WEST POINT PARENTS CLUB
Of
MICHIGAN
PLEBE PARENT HANDBOOK
CLASS OF 2006
This manual is intended only to supplement information you will receive from the Admissions Office and the Commandant at West Point. Remember this is the ARMY! ANYTHING can change at any time.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING...
West Point parents agree that the first year at West Point is the most difficult, not only for the plebes, but for their parents as well. This manual has been designed to help you through this special time in your lives as you give support to your son or daughter and still survive plebe year yourself.
You will have many questions as you make your way from here to Promotion Day (March of plebe year), when your plebe is promoted to Private First Class and becomes an upperclassman. To assist you during this entire year, we will ask a club member to be your mentor. They are available to you anytime you think you need answers, help, or just as a sounding board. They have volunteered to help, so do not hesitate to call. Remember that the only dumb question is the one not asked. We have all been through what you are about to begin and are here to assist you in every way. Of course, if your mentor family is not available, please call any of the Board members.
We hope that this manual will handle most of your immediate questions and offer helpful advice. It is only intended to supplement the information you will receive from the admissions office at West Point.
The WEST POINT PARENTS CLUB of MICHIGAN, founded in 1958 as the first parents club in the nation, is a friendly group of people and we hope that you will join us as members. Our functions will give you an opportunity to meet other parents who are going through, or have gone through, the same experiences as you will during plebe year.
THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YESTERDAY!!
Convince your candidate to RUN, RUN, RUN, and then RUN some more. Being in excellent physical shape before they arrive at West Point will greatly assist the new cadet through Cadet Basic Training, "Beast Barracks." How much is enough? One candidate was chided by his Field Admissions Officer for only running around the "block" twice a day, until it was discovered that the "block" in farming country was 2 miles square. Caution - run on grass or dirt, not hard highways, to avoid shin splints. Try using golf courses, dirt roads, or high school tracks if at all possible.
Complete and mail all paperwork requirements for West Point. Keep copies - paper does get lost.
Purchase items needed for R-Day. Travel light - one bag. Bringing one bag means the candidate will need to fill out only one tag (the first trying test under control of the upperclass cadre on R-Day). Check the "Instructions for Candidates" for other required items and restrictions.
The candidate needs to take the items below.
Make hotel/motel reservations for R-Day, if attending. We highly recommend that you do, but if your family budget can handle only one trip to West Point during plebe year, then you may wish to save it for Plebe/Parent Weekend. Generally, it is about an 11-hour drive from the Detroit, Michigan area. Talk to other club parents for suggested travel routes.
Set up a checking account for your candidate. They must have this so they can receive their pay from the Army. Yes - they are paid for all of this "fun." You can use your own local bank or one in the West Point area. Make sure you have the "direct deposit" form completed by your local bank (if this is to be where your son/daughter will have their account) in advance, so the form can be turned in by your candidate on R-Day.
Get a telephone calling card or 800 number for your candidate. The phone company can even set up one that restricts its use to specified phone numbers.
Get a credit card for your candidate. While this is optional, it is a good idea for them to have for emergency purposes.
A frequent flyer membership for your candidate may also be worthwhile. Get a frequent flyer membership with the various airlines that they will likely use. Reservations at the time and day your son or daughter needs are not always available with the same airline all the time.
The candidate is still a Michigan resident. They should register to vote so they can vote absentee when the time comes. Call your County Clerk's office for information and the procedure for requesting applications for absentee ballots.
Read and re-read "Information for New Cadets/Parents," the "West Point Parents Almanac" and "Instructions for Candidates Offered Admission" along with this manual.
New cadets receive limited and timed phone privileges during Cadet Basic Training and the calls can come at anytime. If you don't have a speakerphone or answering machine, now may be a good time to invest in one. You may want to get a cassette recorder and microphone that will record from your telephone. This will allow you to tape your cadet's phone calls and play them back for anyone who was not at home when he/she called. These recorded tapes are also priceless memories.
Remind your candidate to get a haircut before leaving. This is especially important for the females, and will help relieve the "shock" on R-Day.
Convince your candidate to RUN, RUN, RUN, and then RUN some more.
Before you leave for R-Day write an upbeat letter to your son or daughter to be mailed at West Point that day, once you receive their address. (Funny, encouraging, upbeat greeting cards are also a good idea anytime.) MAKE SURE your mail is addressed to "New Cadet <last name only>" during Beast. After the Acceptance Parade in August, address mail to "Cadet <last name only>". It is only after Promotion in March that your cadet will have a first name included on their mail. Make sure everyone (friends, family, everyone) follows these guidelines to save your cadet any grief as a result of mail. A good rule of thumb - white stationery and a stamp that has an U.S. flag on it. Stay away from colors. Your cadet is trying to blend in.
THE WEST POINT EXPERIENCE
West Point is not only a place, it is a way of life . . . a new way of life which will affect both your offspring and you dramatically in the coming months. The United States Military Academy at West Point is a major source of the Army Officer Corps, which is the symbol of our nation's military strength. Nowhere is "tradition" stronger than at the Academy. It is a place where uniformity, obedience, duty and honor are the keystones of its existence. You are about to become part of this tradition!
