General Tips (many sources)

2. General Tips (many sources) • BE EARLY! • SCHEDULE/AGENDA/BOOKLET • DO NOT OVER SCHEDULE • DRESS CODE • PHOTOS, PHOTOS, PHOTOS • LIMITED MOBILITY/HANDICAP ADVICE • HELP YOUR CADET MOVE OUT • BE PREPARED FOR ALL SORTS OF WEATHER

3. Be Early • Early meant 1-2 hours before • 100s of cars headed to the same place as you • Don’t try to herd your group • Some suggested bringing picnic-type food for a tail-gate of sorts

4. SCHEDULE/AGENDA/BOOKLET • Provide an agenda/packet of info/letter to include—and send ahead of time to give them ideas on what to pack, where to go, etc. • The military waits for no one! (you know it but your friends & relatives don’t!) • Use technology……try setting up group text lists to send out reminders ahead of time. Send out schedule, weather, etc updates. • In 2011, Secretary of the Air ForceCommencement Speaker

5. SCHEDULE/AGENDA/BOOKLET • Give good directions and a list of phone numbers of people and places • Do this stuff ahead of time. • They are responsible for getting themselves there, and the Grad days are ALL and ONLY about the cadet.

6. Graduation HighlightsGeneral Schedule SundayBaccalaureate Services & Class Families’ ReceptionCadet Orchestra Concert MondayOrganizational Awards Parade Thunderbirds Practice Show TuesdayAirmanship Demonstration Graduation Parade Commissioning Ceremonies WednesdayGraduation Ceremony (followed by Thunderbirds Demonstration)

7. Class of 2011 25 May 2011

8. Herding Cats • Simple RSVP form • Mary provided a “Welcome Bag” with: • Weather Preparation Stuff • Provide Chamber of Commerce info • Cheap rain pancho (very useful) • Water • Maps/Schedule • Granola bars • Chapstick • Sunscreen • Hat/Visor • Picture of Sam Don’t Use Navy Planes ! Don’t Use Navy Planes !

9. Provide Maps

10. SUNDAY • Bring your own camera to the Carlton house for photos. • Do read the bios on the top brass people from the USAFA website, as they will be there to meet and greet. • Sunday and Monday nights are the best nights to party and get together as a family group

11. MONDAY • Attend the Monday Graduation Parade Practice for the Tuesday Parade…this way you know where to sit the next day. • Or play golf at the Eisenhower Golf Course (great course). 1st degrees can make reservations ahead of everyone else. (719) 333-2606 • Thunderbirds practice most of the day.

12. TUESDAY • Plan to look for the little white flags on the Parade Field which will mark where the squadron firsties are to stand when they break away from the Cadet Wing in their last parade. Then sit in that section about 6-8 rows up so you can have a good look at the • Parade and better photos of your cadet. • Plan to arrange to meet your cadet after any ceremony Bring lots of water with you

13. Wednesday • Be sure to get photos of your cadet BEFORE Graduation, as afterwards, they will no longer have their white hats and they start peeling off their uniforms • Some picnic with friends at FamCamp • Post tailgate Have Fun, You’ll never feel prouder!!

14. Dress Code • Dress comfortably and appropriately. Plan layers of clothing and plan for cold, hot, and rain. Good, broken-in walking shoes. Casual clothes (polo shirts and slacks) for most things. Nice dress for the Baccalaureate and your best dress for the Graduation Banquet, • Ball and Commissioning ceremonies. Hats, brims and sunscreen are a must. • At the Graduation reception, long dresses for women, and suites or tuxes for men, mess dress for the military

15. Dress requirements….provide a schedule with reminders of what to wear Example….. Sunday • 11 AM - Baccalaureate Services at the Cadet Chapel • 3:00 PM – Class of 2010 – Families & friends – Carlton House Dress- suit/dress/coat & tie Monday May 24, 2010 • Sam will be providing tours of USAFA…meet at the Visitor’s Center …….bring your best walking shoes & plenty of waterwalkingshoes & plenty of water Tuesday May 25, 2010 • 10:00 AM -noon- Air Force Academy Graduation Parade (hint, you’ll have to • leave your hotel by 8 AM, if you’re in the Colorado Springs area) GET THERE • EARLY or you WILL NOT GET A SEAT. Plus there are pre-parade events you will want to see • Sam’s Commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant into the U.S. Air Force at the Carlton house (map included) - Dress- suit/dress/coat & tie

16. LIMITED MOBILITY/HANDICAP ADVICE • Get your cadet to get a handicapped USAFA parking permit. • Make sure your person brings the state-issued Handicap parking pass—even bring the license plate if you can’t find the pass! • Handicap shuttles available on all the days except Graduation. • Reoccurring theme: Assign someone to help take care of this person.

17. Moving Out • Make sure your cadet is packed and ready to sign out right after Graduation. • Cadets can’t start too soon on this. Some people had cadets bring some stuff to the hotel every night • Weigh car at certified Public DOT scale • Clearing your property from your dorms • Your personal responsibilities concerning property shipments now & once you depart USAFA

18. Certified Public Scales(can’t use the DOT ones)

19. Moving Out Types of Moves. • Government contracted move: • The government pays a commercial carrier to pack, pick-up and move your property from origin to destination and unload and unpack at destination. • Personally Procured Move (PPM). • You move the property yourself, obtain weight tickets and get paid 95% of the government’s constructive cost to perform the move. With this option you have the potential to earn money in return for saving DoD money.

20. Moving Out • Dorm pack out days assigned based on duty station destination • The packing line opens at 0700 and closes promptly at 1530, the sooner you get in line the sooner you will be packed-out

21. RESOURCES • Compilation from other MN families • http://www.usafa.edu/superintendent/graduation/index.cfm?catname=graduation

22. Happy Mom