<p>Jamzmom:
Thanks for the link. It’s a great article on West Point. I had read the article a year or more ago but found the article even more compelling now since our son is in the Long Grey Line.</p>
<p>momoftwins: Glad your daughter made it home safely. Will be interested in any changes you see in her behavior/demeanor. Am finding out that the actual “General’s BDU’s Story” differs slightly from the explanation my son relayed to us. His understanding that the BDU’s were “requested” by a plebe seems to be different than the more adventuresome reality of how the BDU’s were acquired. </p>
<p>Strange how many activities are undertaken by plebes claiming to be so overloaded with duties and studies than they lack the time to write or call home.</p>
<p>1) Biceps and triceps are like steel.<br>
2) Keeps saying hooah.
3) Says some other colorful words that I never heard come out of her mouth before.
4) Wants to wake up early so as not to waste the day!!! (This one amazed me the most.)
5) Wants to spend time with family. (probably helps that almost all her friends are away at college but appreciated nonetheless).
6) Very proud of her laptop’s speed. Extremely proud of the laptop.
7) Tells a lot of jokes. Apparently upperclassmen request amusement.
8) Can’t wait to come home for Thanksgiving.
9) Has not complained even once.
10) Actually looked forward to spending an afternoon at the beauty shop and didn’t consider it an intrusion in her busy schedule.
11) Can’t sit still for very long at all.
12) Smiles all the time. Knows she made the right choice and actually misses WP. She knows she belongs there. (I mentioned taking some cookies back <em>home</em> with her and then realized what I said. Brutal!)</p>
<p>momoftwins - so GLAD you’re getting to have such a nice visit. And the changes must be in your face every time you look at her! I’m preparing myself for #11 when mine comes home for the October break. From what I’ve heard, after about three days, they get really restless. Guess I sould dirty up the bathrooms to give him something to do! As to the colorful words, I too have noticed that a few errupt that were not there before. A whole new set of adjectives when descriptions are given! That <em>bleep</em> chocolate kicked <em>bleep</em>. I told him next time I’d just sent a big bar of Irish Spring! LOL Enjoy her!!!</p>
<p>Aspen, I’d just found that article and thought it was so great I didn’t want you to miss it. Glad you’d seen it! It was written in 99 but so applied to today’s West Point didn’t you think? Hope you get a chance to watch the military channel tonight!</p>
<p>Oregon Mom, I so can relate. Mine used to duct tape his cousin’s Barbies to bottle rockets and take them for little rides. Barbie heads were found ten blocks away much to his delight. The forth of July at my house always looked like a NY show. The neighbors missed it this year as we left for Indoc on the 3rd. They used to line up chairs all in their yards around our community lake to watch. I can still see he & his brother <em>mwahaaaa! FIRE FIRE Wahoo!</em></p>
<p>OMG! LOL you should have seen the fourth here! We had our son, 5 zoomies (they just happened to be at the Air Force Base near here so my son invited them over), and all the teenagers in the universe from high school. They had bottle rocket fights in the back yard (good thing they were about 20 yards from a lake!). We were joking that they were going to end up in the “Summary of Mishaps” article that the Navy used to put out that chronicled all of the “thoughtless” things that people did to harm themselves. </p>
<p>Just to keep up with y’all, sent off a package yesterday with 2 batches of brownies, 6 bags of jerky (not moose yet, season just opened on Thursday and my husband is hunting for our Bullwinkle as we speak) chocolate chip cookies and mechanical pencils. Hope those Navy kids still float after all of that!</p>
<p>One of the boys I know from my son’s high school who is a cadet, 4th class at WP was at our church today. It was so exciting to see him and congratulate him for completing Beast… Boy, I’m jealous of all you WP parents that had your kids home for Labor Day Weekend. No doubt, you parents are relishing every minute of this weekend…enjoy every moment of this well deserved time.</p>
<p>Momof1 - have any moose steaks yet? I can just imagine 900 lbs. of meat that has to be put into a 60000000 cu. ft. freezer! LOL Tell your husband to come down to SC and get a few of our wild russian boars. The animal control folks took a 300 lb. one out of our woods near our house. They are mean beyond belief! They post notices to keep children inside when one is located in the area. They charge people and root up everyone’s yards. And, we have fox like crazy. They still ride to the hunt here although they are called “drags” where they just drag the scent and the hounds and horses go thundering off. On Thanksgiving Day, we even have the annual “blessing of the hounds”. Its a site to see. Things are a bit different down here…(i.e. Deep fried turkey) </p>