Your son or daughter will enter the United States Military Academy in late June or early July as "new candidates." They are there because they have displayed an impressive combination of academic, athletic and leadership credentials. They possess the potential to be successful.
New candidates enter into a time-honored tradition of Cadet Basic Training (CBT) or "Beast Barracks." During this time they are indoctrinated into the military life, and at the same time, are exposed to traditions that have, in great part, existed since the 1800's. This experience is, in effect, the final severing of the "umbilical cord" which linked your son or daughter to another way of life. During this six-week period, you will see a dramatic change in just about every aspect of your son's or daughter's demeanor and lifestyle.
THE BIG DAY IS HERE . . .
R-DAY (Reception Day) July 1, 2002 for the Class of 2006
This day marks the end of your child's dependence on you and the beginning of a unique experience for them and to some degree for you. We strongly suggest that you accompany your candidate to West Point for R-Day. West Point, the oldest continuously operated military post in the country, is seeping with the history of our great country and its many exceptional leaders. It helps to be able to picture where they are going to be for the next four years. If possible, arrive a day or two early so you have time to tour West Point and get to know the surrounding area.
Wear comfortable casual clothes and your best walking shoes. Casual dress at the Academy is defined as: Men - slacks with collared shirt, sweater or sports coat; Ladies - slacks with blouse, skirt and blouse or pantsuit. (Bluejeans, shorts and T-shirts are frowned upon; it is safer to wear "dress casual.")
Other family members may accompany you for this important day. Note - If elderly relatives come, it may be a grueling day for them because of the heat and the amount of walking, which is mostly uphill. No matter where you go at West Point, it always seems to be uphill. This is a day of many emotions. Bring plenty of tissues as these emotions are all normal and natural.
With respect to arrival time, we would only suggest that you neither be too early nor too late. Try to follow the schedule based on the last digit of your candidate's social security number. Your candidate will very rapidly learn to not draw attention to themselves and become a part of the team. Being first or last in anything only makes them stand out. Be sure to say your good-byes BEFORE you get to the reporting-in location because you only get a few seconds for a quick hug after the greeting by the Officer of the Day and the instructions "Candidates exit down the stairs and across the field." Remember to wear your sunglasses to Michie Stadium (even if it is cloudy) and make sure your candidate has theirs. Tears will happen and sunglasses will hide some of this. Just remember to try to be strong and put up a good front at least until your son or daughter has walked across the field. This will be the last that you will see your candidate until CBT is finished in August. Relax, your child is totally occupied and in the best of hands. If you should happen to come across your candidate during training on R-Day (very unlikely) DO NOT try to talk to them. (We have just been informed by West Point staff that 2006 will probably be reporting to Eisenhower Hall instead of Michie Stadium. West Point will be sending you the accurate location for this year.)
After your candidate has departed, be sure to visit the Parents Welcome center. You will have the opportunity to: sign up for lunch tickets at one of the sites on post, buy football tickets, buy 2006 souvenirs which are only available on R-Day, get your candidate's company assignment and P.O. Box number, mail your first letter to your candidate and visit various exhibits. Remember to bring pencil and paper to jot down the P.O. Box number and other important information that is available at the various booths. After visiting the welcome center, board the buses that will take you down to the Plain area. Take everything with you that you will need for the rest of the day - you won't be back to your car until after the R-Day Parade. Take cameras, video cameras and protection in case of inclement weather. Just like Michigan, the West Point weather changes frequently. A sunny morning can still have a rainy afternoon Parade.
You will have time to walk around the Plain area and Trophy Point but will not be allowed in the Cadet Area, which is beyond the chains in front of the Barracks and Washington Hall. There will be some locations near the central area where you can observe the candidates being instructed by the cadre, but again remember even if you are close enough to talk to your candidate, don't. Also, the large grassed parade area (commonly referred to as "The Plain") in front of the bleachers is off limits to pedestrian traffic.
After lunch, be sure to attend the Superintendent's Briefing for new parents, in the Eisenhower Hall Auditorium. This will be an uplifting, emotional, and very informative introduction to Academy life along with a soft seat and an air-conditioned room in which to rest.
At 6:00 PM, there is the R-Day Parade and swearing-in ceremony that is usually held on the Plain or at Trophy Point. Arrive early (up to 1 hour) to obtain a good location to observe this ceremony. It gets very crowded. Bring your camera, video cam, or binoculars. Remember that all new candidates will look alike. They are not easy to identify because all have the same haircut, uniform, and no expression. They will be lined up by height, front to rear of each company, and this may help you pick them out during the Pass in Review. The information on your candidate's company assignment will also help. When the class is lined up in formation, Company A will be on the left and Company B, C, etc from left to right. They will also march in and leave in Company order. Listen to the announcements during the Parade so you know when to stand at various stages of this ceremony.
