<p>This question is to parents, siblings, relatives, and friends of the USNA class of 2009 and others with ideas! What exactly do you send to your plebes? I'm just trying to see if I could send anything creative and encouraging besides letters, pictures, and food snacks. </p>
<p>As far as food goes, I've sent stuff like trail mix, dried fruit, nut mix, power bars, granola bars, etc... any other ideas??</p>
<p>Also, how are the letters coming along? I write one everyday and I have given her address to as many friends and family as possible. How about you all? I've also sent packages with pictures, etc..</p>
<p>What else can be done? Hopefully I've done enough! Any comments and ideas will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>p.s. I am not a parent, just a VERY proud sister! :)</p>
<p>Cliff bars are a favorite, and powdered gatorade (to mix in the canteen).</p>
<p>I think the arrival of a package, rather than the contents per se, is the "connection" the plebes are seeking from home. It shows support and acknowledges the struggles they are experiencing.<br>
What a great gesture from a sibling!
CM</p>
<p>From my understanding, you may want to send a plastic drink container for mixing other flavors in; they have to keep water in the canteens.</p>
<p>In this last package, we included a small supply of office items, e.g. paper clips, tape, binder clips, small plastic containers, stapler, etc.<br>
Change [we had left bills, but no change, don't they need it necessarily, but thought we would send some anyway.]
Plastic bags always seem to be in demand.
Being from the south, we had to send some small Tabasco sauce bottles.
Small cloths, torn up t-shirts, for use in polishing shoes, faucets [included a small tube of faucet polisher], etc.</p>
<p>Basically, I went around the house and picked up every little thing that I we take for granted that seemed like it might be useful and sent it.</p>
<p>We are using the flat-rate postal boxes and packing them full.</p>
<p>Hmm. Let's see. Here are some things I have sent:
Pictures, Lots of Diet Red bull (long story), phone charger, lighters (for polishing shoes), goo gone wipes, clorox wipes, bleach pen, shout wipes, trail mix, candy (conviscated), white underwear (much better than the issued stuff), cute stationary, labels with addresses on them, stamps, power bars, granola bars, applesauce, tuna in those packets, powder, etc. I think that's the basic gist of it. :) I agree that it is more the contact than the contents.<br>
NAPS05mom
Tricia</p>
<p>Daily letters, short notes, cards with funny cat/dog photos on the front, handmade cards, photos of family, friends, pets. Canned pineapple in juice, pears, peaches, fruit juice, Trader Joe's trail mix, Toblerone (oops! I think that was contraband), Pledge wipes, Windex wipes, Tide To Go (instant stain remover pens), Clorox bleach pen, dried fruit, Power Bars (with Lance Armstrong's photo on the front of the box for inspiration). Prayers for the Plebes and their families.</p>
<p>I happened to wander over here from the USMA board. I'm a little surprised by the posts here about sending "packages" to the USNA plebes. The best we can do for our USMA plebes is send letters or postcards. I assume the posts here are discussing packages being sent for pickup AFTER basic training is completed?</p>
<p>Nahhh. . . its the NAVY!! We get to send packages during the summer.
Beside, we didn't get ten-minute phone calls. Only five-minutes.
On the other hand, we did get a full hour at the end of I-day with our plebes before they marched off into the sunset. Is the Army still stingy about saying goodbye?</p>
<p>Wow - sounds like a real country club. No time at the end of R-day. We get to see them take the oath and then they're off to their barracks. My wife, an Army brat, has always said that the Navy either bends the rules or has no rules. Last time she said this was when we were stuck in traffic in Philly going to the Army-Navy game and a Corvette driven by a naval officer was passing us - illegally - on the right shoulder. :)</p>
<p>And they get to eat snacks at the Naval Academy?! Do they get to make s'mores after water skiing while the poor Army new cadets are eating mre's at Lake Freddie after marching and doing yet more pushups? (Just kidding - really)</p>
<p>Sounds like you guys are getting an early start on the Army-Navy football rivalry trashtalk.</p>
<p>To help fuel the flames, here's some academy humor.</p>
<p>Q: Why is the Army football team changing its name to the "possums"?
A: Because they play dead at home and get killed on the road. </p>
<p>The West Point grad walked into the bar, sat down and said, "Hey barkeep, you hear the joke about the four Navy football players in a farmhouse?" Chairs scraped behind him, and four of the biggest, meanest guys in the bar stood up.
