs junior) to PPW. She and my son disappeared into the ballroom with all of the Hip-Hop music at about 9:30 p.m. - we told her to come find us when she was ready to go. She emerged at about 12:30 a.m. from the dance floor - told us how nice all of the cadets were, even her brother's friends! So I imagine the cadets won't have trouble finding new girlfriends if they can just figure out how to get off post.</p>
<p>There are indeed some big changes going on with these kids. Mine commented a few days ago that he was having a hard time relating to normal college/high school stuff with his friends. Said he had bigger things to think about when some little lady (a girlfriend) was put out about him not being available to talk with her when she wanted. It does put a strain on these young relationships when one of them is not going through the same experiences. I don't expect things to go on too much longer as they are. Its just too long distance and with USMMA kids going to sea, it will probably be the end of any relationship going on now. Hate it some of our kids have to go through this though. As if they don't have enough on their plates emotionally already. It is such a serious thing to have a broken heart when you're so young atop all the stress they have to go through. And everything they ever knew has changed upside down. Its rough. On the lighter side! We all know there will be someone out there, someday, when there is time. Until then, what a fun time on the small liberties they get to go out there and meet the world. Prayerfulmom, you'd be a great date! I wanna go to! Maybe Jamz' girlfriend will meet with a little accident just before the ball. I can run over her feet with the car or put x-lax in her iced tea. How about some of that trick gum that turns your teeth black when you chew it. I am SO SO bad!</p>