<p>Another Class has joined the Long Grey Line. </p>
<p>My congratulations go out to the 1320 young men and women who will soon comprise the Class of 2010. A new journey begins today as you take the oath this afternoon in your new "white over grey" uniform. You will never be the same - nor want to be. Thank you again for agreeing to serve our great country.</p>
<p>New cadet parents, you also get my congratulations and a special place on my prayer list. You are in for a year like no other. Let me warn you that the start is a rough one. However, I believe you will conclude (although not for a few months or so) that it is well worth it as you see the positive effect the West Point experience has on your sons/daughters.</p>
<p>I hope you will share your experiences with the other new cadet parents, and us "oldtimers". This forum helped me cope during the early days when the separation aniexty was at its peak. I hope it can provide the same type of comfort, support, information and comic relief that it did for the Class of 2009 parents.</p>
<p>Duty, Honor, Country - It's more than a catchy slogan, it's a way of life</p>
<p>Ditto Aspen, Ditto. Thank you all for serving our great country. The world will be a better place due to your efforts. </p>
<p>Hey! They're kinda stingy with the photos.... :) I can't wait to see more so can imagine the USMA parents will haunt the site day & night. Not too many smiles from the parents which made me so sad for them. Hang tough parents! Hope you come back soon to post your thoughts. </p>
<p>They're not stingy with the pix - those are just the first ones posted. We haven't even seen the haircuts yet. By tomorrow morning, there should be lots and lots of pictures. (I can't believe I'm smiling at those 90-second goodbyes. I was absolutely out of my mind last year.)</p>
<p>Thanks to all the parents of 2010 from all the academies for helping me maintain my sanity last year at this time. Jamzmom, shogun, aspen, Big Green, boss, prayerfulmom, weski, bill - we've come a long way and I look forward to hearing more stories. (Sorry if I forgot somebody.)</p>
<p>And I think you'll be surprised by the tears appearing when you least expect it. Something will remind you of your baby, toddler, winning athlete, goofy kid, or scholar and you'll just go to pieces. My husband just put on the music that we used to play to soothe 2 crying babies. I'm a wreck. It doesn't happen so often anymore, but it still sneaks up on me once in a while when there is the right trigger.</p>
<p>Your prideful eye will ultimately become your dominate eye. But it will take a while. Thanks to you and your family for raising a son willing to selflessly serve his country.</p>
<p>Take heart in the knowledge that you son has begun a journey that very few of his peers are invited to take, and even fewer agree to embark on. Our nation's military needs strong leaders that share our values. What better way to ensure that our values are maintained than by having our own sons/daughters take on those leadership responsibilities.</p>
<p>Excuse me as I digress a little. Yesterday a non-acquaintance lady asked me if I had a son at USNA since she saw me wearing a US Naval Academy summer seminar T-shirt (my USMA yuk son gave them to me since he won't wear them. I'm too cheap not to wear them.). When I told her my son was at West Point not Annapolis, she said " I bet you hope he doesn't have to go to Iraq when he graduates."</p>
<p>I told her that I hoped our nation was not at war in Iraq or anywhere else when my son graduates. But if it was, I wanted our nation to have its best military leadership in the conflict and that I hoped my son would be selected to be part of it. She was visibly disturbed by my comment and left. </p>
<p>Be prepared for a lot of people who just can't understand how a loving parent could want their child involved in war, or even in the military. They just don't get it, and probably never will. They patently reject the notion that "to ensure peace, you must prepare for war".</p>
<p>In my nighttime ("I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke") dreams I envision a day when we exist in a war-free world where no more people or resources need to be devoted to the world's military forces. However, the realities of my wakeful state push aside those daydreams and cause me to offer grateful prayers for those young men and women who willing offer their lives to protect our nation against those forces which refuse to share my nighttime dream.</p>
<p>Be assured that your son and your family are included in my daily prayers.</p>
<p>This should be published Aspen! :) You have such a way with words and an amazing insight as to what it is to be parents of such fine young people. Of course I would expect no less 'Muncie man' in TN. Hey! My brother was visiting some of my family up there & laughingly told me that, yes, they still have the red phones that are used to order pizza in those booths at Pizza King. LOL </p>
<p>The triggers Momoftwins speaks of can hit so hard at first. It took a long while for me to figure out that I should cherish them. They are what you have left of your Cadet/Mid's childhood & they are all yours to smile & cry over. You know deep in your heart that they will have to meet the challenges that will come & that they will struggle. Keep the faith! They seem to be able to handle a whole lotta things that you find yourself worrying about. </p>
<p>Someone PLEASE post when they find new photos anywhere. I wanna see some green faces before long! Gotta do something while I'm waiting for USMMA I-Day next Thursday. ;)</p>
<p>It's good to know that Muncie has preserved some of the vital jewels of its cultural heritage. However, back in the Days of Yore when I was in Muncie, the booths had red telegraph keys, I'd figure the tip using my trusty sliderule and Boone's Farm (apple) was preferred to merlot. Ah, the good old days!</p>
<p>USMA should begin posting some Beast photos shortly. Can't believe they expect to satisfy parents with a measly 317 photos of R-day. Come-on!</p>
<p>Aspen - I too appreciate your well written post. Everything you said about selfless service to our nation applies and more, but alas, it's daddy's little girl at USMA. I got her first, three or four line letter today. She said R-Day was hell, but on the up side she is confident she has a good squad leader....Proud tears they are!</p>
<p>Sorry for making the assumption your new cadet was a son rather than daughter. I played the percentages and lost.</p>
<p>Glad you received your first letter from your daughter. I'm sure it will be treasured forever. It's incredible how a few written words can convey so much.</p>
<p>Having a good squad leader is a big positive. Keeping the squad "squared-away" lessens the pressure on the squad's new cadets. Just like the new cadets, the squads that draw attention wish they had not.</p>
<p>Many new cadets don't realized that most of the squad leaders are new to their leadership roles and are in as much of a learning mode as the new cadets.</p>
<p>Please stay with us and let us know how your daughter is doing.</p>
<p>Momoftwins - It was a rough start but she recovered. We received third call Friday night. She was very upbeat & very positive. They are preparing to go to Camp Buckner and counting the days till Re-Orgy and A-Day (says she misses her dad). We are going up for A-Day weekend. Still, very proud tears!</p>
<p>Momoftwins, Aspen & Shogun - curious what academic companys your Cadets are in?</p>
<p>She's actually going to have a bit of fun at Buckner. I hear they'll still be sleeping in tents in the field though, but will get to use the showers at Buckner. That's probably an excellent idea just for hygiene reasons. In any event, you will absolutely love A-Day. It's a beautiful ceremony. And it definitely tugs at your heartstrings.</p>