<p>After meeting with his BGO today, Jake announced that he and his friend are going to travel to I-Day alone. He believes that he will be able to prepare for whats coming if he flies there without us. Of course, he wants us there for Parent Weekend.</p>
<p>Anyone else going without family?</p>
<p>Mine's not, but not because I think he needs me -- he's been away at school for the past two years and will only be home for 18 days between graduation and I-day and I want the 5 hours alone with him in the car. I still can't believe he is doing this!!!</p>
<p>I went alone, said goodbye at the airport. One of the best decisions in my life.</p>
<p>We're doing it half and half. Her dad is taking her and I'm staying home. That way we can afford to bring her older sister along for PPW. Think how easy it would have been if she had only picked the AFA instead of USNA! ;-)</p>
<p>Unless your cadet/mid has a really good reason why you should not, if you are a parent and you can swing it---go. For my wife and I it will be a day we will always remember. We were even lucky enough to stumble upon the sight of our "new cadet" reporting to the cadet in the red sash through a sally port and get some pics/videos of her receiving "proper instruction". A one in a million shot that most won't get, but being there was so important for us.</p>
<p>Everyone does this so differently I know but for those kids that do decide to go it alone, they were better than I thought they'd be. They had it all handled. I met a few and they all kind of lumped together and hung out the night before going "in". Yes, we were dumped and went back to the hotel with our Wendy's Frosty, alone. I cried. A little jittery on their nerves that morning waiting in lines but I believe that would have happened even if Mom & Dad were there or not. So nobody feel bad about them going it alone! There are a thousand super parents around to watch out for them if they should need something. And if they do, they'll probably find a way to email you to let you know all went well. Thats one of the cool new things you find out about academy "family".</p>
<p>Another really important consideration was trying to acclimate our mid to the humidity, heat and time change. We left Alaska a week ahead of time, spent time in Michigan for a wedding, and arrived 2 days ahead of time. That gave us time to connect again with the youngsters that had had our son as a drag (every time we go there we invite them to dinner, and they happened to be taking summer classes to lighten the load for 2nd class year) go to Six Flags, get a cell-phone plan, and set up all of his banking (he already had a savings account at NFCU, but he set up the DD, debit card, checking acct., IRA). For us, as a Navy family, in an odd way the organization and business was comforting and familiar. </p>
<p>BTW, the humidity kills. Our son's BGO told him to work out in a sauna to prepare...also said that was a big factor in Alaskans washing out. However, in 2004 we had 3 swimmers (among others) go from AK and they are all still there. And they say swimmers can't run. Well, maybe not well, but they can run. :)</p>
<p>The "go with or send them alone" decision is very personal and there will never be one right answer. Only the candidate and their family can know what is right for them. The discussion is helpful though for those who have a kid sitting on the fence, unsure whether family should be there or not.</p>
<p>The one thing to remember, for those trying to decide: other than that last night in the hotel and the short couple hours in the morning standing in lines, R Day (speaking WP because that's all I know), is really for the families. The candidates depart so quickly and the rest of the very long, emotional day is a chance for the families to do a lot of fun (distracting) things: buy WP stuff, join a parent club, talk to upperclassmen who wander around, take tons of photos of kids who aren't even yours, and then finally share with all the other families as the oath is taken. In otherwords, it's not so much a family day WITH your candidate...cause they're not with you.</p>
<p>Also, for those families coming from a non-military background, seeing R Day is a helpful first look at the next four years.</p>
<p>In the end though, as already said, those candidates who arrive alone will be just fine. Once they walk out of Ike Hall, having family there or not becomes a non-issue for the candidates.</p>
<p>The CT chapter of the USCGA Parents Assoc. has a program by which cadets traveling by themselves to the Academy for R-day are picked up at the airport and housed with a sponsor family for a day or two before reporting. We did this last summer with a young man from Utah who has subsequently become part of the family. This is done both by parents of cadets(such as us) as well as families in the area. I'm wondering if any of the other academies do this? It help in the transition and to have somebody there for you on the first day of your academy experience.</p>
<p>I'm a parent of a 2010 mid. We went to our first USNA parents club meeting last month and spoke to a lot of parents of plebes. Their advice was "go if you can". Some of them had been advised not to go and really regretted it. Those that went said that they were very glad they did, even though it was a really emotional day for them.</p>
<p>We are planning to arrive several days ahead of time to give our son lots of time to acclimate. As it turns out, son's 15-year sister will be attending the academy's X-country camp that week so in a strange twist of fate she will be staying in Bancroft Hall on the 28th - the same night as his first night!</p>
<p>nova07 you are right on. Those Plebes that arrive without parents wil do just fine. It is a day for parents and family members to learn much more about the Academy and the whole process. There were many talks that one could attend and it helps those of us without prior Academy experience to understand it much better. Our Mid had a very early reporting time so we spent the day attending the sessions that were available, shopping in the store, attending a picnic and the Induction Ceremony at the end of the day. We truly enjoyed it. As you said, it is more for the parents and less for the Plebe. If you can make it, you will have no regrets. If you cannot make it, your Plebe will do just fine!</p>
