Information

Family Emergency: Your first point of contact should be your cadet. However, if you are unable to reach them or if there is a reason why you need someone else to be aware of a particular situation first you should reach the cadet's TAC officer. They will know how to reach your cadet as well as be able to help with the situation. Numbers for all the TACs are located on page 5 of our Parent Handbook.

Telephone: Cell phones have revolutionized the way families are able to communicate with their cadets. If you choose to get a cell phone for your cadet be very careful about the provider you choose. Not all providers have good coverage in the West Point area so asking an upperclassman which provider they use is a good way to find out which is best.

Using a pre-paid phone card is also an excellent option. Each cadet has their own phone in their barracks room and may place calls at any time. Some have recommended getting your own 1-800 number so your cadet may call you at any time from anywhere.

Driver's License Renewal: The state will let you know when it's time to renew and they may do this via snail mail.

Leave/Pass/Off Post Privileges/Walking Privileges: New acronyms are always a part of military life but learning the difference between these terms and acronyms will help you understand what you cadet may and may not do. Please note that all of these privileges may be revoked for disciplinary reasons or for poor academic performance.

• Leave - a cadet is on leave when the entire corps of Cadets may leave the Academy. This happens four times during the academic year - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break and Summer Leave.
• Pass - passes are granted individually and a cadet is given the privilege to leave. Officially, plebes have one pass per semesters. Additional passes may be earned for a variety of reasons.
• Off Post Privileges [OPPs] - travel is allowed within a 75 mile radius of West Point. This privilege is given for Plebe Parent Weekend and at other times, such as Thanksgiving, when a cadet may be staying on campus but the corps has been given leave.
• Walking Privileges - are sort of hard to define and your cadet will have a much clearer understanding of these than I will be able to explain. If you have a map of the West Point area and need to know what walking privileges really mean I suggest you draw it out on a map. Having said that, I will attempt to explain ...walking privileges fall within the following boundaries: North: Main Post limits [Washington Gate], South: Bear Mountain traffic circle at the intersection of State Routes 6 and 9W [Bear Mountain Inn and Bear Mountain Park are included if a cadet is in a car], East: the west bank of the Hudson River, and west: the west side of State Rt. 9W.

More specific information is included in both the plebe handbook and the parents handbook to help answer your questions.