You probably have noticed that up until now, we have called your sons and daughters "candidates." Only when they have taken the Oath during the swearing-in ceremony at the 6:00 parade will they be called "new cadets" (a form of address that they will grow to hate). Only after they complete Cadet Basic Training and are accepted into the Corps of Cadets at the Acceptance Day Parade, in August, will they become "cadets." (Remember first names still will not exist until Promotion in March.)
After the swearing-in they will march off and directly into Washington Hall (Mess Hall) for their first evening meal as new cadets. The day is over for you and your family at the conclusion of the parade. Don't forget to mail those letters and cards before you leave so that your new cadet will be one of the first to receive mail. HINT - Mail from home is extremely important during Beast and the entire first year. Make out post cards, envelopes or address labels with your new cadet's address and send them out to their friends and relatives. Write very often yourself, preferably daily. Keep it upbeat as you let them know how your summer is progressing. Be as newsy as possible. Be sure to give your new cadet an address book with family and friends' addresses, important dates, lots of stamps, envelopes and writing paper before they go to R-Day. However - DON'T EXPECT A LOT OF MAIL FROM THEM. New cadets have almost no time to write. The Cadre normally requires them to write a letter home that first night. It will be short and should arrive 4-5 days after R-day.
CADET BASIC TRAINING
"Duty-Honor-Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points, to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn."
General Douglas MacArthur
Excerpt from his Farewell Address delivered to the Corps of Cadets on 12 May 1962.
R-Day is the start of Cadet Basic Training or "Beast," as it is affectionately known. Some new cadets actually like it, but others hate it. It is a time when a group of high school graduates are molded into WEST POINT CADETS. Don't worry!! Remember that they are in the best of hands and are practically tucked in each night by their Cadre. When was the last time that you knew where your son or daughter was at 10:00 PM every night?
A cadet's daily life begins before 6:00 am and during Beast Barracks will extend into the evening hours. In addition to extensive military training including military courtesy, marching and the handling of firearms, the new cadet will be schooled in the traditions of West Point and will learn what it takes "to make it." They are graded on a daily basis.
This is a particularly difficult adjustment period for the new cadet. His or her lifestyle will undergo a complete change when they are totally immersed in a military setting. Stress is a major part of the program along with the ability to memorize data, learn military drill, courtesy and the "West Point Way." It is a time when all are in need of encouragement and support since you may hear a lot of negative reaction on the part of your new cadet. Insist that they hang in, insist that they give it a fair trial. Staying power and the ability to perform well under stress is the hallmark of a West Pointer.
For the first few weeks of Beast, new cadets will be very, very busy. The concept of "One - Day - At - A - Time" ("1DAAT") will help them over this initial experience and adjustment. Sometime during the first week or 10 days, each new cadet will be allowed to make a short, timed, and supervised phone call to home. This call can come at any time so an answering machine comes in handy. However, if they do not make direct contact with you, they will be allowed to call until they get through directly to you. This is a time to let your new cadet do the talking, and you do the listening. It will probably be a few weeks before your new cadet will be able to call again. This first call is usually filled with emotion and is sometimes a real "downer." That is normal! The new cadets have had it with standing in lines, learning Plebe Knowledge, getting haircuts, testing, mess hall formality, and the intense nature of the whole thing. It may be the worst experience of their lives at this point. Encouragement and support is what they need the most from you. "1DAAT!" Remember, more than 200 plebe classes have survived; so can they. If you do not get a phone call in the first couple of weeks, don't panic. Sometimes new cadets will intentionally pass on the first opportunity to call because they are not yet ready to hear your voice and all the emotions a call to home bring. Relax and let them choose the time that is best for them. But remember, don't cry until after you hang up the phone.
Keep those cards and letters coming. Don't be discouraged if another parent tells you that they heard from their new cadet, and you haven't. Assignments and free times differ greatly throughout the various companies. A phone credit card for your new cadet will cost less than collect calls. AT&T has a Call Home (only) feature that may be of some use to you. Your telephone expenses will be higher, but phone conversations will be very important to you and your new cadet. Notify them about times you will be gone from home. Decide on good times for calls and then make every effort to keep phone lines open and be there for the calls. With so little free time, it is very disheartening to get a busy signal when a new cadet needs a lift from Mom or Dad's voice. Call Waiting is a good feature to add to your phone service at this time. Keep a pencil and note pad handy by the phone to write down questions you will have and to jot down information from your new cadet.
Toward the end of July, just when the new cadets are starting to get comfortable with their cadre, the upperclassmen change with a whole new set of cadre and leadership. (This is training in leadership for the upperclassmen as well as basic training for the new cadets) This change can be particularly stressful for the new cadets. Prepare for a possible "downer" communication after this change. "1DAAT"
The last week of Beast is spent at Lake Frederick, a military camp on the West Point reservation. The new cadets will bivouac (camp out, for us laymen), learn military skills and really bond as a class with a variety/skit night and the selection of their class motto.
