<p>Thought I would start a new thread so that someone new to the discussion wouldn’t have to go through too many postings before they were current.</p>
<p>Certainly didn’t mean to cut off Bill0510’s discussion. In fact I highly recommend that anyone reading this posting go to the first All Academies Speak thread and read, at a minimum, the last couple of posts.</p>
<p>I sent a note to the webmaster suggesting that they set up a new forum called All Academies under Service Academies. Anyone else who thinks it’s a good idea, go ahead and email the webmaster by clicking on “contact us” at the bottom of the page.</p>
<p>Significant credit is given to those that thought to start this forum; amazing what those moms can accomplish when they set their minds to it.</p>
<p>Hey! We did it! Thanks to the moderators to heeding our requests and seeing the value in this forum. Though the academies are very different in their specifics, the generalities are very similar. </p>
<p>BTW, we found out last year at PPW that the 22 mile rule is not hard and fast. Let me qualify that: Do not just take off with your Plebe (or whatever!) but a request sent to the company officer usually does the trick and they will give the servicemember an approved chit just in case. I don’t know why I didn’t think to mention this before, but you should probably have time to take care of it if you would like. The LT said this happens all the time. Just remember to let the company officer know and get the permission beforehand!</p>
<p>And Bill0510, dads are pretty amazing, too!</p>
<p>This year, according to the PPW book sent by the Academy, those Plebes authorized for overnight liberty [which should be most of them] are authorized to exceed the 22 mile limit w/out special permission [chit].</p>
<p>No Fair! Wait, we did get ours for an overnight, too, so…</p>
<p>It is so great that they did this this year! Where are you going to go? Any great plans? Ours just wanted to sleep and eat! We did go to the mall and Barnes and Noble and buy some joke books. What can I say, we are easily entertained!</p>
<p>You have never seen anyone as happy as our Plebe when he found out he had an overnight! Talk about a Morale booster!</p>
<p>Enjoy yours!</p>
<p>I understand your overnight was accidental [or at least the crafty work of a mom who cut off the water supply]. I think the Academy realized that overnight with parents actually DID turn out to be a morale booster, hence the decision this year to permit it. Seems the parents were not able to wrestle that many away on the overnight.</p>
<p>No particular plans, [he has said he wants to take us sailing in the afternoon] but we may go into D.C. so he can stud around in his new uniform. Dinner places in Annapolis get crowded and he will get plenty of those in next four years so this may be a real treat.</p>
<p>They do look great in their uniforms! And they are so proud! Just wait until Herndon when they get to put on their 3C shoulderboards. That is a proud moment, too!</p>
<p>Our son sort of absently mentions the plebes every once in a while. He’ll say “Plebes are just about done.” Or, “Man it is so hot there! I wonder how the Plebes are handling it?” I can understand why there is such a bond among the brigade. It is something all of them have in common. </p>
<p>Yep, I think everyone came back after the overnight. Then they have a week basically off before reform, then the AC year. That’s a whole other thing.</p>
<p>Oh, and it was not a pretty picture last year! They had all of the parents in Alumni Hall, and none of the toilets worked! That was our first indication that something was wrong. They didn’t announce the overnight until later that evening, though. The reaffirmation ceremony was really moving, with all of them marching in with real precision (yes, they can march!)</p>
<p>BTW, the Army-Navy game march on? Well, our son told us on the phone that day that they were having their hats pulled off by some of the cadets who were already seated as they were bottlenecked onto the field. Just an honest rivalry. They realize that they are all on the same team in the end!</p>
<p>momof1,
You just confirmed what I suspected about the Army-Navy game march on last year–there was a bottleneck, so the Brigade of Midshipmen somehow got backed-up. After Plebe Summer, they do know how to MARCH!<br>
Bill,
What are you taking to PPW?</p>
<p>usna09mom</p>
<p>What are we taking? Mostly just a good attitude, happiness to see our son, his brother and sister, and one grandparent! Any other suggestions?</p>
<p>He really hasn’t asked us to bring anything special. I will probably take his camera and maybe his MP3 player.
