<p>If any of you needs the I day schedule, this is what the academy just e-mailed to me:</p>
<p>2006 Induction Day Schedule</p>
<p>0700-1730
USNA (Midshipman) Store opens.
0700-1000
Free Tours provided by the Visitors Center in front of Alumni Hall.
0730-0805
Band Concert, outside Alumni Hall.
0800-1700
Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center Gift Shop Open.
0800-1600
Yard Patrol Craft/Sailboat Tours (Dewey Seawall).
0930-1500
Naval Academy Tours & Information available (Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center).
1045-1230
Alumni Association/USNA Foundation Welcome Aboard Picnic (Worden Field; inclement weather, in Halsey).
1345-1430
Band Concert, Alumni Hall.
1430-1545
Parents' Briefing, Alumni Hall (Superintendent, Commandant, Athletic Director, Academic Dean, PS OIC).
1700
Band Concert (T-Court).
1800
Oath of Office Ceremony in Tecumseh Court (inclement weather, in Alumni Hall).
1830-1920
Incoming class meet with parents in designated</p>
<p>They let the incoming class meet with parents AFTER they are sworn in? Wow! At West Point you get the 90 second goodbye in the morning and thats it.</p>
<p>Yeah. LOL They let you Navy parents hang out from sun-up to sun down almost! LOL</p>
<p>At USMMA, ya say bye when you drop 'em, then you can go look at the museum and the Kings Pointer, then you're booted off academy grounds altogether by noonish, crying all the way to the car. Can't drive, cause ya can't see! Sigh. It's gonna be rough.... Ya'll savor every second of it!!</p>
<p>This will be pretty special, because hubby will get to do our mid's swearing in. He also conducted the swearing in when her sister joined the Marine Corps. Very emotional. The picture of her saluting him at boot camp graduation is incredible.</p>
<p>Better stock up on Kleenex, this is going to be a long summer.</p>
<p>Bless your heart Beachmom. I truly don't know how you'll make it through without just breaking down totally. Or your hubby for that matter. Wow. The pride ya'll must be feeling now then for it to explode on I-Day. Be strong Girlie! Don't do mascara! USMMA kids got sworn in during Acceptance/Parent's Week-end so we ended up boo-hooing twice. That swearing in thing is emotional to the extreme. To have your hubby swear the kid in, well, I would have just been on my knees, a blubbering fool in front of everyone.</p>
<p>Thanks, BZ and Jamzmom! I find myself getting weepy in the middle of the night and trying hard not to let hubby hear. He's as mushy on the inside as I am, though he tries so hard to seem tough.</p>
<p>Mascara! Heck, I am getting a pair of those super-dark wrap-around sunglasses (like the little old ladies who can't see over the steering wheel wear) and carrying a chamois instead of Kleenex. Probably better start hydrating now since I expect to lose a lot of water that day.</p>
<p>I hear ya beachy!
So I'm not the only one crying instead of sleeping! I guess there's some comfort in that! Ha!<br>
Graduation was a little tough - actually the day after - because I didn't have to think too much about "the big good-bye" as long as graduation still loomed. Once that was over... well, let's just say I'm like that little dutch boy with his finger in the dyke! I keep sprouting leaks tho'! I only have ten fingers - I'll be plugging it up with my toes soon - I fully expect the dam to burst on I-day! (Good thing we'll be at Navy & most everyone can swim!).</p>
<p>0700 Report
0705-1200 Run around like chicken with head cut off, but in smart, military manner
1200-1300 Lunch (if you can call it that as a Plebe)
1300-1600 Run around like chicken with head cut off, but in smart, military manner
1600 Swearing-In Ceremony
1630-1645 Say goodbye to your old life
1645-2200 Run around like chicken with head cut off, but in smart, military manner. Perhaps eat dinner (again, if a Plebe can call it that).