At the end of Frederick, the class marches back 16 miles to West Point proudly displaying the new class motto at the head of the column. The entire community of West Point turns out to welcome the class of proud cadets as they march back in fine fashion. They are met at the North (Washington) gate by the military band and the Army mules as they proceed to march the last two miles, winding their way through the West Point community, culminating in a Pass in Review at the Superintendent's house (Quarters 100) where the Superintendent and honored guests will receive the Pass in Review. For the class of 2006, this march will occur on Tuesday, August 13, 2002.
Check with your new cadet about the exact schedule if you plan to attend. Take your camera, video cam, and make up a large sign to welcome the class back to the Point.
|
KEEP IN MIND, BEAST BARRACKS IS PROBABLY THE HARDEST TIME EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY, YOUR CADET WILL EXPERIENCE DURING THEIR ENTIRE FOUR YEARS AT WEST POINT. DURING THIS TIME YOU SHOULD BE SUPPORTIVE, POSITIVE, UNDERSTANDING, AND UPBEAT!!! |
Should a situation arise during this time where you need guidance, help, or just an ear to bend - CALL your West Point Parents Club of Michigan mentor or any one of the Board members. We have "been there, done that."
ACCEPTANCE PARADE August 17, 2002 for the Class of 2006
A couple of days after the march back from Lake Frederick, the new cadets are accepted into the Corps of Cadets with the Acceptance Parade. This is one of only three Parades that are totally dedicated to a particular class during the entire West Point experience. (R-Day and Graduation are the others). CBT training culminates with the Acceptance Parade. You will have been notified by your cadet which permanent company he has been assigned to and you will be able to place yourself in the stands aligned with his or her new company using the markers on the field. The upperclassmen march onto the field and the new cadets march along the outer edges of the Plain forming in front of the bleachers. After their "acceptance," the plebes take their places with their permanent academic companies as members of the Long Gray Line, and pass in review.
The cadets parade out and line up in front of the bleachers. There are four regiments (1,2,3,4). Each regiment has two battalions and each battalion has four companies. First battalion is made up of companies A, B, C and D. Second battalion is made up of companies E, F, G and H. So as you sit in the bleachers, facing Washington Hall, the first regiment will be to your left, the second and third regiment will be in the middle and the fourth regiment will be to your right. If your cadet were in company G2, that means that he/she is in the second regiment (G2), company G (G2), and G falls within the second battalion. They would be third section back, just left of center, in the formation.
| 1st Regiment | 2nd Regiment | 3rd Regiment | 4th Regiment |
| D1 H1 | D2 H2 | D3 H3 | D4 H4 |
| C1 G1 | C2 G2 | C3 G3 | C4 G4 |
| B1 F1 | B2 F2 | B3 F3 | B4 F4 |
| A1 E1 | A2 E2 | A3 E3 | A4 E4 |
|
= = = B L E A C H E R L O C A T I O N = = = |
For the Class of 2006, this Parade is scheduled at 10:00 AM on August 17, 2002, to be held on the Plain. The new cadets will wear their white hats for the first time and formally be accepted into the Corps. If you attend, again be prepared for outside weather and bring your cameras and video cams. CONGRATULATIONS - your sons/daughters are now officially cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point. In past years, Cadets have been released from duties by mid-afternoon and can spend time with you for the first time since R-day. They have usually also had all day Sunday off to spend with family.
REORGANIZATION WEEK August 11-18, 2002
Reorganization From Field Training (CBT) To Classroom Preparedness
Reorganization Week, commonly called "REORGY" is considered by many to be the absolute worst time of the plebe year. Throughout Beast, there has been about 1 upperclassman for every 12 plebes. Just as the plebes are feeling happy and proud that they survived Beast and look forward to being cadets instead of "bean heads," etc., they are confronted by a mass infusion of the dreaded upperclassmen. These upperclassmen are returning from various summer assignments all over the world and have nothing more important to do than to get up close and personal with the new plebe class. The ratio is now drastically changed to 3 upperclassmen for every plebe, and much worse, they have to live with them in their new companies and eat with them in the Mess Hall. It only lasts for a week, actually 5 days for the plebes, but it can be intense. During this week, each plebe will move in with new roommate(s) from their own class and become part of one of the 32 companies that make up the Corps. This company will be their HOME for the next year. They will also receive their computer and something new - a homework assignment for each class - to be completed BEFORE they report to the first class on Monday, August 19. Such is the Thayer method of teaching.
E-Mail and Computer Web sites & Nets
Our modern world has afforded us all a cheap and easy way to communicate. Instead of telephone and US Mail (don't drop dead from fright if you actually receive a letter from a cadet), each cadet has a computer on their desk that is tied into the West Point network and hence the INTERNET. Ask your cadet for their e-mail address so you can send them messages. Have them save your first message and use it for a response base in the future. You will need to have a computer, modem, and access to Internet, usually through one of the computer services like CompuServe or AOL. However, this is an excellent, and inexpensive, way to communicate over the next four years, and beyond that, even during their Army service. When you get an e-mail address for yourself - please notify the WPPC so we can include it in our directory and so we can send important info to you. See, we just expanded the use of your computer again. For any questions on this modern method of communications just talk to a WPPC member with a listed e-mail address in our directory.
