<p>I'm the mom of a candidate of the Class of 2011 from Las Vegas. I just joined the site and I'm a little nervous about the emotional roller coaster we will experience in delivering our son to the Academy on 5 July. I'd love to hear from other parents who are preparing to do the same.</p>
<p>Just make sure your safety belt is fastened low and tight around your waist. And hang on to your hat and glasses.
:)</p>
<p>Thanks JRH! I know it will be an exciting ride. Are you a parent Midshipman?</p>
<p>yup - 2010</p>
<p>Kayleen: I'm a mom of 2011 also, and a bunch of us discussed (other topic here) the problem of the pollen being very bad in New York the morning of 5 July. Because of this there will be a lot of watery eyes! So, make sure you bring tissue to wipe away the pollen :)</p>
<p>I am the mom of a 2011, may of us moms have made friends through cc. Yes the pollen we hear will be very thick Thursday morning. I keep telling myself I am not saying goodbye but instead see you in Sept! </p>
<p>What a opportunity our kids are about to have. They are truly blessed!</p>
<p>Hang in there...we will all have a nice little cry together with our chests all pumped out with pride.</p>
<p>suzannegra and SUPPORTMOM: I'm so happy to hear from both of you. And yes, I am getting a lump in my throat as I write this and there is no doubt about the pollen problem on the morning of 5 July with me as well. suzannegra, what part of Virginia are you from? SUPPORTMOM, what part of North Carolina are you from? Will both of you be delivering your son/daughter and staying for the morning parents' activities? My husband and I will be staying for the morning schedule. It would be fun to find each other that morning.</p>
<p>Kayleen see private message and I will give you more info.</p>
<p>Hi Kayleen==support mom I hope gave you info for me as well. We will be arriving late on Monday 7/1 and staying through the 5th.</p>
<p>I'm from southwest Virginia (Roanoke/Smith Mountain Lake area), about 45 minutes from Virginia Tech (everyone knows where that is now!)</p>
<p>Hi Kayleen...thanks for introducing me to this forum. Have any of you been told by your son/daughter that they want to go it alone? The men in my son's life (and several generations of them) have the belief that he should leave for school on his own. So of course he has adopted the same philosophy. It has been a tough decision to come to terms with but I finally have done so. Therefore, my goodbye will be at the airport the morning of the 4th. I will then eagerly await online images as well as the ones I know Kayleen will catch.</p>
<p>I cried and my husband was too busy laughing at me (and he took a picture). I didn't really notice the other moms crying.... I guess I was too involved with myself!</p>
<p>We didn't hang around since we've been there many many times. My nephew is there too and plays football as his father did 30 years before! So we felt since we couldn't spend any time with her, might as well go home. But if it's your first visit, it would probably be a good time to check out the campus so you know what your plebe is talking about when he mentions the Grinder, the bell, Land Hall, etc.</p>
<p>Good luck parents - Indoc will probably actually be harder on you than on your kids (they'll be VERY busy). </p>
<p>Don't know if they allow the webcams during Indoc but if so, it might be interesting to see what is going on (I didn't know about them last year) but here's a link: <a href="http://www.usmma.edu/about/webcams/%5B/url%5D">http://www.usmma.edu/about/webcams/</a></p>
<p>I just heard about this website at the PA/DE/NJ Parents Plebe Picnic. Love it. I am becoming more and more tearful/fearful of Thursday morning. Should we say goodbye in the car? I heard my son will be whisked away at the Gate....</p>
<p>They'll let you stand with your son/daughter right outside the door of O'hara for basically as long as you want. Once they step in the door though..... I would recommend not being the first or the last through the door. The DI's have been going through training and are just waiting for the first candidate to come out, so be smart and be somewhere in the middle. By then they've got more candidates to spread the love to and you will be less of a target. If you're last it takes away some time you might have to get squared away.</p>
<p>Thanks KP. Do parents go to the Indoc Parade? We live 2+ hours away, but I want every chance to see my son. Is it worth it? Also, when is the first time they get to come home as Plebes? Fall Leave?</p>
<p>The first time the plebes well plebe candidates will get to come home will be acceptance day/parents day weekend. The Plebe Candidates are accepted into the regiment and are then offically plebes and they usually get the weekend to spend off campus for the first time with their families. But if you are really missing ur son then you can go to church with him on sundays and they get "about 10 mins" to spend with their families who visit...its a good chance to give them all the "supplies" ie cookies and other munchies they can hide. and note i said hide.</p>
<p>Oh yeah and parents weekend is sometime in september usually the 2nd or 3rd week.</p>
<p>parents - book now for parents weekend...you will NOT regret it.</p>
<p>best of luck to all starting indoc this week. keep your chin up and welcome aboard!</p>
<p>Do they give you vitamins there since you can't take them with you?</p>
<p>Should we invest in a sea bag or navy bag or whatever it's called? Where do you get those?</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>They will not give you vitamins. Your son/daughter is more than welcome to have them after Indoc as far as I know, but they will take them away during Indoc if you bring them. Not sure if the Ship's Store carries them for purchase as not, but you can always mail them.</p>
<p>Don't worry about a sea bag/duffel for now. Might be a good purchase before the first sea year though. You can get one at any military surplus store or online at any military type site.</p>