All of our military academies, USAFA included, are built on traditions. Pick out an element of the uniform and there will be a story behind it. There's a reason they march the way they do. The names on the buildings, the statues, they all mean something. That being said, things do change. Over the course … Continue reading Another evolution for the military academies

So last week I wrote about how all Spring Breaks are not created equal. Today I'm introducing a corollary - all goodbyes are not created equal. For me, the Spring Break thing was all about handling Facebook posts from other parents. Some cadets will have rousing adventures with their families, some will come home and … Continue reading Corollary: All goodbyes are not created equal

Although sometimes punctuated with unexpected curveballs, there's a certain comfortable rhythm to life as an Academy parent. I day comes, BCT happens, cadets head off to summer trainings, the school year begins, etc. And so on the heels of Recognition, we arrive at Spring Break. With it comes the regular flood of Facebook messages - … Continue reading All Spring Breaks are not created equal

One thing I've observed as a military academy parent is steady, relentless cycles of time. I Day arrives and BCT happens, leading to A Day. For each class, it's all brand new. But to the institution and those familiar with it, it's just part of the endless cycle. And so it goes for the USAFA … Continue reading You betta Recognize

After five-plus years as a military academy parent, I realize I have learned a number of important lessons. A few came easily, some can painfully, many came from the wisdom of those who had come before me, most all of them would have been more valuable if I had known learned them earlier. At the … Continue reading Phone calls: Just a moment in time.

So last week, I wrote about how a lot of your friends and family don't really understand the experience you and your child are having through the Air Force Academy. And that's OK. Here's something else they may not understand, you're growing interest in world and geopolitical events. Recent events have shed light on something … Continue reading Add Ukraine to the list of things some people won’t understand

There's a delicate balance we must strike as a military academy parent. On one hand, our immense pride often makes it difficult to avoid bombarding people - friends and strangers alike - about our amazing kids and their incredible journey. To one degree or another, we want to share our excitement, but let's face it, … Continue reading It’s OK if they don’t understand

Like most Air Force Academy cadets, my daughter participated in athletics in high school. As a gymnast, she spent countless hours in the gym honing her skills across the four events, working on flexibility, and doing conditioning work. We crisscrossed New Jersey from meet to meet, sometimes leaving with a handful of medals and wearing … Continue reading Doing the dirty work to get to Recognition

So I'm the parent of a Doolie, the new kids on the block. But I should probably have an asterisk next to my name. Having had a son who graduated from the Naval Academy, I'm not exactly a rookie to the experience. There's plenty I don't understand about USAFA - its traditions, etc. - but … Continue reading The Road to Recognition: Déjà vu all over again

I continue to be intrigued by the differences in the experience of having my son at the Naval Academy (he commissioned in 2020) and my daughter at the Air Force Academy as a Doolie. My son was rocked by his I Day experience - and to be honest, so was the rest of the family … Continue reading Finding quick, simple ways to brighten their days