Also several Web sites and networks provide a tremendous amount of information about West Point. The primary West Point home page is http://www.usma.edu. This site will link you to many others for helpful and up-to-date information about the Academy. Another site is http://www.west-point.org. This site has all sorts of information about West Point. From here go to http://www.west-point.org/parent/parent-forum. Here you can subscribe to the Parent Forum, which allows a free exchange of information and ideas among West Point parents. This forum has about 1500 members. Last but not least, go to http://www.west-point.org/parent/plebe-net. This web page has lots of information of interest to plebe parents. You can subscribe to Plebe-net on this page. On Plebe-net you can ask questions and receive information that applies directly to you and your plebe. All of these forums offer valuable information and insight concerning the West Point experience.
ACADEMIC YEAR
The academic year commences immediately after REORGY week, for the class of 2006, August 19, 2002. Choice of classes for plebe year is as follows: Which History class do you want - US or World?, end of selection. Classes usually have less than fifteen students and are very challenging to even the brightest students. Encourage your plebe not to neglect their academics. It is 60% of their class rank grade. (Military - 25%, & Physical 15%) The Academy, while educating the whole person, stresses academics. Your plebe is well advised to study hard and develop good study habits. One of the most important lessons to be learned is TIME MANAGEMENT. The Academy offers a short course on this subject for plebes. Encourage your cadet to sign up. Classes begin creating stress of another type. The Thayer method of instruction is study and application first with explanation later. This is a unique approach that usually creates frustration until adjustment can be made. The top honor student that has never had a grade below a "B" has now failed their first two quizzes or PR's (Partial Reviews). This is also normal, not to panic. On top of the NEW academic strain, there are also plebe duties, room management, and personal military inspections. Upperclassmen are also "helpful" in reinforcing everything and then some. This is when your cadet learns the most efficient way to MANAGE TIME. Homework is done before the class, not after. The cadet should be prepared BEFORE the first day and BEFORE every class.
We would suggest that you encourage your plebe to become involved in clubs and similar activities in order to afford some outlet from academics. Several extra-curricular activities are performed outside of West Point and these will provide the plebes with an opportunity to leave the Academy for a while.
Sunday is a day of relaxation, unless the plebe has a specific duty. They will be free to sleep late, attend church and do as they please until Sunday evening study period. Due to the heavy academic schedule, many cadets will use Saturday afternoon and Sunday to complete their assignments for classes.
Keep those cards and letters coming. Now that the academic year has started you can send BOODLE BOXES - those care packages from home with HOMEMADE cookies, candy, snacks, etc. Send the local Sunday comics. The online version of the Washington Post, which all plebes must read and memorize parts for breakfast responses to upperclassmen, does not have comics. Also, local sports and news articles of their high school team is good to include. The first boodle box could also contain an airtight (plastic) container to hold future food such as baked goods from home or items delivered by specialty shops in the West Point area. Ask your cadet about the size of their container since storage space is severely limited. Cadets can also purchase boodle box containers at the Cadet Store, so this may be the best way to handle this item, since they know what size container will be able to fit in their space. Shipment via UPS goes directly to Central Guard and is picked up each day for each company and delivered to them. (It takes up to 3 - 4 days for UPS from Michigan) US Postal Service does work but is slower and your cadet will have to go and pick up the package from their P.O Box location. Send small but frequent packages rather than large ones because space is limited. UPS will not accept packages for PO Boxes.
When shipping by UPS use the following address:
Cadet John Doe (remember, do not use the first name until after Recognition)
Company <Their Company Name> (i.e. E-3)
C/O Central Guard Room, Building 745C
West Point, NY 10996
When shipping US Mail use the following address:
Cadet John Doe (remember, do not use the first name until after Recognition)
P.O Box <cadet's PO #>
West Point, NY 10997
Remember that you will hear the worst from your cadet. You are the outlet for all of their frustrations. When you talk to other parents, it seems their cadet is always doing better (NOT SO!). Most times your cadet will feel much better after the phone call while you feel worse. Be a good listener. Be positive. Be understanding. Be supportive. Don't ask how they like it. Postpone that question for about 20 YEARS. Do talk with other parents for moral support. If you have concerns, call your WPPC mentor or a club officer. Calling the TAC officer should be reserved for more serious matters such as family emergencies, etc. Tactical Officer (TAC) and TAC NCO's (there are one each per Company) provide the military structure to the Corps. Working for the Commandant, they are the disciplinarians that watch over the Corps.
All cadets now have phones in their rooms, with voice mail capabilities. Calls can be dialed out as well as received. Your cadet can obtain a long distance carrier to provide economical calling. It is in many ways like the phone at home. So this is another item that each cadet must learn to manage.
The best answer to questions from friends and relatives on how your cadet is doing is: "They are still there." This may seem callous, but it in itself is a MAJOR accomplishment.
Each Plebe will have the opportunity to sign up for the West Point Mentor Program. Encourage your cadet to do so. Military personnel at West Point volunteer each year to help 3-4 plebes as personal mentors. They provide a "home away from home." This is a place where plebes can go, when invited, and relax in a family environment.