<p>Parents week-end is coming up for USMMA & USCG but when is the next time West Point & Annapolis will have something scheduled or let the kids loose? Haven’t seen our kids since July 8th. This is gonna be SWEET! Our kids at USMMA will get their first true liberty after parents week-end but it won’t be an overnight. Are the other academies allowing liberties sooner? Just wondering…</p>
<p>West Point has its Plebe-Parent Weekend in mid-October (14th-17th). The plebes have off-post privileges Friday evening, Sunday and Monday. No off-post privileges Saturday (walking privileges in Highland Falls only) since they have a full day of scheduled activities/events on post. However, the off-post privileges are fairly restricted since all plebes must report back each evening and travel is limited to a 75 mile radius of USMA. Plebes get to run the post during the weekend as most upperclass cadets take leave. As of result, some plebes may have more limited privileges than others. Next leave is Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>Major events during the weekend are the Cadet Review Saturday morning and the formal dinner/dance ( officially call a “hop”) Saturday evening. Parents will have one of the rare opportunities to visit the cadets’ barracks. Visitors can “eat like a cadet” in the Cadet Mess ( the gothic Washington Hall) that will be open for several meals including a Sunday brunch (no chew limit will be enforced). </p>
<p>I’ve saved the best for last. Although not for the weak-hearted, the ever popular Superintendent’s Quarters, Cadet Uniform Factory, and Laundry/Dry Cleaning Plant tours have multiple scheduled times on Friday and Saturday.</p>
<p>Seriously, most experienced parents of cadets related that Plebe-Parent Weekend is second only to Graduation Day.</p>
<p>As might be expected, USNA is already on less-restrictive terms.</p>
<p>Plebes have Saturday liberty, although limited to 22m radius from Academy. [Don’t want the DC hussies messing with the Plebes.] They have to be back in quarters by 2200. Sunday is yard liberty, I think until 1800. Plebesm may leave the yard to attend a church but otherwise are restricted to the yard with some some limitations, e.g. may not sit outside, etc.
Parents may visit at any of these times.</p>
<p>Scheduled events: There is a dance on 9/17 on the yard. I believe this is a dress event, although I don’t know if it is full dress, etc. Outside women [men?] are invited to attend and dance with the mids. Part of the officer and a gentlemen component of the training.</p>
<p>We are lucky in that son is in D&B and he has movement orders to the Rice game in Houston, so we will see him then.</p>
<p>Cadets(4/c) at USCGA have been getting regular Saturday liberty since school began in August, unless on restriction. Sometimes it’s overnight and I guess you can go where you want if you have the transportation and can get back by 1800 on Sunday. Parents weekend is coming up as JM said the 17-18th. Among the events are class visitations, parents meetings, football and soccer games, church services and various luncheons. Living in beautiful CT we have been able to see our son four times already so I feel badly for Jamzmom and the others. Our son’s friends have not seen their parents since R-day. One set is coming in for PW but the others won’t see him until Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>Changes this year at USNA mean that mids are “on duty” every third weekend – which means that they can’t leave the Yard on Saturday when they are on duty. If you are planning a visit to Annapolis check & make sure your mid isn’t on duty that weekend or you won’t be able to enjoy the town with them (you can still visit them on the Yard, but your options for enjoyment are limited.) </p>
<p>Another change this year: during the week (Mon-Fri), they cannot return to their dorm rooms during the academic periods, even if they don’t have a class scheduled.</p>
