Class of 2022 - Welcome to WebGuy!
WebGuy Here!
Welcome to the WebGuy Blog! Yes, WebGuy is both a person and a program! But mostly it is a team of dedicated, hardworking photographers, editors, bloggers, and IT folks. It is hard to believe that In-Processing Day for another USAFA class is almost here. Even though BCT is still nine days away for the Class of 2022, the other 3 USAFA classes are already busy with their summer training programs like freefall parachuting, soaring, powered flight, remote piloted aircraft, and survival training. As you can see from earlier blog entries, the WebGuy team has already been busy covering all the action. Cadet families who were playing "Where's Waldo" for their basic cadet last summer are busy looking through our galleries to find that photo of their upper class cadet doing something amazing, much like you will be for yours very soon. That's why the WebGuy program covers all 4 years of a cadet's life. We are literally doing your scrapbook for you. Of course you will have to put it all together.
I have been travelling around the country during the past few weeks speaking at appointee send-off events. Hopefully, many of you may have attended one sponsored by your ALOs or local USAFA Parents Club already. If you didn't, check out our Parents Portal www.usafa.org/parents for links to all the parent clubs and other useful information for parents. It is always such a pleasure to meet the new USAFA families as well as the current and alumni parents from all around the country.
This is such a time of anticipation and also transition for new USAFA families, particularly those who have no prior military background. There are so many questions and also anxiety about the unknown. I find myself saying over and over, "You will learn everything you need to know as you go along". Actually that is one of the reasons that the WebGuy program exists. That being said, there is also a document that USAFA Admissions produces every year that I would like to strongly encourage every parent to read. It is aptly titled "The Appointee Handbook". This 45 page document will answer 99% of the questions you are asking in preparation for BCT. Did you know there is required reading for appointees in preparation for BCT? You would be surprised how many folks either don't know about this document or don't read it. Your appointee can download a copy right from their admissions portal.
While I think it is important information for parents to have, I offer a word of advice. This is your appointee's check list and information, not yours to do for them. Use it in that spirit. You might ask them if they have read it, but remember it is ultimately their responsibility and their consequence if they haven't.
I would also like to clear up some confusion about what "Joining" WebGuy means. I know that since your son or daughter accepted their academy appointment you have been inundated with information, including from the AOG. Every year once BCT is over and parents reconnect electronically with their cadet, we get requests to cancel their "WebGuy" membership. Actually you don't "join" WebGuy per se. Access to the photo galleries on the www.usafawebguy.com website is just one of the many benefits of AOG (Assn of Graduates) family plan membership. Please take a moment to click on this link https://www.usafa.org/Membership/Benefits and look at all the benefits (in addition to WebGuy) included in your membership. We have gone to great expense and effort to ensure that your $36 monthly investment in an AOG Family Plan membership contains enough genuine value to justify the expense over the full four years if you take advantage of it. AOG membership is not just about benefits received. It's more about supporting the mission of the AOG and in turn how the AOG supports cadets, grads and parents. Please take a minute to click on this link to see all the ways the AOG supports the Academy and cadets. http://www2.usafa.org/Documents/Connect/AOG-Supports.pdf Since WebGuy is not a "stand-alone" program, cancelling cancels everything including your cadet's life membership at graduation which will benefit them long after they throw their hat in the air and pin on those gold bars.
So that's it for this first blog. Lots more to come, so check back in the next couple of days for more about what to expect on USAFA I-Day!!
Doolie Summer is about to begin!
PS - For you USAFA Prep School families. You will have your own blog and photo galleries starting with Prep I-Day week starting in Mid-July, so stay tuned.