Your plebe will need a printer for the academic year. There are printers available at West Point for their use, but on a first-come, first-served basis. It is a huge help for your cadet to have their own printer. The Cadet Bookstore offers printers that are guaranteed to be compatible with their computers and network.
For those that are experiencing some problems with their studies, Additional Instruction (AI) is available to all cadets. Each instructor at the Academy has only one responsibility, and that is to help the students learn and succeed. They are available each day to provide special help to any cadet that schedules an appointment. They will not come to the cadet, even when they know the cadet needs help. The cadet must request this help. Encourage your cadet to avail themselves of this service as often as needed. Get help EARLY- don't wait till it is too late. Mentors have even been known to help cadets with additional instruction as well as other classmates in their company. There is always someone to help. All the cadet has to do is ask. Asking for help is not a sign of failure or weakness but helps all students succeed and builds teamwork among classmates.
Consider having your cadet purchase a small electric fan at the Cadet Store. The rooms in the barracks can get very hot during August and September.
LABOR DAY
Your cadet may be able to take a pass for Labor Day to come home. In the past, the Superintendent has granted this pass. Check with your cadet after the term begins or watch for the latest update in the August newsletter. These frequent changes in policy are another reason for joining our Parents Club and keeping in touch with the Academy through the Web sites and Nets. Just a note - your cadet will tell you very little about what is going on. You will need to have other sources of information to be informed.
It is often easier for the parents to make the flight reservations than it is for the plebes, as they have precious little time for this sort of thing. Allow at least two hours for the cadet to get from West Point to Newark, LaGuardia or Kennedy and about one hour to Stewart. Buses (from GMK Travel) run between the airports and West Point and round trip or one-way tickets need to be purchased at West Point, usually in the Red Reeder room. Sales schedules for the bus tickets will be posted. Tickets from travel agents cost the same as those purchased direct from airlines. We recommend getting acquainted with an efficient travel agent to help you get through the next four years of flight details.
Expect to see a changed person - weight loss may have occurred. Also if your cadet comes home, be ready to adjust. There will be friends to visit, places to go or just plain sleep to catch up on. Let your cadet set the gauge this time. This is their first break away from West Point and although you have a long list of questions, they may want quiet time. Also, be prepared for a "let down" feeling after seeing them off at the airport.
ALERT!! (Do this today!!)
Make hotel/motel reservations for Plebe/Parent weekend if you have not already done so (October 18 - 20, 2002 for the Class of 2006). Cadets may possibly have a 50-mile radius OPP (Off Post Privileges) that weekend.
WEST POINT PARENTS CLUB OF MICHIGAN ANNUAL TAILGATE PARTY
Each year the West Point Parents Club of Michigan sponsors a tailgate party at West Point after a home football game. This year it is scheduled for September 21, 2002, Army vs. University of Louisville. All Michigan cadets are invited along with Michigan Army personnel at West Point. This is an excellent time to visit West Point, enjoy the unique experience of an Army football game, and see your cadet and the beautiful colors of fall as the mountain is "on fire" with reds, yellows, and gold. Scheduled halfway between R-Day and Christmas leave, many find this event a must and welcome break to visit their cadet at West Point. If you plan to go, contact the Club Coordinators and lend a hand to help the Club present another successful Tailgate Party. We usually have over 40 parents from Michigan and more than 150 cadets and guests attend this exciting event. If you like full-dress parades, there is usually a parade a few hours before game time.
COLUMBUS DAY - October 14, 2002
This is a three-day weekend for the cadets since Columbus Day is a Federal holiday. If your cadet did not come home for Labor Day, this is another opportunity for them to come home or get away from West Point for a while. Remember your cadet only gets one pass the first semester as a Plebe.
THE REST OF THE 1st SEMESTER
From Labor Day on, things start to settle down. There will be emotional ups and downs along the way. Be ready to give your support and encouragement. There may be poor grades on papers or an "F" on a quiz or not doing well on a WPR (Written Partial Review). At this time, the challenges seem like mountains to the students who have never had a "C" on a paper before. By the end of the semester, they will be able to work things out and are doing well by the time finals roll around. Looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas leave and the Army/Navy Game keeps them going.
PLEBE PARENT WEEKEND - October 18 - 20, 2002 for the Class of 2006
Plebe Parent Weekend is an absolute must for all parents who can possibly make it. You will receive a booklet from West Point with all the schedules for this special weekend. Your cadet will have the opportunity to show off the Academy to family and friends. You will have the opportunity to see your cadet's room, classrooms, meet their instructors and TAC officers, their Mentor, and get the grand tour of such places as the Superintendent's Quarters, the Uniform Factory, and the Mess Hall. On Saturday night there will be a formal banquet and Ball. Tickets are required for some of these events and some require reservations. Your cadet can order these in advance so remind them to do so. Cadets usually are given Off Post Privileges - within 50 miles, during this weekend, however they must be back in the barracks each night. Be sure to come to the WPPC meeting in September 2002 to get all of the details of this fun weekend. Thousands of people come to West Point to visit their cadets. You will never be allowed to see or visit some of these facilities again. This is a once in a lifetime experience that you should not miss.