<p>OM- not to worry- have your Jake come and find us after the Oath- we will be on the tour bus with the "torpedo fan club" buttons (only joking- we really don't have a bus....but we did "qualify" for a group discount on the yard tour!!!! Go figure!!!!)...just tell Jake we are all one big happy family on CC.....and there is always room for one more!!! What the heck!!!! He can meet the torpedo- and they can both talk about their "mom's gone wild" on CC!!!! Honest- tell him he can find us by the "T" on stribling- (and yes, the buttons are for real!!!) .....I will save some cold-very-berry-vitamin water for him too!!!</p>
<p>OM, What airport will Jake be flying out of? Random question I know ;)</p>
<p>I thought I read somewhere that parents are encouraged not to come with their child on June 29 to the AFA. Our son will be flying out of CMH on the 28th alone. However, there will be four of us (hubby and two younger siblings) traveling out to CO for Parents Weekend. I already have made reservations at the Embassy Suites for two suites. Having the second suite will allow our son to have other cadets whose parents could not come, a chance to let their hair down (I know, they still won't have much hair). Our younger boys, ages 13 and 16, will stay on the pull out bed in our suite. </p>
<p>FYI-if any AFA parents are trying to make reservations at the Embassy Suites on line, it won't work. You have to call the hotel directly. There is a FOUR night minimum. If you have to cancel, you will still be charged a fee.</p>
<p>Are there any other parents on CC that will be at CMH airport on June 28th?</p>
<p>Jake will be coming from PDX. He's pretty definite about it now. He says that he will just take the humidity and life transition all together and tough it out. He's used to vacationing in Maryland during the summer and wasn't troubled by the humidity. Maybe its because its just a different variation of wetness from Oregon.!!!!!!! Those Oregon kids are tough... except me.</p>
<p>If you must make a choice, go to the Parents weekend when they are officially sworn in and they have been there a while. They will be SO glad to see you! And take you around and showoff. If you haven't visited the academy of your DS or DD and have the opportunity to drop them off for their Iday/beast or whatever, try to go so you can get a good feel for the place and to meet other parents - then meet back here! The world will not end if you are not there that first morning - and your heart will swell either there or at plane, train or bus. It is the first of many. Buy Kimberly-Clark stock...and lay in the merlot!</p>
<p>Ahh Oregon weather. The same all year round. Except today! It was beautiful today and yesterday! Except now the clouds are movin in... It's funny, you look at us Oregon kids and when I was a little kid I used to play basketball in the rain regularly. My cousins from Cali would come up and have like 12 jackets on and still not want to go outside. Hehe!</p>
<p>I'm looking forward to the change of scenery. West Point (or rather NY in general) actually has different seasons, whereas here we have 2 states of being: raining and not raining. Hope your daughter is doing well OM, hope Jake goes with what his heart tells him.</p>
<p>Y'all are making me homesick for Oregon! WPwannabe, I know exactly what you mean about playing in the rain! We Oregonians know how to just about all outdoor (and a few indoor) sports in the wet stuff! I remember being at camp and swimming in the lake in the rain and not thinking a thing about it. When people would ask me about it, my standard response was "If we didn't do stuff in the rain, we wouldn't do stuff." </p>
<p>I spent most of my youth in the Columbia River Gorge, dip-net fishing at Cascade Locks, and generally running amock throughout the northwest. So cheers to you hardy Oregon folk! Rub on some Naval Jelly (Oregonians don't tan, they rust) and enjoy those sunny days while they last! They are exquisite!</p>
<p>"Oregonians don't tan, they rust"</p>
<p>HAHAHAHA!!!! So true! When we do occassionally get sun, we definitely don't get tan from it, just burnt, or "rusted." I live in Gresham (for those non-Oregonians it's right outside of Portland... anarchist central), and on the rare occassion that we actually get sun, most of my friends don't know what to do with it!!!</p>
<p>Well, it is true NY enjoys 4 distinctly different seasons- and if I can put in a plug, each one is better than the others- and just when you get tired of the snow, the crocus start sticking their little heads out- then the daffodils and the trees all bud at the same time- and the weather is "just perfect"- not too hot and not too cool- we call it "sweater weather".....and then the summer and beach and all that fun stuff comes along- and boating season- and there is no better place to enjoy that than the south shore beaches, from Jones Beach to Robert Moses to Fire Island, the Hamptons and Montaulk point- and when you finally get that tan done to perfection, all the leaves start to turn color- in every glorious shade of yellow and orange and crimmson that you can imagine- and while Annapolis is picture-post-card-perfect, I must admit there is nothing more spectacular than the view of the Hudson from WEst Point with all the mountains ablaze with color.....almost like they are on fire- and then the leaves in some frantic dance as they fall off and wind themselves in an airy freefall back to the ground- which becomes a carpet of color- and you know it's almost winter 'cause the leaves start to crunch under your feet- and then it's time for winter again, and snow and skiing- and it lasts just long enough for you to appreciate the return of spring again- </p>
<p>and rain- but only on regatta weekends- and usually thanks to our neighbor, New Jersey- who knows LI beaches are nicer than the Jersey shore so they have to rain on our parade..... ;)</p>
<p>and then you have days like today- blustery cold- with snow flurries- and this, on the first day of spring! And just when we had out hopes up too!</p>