"We played for Navy. You sure you wanna tell that joke?" The West Point grad smirked in disbelief and said, "What, and have to explain it four times?" </p>
<p>Q: How come the Army football team doesn't have a website?
A: They can't string three "W's" together.</p>
<p>My favorite joke was posted on this forum last year.</p>
<p>Q: What do new cadets and plebes have in common?
A: They all got appointments to USMA!</p>
<p>Momoftwins: You have it all wrong, plebes are SAILING several times a week--water skiing is way too strenuous. Honestly, Plebe Summer is no picnic--I take that back, the Plebes did have a fabulous picnic/singalong/fireworks on the Fourth of July. On the other hand, their training may be a little more diverse, for example USMC obstacle course, TARZAN, etc.</p>
<p>Hey Bill, Should we tell them about the overnight liberty the plebes have been granted for Plebe Parent Weekend?
Along those lines, I have a question about Parent Weekend at West Point. I have a colleague whose daughter was a new cadet at USMA several years ago. This cadet was a bright student and talented soccer player (don't know if she was recruited for soccer or not). Her parents traveled from the California to West Point to see her during Cadet Parent Weekend (I'm not sure if that is what it's called), but because their daughter had either accumulated demerits, or not performed at a high enough level, the parents were not allowed to have any contact with their her once they arrived at USMA. They were bussed to Cornell to watch her play soccer, returned to USMA, and flew home without having any personal interaction with their daughter. Is this situation common? I was shocked when the mom told me that and it really stuck in my mind.</p>
<p>usna09mom: West Point is tough, but not heartless. The situation you described is abnormal. That said, weekend and walking privileges are just that, privileges, and can be revoked.</p>
<p>Unlike "leave" (such as Christmas and Summer) which cannot be revoked for demerits or academic/physical fitness shortcomings, a Parent/Plebe weekend "pass" and "walking privileges" can be revoked.</p>
<p>Kidding aside, none of the plebes at either WP or USNA are mistaking this summer as "just another year at summer camp". </p>
<p>My gratitude grows as I hear more about the sacrifices they willing make to become military officiers in the service of our country.</p>
<p>have been "accumulating" a list from lots of reading...cough drops or lozengers (lots of yelling), address book, old white glove and black glove (for room inspections), lint brush, mousetraps (read that somewhere...hope it was a joke), book light, small american flag for room (prevent mutany), frogs (for back of pins), foot powder/tinactin, pop-top cans of fruit, peanut butter crackers, white-out (for shoes), rolls of quarters (for vending machines- if they get to go there), mole skin for blisters, febreeze (for gym stuff/running shoes), waterprooof boot liners (for sea trials), rasso???, socks-socks-and more white socks, extra blue-rim shirts...
and lots of lots of letters / postcards / pics (not framed) / jokes....
son not there yet but the list comes from lots of helpful parent-club parents-
good luck to all- see you in 2010!</p>
<p>Sorry:
Plebes cannot bring any of that stuff (except for the underwear). The rest can be sent in a care package (except for the cough drops, no over the counter medicine and hard candy is just that---candy). </p>
<p>Be careful to just bring what they tell you. First lesson in following orders.</p>
<p>I've been thinking about that "4 x 6" American flag w/ stand"...where can you buy it? I Went to target but they don't have them there. Anyone buy one already??</p>
<p>Candidatemom is right, incoming plebes shouldn't think in terms of bringing anything. This year the packet listed things like "6 pairs of underwear" but acting on the advice of an '08 midshipmen, my kid walked in the door of Alumni Hall with absolutely nothing but: </p>
<p>1) cell phone and charger (knew it would be taken away but is returned 3 times during the summer for a 5 minute call home)</p>
<p>2) calculator for math placement tests and </p>
<p>3) social security card (required). </p>
<p>I really mean it -- nothing but the clothes on her back and those 3 items.</p>
<p>During the hour we spent together at the end of I-Day she said not to bother with any of the personal items I had ready to mail because everything was provided. In the few short letters we've received since then the requests for items to be mailed in care packages are:</p>
<p>Gold bond powder
Oder-eaters for shoes
Air fresheners (the car kind)
Bleach pens
Food Food and more Food. Apparently there is no such thing as too much food, since they share.</p>