PaulRevere

So, what do you get a kid heading off to a Service Academy?

Can't drive, can't wear clothes, can't listen to a stereo, can't use a cell phone... Won't be home til Turkey Day. Everything except 6 pairs of whiteys, personal hygiene items, a calculator, and running shoes are taken away at Alumni Hall on I-Day... Arrrghhh!

I think we're closing in on a choice between a Roth IRA account deposit or Online Brokerage account deposit.

Any ideas or lessons learned?

Thanks.

Bullet

Digital photo frame. This way, he can have lots of pictures of family and friends always there with him, people he knows Love him and wish him the best, when the times are tough.

PlebeMom2012

Ours is turning 18 on June 1. We gave him a trip with some of his high school buddies as a combination birthday/graduation/going away to the academy gift. We sent him to Scotland, but you could do something less drastic. He happened to have a number of friends planning a trip and he really wanted to go. We figured the amount of money he saved us in tuition alone earned the reward, and this will probably be the last hurrah with these boys from high school as he bonds with his fellow mids in relationships that will probably last the rest of his life.

greeneagle5

We're sending our son on an 18 day European trip as a graduation/b-day gift also..but the digital picture frame is a great idea as well........I might consider it for a PPW gift. We're telling friends and family, when asked for ideas, that money will be the best present for the soon to be plebe.

mom2012

What about.....

cell phone, digital camera (can be used after plebe summer)
electric razor

xchefmike

Wife's cousins literally have Yellowstone in their back yard. Sending with 50yards of Bubble wrap.

Marine75-78

How about just your LOVE and PRAYERS - It works....

peskemom

We gave our mid-to-be a huge goodby party. Had everyone who could come, including teachers and military contacts. At the party I took a photo of each person with my girl. I also had a special table set aside with index cards. I asked each person to write a very short note of encouragement to my girl. I even contacted famous people who wrote books my girl had read in preparation for her interest in serving in the military. Amazingly - I received replies to add to my collection.

After this all day outdoor party filled with talk, and fun, and food and music and people coming and going, I printed on wallet sized format all the photos.

During Plebe Summer and throughout the school year, I would mail my girl, one at a time - the matching photo of her and the person's note.

I noticed when we parents were able to be up in her room at the end of Plebe summer, many of her favorite photos and notes pinned to her little space on her desk.

So this is another unique way to celebrate your son's birthday and USNA send-off.

navy2010

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

and if you can....

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

always the right size, always useful, and always needed!!!!

GoinToUSNA08

Some things I'm asking for graduation presents:

A small humidor and a starter collection of cigars. (Cigars.com - Cigar portal, my dad and I are big customers)

Ray-Ban Shooter style sunglasses.

Promise of a car after 3/c year.

Skydiving trip.

Exxon-Mobil stock (not gonna happen).

And of course... CASH!

wolfemom

Wow--I wish I could read message boards without crying! Peskemom--what a beautiful idea. I already have the party planned, and intend to have close family "sign up" to send letters on certain days--so son gets mail constantly.

But the index card and picture is an AWESOME idea, which I will be taking, thank you very much! ;-)

Just can't imagine how many more tears I have to go, since it's only May...and I'm only reading a message board!

***************
Oh--and to answer the question, son and friends (from prep school) are going to Hawaii in June as one last hurrah.

peskemom

wolfemom...glad to know this good idea will work for you as well.I got the idea from another USNA mom who several years back posted the idea on another list-serve - so I'm thrilled to 'spread the wealth' to others!

One really fun thing I did was contact people who my daughter deeply respected, but wasn't a family member. I wrote to Dale Dye - a military analyst, retired Marine Captain who is known for being the advisor to productions like Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc. I wrote to Nathaniel Fick, author of "One Bullet Away", and Andrew Exum, author of "This Man's Army". Each person, believe it or not - wrote a short note of encouragement back to add to surprise my girl. And to this day, as a result of ongoing communication, our family and these people remain in contact.

So if your Plebe to be has people he admires - what the heck - try and get a way to contact them - tell YOUR mid's story and future hopes and dreams - and I suspect you too will get to blow your mid's mind when he opens a personal note from one of his heroes!

navy2010

forget the cigars...you have way too much running to do, and cigars won't help you make your times...no way no how!!!

just don't plan on bringing them down to the academy any time before PPW... plebes don't rate sunglasses, expecially during the summer! After that- it's all up to your company as to when you can rate wearing them!

better yet- ask for a parking spot to go with it!!!

ask for a roll of bubble wrap instead.... show up on I-Day with a broken this or a fractured that from your dive-through-the-sky and you will be headed right home again wishing you had picked $$$ instead!!!

wonder what kind of hit they will take if they get hit with the windfall profit tax the democrates are promising!

ah, there you go!!!!!!!


actually, what we ended up getting our Mid was a religious medal (his a mariner's cross) and chain, the former blessed three times by our family priest for fair winds and following seas, and the latter long enough not to be seen under his blue rims!)

grad/dad

GoinToUSNA08: Cigar Humidor is a great idea after PPW. My son and other Plebes would gather with upperclass for cigars often on Friday nights. A good cigar collection is a good icebreaker. My son maintains a fine collection at USNA.

USNA1985

Here are some that I got (years ago, before the "digital age.") and actually used. And, I should add that I'm female . . .

Bookends, especially with Navy themes (anchors, etc.)
Ship's clock
Jewlery (charms, etc.) with Navy themes
Picture frames
Money/savings bonds
Stationery (in the days when we wrote letters, not email)
Luggage (especially smaller bags)

Things I received and never really used:

Sterling bookmarks (got 4)
Pen & pencil sets (got 5)-- just pick a nice PEN with BLACK ink
Letter openers (got 3)
Books (the type that look good but weren't intersting to read)

Other things that would have been nice:

Gift cards to various stores (electronics, clothing, etc.). When you're home on leave, you don't have a lot to do other than watch TV, visit friends, and shop! I'm sure there are lots of electronic gadgets that are popular and can be used at some point during or after plebe year.

If you're a parent, I would politely tell people who ask that your child won't have a traditional college room and thus won't need (and can't use) much of the usual stuff most students need.

BTW, money is nice but, in a few years, you forget what the money bought. Gifts do last forever -- I still look at certain items and remember who gave them to me. Whatever you or your child receives -- it is a loving gift given with the best of intentions. Accept it as such.