<p>I just found this forum. Does this forum have a lot of West Point parents on it, and is the information reliable?</p>
<p>I posted too soon. I am on another list that sends a lot of email. It is a bit much for me.</p>
<p>Well, the answers to both your questions are: YES.</p>
<p>You will find some WP parents here. I'm guessing you're on the Plebe Forum which at this time in the process will have a lot of emails. You might try the digest version, which sends everything at one time during the day. Just check with the moderators to see how to change over to that form of delivery.</p>
<p>As for information on this forum, I would take everything you read here with a grain of salt. It is open to the masses, so you'll get that type of information here. Also, I would NOT post anything personal about your cadet here. It could come back to haunt him/her if their TAC or chain of command saw it.</p>
<p>Thank you. I like the pages on the other list, but they treat us worse than plebes. I'm glad I found this forum. I'll be anxious to see what it has to offer.</p>
<p>We're not at all official, but we're either parents or applicants interested in the service academy application process for a variety of reasons. Of course, some of us have so much fun here that it's tough to give up after the kids start college. Some (Bill?) are even completely addicted.</p>
<p>Do not give up plebe.net. The moderators will provide very valuable information to your family during this first year. It truly is worth the time. Please stay here to help out the applicants for the class of 2012 and their parents. And, to have some fun with us. </p>
<p>Welcome aboard, wpdad!</p>
<p>Treat the parents like Plebes? HA! Unlikely you would know that unless you ever had the 'luck' to be a plebe yourself.</p>
<p>Momoftwins, thank you for the nice welcome. A private message from "time2" told me this list was bad. I think it was one of the other list ladies. I want to commence talking about cadets, not listen to people who want to hear themselves talk.</p>
<p>Sierra1 I was not a cadet.</p>
<p>My wife misses my son. So do I. Our call was good, but we miss him.</p>
<p>Perhaps you midread my private message to you.</p>
<p>I agree with what Majmattmason said in his prior message.</p>
<p>Don't hang on every word posted here and remember that anyone can post virtually anything on here and it won't necessarily be true !!!!!</p>
<p>wpdad,</p>
<p>If you look through the archives on this forum you'll find some interesting topics. You'll also find some that are spirited, worthless or even irritating. I would like to say again that plebe.net is the place where you'll get accurate information - especially regarding WP rules and customs. They'll be explained properly. Again, nobody here is official but you'll still find valuable information.</p>
<p>WPDAD, Glad you had a good call from your son. But like "time2" says, don't get caught up in the words. Members of a public forum need to have a thick skin. </p>
<p>Email and electronic posted messages can sound cold because of the lack of the personal contact. It is an adjustment when joining a board like this or any email list. </p>
<p>Like the best advice for New Cadets. Don't take anything personally.</p>
<p>I have seen the posts on this forum for a few days now and I have not seen anything that requires a thick skin, but on the other list there are nearly daily berating messages that feel personal for many of us. We have started a small email support group. Many of us are staying on the list so we can save the insulting comments. We hope to send them to the people in charge. We don't know who those people are yet. Does anyone know?</p>
<p>My Son is asking me to send several personal items. If they can't receive "boodle" now, is it okay to send them to him?</p>
<p>wpdad asks, "Can they have "boodle" now, is it okay to send them to him?</p>
<p>Sorry - wrong key..... </p>
<p>Boodle is not to be sent to West Point Plebes until after A-Day. They are very serious about this - do not even send gum in your letters. Other personal items may or may not be permitted depending on what they are, and/or how they may relate to training or corps squad athletics.</p>
<p>The new cadets will not be asking you to send something that is not allowed. They know better. If he asks for something, go ahead and send it.</p>
<p>No matter what they ask for just don't send food, gum or anything that might seem medically related. Not even tylenol. Anything else should be OK.</p>
<p>I am on both lists. </p>
<p>The "other list" is closely monitored to be sure no posters break any of the rules which we are told would jeopardize either the non-profit status of the forum or the supportive relationship with the powers-that-be at the Academy. </p>
<p>For example, there can be no mention of specific brand names as that could be construed as advertising (although urls of specific companies are permitted). There can be no negative comments regarding anything about the Academy, the military, decisions, etc. Replies to postings from moderators or parents who have been through it all before sometimes come across as condescending. Members end up walking on eggs so as not to inadvertently break the rules. Most of us just end up lurking ... choosing not to rock the boat. Sometimes excellent questions are asked but the replies are never seen, because the responder answered only via personal email, so as not to have their response visible to the forum. </p>
<p>With that having been said, there is still a wealth of helpful information posted there. The forum has only existed within the past eight years. Prior to that point, parents had no opportunity for such a rapid and wide-ranging exchange of information with other parents regarding the Academy. When our oldest son started as a plebe, we were ecstatic that such a forum existed. It was a godsend in terms of understanding the workings of the Academy and helping us maintain balance through the incredible ups and downs of our cadet's daily life.</p>