<p>Aspen, I’d hurry & get on the list for the laundry thing. There will be a run on the place to see spot removal in progress! LOL I can guess how serious they are about the upcoming dance. A little sea story for ya - My son’s old NJROTC group at high school holds a military ball each year. One year we went to pick him up (prior to the “Im driving myself so that people think I was hatched and don’t have parents! days”) and we saw a group of actual MPs leading out four kids. I asked Jamz if they’d been caught smoking in the bathroom or had drugs on them. His response? “Nah, they were dancing too close”. That was my first experience with being an officer & gentleman. </p>
<p>I would have to assume that the duties restrict some of their leave as well. Like during a spring break perhaps? Oiixxg, is the new rule of not returning to dorms during the day just for Plebes? WOW about that. My son gets so much accomplished during the times between classes. Shoe shines, laundry sorted, naps if he thinks he can get by with it, snacking and IM me!.. Now that I think on it. I can see that it might be a pretty good rule…</p>
<p>I hereby place everyone here on “posting photos watch” so that we can see some of the Mids at their dance or at the parent’s week-end gigs! Boss’ son is making girls faint and leaving a trail of broken hearts all over CT! How sharp he looks in his uniform! When we leave USMMA with ours in tow, we’ll have to go only to places that have mirrors. I can hardly wait. He will be looking at himself in every car mirror and doing his best impression of his Sean Connery 007 voice.</p>
<p>Do all states have an All-Academy Ball? Illinois does and I think it will be great to see all the kids in their dress uniforms. </p>
<p>Just imagine if we had a SA Parents’ Forum Ball. Jamzmom would bring the chocolate. Aspen would do stand-up. Momof1’s hubby will bring the rifles so we can drill. Boss will sail in on a boat. I’ll be crying - and eating some of the chocolate. KateLewis and shogun will answer everybody’s questions. Laxdad will prove to us that we will get through 4 years of this.</p>
<p>Jamzmom: I believe the rule about not returning to the dorms during academic periods is just for plebes (but anyone who knows differently please speak up.) Since they are issued desktops, not laptops, it means that if they need to use a computer for study purposes they have to use one of the computer labs rather than their personal computer (and save any materials such as papers they are writing to a flash drive). If they are planning to use some of the time for personal physical fitness, they have to plan ahead & have their PT clothes with them when they leave Bancroft in the morning.</p>
<p>Tennessee has had its All-Academy Ball in Nashville the last several years due to its relatively central location. Responsiblity for organizing the ball rotates each year between Army, Navy and Air Force. Although welcome to attend, the USMMA, USCGA and Citadel haven’t had enough parent representation in Tennessee to host the ball.</p>
<p>While I appreciate your support momoftwins, I can assure you that I will not be cleared for attendence by my wife unless I sign a legally binding contract commiting to be on “best behavior” for the evening. Ever since a very memorable toast that included (among other things) such adages as “Don’t sweat the petty stuff; and don’t pet the sweaty stuff.” and “It’s a sin to think evil of democrats, but it is seldom a mistake.”, best behavior specifically excludes any comedy on my part – be it stand-up or sit-down.</p>
<p>momoftwins - yep, SC and most states have the all academies ball thing. I’m on the committee to do somethin’ or another for our state. Haven’t heard exactly what that is yet… Its the only thing I volunteered for. Jamz was giving me the old evil eye when folks were raising their hands for stuff at the “welcome aboard” BBQ this summer, so I thought we’d better get involved. If I can help with the planning of this ball, I can sure help with the SA parents ball for here. You have it planned for the most part. You’ve pegged everyone’s parts to a tee! LOL Cougar’s daughter will be Jamz’ date and will bring Jamz’s Mom chocolate! (Dark only please)</p>
<p>oiixxg - Seems to me like they have to think ahead. And also seems to me that I’ve saved some bling bling on flash drives. It probably is a pretty good rule considering. Especially when I started an accounting of what mine does during the day. Could keep them better focused if ya ask me.</p>
<p>Aspen - you must have posted the same time I did. I gotta ask. What the heck would the Citadel be doing there? They’ll be killed! Try and stop it if they try to attend this year before its too late! Believe me. Hello? SC resident! GRIN…</p>
Hope those Navy kids still float after all of that!</p>
</p>![http://www.cga.edu/support/images/cadetuniforms/cg283j.jpg[/url]](http://www.cga.edu/support/images/cadetuniforms/cg283j.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
