Important info from orientation

Colleges and Universities A-Z Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs
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<p>OK – orientation is extremely well done and we learned a lot. For those who won’t be making it here are the key points:</p>

<p>1) proof of citizenship: while passports and birth certificates are allowed (this is what you bring on I day among other things), DON’T count on getting them back was what we were told! So, they recommend a "certified copy " of your birth certificate which should have a raised seal. Apparently some have been lost in the past. It’s easy to get such a copy but it may take some time.</p>

<p>2) Social security number – you can’t just know it but you have to bring your card or a copy of the card is ok and even better (see number one!). </p>

<p>3) cadet pay: the Academy establishes an account for each cadet which is not something that they have access to. Here a $6,500 loan is deposited (no interest charged) and then drawn on to pay for unifors and the computer, etc. This loan is repaid out of the cadet’s pay so they net about $100 per month for the first two years and then about $600 after that. Don’t prepay the loan. It’s not worth it and it’s too long to explain. You should establish a checking/type account (banks are there during orientation to help you set up accounts if you like) for your direct deposit. This is separate from the account I just described.</p>

<p>4) Watches - yes a cheap watch is allowed but it will be taken and returned to the cadet after basic. Yes, it’s basically allowed to make sure everyone gets there on time!</p>

<p>5) cell phones: Don’t bring them. They will be taken and some have been lost or not returned. Speaking directly with the senior admissions people, they told me to send the cell phone to arrive just after basic. </p>

<p>6) Letters - the cadets really love to get them during basic. Parents, be encouraging - they will need it. Write often. Include preadressed postcards to help them write back (the head of admissions told us that – sounded a little like summer camp but I’m doing it). </p>

<p>7) fingerprint cards - there was confusion but we got the answer. They are not needed this year because fingerprints will be taken electronically on iday.</p>

<p>8) Get your boots — available on orientation and the new ones are great. Put cusion soles in them.</p>

<p>9) General comment – looks like academy is going back to basics. Described as the pendulum returning to center. Means recognition, mandetory breakfasts and lunch, earlier wakeup time, etc. </p>

<p>10) taxes and financial matters - they clained you can’t claim your child as a dependant in 2006. I challenged them on this (after the session, one on one) because you will have your son or daughter for about 50% of the year. They said it sounded like I was right and suggested checking with a tax advisor! At any rate, you can consider having your cadet take residence in Colorado if that helps your tax situation (it won’t if you live in Florida!). Yes, they must fill out tax returns and yes, they have several classes on basic personal finance. In fact, my sons’s host told him all the benefits of an IRA! </p>

<p>And finally, my son (Benjo6) and everyone we met, thought that the orientation was fantastic. He is 100% sure of his decision and found the cadets to be incredible people in many ways. I was also very impressed. </p>

<p>That’s it for now. Try to attend parents and appointees!</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the info, it really helps especially since I'm not going to any of the orientations.</p>

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<p>NP- A few more things:</p>

<p>Medical records: Bring your history of immunization and dental records. HAND CARRY them. If you put it in your backpack you will be separated from them when you need them and that's apparently a problem. Check the list in your appointment packet. You will get whatever vaccines you need on I day but if you want to avoid a sore arm, get as many done before hand as you can and BRING the updated record with you or you will get them all again! </p>

<p>And they specifically recommended a packpack. </p>

<p>Ladies, they actually told us that women should BRING feminine products with you. This has been a probem in the past. You will be able to go to the "store" but not immediately so bring them to handle basic.</p>

4

<p>AFDAD you are correct about the taxes, we claimed our daughter on our taxes since she lived with us from January to the end of June 2005.</p>

5

<p>On the appontee instruction book (pg 19), it states that whether parents can claim their '10 appointees as dependants for this fiscal year is not based on how long the appointee lived with the parent but how much the parent has spend on that appointee. </p>

<p>So the bottom line is that: If the parents spent more on the appointee (which includes: clothing, medical care, transportation, Christmas presents...ect) than the academy from June to december (which is calculated to be about $4,920), then the appointee will be cliamed as a dependant for that year. </p>

<p>Yeah...I told my mom to buy me more stuff.</p>

6

<p>"they net about $100 per month for the first two years"</p>

<p>I make more than that in a week, after taxes =(</p>

<p>Oh wait, after looking my current net savings after subtracting the expenses of my soon to end civilian life: movies, clothes, food, girlfriend -- that's looking pretty good :)</p>

7

<p>AFDAD2010 - I still would like some clearification re: wisdom teeth. The separate thread on this subject still leaves room for "personal choice" about having wisdom teeth removed BEFORE I-Day. Did this subject get addressed at orientation? </p>

<p>A question for current parents of cadets.....Did your dental or medical (considered oral surgury on some policies) insurance provider(s) question the need for the procedure? If so, how did you justify the need when your child had no privious problems with their wisdom teeth? </p>

<p>Timing is everything. If we go ahead with the removal our son's wisdom teeth, we want to schedule it to avoid final exams, graduation celebrations, family vacation and allow recovery time before I-Day. After looking at my calander.....we only have a one week window! I would love your thoughts on this matter.</p>

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<p>yes it did come up. They basically said that if your doctor recommends it, definately get them pulled beforehand, otherwise don't do it. The woman in charge of dentistry told us that. She seemed surprised that someone would think of doing it without a dentist saying its necessary. She did say that their "outstanding" staff would handle it if it happened later. That's not something I would like to do;I'd prefer my own dentist. Bottom line: I'm not going to have my sons' pulled since his dentist says it would be premature.</p>