2200 Taps</p>
<p>0530 START PLEBE SUMMER!</p>
<p>:D</p>
<p>It's a little lighter on bands and such. ;)</p>
<p>Disclaimer: Times above are completely made up. Don't take them seriously.</p>
<p>You guys seriously crack me up! Chamois & dykes! LOL Zap, stop scaring the children! ;) </p>
<p>Nickmom, I think AFA has secret plans they like to keep secret! Just like USMMA does. LOL I looked and looked for an I-day itinerary like the one USNA has, but I found nothing. Surely, if you email someone at SC parent club, they can help you out. Or maybe post in the USAFA threads again? Congrats to Nick on graduation!! I've got a pile of grad cards here to kids from both high schools who are still haunting my house for oreos even though Jamz has been gone almost a year now. So happy I get the boy home soon. I told him about Nick & he hopes to maybe see him before he goes. SC Academy kids - best in the world. :)</p>
<p>What? It's not like I told them about the waterboarding and the five-hour ordeal that takes place the first night in the Ho Chi Minh Trail or anything!</p>
<p>Where do I sign up to help teach this stuff? After my older daughter went through SERE school, I decided the parents of teenagers should be allowed to run the place as payback!</p>
<p>Thanks, Jamzmom! Graduation last night was nice, but Nick seems to have his mind on bigger things - like BCT! He didn't even go to Project Graduation last night. Instead he played cards with his grandmother until about midnight. He is started to treasure those small moments - knowing that he'll soon be gone. We are off to the beach today for some family time. I'll be out of touch until this time next week.</p>
<p>If the schedule is the same as last year, appointees go to Doolittle Hall between 8 am and 11 am (target to arrive before 9:00, your appointee will not want to be first -- or last). There are tables with info about banking, curriculum, cadet clubs, etc. When the appointee is ready, and the family has had their final hugs, the appointee goes up the stairs and In-Processes -- oath, forms, name tag, info packet, and other things my cadet never would reveal. When a group of new basics come down the stairs, they go outside for some briefings, cross a memorial bridge, and load onto a bus bound for the cadet area. They have been instructed not to wave to you or acknowledge you after coming down the stairs. You may get a quick glance, but much more will earn them "cadre wrath". The rest of their day will be filled with hair cuts, shots, obtaining and carrying newly issued clothing and gear, drinking water, meeting their room mate, and marching. Lots of marching. </p>
<p>Last year, there were 2 people who had a squadron list in the Doolittle Hall area -- if possible, find out what BCT squadron your child has been assigned to. Last year the designations were A to H. A stands for Aggressors, E for Executioners, G for Guts, etc. There is a briefing for parents in the Field House after lunch.</p>
<p>Swearing in ceremony occurs the next morning, last year at 7:30 am, best to be on the Chapel Wall by 6:30 am if you want to see. Your basic will have been awakened at 5:30. Each squadron forms up and marches onto the field infront of the Chapel. There will be little markers in the grass, one for each sqaudron. The squadrons are lined up left to right, A to H (or however many there are this year). You will not have contact with your basic. Last year the basics were marched to Arnold Hall for briefings after the ceremony.</p>
<p>My DD just finished her plebe year and as she prepares for her summer cruise (San Diego to Pearl Harbor :) ) she is at the academy just having finished final scrubbing of the rooms (they stripped, waxed, re-stripped and re-waxed all the floors in their rooms) getting them ready for I-Day and the plebes. This year FLEW.<br>
For what it's worth, don't count on your plebe (or Doolie (?) etc.) to be normal the days leading up to their leaving. Even though my DD had been at NAPS, she was just downright weirdo the few days before. The night before she reported, forget about eating much. Walking around Annapolis, you can pick out the plebes a mile away. They have this sort of deer in the headlights look to them as their parents ooh and ahh and mom is hanging onto the son for dear life. It was the only thing I could get my DD to notice and play along with me on picking them all out. The day is almost surreal. So many emotions, so hot!!!. We had the benefit of not having to get to the Yard on I-day early since Napsters report a day early. So we could leisurely go in without having to see all the sad moms and dads and scared kids. The one thing I will warn you all about is where to sit to see the swearing in ceremony. They will have chairs set up behind the plebes' chairs. They also have bleachers behind those. Sit up high on the bleachers to see. You can have a really good seat after sitting in it for 2 hours to make sure you have a good seat only to have a hoard of parents rush up the aisles with their camcorders and stand in front of you the entire time despite asking them to move. I have never seen anything like it. Rude would be an under-statement and after a year now, I just chalk it up to emotions. (grr) The time from when they dismiss the plebes till they can come see you seems like an eternity. Ours came smiling (as she had sort of been through it all before at NAPS) and most are, but some look stunned. Get in your hugs a few pictures and just let them SIT and talk if they want or not talk if they don't want to. It's not exactly a great time during those moments because they are nervous to get back in line in time and not be late. It's kind of like taking your time pulling off a band-aid. We were happy to get some smiles, share some snacks (bring some water and snacks for this time, a sandwich etc. as they may be very hungry and bring extra for the plebes who look lonely or the new "best friend"). Cried both at NAPS and this year too but cried even more after parent's weekend. At least know that that is right around the corner. Stock up now on cards and letters. :)
Tricia
P.S. I told me DD to be a "nice" youngster (not one of those jerks who is mean just because people were mean to them). ;)</p>
<p>NAPS05mom - I enjoyed reading your post. Are there any former USMAPS parents out there who can share what R-day at West Point is like? Should I go the day before, or go super early on R-day? I don't seem to have much information on the experience for USMAP'ers. I would really appreciate a quick run-down on the USMAP'ers parent's experience.</p>