<p>FINALLY got a phone call from D at CFT at Buckner. They have been going from abt 4:30am till after midnight the last few days. APFT on saturday, firing grenade launchers and SAW on sunday, learning to set up and man checkpoints today. This year they must wear flak vests at all times (nice and hot/humid there now). Sometime in the middle of all that they had a Biathalon competition (3 mile run and something else--like a dummy I forgot to ask what!). She sounds tired but excited about the training. Sounds like they have really adjusted the training this year to "current events"</p>
<p>^^^ And this folks, is why they don't let old people into WP! LOL I'd be dead in two hours. How much do the flak vests weigh? Wearing them even while sleeping or eating?? Just curious. I groan at the thought of it. probably is already chaffing in the heat making all miserable. </p>
<p>C'mon MOT. You're a pro now. It should be a snap! LOL And you can't leave us! Bill needs us! :)</p>
<p>No, no vest while sleeping---just have to be on all the time once they get up in the am. The rifle has to be with them all the time. I remember during Beast they even had to have someone stand by the shower and hold their weapon for them until they got out.</p>
<p>Shogun; thanks for the report...I also follow the kids' careers and activities. Biathlon consists of a run and then shooting a rifle.</p>
<p>I told my son that they should establish Company 50 [there are currently 30 companies] for all of the old guys who wish they could relive their glory years. The one that would be the color company for consistently being last.</p>
<p>We were in the pool the other day and he was showing us paddling with hands-out/arms-out exercises. Needless to say that this member of 50th Co. proudly dropped out first.
Ahh . . . to be 19 again.</p>
<p>shogun,</p>
<p>Thanks for the update. Our daughter's cell phone has no service at all. She called 7 times last night using different friends' phones and we couldn't even complete a sentence of conversation. I'm just glad to know that she doesn't need the low quarters that were left in the mud room. All I know is that she sounded upbeat, passed the APFT (but it doesn't count?), and the cadre is great (who woulda thunk it?).</p>
<p>MOT:
D used a phone card at a payphone. She said there is some kind of hill there that cadets hike to use their cell phones. She said she didn't feel like going for a hike at 10pm so she opted for the much closer phone booth. We are sending her another phone card for that reason. The APFT was a practice one--probably to serve as a "wake up" call after two and a half weeks of "easy livin" on summer leave!</p>
<p>Just for future reference - we recently moved everyone in our family onto the Verizon Family Plan - and I upgraded all of our phones to the Motoroloa e815. The reception has been great. My son was able to call last night from his bunk. We spoke for about ten minutes - no problem. </p>
<p>Seems that today and tomorrow my son's Company is going on orienteering - will be sleeping in the field.</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you "higher ranking" parents for sticking around and sharing your journeys with us. I have learnt a lot about the admissions process from all of you, but most of all I have appreciated the personal stories that have given me a glimpse of what life will be like this coming year for both my husband and myself, and our CC. I am packing my tissues for Monday and am trying to focus on all of the new "firsts" rather than the painful "lasts"...</p>
<p>Ann, that sounds like the perfect attitudel</p>
<p>Best of luck to Anns' family. Monday huh? Wow that came fast. We'll be thinking of you for sure. Promise to get back on here to tell of your experiences! I love the stories of all of the parents as well. Its such a learning experience to see what all of the different academies are doing. Get to see my Mid in two more hours!! Sadly, I ate half the cookie dough when baking his favs. Can't wait to see hair thats grown back alittle!!</p>
<p>This thread seems the appropriate one to share my Mom moment of last night. Had to share this with you all since you are probably the only ones who know how I felt. I received a phone call at midnight last night from my son AFA Class of 2008, who was recently promoted to the Wings of Blue Parachute Team. He was on cloud 9!!! He is spenidng his summer duty teaching the basic parachuting class at the Academy. Apparently he had his first Solo Jump master flight yesterday. As the jump master he was totally in charge of the new "jumpers", mostly 2009 class members.. From pre flight inspection to go no go and making sure that the students were ready to jump. All went well and he said that all of a sudden he realized that he was completely responsible for their safety and safe decent from 4,500 feet. </p>
<p>Last year he was a student in the begining class and this year he is teaching the class as do all of the Wings of Blue Members. The best part was that he chose to call home and share his high with me! </p>
<p>Where else would our kids get that kind of training and experience? The changes we have seen in our son in the past two years are astounding. He was always capable but he has become a responsible man in two short years. For the parents of the class of 2010 you are in for the ride of your lives!!!</p>
<p>usafamom:</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your story.</p>
<p>It is indeed impressive how much responsibility and maturity the academy experience brings out of our children in a relatively short time. Plebe to Jumpmaster in two years - Wow!</p>
<p>What an incredible feeling to see our children grow into young leaders of character.</p>
<p>Your parental pride is well-placed and well-deserved.</p>
<p>Congratulations usafamom! It's stories like yours that make the ride so much easier.