I have located a Costco/Target nearby [plus the mid-store] and I figure anything we could get here, we could get there [what a country!] </p>
<p>Oh, and I will finally start buying some USNA stuff. We have waited to load up on brand-name materials until after the pregnancy. [Sort of like when you don’t tell anybody you are pregnant, at least on the first one, until after the first couple of months.] You never know and I didn’t want to be left with a bunch of stuff that we would have to burn.</p>
<p>Jamzmom,</p>
<p>You really deserve the bulk of thanks for starting this forum. It was your idea and you even volunteered the USMMA board for us to try it out. Fabulous! And now I am certain that I will never be able to kick my cc addiction. </p>
<p>Roger Dooley, Thank you for being so responsive. I’m certain all on this group appreciate it.</p>
<p>Camera will be a great choice for a Mid! My son really enjoyed his and we certainly enjoyed receiving the occasional picture. As far as the MP3 player, there is no music for Plebes. The only exception is if he is a traveling varsity athlete and can leave it in his locker room for trips. Bad news if you are caught with music. In fact, they take away their speakers for their computers during the Plebe year. Just a warning to be careful with that one. Other than that, your Plebe will probably have a short list of things that he wants to pick up such as an iron, small ironing board, etc. We were able to get everything at the Mid Store. They have very little room to store things. Just enjoy yourselves and have a few good meals and considerable down time to relax in your hotel.</p>
<p>Dumb question, but why don’t they allow the plebes to listen to music? I can understand most of the other restrictions, but music? Maybe that’s why so many join the choirs. 
Can’t believe this summer is over in a week.
NAPS05mom (tricia)</p>
<p>I wish I knew the answer to the music restriction and many other things but have given up trying to understand. My guess would be that 1) it could be a potential distraction when the focus needs to be on adjusting and doing well in academics, military grades, etc during the first year and 2) it seems that the way at the academy is to earn privileges as time moves on. Not sure that I agree with that but it is what it is. I know that my youngster is looking forward to a stereo this year!</p>
<p>The MP3 player is for the weekend and/or sponsor house.
He is in D&B–maybe a topic for another thread, the activities your students are in–and that give him some relief re: music, getting off the yard, etc.</p>
<p>Congradulations on the new thread!!! Job well done!!</p>
<p>Have a question: when do the plebes acutally get their official “non-plebe” uniforms and when do they get to start wearing them? Is Parent Weekend the “official” end of plebe summer?</p>
<p>This is too cool! Hopefully Jamzmom will check back in and acknowledge her congratulations.</p>
<p>Hopefully this won’t drop the attendance to the other forums too much.</p>
<p>My understanding of uniforms is as follows:</p>
<p>On Friday of PPW, in the morning, a Physical exercise demonstration is put on for parents.
At noon, the plebes assemble in their new whites for the first time. [Well, probably not the real first time; I think they were uniform whites to the baseball game. Guess we’ll find out next week.]</p>
<p>PPW is not technically the end of Plebe summer. The following week, computers and books are issued and then the Plebes participate in Sea Trials. A one-day “crucible” type of experience [don’t want to diminish the crucible title, it is the USNA after all].<br>
The Brigade starts to reform during this week also.</p>
<p>I guess the “official” end is the weekend after PPW with a Brigade BBQ, etc.</p>
<p>Class start thereafter.</p>
<p>Last summer, near the end of Plebe Summer, they were wearing their whites to Fort McHenry and also to the Orioles game. As has been noted before, things change from year to year, but that’s how it was for the Class of '08.</p>
<p>Perhaps we had an easier time since we were pretty much blindsided by our son’s appointment in Dec. His file was complete,DoDMERB completed,the packets to the MsOC were finished and submitted, and the last thing we did was send off the Presidential Nomination letter. We received a letter shortly thereafter saying that we had sent the wrong copy of my husband’s DD214, spent a few days trying to figure out what they wanted, then resubmitted the letter. The next correspondence we received was the appointment within 2 weeks of the last documentation we sent.</p>
<p>Ironically, he also received nominations from all of his MsOC in January, although he already had an appointment. So, knowing that they begin awarding appointments very early, they earlier your packet is complete the more opportunities there are for your file to go before the board. </p>
<p>Also, order the Smallwood book, read Absolutely American, and inform yourself! Our son didn’t accept his appointment until March, after he had visited twice and turned 18.</p>
<p>Blame it on sempergumby but after revising my profile I went and read about some printing options for this forum.</p>
<p>I tried a couple of the options and this is the only thing that would print.</p>
<p>*** GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY! ***</p>
<p>Must be some problem with the server.</p>