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND LEAVE- November 27 - December 1, 2002
Cadets are released at the end of their duty (after last class) on Wednesday and are due back at 7:00 PM on Sunday. This is the heaviest travel weekend of the year - get airline tickets in July for your cadet. Thanksgiving is a Superintendent's leave; he grants this leave and it is not a charged leave to the cadets. Check with your cadet before making final arrangements. Policies do change and your cadet MUST know the current policy. Transportation to airports is by bus. Cadets can purchase "round trip" bus tickets IN ADVANCE to travel to and from airports in the area of West Point. Cadets should buy these tickets early (a schedule will be posted). It is a good idea to schedule flights FROM West Point LATE in the day, and BACK to West Point EARLY in the day.
To plan for Christmas leave, ask your cadet for their final exam schedule and details regarding dismissal from duties and time for reporting back so flight arrangements can be made. Your cadet needs to call you as soon as this schedule is released, usually sometime in mid-October. Getting the exam schedule in enough time to get cheap airfare can be a problem. Historically, plebe exams are over on the day before the last exam day which is usually Thursday of exam week, but your cadet's situation may be different. Should your cadet get to the airport early and was scheduled on a later flight, they usually can be wait-listed on the next flight out and may get on the earlier flight with no trouble.
ARMY/NAVY GAME - December 7, 2002 - Meadowlands, NJ
"What counts is not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog."
-- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Army holds a 49-47-7 lead over Navy in this oldest collegiate football rivalry in the nation. The first game was played on the Plain at West Point following a challenge by Cadet Dennis Mahan Michie in 1890. The first game of the 1924 season was played in the new Michie Stadium at West Point. (Army 17 - St Louis University 0)
The West Point Parents Club of Michigan sponsors two events for this exciting week. Our annual Bus Trip that leaves early Thursday morning and arrives at West Point in time for the annual Pep Rally and Bonfire on the Plain. Following the team send-off on Friday morning, the bus trip continues to the Philadelphia area and the Army/Navy Game on Saturday. Following the great victory celebration that night, the bus returns to Michigan on Sunday. Our Club also sponsors an annual Army/Navy TV Party at a local facility for those that are unable to go on the Bus Trip. Watch for specifics in our Club Newsletter for both activities.
GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!
CHRISTMAS LEAVE- December 20, 2002 - January 5, 2003
Remember to have your son bring full dress uniform, and your daughter, dress mess, home if you and they are planning to attend the All Academy Ball over the break. Do not be suprised if your cadet is reluctant to bring their uniform home. Many of them are just tired of wearing it and want to be a civilian for a short time. However, if you are planning on going to the Ball, their uniform is mandatory.
Good Christmas gifts include CD players, CD's and money. Stereos are allowed in rooms after Christmas. Excellent buys are available to cadets at the Cadet Store for these items. The hardest farewell often comes when your plebe returns to West Point after the Christmas leave. The time spent at home was so much fun, and the freedom felt good. It is tough to go back to the regimentation and all the "gray," including the weather. This is aptly named the "gloom" period. Prepare for a readjustment period. Cadets will have new rooms and roommates for the spring semester.
THE GLOOM PERIOD
From January through March, everything at the Point is GRAY - uniforms, buildings, the mountain and the weather. However, for Michigan cadets it is fun to watch the "southern" cadets learn to walk in their first snow storm. Keep those words of encouragement coming. The first two weeks after Christmas Leave are called "Military Intercession." Cadets attend classes in military instruction and are drilled in military activities before second semester classes begin in late January. You will receive a letter requesting a donation to fund cadets' special activities. This letter will be followed up by a telephone call. You are not required to make a donation or pledge, but give special consideration if you feel you can afford to. Depending on their performance, cadets may take a 3-day leave over Presidents' weekend and come home or go skiing in New England or other off post trips. This will help to break up the Gloom Period.
RECOGNITION/PROMOTION
In past years, during the week before Spring Break, an event called Recognition occured. The upperclassmen would shake hands with the plebes and recognize them by their first names for the first time. The plebes are allowed to do the same. This was the milestone that they were now upperclassmen and they finally got all the rights and privileges that the upperclassmen have. Recognition was essentially the end of Plebe year. Last year, Recognition was replaced by a Promotion ceremony. The only difference from past years is that Plebes and upperclassmen no longer shake hands and address each other by first names but other than that it is essentially similar to past Recognitions. They now really feel a part of the Corps. One of the biggest hurdles of the four years is over. The phone call you receive the night of Promotion will give you insight into how special this was for them and the joy in their voice brings a smile to your face as well. Definitely a high point in the plebe year. You will be amazed at the change in your cadet when you see them the following week. They are now human again and have returned to the same outgoing child that you dropped off on R-Day.