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<p>I disagree with even considering having your wisdom teeth out, unless it is a dire emergency. The reason? Why risk a complication that might lead to a DODMERB nightmare? Dry sockets, fever, or any other possible complication could delay you for another year, or worse----get you medically DQ'd. Just wouldn't risk it.</p>

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<p>justanothermother has justanother very good point!</p>

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<p>My son is reporting with every tooth he has. We will not be having his wisdom teeth removed. Don't they need all the "wisdom" they have? :)</p>

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<p>My dentist explained this very well...98% of people need to get their wisdom teeth out at some point in their life. Waiting until you have a problem, instead of getting them out early, makes it much worse. The roots are much deeper, it's much more risky, and takes a lot longer to heal. The surgeon I had used a less common method to remove them -- he just made small slits in the gum above the wisdom teeth, used a drill to break them into a few pieces, and then removed them. This was not painful at ALL, I had no complications, and could eat normally in only a couple days, it healed very fast. I would recommend talking with your dentist about it, it is much worse to wait, from what I know.</p>

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<p>Maybe overall, physically, it's worse to wait, but nothing I know of is worse than getting disqualified and not being able to go because of something that could just as well be done at another time</p>

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<p>PatriotCPM is exactly right. It is much less common to be kicked out from complications from wisdom tooth surgery AFTER you have become part of the cadet wing. Once the academy has invested in you and given your slot away, they will try to stick with you as much as they can. However, they will DQ you BEFORE you enter at the drop of a hat....that's just how it is. There are too many other qualified applicants standing in line for your spot......Very simply----Unless you have a medical imperative for having any procedure done after your appointment and before you step onto academy grounds, DON'T.l---This advice came from a former academy grad doctor very high up in the Air Force. Anything you need to have done can be done AFTER you enter. And besides---once you are a member of the armed forces, your medical expenses are covered by the military.</p>

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<p>2) Social security number -- you can't just know it but you have to bring your card or a copy of the card is ok and even better (see number one!). </p>

<p>That new...We just had to know it last year, and the people who didn't have it memorized slowed everything down...</p>

<p>3) the cadet's pay so they net about $100 per month for the first two years and then about $600 after that. Don't prepay the loan.</p>

<p>Actually it goes up to about $250 after 4 degree year, then to full pay, which is about $700 </p>

<p>5) cell phones: Don't bring them. They will be taken and some have been lost or not returned. Speaking directly with the senior admissions people, they told me to send the cell phone to arrive just after basic. </p>

<p>You might have your cell phone lost, but if you don't take one, you will be a sad sad basic when you have no phone to call home with when you get your one call home midway through...The upperclassmen might let you borrow one, but I wouldn't want to chance it...The least you could do is buy one of those cheap "disposable ones from WAl-Mart</p>

<p>6) Letters - the cadets really love to get them during basic. Parents, be encouraging - they will need it. Write often. Include preadressed postcards to help them write back (the head of admissions told us that -- sounded a little like summer camp but I'm doing it). </p>

<p>Letters are like little pieces of heaven floating down to lift your spirits...Uhh..Yeah...Letters are really great. </p>

<p>8) Get your boots --- available on orientation and the new ones are great. Put cusion soles in them.</p>

<p>I never put soles in mine, some people do, some don't, I think you should only put them in if they make a really big difference in comfort to you. And remember, you still want you arch and foot to be supported, so a gel-ly gooshy pad might not be the best thing...</p>

<p>9) General comment -- looks like academy is going back to basics. Described as the pendulum returning to center. Means recognition, mandetory breakfasts and lunch, earlier wakeup time, etc. </p>

<p>Yay mandatory breakfast...</p>

<p>10) taxes and financial matters - they clained you can't claim your child as a dependant in 2006. </p>

<p>My parents claimed me this year, you just have to have them living with you for more than half of the year. My roommate was one day off!</p>

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<p>3) the cadet's pay so they net about $100 per month for the first two years and then about $600 after that. Don't prepay the loan.</p>

<p>Depends on your situation. In some cases prepaying the loan is very financially sound.</p>

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<p>Unless they're charging you 9% (in actuality 10%, but at 9% you really need to think about it) APR or higher, you're better off investing the money and not pre-paying the loan.</p>

<p>Anybody know the APR for the loan?</p>

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<p>Yes, it's a zero percent loan! That's why you really shouldn't be paying it off -- unless you have no ability to manage your finances -- in which case you should never owe ANY money.</p>

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<p>If people have tax sheltered college savings...using that to pay off the loan without taking the tax hit makes sense.</p>

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<p>Certainly this is a question for a good CPA. Money from a tax sheltered plan probably shouldn't be used to pay off the 0% loan. When legitimate college expenses have been paid, money can be taken from the tax sheltered savings plan. Just paying off a loan is not really paying a college expense. The statement from the academy will probably give the actual expenses paid. In this case there is no tuition, uniforms may or may not qualify as a legitimate college expense (maybe the CPA could answer that one), and books are paid for by a $700 draw the first semester and a $600 draw the second semester. Save your receipts for the books and take at least that much out of your tax sheltered college savings plan and invest it. In four years you may be able to exhaust your tax sheltered plan with legitimate college expenses at the academy. Any remainder can probably be used by other family members for college expenses or it can be withdrawn and the taxes and penalties paid.</p>