<p>My Plebe son and his roomate got their first tast of NYC libo on Sunday. They took the LIRR to Penn Station got off and walked ten blocks south to the Empire State Building. They got on line and were promptly pulled out of the line and put on a non tourist elevator and whisked to the top for free. Following that they went up to Times Sq where they were having Broadway on Broadway hosted by Dana Carvey along with over 50,000 spectators. Some guy comes up to them and escorts them to the front barricades in front of the stage. He ticked off several names of celebrities he saw there. It probably helped that they were in their dress whites and my son has a big leg brace on and is on crutches, had his miniscus repaired and is going to get a new ACL next week. Following that they take the train back to Shea Stadium to catch the Mets/Dodgers game where someone gives them free box seats on the third base line behind the batters box. All in all I'd say they had a good weekend, beat Coast Guard, libo Sat night and a great trip to NYC on Sunday.</p>
<p>What an awesome trip to the big apple! I am SO happy for your son!</p>
<p>My plebe was SO bummed. He was on assignment to be on campus for anyone who had watch, to be their replacment if they got sick. So he really wasn't on watch, but couldn't leave campus none the less. He was bummed when we talked on Sunday. it was his first real downer of a day. His first time of really being upset when he called home. I was SO sad all day on Sunday for him. </p>
<p>but by sunday evening he was almost back to himself when we had a few moments on IM. He was giving me the brief details for the 9/11 spirit mission. Maybe he was just happy since his fellow classmates were back.</p>
<p>He also mentioned that this was a LONG week. Since they were out of their schedule with parent's weekend/holiday/mid-terms and such. He also mentioned to me only 1.5 more months til he is able to come home. First time he mentioned coming home. </p>
<p>I am truely happy for your son and the rest of the plebes, but remember they may not be given the leave if they have other committments... which really sucked for him this time. Welcome to the military life.............</p>
<p>what a contrast in stories. </p>
<p>It seems like they raise to celebrity status when in their uniforms and what a cool day of liberty your son had maacoinc. That was a lot of excitement in just one day, I suppose they are finding out that wearing the uniform is not such a bad thing. </p>
<p>Royce DM that is a real downer to hae to stay behind. I hope in some way it is made up to him. </p>
<p>Joseph met his Grandpop in the city and he was taken to lunch by him. They went to ground zero and Joseph was priveleged to talk to a fire fighter who know many how died. The guy spent some time talking with him and Joseph said it was a very emotional experience. </p>
<p>He said there were war protesters there and despite the protest one protestor still came up to him and thanked hm for his service and said for him to be careful. </p>
<p>They went down to Fulton Fish Market and there was a very large group of Bobbies (Sp?) from London down there and there were newspaper people taking their pictures. They grabbed Joseph and put him smack dab in the middle of all those Bobbies in blue and took his picture with him. That really made his Grandpop proud and happy. </p>
<p>NYC is a great city and the people seem extremely gracious to people in uniform. I know that some people perceive NYC as cold and unfriendly but I have never in my times going in found that to be the case. It is a safe place if you use your common sense. I think our kids are going to have a great experience on leave and an education onto itself by going into the city.</p>
<p>yep lib was awsome....my mom told you all about my adventures...but sat night Brown, Bardot, Bogle, and myself and i think there was another found our way to bayside where we had dinner...walked....bs'ed with the locals and had a mighty fine night ending it with a F-1 car race back to KP in a crazed "Friendly Taxi" he was driving down the center of the road doing arround 55-60 in a 25.</p>
<p>the speed limit was 45 at one point, but he was definately going a little faster than legal</p>
<p>What happened to the overnight liberty it was supposed to be?? My daughter was very disappointed. She has an aunt 1 hour away who was there to pick her up after the game and she couldn't go! So they went to the movies instead and then she slept yesterday (which was a positive thing...but she could have done that at her aunt's house too).</p>
<p>tell me about it i was going to hop on the train for jersey...</p>
