<p>no offense, but have had my fair share of ventilator-dependent patients who have spent one too many warm summer evenings sharing a good cigar, coctail and conversation! At least do yourself a favor and don't inhale!</p>
<p>Back to O-coats-
ok, my "inbox" has been maxed out!</p>
<p>To answer the questions received:
1. you will need your mid's name and last 4 digits of ss# to access site. You may have to wait until after they are issued their alpha numbers on I-Day and become "active military." (as with all "official issue," they don't want these things to get into the wrong hands!) In the meantime, give your mid an IOU for "one very lovely, very warm, very practical Officers Coat!"</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Yes, there is a bridge coat for women... typical sizes in short, regular and x-long....again, get the same size as they are issued for the gortex one.</p></li>
<li><p>Size: order the same size as the gortex one they get issued (so if they get issued a 44R in gortex, order 44R in bridge coat, ditto for short and XL). </p></li>
<li><p>XL: don't order XL UNLESS they are issued XL in gortex (the length is regulation)</p></li>
<li><p>O-Coats are NOT available at the MID STORE- you have to order at this site. They MAY be available at the mid's uniform shop in bancroft (parents do not have access to that area)- but I am not sure. Most parents I know ordered the coats online at the site above.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>6.Buyer beware: if you google, you will find other sites selling "brige" and "o-coats" on-line for about half the price..... unfortunatly parents have found out the hard way that they are not only poor quality, but more importantly, they are not regulation issue.... so mids can, and do, get in trouble for wearing them. Do yourself- and your Mid- a favor and stick to the regulation one..... as dad-grad pointed out, his is 38 years old, has been soaking wet, but it is still good enough for his wife to confiscate!!! ;)</p>
<p>^^^ cigars "should never be" inhaled. Unfortunately many do.<br>
And just as unfortunately, those that simply pool the smoke in their mouth to puff out those rings still suffer the consequences of oral and laryngeal cancers, and even esophageal cancer from the spit that gets swallowed (with or without spitoon!)</p>
<p>Did you know that Memorial Hall was once known as Smoke Hall? Not sure they served coctails though.....</p>
<p>I do believe in "live and let live," just as I believe one should be free to pick their own poison. We all have our vices, and I can think of ones worse than this!</p>
<p>And while I am not a flag-waiving anti-smoker, I still hate to see kids follow in some footprints......</p>
<p>no harm no foul, but my vote is still for $$$$, an o-coat or even those anchor bookends over a cigar humidor! Why bait the fish???? ;)</p>
<p>I believe you are pushing the ussue a little too hard navy2010. We get your point, it does not need to be readdressed with every post. </p>
<p>There are many midshipman that do smoke, not saying its ok, but it is a freedom they do have. A once in awhile cigar will not kill them, plus it is something that is made quite clear in society, that smoking is bad for you so it is a risk they take upon themselves.</p>
<p>If he wants a cigar humidor thing go get him one. Nice cigars are good to have for big things like dining out where it's tradition and almost everyone smokes one. It won't kill him or even affect his running if he doesn't do it often.
And navy2010. Smoke hall is beneath memorial hall... and it's still called that.
