<p>What a great day it is when you get mail from your cadet. What makes it special is it’s the first!!! Oh boy, son sounds good. He’s in Cobra Squadron Flight C. He gave the names of his cadre. He said they are funny guys but also are made to do lots of push-ups and flutter kicks. Personal time must have been very short, but any short letter is better than none. 
</p>
<p>Hope your cadet sends one soon.</p>
<p>Glad to hear that BCT is going well. I know it's a long time to be without communication with you son.
Thinking of you.<br>
Go Navy!</p>
<p>Now the key will be him keeping that same level of motivation throughout BCT (and the rest of his cadet career)! :)</p>
<p>There's never much "free time" in BCT, especially since there's always stuff that needs to be done. You wouldn't believe how quickly dust accumulates in those rooms!</p>
<p>Momof3boyz --
My son is also with the Cobras, B Flight. We received a very nice letter from him yesterday (written in Church on Sunday). He says they can have personal time to write letters, etc. OR Church, but not both. He says they have Chapel Friday and Sunday and the services have been a huge help. I have found three pictures of him so far, but lately it seems as if the Cobras have not been getting much photo time. -- Listen to me, a whole week into the process....
jm</p>
<p>Thanks jakesmom. what days have you seen the Cobra squadron?<br>
Can you confirm, is one of cadre a female?</p>
<p>"Can you confirm, is one of cadre a female?"</p>
<p>Usually there's at least one female cadre member in every flight, or at least a few per squadron, so that probably won't narrow it down much. ;)</p>
<p>Momof3boyz,</p>
<p>I believe the Cobra squads are lead by a female. I could be wrong, but on swearing in day I thought a female was announced as the leader. As for the photos, I found my son in one on the USAFA website at swearing in and the other two were shortly thereafter -- maybe Saturday -- can't remember which site but I think it was AOG. I saved and printed the pictures.</p>
<p>Got another letter from my son yesterday and he says he thinks things are getting a lot better and he's starting to have a little fun ("just a little" he says). </p>
<p>jm</p>
<p>The only reason I asked is because our son named the last names of two cadre. When I did a Google search with name and USAFA, one of the names was refering to a female. I am still looking for more photos of Cobra Squadron. I have only a profile shot of son from the cheek bone forward. </p>
<p>As far as receiving letters, only the one. It doesn't surprise me. If the cadets only get to write on their personal time, (Friday and Sunday chapel time) I don't think he would write in church. All is good, I know he is there.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, the basics are not forced to write during church time or never. Basics who choose not to attend a service are allowed to write letters or otherwise relax (without sleeping) in their rooms. However, there are other times when basics can write, but they sometimes choose to do other things like getting to know some of their classmates, studying staff lists, preparing for upcoming inspections, etc.</p>
<p>TWO letters came today!!!! The boy sounds good. :) He wrote that one of the basic's did something really stupid while my guy was in chaple. (God was watching out for him. ;) ) Anyways, squad staff were SO ANGRY that the basics had to try to move the USAFA closer to West Point. My arms hurt just visualizing that one.</p>
<p>Hey, we got two as well!! Both were great. Apparently, without breaking rules or protocol in ANY way, my son was able to make his cadre crack-up beyond control. It was a one-time occurance for sure (no more details than that). Once he saw "the human side", it made him "want to please them even more" which seems pretty healthy to me from an attitude perspective. While he's not enjoying it (who would), he is more than tolerating it -- which I think is positive. </p>
<p>As I believe Uncynical predicted (or someone else noted), my son and his roomate sleep on the floor so they don't have to make their beds in the morning. No time! One more paraphrase: "Life is a lot easier if you learn your knowledge!"</p>
<p>"As I believe Uncynical predicted (or someone else noted), my son and his roomate sleep on the floor so they don't have to make their beds in the morning."</p>
<p>Yup... ;)</p>
<p>"'Life is a lot easier if you learn your knowledge!'"</p>
<p>Definitely. That won't change during four degree year either!</p>
<p>Haven't gotten a letter yet, as I am in competition with a girlfriend!! By seaching the AOG website photos, I found my son in Squadron C also. (He failed to share that info with the GF). Seems he has been "Counselled" already because of extreme rapid weight loss ( 10 lbs) and given some type of supplement for calories. Worries me somewhat,I am sure they have it under control.</p>
<p>If cadets lose too much weight, they're given Resources (which are a supplemental nutritional drink). He'll be fine.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. Not that he didn't have extra to lose!! I am sure he will be fine. I just find it somewhat humorous as he has always played football (linebacker) and is a big boy. Wonder about the skinny kids?? He was hoping to keep his size and try to walk on for football.</p>
<p>All the basics got weighed on the first day and get weighed once a week. All of these records are monitored and appropriate measures are taken.</p>
<p>That's a relief. Our son was a little worried about his weight in his last letter. He does not have any "extra" to lose! I guess after doing this just a few years, the AF knows what they're doing in this area! ;) As usual Uncynical, your provide us parents with continued great information. And your graduation hasn"t slowed you down! If you ever want free financial advice, send me a PM!!</p>
<p>"And your graduation hasn"t slowed you down!" </p>
<p>I do what I can! I'm planning on leaving not long after '10 becomes cadets, prior to all of the '11 applicants getting on here. When I do, I'll find someone, or maybe a couple people, who is/are current cadet(s) to take over. It's easier for people actually at the Academy to speak about specifics that are going on, as opposed to getting it second hand myself and then passing it on.</p>
<p>"If you ever want free financial advice, send me a PM!!"</p>
<p>I may take you up on that sometime, as I just bought a new car and now know how much "extra" money I have. ;)</p>
<p>H-Mom,</p>
<p>Do you know what flight your son is in? Wondering if they are in the same group. My son wrote that everyone gets counselled by their element leader and shared that his said that he had great military bearing.....subject to smiling at inappropriate times. His dad and I just looked at each other and laughed --- we know our boy and at least one thing hasn't changed!</p>
<p>jm</p>
<p>I have no idea. He wouldn't let us go out with him for IP. I know that he has a room mate that can't iron.( or so the GF said he wrote in the letter) and that there are only 25 in his "group". I looked @ the photos on AOG and he didn't appear to be in the A flight in yesterday's posting. Maybe I will get a letter one day....... Until then, I will keep watching the postings. The only way I figured out which Squadron he was in was by the photos as I recognized him in 3 of them!!!</p>