<p>My son called me thrilled with his chance to go to NYC. He too went to the Empire State Building and was whisked to the top for free. He also went to Ground Zero. Many people were speaking to him and wishing him good luck with his future as well as thanking him for being willing to serve his country. He said he felt sad when the protestors yelled at them, mostly sad for those over seas already serving our country with pride, while these people are back here and don't care. He said he felt proud to be there, especially in uniform.</p>
<p>I'm waiting to hear from the plebes who were wisked into the fashion week show with all the models. I've seen some of the photos, can't reveal my sources but those midshipman caps look great on all those models, wonderful fashion accessories. No I can't post them.</p>
<p>YOU CAN"T POST THEM??????????? Oh that would be priceless to see, please ask the person with those pictures to get permission. </p>
<p>It is moments like those that boost the morale of all the plebes. </p>
<p>My son was put in the middle of a bunch of British Bobbies on tour down at the Fulton market, those pictures are really kind of cool. They are in the pictures I linked on the parents weekend thread. </p>
<p>Val</p>
<p>NUTS maacoinc!! We live for photos around here. Oh well. I have a super active imagination & boy, don't I know those guys had some kind of fun. You know what they say about a girl putting on a Mid's cover don't you? Hmmmm. Wonder if they tried to pull it off. :)</p>
<p>No I don't know, fill me in.......</p>
<p>LOL Its only a little kiss KP10sMOM I promise. :) You Middies help me out. There's a rhyme about it but I can't recall. The Jamz had it written on a piece of paper stuck inside his hat. Don't know if he was trying to get it memorized at the time or use it as proof that it is tradition. Its really a cute little ditty.</p>
<p>SailorsMom, tell your Plebe "no worries". We out weigh those protestors with OUR pride in our guys!</p>
<p>LOL, stuck inside his hat. I have heard of pick up lines but that is REALLY clever! I bet Jamz places that hat on every pretty young lady's head that he meets. As the picture is being taken, "here let's let you wear the hat". And then as she gives it back, "my what is this inside, why I never saw that before". </p>
<p>I would still love to see those pictures.</p>
<p>With regards to the protestors, KP10 reported that he had a protestor approach him and that the protestor actually thanked him for his service to his country and told him "to be careful". I am not for sure if that met on that day in NYC or when he was in service. Really I thinik most protestors will be kind to our plebes and midshipmen. And overall I found that hte people of NYC treat them real good. For those that are rude to our kids, I believe it will be an opportunity for them to learn professional decorum in stressful situations, which will be a skill they will need through out their lives.</p>
<p>KP10sMOM, Last night I emailed the boy & asked about the hat thing. Thought I'd quote what he replied to let you know you are 100% correct in your assumption in your first paragragh</p>
<p>"The poem? There is no poem. It simply states in the bearings book that
any female who dons a midshipman's cover, he is entitled to one kiss
when it is returned to him. I'm sure other academies have the same thing.
Does that mom have a cute, brunette daughter, my age, that would like to borrow my cover for a little while? I would have no objections to that." </p>
<p>LOL</p>
<p>
[quote]
You Middies help me out.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>JM, </p>
<p>You of all people should know better.. They are Mids or Midshipmen.. never Middies!!!</p>
<p>i know we had the same custom in JROTC</p>
<p>Jamzmom, How did you keep that son of yours hands out of the cookie jar all these years? That is just too funny, he is his mother's son!</p>
<p>Royce DM, Royce wasn't the only one bummed last week. After my son and his buddies got bummed out over several mixups in transportation logistics last week, he called tonight to let me know they had just been to Times Square, the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial and the nearby church. (They get to take their cellphones on liberty).
This required mastering the Great Neck bus, the train to Penn Station, and the New York Subway. As one of the upperclassmen on the Midshipman Life Panel said on Parents Weekend, getting to and from NYC is the best training for Sea Year when they have to be resourceful to find their ship and their way around foreign ports.
I am also impressed with the heart and the patriotism KP midshipmen have. Many of them--plebes and upperclassmen alike--have made the pilgrimage to the 9/11 Memorial.</p>