SPRING BREAK March 15 - March 22, 2003
Starting with the Class of 2002, plebes are given time off along with all of the rest of the Corps for spring break. Make reservations in advance to get the best airfares and travel times. It will be a good time for you and your cadet to reflect on the experiences at West Point and relax a bit. Some cadets may even want to travel. Just be sure to have travel arrangements to have your cadet back by the necessary times.
2nd SEMESTER
After March, the weather and moods lift. Sometime in March or April, the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) will be administered. Passing this APFT annually is required. It consists of doing sit-ups, push-ups, and a timed two-mile run. This is very important to all cadets.
Make arrangements for flights for summer leave.
Keep your cadet focused. Making summer plans can be exciting, however their academics must come first.
All cadets MUST remain at West Point until after the graduation exercises have been concluded. Cadets of the Class of 2006 will probably be released between noon and 2:00 p.m. on May 31, 2003. After graduation, 20056 will be bused out to Camp Buckner (which is where CFT occurs) with their gear. They must sign out at Buckner and then proceed by bus to the airport for their summer leave.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Your cadet is joining the oldest fraternity in the U.S. with the likes of Lee, Grant, MacArthur, Eisenhower, and Schwartzkopf. This is not just a college education but the development of leaders of character to lead our Nation into the 21st century. REMEMBER, nobody at West Point wants your plebe to fail!!
You and your cadet have made it through the first year. The cadets are now on their way to being all they can be mentally, physically, and emotionally. They have withstood the test and they can be proud. You are button-popping proud of them. You are now experienced West Point Parents - we're proud of you. Take a bow.
Bring your new Yearling to the Plebe/Parent Picnic next June and help welcome the Class of 2007.
Nothing comes without sacrifice and your son/daughter will make sacrifices during their years at West Point, but the reward is overwhelming in the education they receive and in the sense of pride that can never be taken away from them. They have paid the price and when they walk out to get that diploma on graduation day in just a few short years, they will be a part of one of America's greatest traditions - they will have joined the Long Gray Line.
OTHER TIPS AND ADVICE
The cost of transportation to West Point for your cadet on R-Day will be reimbursed by the USMA, so save receipts and be sure to record mileage. Your cadet must submit forms for this reimbursement and they need the receipts. West Point will reimburse for only one night's hotel cost and they have a predetermined mileage scale. Don't expect to get these funds since they are given to the cadet and have a tendency to disappear.
Monthly paychecks will be deposited directly in your cadet's bank account. Any bounced check from this account will cause extreme anguish (demerits and discipline details) so remind your cadet to be very careful with check writing.
DO NOT send boodle until your cadet tells you when they are allowed to receive it. Even a single stick of chewing gum, in a letter, during Beast can cause extreme anguish with disciplinary actions. Usually boodle is allowed after the beginning of the academic year.
Don't worry about medical attention for your cadet. The Academy has excellent facilities in the cadet area and at Keller Hospital which is on post. Since cadets are not allowed to remain in the barracks if they cannot attend class, they may be admitted to Keller Hospital for even the flu. Don't worry, if the problem is serious, you will be notified.
If there is a family emergency, you can contact your cadet's TAC Officer. You will receive their name and phone number on R-Day. You can also call the Central Guard which is open 24 hours a day at (845) 938-3030 or (845) 938-2555.
If you are interested in ARMY athletic scores, you can call the ARMY hotline at (845) 938-ARMY. It is a long distance call but a regularly updated message will greet you. Scores are also available on the West Point Web sites.
For Plebe/Parent week, it is a nice idea to select a gift of appreciation to take for your cadet's mentor family. Perhaps a homemade item or something from Michigan would be appropriate. Also, a fruit/cookie basket from you and your cadet at Christmas time is a nice way to thank them for their special attention to your cadet.
Most cadets fly out of Newark instead of LaGuardia or Kennedy, to avoid having to go through New York City and all of its traffic. Stewart Airport in Newburgh also offers good connections usually through Pittsburgh to Michigan airports, but the flight rates tend to be a little higher and the airport is serviced by fewer airline choices.
Remind your cadet to always have his or her TAC Officer's phone number with them so they can call in the case of a delayed return.
Set a pre-arranged spot to always meet your cadet when you are visiting West Point. It seems as though something always comes up for your cadet and the set time to meet is usually long gone and still no cadet. Stay put, they will show up as soon as they can.
Check with your car insurance agent to determine if your cadet should be removed from your policy.
Be prepared for at least one letter or phone call where your cadet wants to quit. This may happen after your plebe has had some contact with a friend at another college telling him or her about all the free time and parties and lack of rules and regulations, but more likely after contact with an unfeeling upperclassman.
When the challenge arises, you may need to remind your son or daughter and yourself why they chose West Point to begin with: advantages they will have in the future, the responsibility of leading and commanding, a challenging and well-respected academic program, excellent student-teacher ratios, getting paid rather than paying tuition, etc., etc. Or even better yet, remind them of why West Point chose them: they had, and continue to have, all the necessary qualities, that same academic and athletic leadership and the raw material to build a leader for the future. Be sympathetic and flexible with them. Try to persuade your cadet to give it one more day or week. Quitting is a serious decision, there is no second chance.