Thanks Jamzmom - Enjoy seeing your Mid (I can identify, my son carries me around as well LOL). I don't think I will recognise my son without his hair - I may take a tip from one 2009 plebe parents and take to adopting every new cadet with a shaved head and glasses as my own :)
MOT - second time around should be a breeze for you -what fun!</p>
<p>I dont know how many of you listened to the Presidents Commencement Address at Kings Point on Monday, (if you didnt and would like to here is the link -- <a href="http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/maritimetv/060619/default.cfm?id=7008&type=wmhigh&test=0%5B/url%5D">http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/maritimetv/060619/default.cfm?id=7008&type=wmhigh&test=0</a> or read his speech <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060619-1.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/06/20060619-1.html</a> ) but if you did, you heard the President say, Today Kings Point is still the only one of our five service academies that sends its students into the theaters of war -- and for that reason, it is the only Academy authorized to fly a Battle Standard.</p>
<p>This morning I watched my son who volunteered to be part of the long line of Kings Pointers who have served in harms way board his ship for a military cargo run to Iraq. Hell transit the Suez Canal on the Fourth of July and discharge tanks, humvees, helios and supplies in Umm Qasr, Iraq and then in Kuwait the middle of the month, then head to Japan before coming back through the Panama Canal to do it all once again, before heading back to the Academy in November.</p>
<p>The mix of emotions was overwhelming pride, amazement, concern, envy, sadness that his grand parents arent alive to see this, and immense admiration for the institution that took in this kid less than a year ago and has prepared him to be a functioning part of the operations of a 700 ft ship with billions of dollars of cargo. He will stand watch and navigate; hell chip, paint and clean; and help supervise the discharge of supplies to our troops. </p>
<p>These schools we send our sons and daughters to are truly amazing places filled with pretty amazing kids.</p>
<p>LFWB dad,</p>
<p>Talk about your meaningful summer internships...</p>
<p>I'm proud of him, too.</p>
<p>How exciting. How awesome. How humbling. Thanks for sharing your experience. I feel certain we all grow three extra hearts to contain all this pride. Its overwhelming. And you made sure he had his camera with good batteries right???? Will be tracking him. He picked a truly good trip. Fair winds & following seas LFWBdad's son!! </p>
<p>The boy has picked me up three times so far. Not out in public yet but feel sure he's saving up for it. He asked if I lost weight. Sweet thing! They sure are active creatures when they come home. I expected him to sleep & maybe play a video game. Up & out for the batting cages after eating about 10 tacos. Will find out next week when & where he'll go to sea. He's so pumped about it. Talks non-stop about all he's learned. Goes way over my head! LOL You should see me trying to learn how to work a sextant. What a hoot! I'm blind in one eye now from the sun. Apparently, you're not supposed to do what I did........ :)</p>
<p>Soundz like you're having a blast JM! Enjoy your time with your mid and remember you have some Coasties coming to see you next month! :D</p>
<p>Great job by LFWB dad and son! Best wishes to both!</p>
<p>LFWB Dad--Good luck to your son, and just wait for the stories that come back with him! My newly-minted graduate still talks about his sea trips, and can't wait to be assigned to a ship as a Third Mate! I hope it's soon, for his sake, since he's only been home 2 days and I can see the restlessness already setting in as he waits to get on with his life. We still can't get over the fact that he just left us as a boy and is now a goal-oriented adult, while some of his high school friends are still searching to find themselves and don't seem to have matured in the least.</p>
<p>A service academy education is, in my opinion, the best to be had, not just academically but in preparing a person for life. We are still in awe that our son attended one and has graduated--still brings tears to our eyes on a daily basis!</p>
<p>Have fun tracking that ship--I look forward to doing it again when my son sets sail!</p>
<p>LFWB Dad: Pretty incredible journey for your son. He'll circle the globe - wow. My early college days big adventure was a round-trip bike ride from Muncie to Indianapolis.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing the info. Didn't know about Kings Point flying a Battle Standard. Impressive.</p>