Empowering Fellow MidMoms and MidDads -Navigating the USNA Journey Together
By AN Shine in collaboration with Kathleen Rohrs To say this has been an unusually difficult year for our midshipmen would be an understatement. CoVid restrictions, virtual classes, ROM, limited contact, post office issues, loss of liberty, no spring break, limited outside food options, the list goes on and on. Our Mids, especially the plebes, …
A member of the first class of women, and the first Black female graduate of USNA, Janie is a USNA Trailblazer that demonstrates. Some years ago we had the privilege of meeting a dynamic USNA alumna that unknowingly at the time, would be a great inspiration to our then second Mid as well as to …
It has been a difficult spring for Mids on the Yard. ROM and a tough message from leadership has been rough on morale. But vaccines are making the rounds and sunshiny days are sure to arrive as spring moves in and Athletic activities return to the Yard. Here are some things to consider. As I …
Continue reading "Hoping for Sunshine, Sea Trials, and Herndon"
For Firstie Parents - waiting to hear what the final decision will be about Commissioning it is disconcerting. Trust me - I know! Our now ENS was in the Class of 2020: the first class to ever have the distinction of having commissioned virtually. Waiting was the hardest part. Accepting the decision was the next …
Continue reading "Commissioning Possibilities in a Year of Uncertainty"
What? ROM. Again…? Frustration, isolation, added difficulty, and lack of communication are just some words that come to mind. To say that this year has been difficult is an understatement, especially for USNA parents and their Midshipmen at N*ot College, as well as military parents in general. As I discuss in my book A USNA …
The Dark Ages... what are they exactly? Yes, it is an actual historical period after the fall of the Roman Empire, but closer to home at the Naval Academy, the Dark Ages are the dark, overcast, cold, and dreary days of winter after Christmas and before spring. The sun hides for days, maybe weeks at …
Continue reading "For Mids, the Dark Ages are not Just History"
Ship Selection... it's like a combination of the NFL draft, the Oscars, and The Price is Right rolled into one awesome event! CoVid has families watching virtually, but it is exciting nonetheless. Firsties that have been assigned to the Surface Warfare community will choose their ships and their life for the foreseeable future, and this …
I remembers not too long ago preparing for my children to return to the Yard and as their leave was ending, being awash in nostalgia. My husband and I often counsel other US Naval Academy parents about what to expect at certain times, and beginning on I-Day or any time after spending time with family …
Some thoughts as Mids begin to travel home. Time. It is precious. It is non-renewable. It is fleeting. It is a gift. If anything, this year has reminded me that time with family, whenever and how ever it comes, is a priority and a blessing. And I am so happy for all of our USNA …
Service Assignments are this Thursday for Firsties so I thought I would share a brief excerpt from my book, A USNA Mom's Journal, on Service Assignments from the Firstie Year / Commissioning Chapter:"As Firstie year kicks off, one of the first things that Firsties have to do after reform is to make their service selections. …
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