Those Gortex jackets are about the ugliest thing known. My grandma called me after Army/Navy and asked why we were all in different uniforms. She thought that the wool and gortex were compeltely different, which I guess the kind of are. The gortex one's are not warm and we were miserable during the game. I'll be getting the real one this summer, so I suggest that as a good present.</p>
<p>O-Coat stands for Overcoat, not officer's coat. The coat is also worn by CPOs. You can find the coats at many surplus stores on-line, and may also be referred to as a Bridge Coat. By the way, I never wore my overcoat after graduation. I left it in my roommate's car and it was later discovered in the attic of his parent's house. The Reefer and foul weather jacket served me well in the Surface Navy.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I must proclaim my solidarity with the cigar aficionados. When I look back on my life so far, some of my most potent and meaningful memories are of the warm summer evenings I have spent with my husband sharing a good cigar, a cocktail, and conversation. We have formulated dreams, made plans, aligned our thinking regarding child rearing, worked our way through the stresses and complications of life, shared countless laughs, learned to understand each other on a deeper level, and learned to blow awesome smoke rings. There is something about the ritual, the camaraderie, the tradition of sharing a cigar that facilitates deep bonding and is thoroughly pleasurable. One thing that I have come to understand is that life will kill you. If the few dozen cigars my husband and I have shared through the years takes a half hour off my life, it was time very well spent. Like everything else, moderation is the key. We take very good care of ourselves and have taught our son to do the same. And, oh yeah, there will definitely be a very good cigar coming his way for graduation...this kid wants to be a SEAL, for goodness sake...an occasional cigar will be the least of his worries when it comes to potential threats.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well put.</p>
<p>And thanks for the fun facts navy2010, but I have learned responsible tobacco use from my father who has smoked cigars at an average of 1 every 2 weeks for his entire life.</p>
<p>Many of my most important decisions have been discussed and decided upon over a good cigar.</p>
<p>And I have about 2 a month, and I'm pretty sure its not affecting my lung function as I run 3 miles daily.</p>
<p>There's a reason the ill-fitting Gortex raincoats are referred to as "trash bags" by the mids; something about the lack of tailoring/fit. Warning: do not order Bridge Coat/O coat without first trying one on because we found that at least female sizing did NOT correspond to other uniform coat sizing. It's amazing that the price of the SDB jacket is the same as the O coat!</p>
<p>Another favorite among the mids are BOSE noise-canceling headphones (whenever the plebes rate headphones--unplugged of course). Mother B is pretty noisy during waking hours.</p>
<p>smoking cigars became practically a tradition during plebe year within my company. every saturday night after liberty a group of us would gather at the smoke pit and puff on cigars for half an hour. I guess it was kinda "our thing" (no mafia reference intended there) ... but whatever, that being said, I don't think I've smoked a cigar since about 2/c year</p>
<p>I remember my dad giving me one to puff on when I was a kid--- must have been around 8 or so- thought I died!</p>
<p>my cigar smoking days started and ended right then and there-
but I admit, I like the smell, and the whole idea of kicking back-
too bad they can't make them a bit less lethal!!!
Still have a hard time seeing women puffing on them though...... does not fit my image of lady-like behavior! </p>
<p>as for me- just give me a glass of some heart-healthy merlot!!!! ;)</p>
<p>Everytime I see someone use that clipper to snip off the end, I think of that movie where the drug smuggler uses his clipper to clip off the trigger finger of the marine sharp-shooter he had tied up in ropes- what movie was that anyway??? Hmmm..... if I recall correctly, the marine gets him in the end, even without his digit.... just switched hands, he did!!!! ;)</p>
<p>I must say, I love an occasional cigar, but my parents aren't the type to support my hobby. Little do they know :-) Guess I'll just have to take some graduation gift money and buy a few things over the course of next year.....</p>
<p>On behalf of prospective candidates and others on this forum, I would like to acknowledge navy2010 for sharing a great deal of valuable information about the application process, foundation program, recruited athletes, and life on the Yard with applicants and their families. :)</p>
<p>I think we've exhausted the initial question regarding graduation gifts.</p>
<p>Anyway-
just got back from USNA for the lax playoffs-
sadly, this was not the year for Navy to break the streak with Hopkins! On to 2009!</p>
<p>So.....
while the new plebe parents stress over the "right" graduation gift, lots of firstie parents are stressing over the very same thing!</p>
<p>The midstore was chock full of firstie parents looking over swords, graduation diploma frames, ensign and 2nd Lt "boxes" full of new shoulder boards, etc, and everyone buying bags and bags full of "08" gear before it's history!</p>
<p>The 2C were all going around proudly sporting their new rings!!!! One prettier than the next!!!! After seeing all the "bling" I am reminded one needs to start "saving" up for them - and the sooner the better!</p>
<p>(and not to further antagonize plebemom, did not see anyone smoking any hoggies! ;) )</p>
<p>Hey - who thinks I would not like hoggies! To tell you the truth I've never tried one. But at our last USNA local parentclub meeting - the dear host mom confided in the ladies that she LOVES to have chocolate/cigar parties where women gather to smoke cigars dipped in brandy and eat chocolate! I got sooo excited I told her I'd love to, BUT I knew that my hubby would most definitely NOT approve. This family is 55 miles from us - so I have a good 'excuse' to bow out of any future parties like that - but I WAS tempted to try something as outlandish as pre-menopausal and menopausal Naval Academy moms getting their kicks out of cigars, brandy and chocolate!</p>
<p>Ladies,
There's nothing wrong with letting your hair down and getting a little sassy from time to time. I highly recommend it. Whether it's cigars or some other naughtiness, most husbands find it sexy. It is my belief that most powerful women have misbehaved on occasion.</p>