In the interest of honesty and full disclosure, let me state that the BS pic I posted was during Parents Weekend freshman year where mom had a hand in cleanup. That room (and subsequent lodgings) never looked like that again. Likewise for the academy pics. His barracks room only looked like that for inspections. I was surprised that inspections were scheduled, not impromptu. Had they been random, I’m pretty sure our son would still be a private today. The Army has gone soft.
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Let me guess. The bag contained 3 monitors, a keyboard, a mouse, USB hub, iPad…oh, and a toothbrush and pair of underwear.
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He would have put his cat in there if he could. Instead, the Army provided a packing list not only of items but also how they had to be packed:
However, if you are unable to purchase these items for whatever reason (you can show up to R-Day with just the clothes on your back), the Army will issue them/equivalents to you. You do not want Army socks or underwear. Just sayin’.
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My DH graduated from USAFA in ‘01. Their inspections were definitely not scheduled. Freshman year he had the bright idea to sleep on his top bunk in a sleeping bag so he didn’t have to make his bed every morning. The bed didn’t have a rail. You can imagine where this is going. He ended up in the floor with no free hands to break his fall. So tired he didn’t bother to get up.
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I think that’s twice as wide as my DD’s 1st single this year.
WP cadets make their beds exactly once per semester, then duct tape them perfectly in place once they’ve passed inspection*. They sleep atop “the brick” each night covered only by their Green Girls (their only comfort, the green wool blanket folded at the foot of the bed). I thought this was a joke. Apparently not. They only have time to fold those blankets in the AM, not make beds. So, @BlueBirdWine, I’m not surprised by your son’s story. Those kids are under extreme pressure and will do whatever it takes to get 40 seconds more sleep.
*West Point is famous for the dreaded SAMI (Saturday Morning Inspection) and MAMI (Monday version). Cadets stay up all night cleaning their rooms just hoping not to receive too many “gigs” which result in lost privileges and/or hours walked. They polish everything, including the light bulbs and springs beneath their mattresses, and roam the room with rulers to ensure that every item is not only in its place but also aligned properly. No matter how thorough they think they’ve been, the inspector will always find SOMEthing. It’s exhausting. I was hoping that just a little bit of that fastidiousness would rub off on our son, but no go.
Long time lurker, first post. Your pictures of Choatieskid’s room at West Point bought back great memories of my time at Air Force Academy. Thanks for sharing and taking me down memory lane!
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@ChoatieMom —-My husband, not son. That made me literally lol. 
He graduated almost 20 years ago and likes to complain how much easier the kids have it now at the Academies. Although he really thinks a lot of the changes are probably for the best.
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Another perk of Covid—we are not allowed in the dorms. Therefore, there is no chest pain inducing moment when I first see DS’s room.
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This is what everyone does in bootcamp. You make your bed and then use your sleeping bag that you have for humps as a blanket if needed. There is not time to make a bed every morning.
At the airport now heading out for weeklong revisit trip for DD3! All modified revisits but we are still super excited.
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Have fun!!!
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He’s mining BTC…
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@ChoatieMom - you will be happy to know that GolfKiddo just received a nice brochure and letter from the USMA. Not sure if they picked up on the golf awards or the sharp shooting awards. I am trying to be persuasive, but so far it’s a no-go - even with that sweet golf course there. I would go in a heart beat!
Just no, @Golfgr8. There are easier ways to get through college.
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Cringe to post this: ChoatieKid dedicated his desktop to mining in 2013 while he was at BS. Just before he graduated, his wallet company was bought out and sent a notice to all wallet holders that they needed to claim their accounts. Knucklehead didn’t see the e-mail for weeks and lost his wallet – with, he thinks, two Bitcoins. Oh well. Live and learn.
I’m not surprised. Who could find a missing password in all that clutter?
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https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/technology/bitcoin-passwords-wallets-fortunes.amp.html
He’s not alone…
Yikes! Lol. Wouldn’t surprise me …
Indeed. And as @G07b10 points out, definitely not alone. I have several friends who’ve lost keys, etc. and many more who cashed out at $X, $XX, $XXX per coin who’d now be worth hundreds of millions of dollars had they held on.