<p>Now, as parents of another cadet, we recognize there are additional electronic avenues, like this CC forum, for exchange of information which are less restrictive. The information contained on the less restricted forums clearly have a lower degree of certainty, but play a valuable role as well. Since posters are less afraid of crossing an imaginary line (which they didn't even realize existed), they are far more likely to post questions and responses. The responses cannot be taken as 100% accurate, and certainly not authorized by the Academy, but they have been pretty darn good as far as I have seen.</p>
<p>Final word, BOTH forums have their place. One fills in where the other leaves off.</p>
<p>Gee, sounds like the kind of forum I would want to be a part of ......NOT !!!!</p>
<p>I agree that people should respect each's other views and act like adults, but if that other site is censored or people are 'afraid' to say the wrong things, then who needs that?</p>
<p>The whole point behind these is get a wide variety of input from people who are somehow involved in the whole process (graduates, current cadets, parents, perspective cadets, etc.) and answer the legitimate questions that people have. To pretend that criticism is somehow bad is a very narrow-minded view of the real world.</p>
<p>There are potentially 2600 parents on the plebe-net newslist and 6000+ parents on parent-forum. We have about 50 (that's generous) regular posters on the cc WP Forum. We get into some crazy discussions here - just wait if you haven't seen them yet Just imagine how useless plebe.net would be if only 2% (52) of the parents (and we all know the type) took over the board with political discussions. Or if they were so worried about a gripe their cadet had that evening. The cadet has forgotten the gripe and 2600 parents are reading numerous e-mails about it and fretting. They are e-mailing and calling their own cadets until all of WP knows about it. Finally those parents who want to know about bus schedules or off-post privileges can't get their questions answered.</p>
<p>The rules are basically simple:</p>
<p>1) No advertising.
2) Don't forward posts to cadets.<br>
3) No discussion regarding right or wrong of chain of command decisions. As an example, parents are told repeatedly that they should not book flights for their cadets until the cadet gives them a firm date and time that they will be released. Therefore parents should not be posting a complaint about this because they want to make vacation plans. They can ask about the date and time, just not discuss the right or wrong of the delayed decision. It's the Army. (I learned quickly by reading that it's really best to let the cadet make their own flight and bus arrangements.)
4) This is a place to ask questions and learn from the experience of other West Point parents. It is not, however, the place to air the complaints from your cadets about life at West Point. Griping seems to be the only activity that all cadets actively participate in.
5) No profanity.
6) No flaming.</p>
<p>Consider that a few rules are basic courtesy. One is designed so that people all around the country aren't saying, "West Point told me to buy x and I did. It stinks." (Actually, West Point, via the parents forums isn't recommending any products at all.) And another is designed to ensure that the cadets aren't being bothered with discussions that they already know about or that could be starting a fast-moving rumor throughout the Academy. The kids have enough problems.</p>
<p>An important point I'd like to make is that this isn't a college campus. It's a military installation. The cadets are in the Army. Their first assignment is to excel at the U.S. Military Academy. As their parents we have the opportunity to belong to a sanctioned newslist that will answer our questions and provide networking opportunities with parents around the world. It's only right to follow some basic rules. </p>
<p>I understand wpdad's issues. I would not defend rudeness. I can only imagine how many times the moderators are asked why Johnny didn't call home during the ice cream social. Some squad leader must have been so mean to him. Then the parents later find out that Johnny fell asleep or called his girlfriend instead. Then a minute later another parent asks why Verizon doesn't work in the barracks when he just knows that he read on the forum that it works anywhere on post. </p>
<p>As mpn mentioned, sometimes a poster will ask a question and it will be answered by another parent off-line. Whenever there is interest, the original poster will be asked to post the answer. By doing so, all parents on the forum can then benefit from the answer.</p>
<p>On a personal note, I have learned so much from prospective-net, plebe-net, parent-forum and right here on college confidential. They each serve a different purpose. I tried thinking about what I like best about cc. First and foremost, I am inspired by many of our high school students. There is a passion and commitment to something that they know is important. They are pursuing the ultimate community service role. Secondly, I have learned about the other service academies. I know so much more about the Coast Guard from reading boss' posts. And there are several Merchant Marine alumni and parents who have opened up my eyes to a similar way of life with a different focus.</p>
<p>I'm done. (Way too much stream of consciousness discussions for me this week. Not enough sleep.) Gotta start cooking for that mean Squad Leader who comes home Sunday night.</p>