Flying high, diving deep: Lessons learned, memories made, and relationships forged as a two-time military academy parent

When people learn your child earned an appointment at one of our prestigious military academies, they believe the hard part is over and the gates to a land of milk and honey have been opened. While my son's experience at the United States Naval Academy and my daughter's at the United States Air Force Academy provided plenty of highlight reel material, there was plenty of nail-biting and hand-wringing to go around. In this book, the themes of my blogs (MyKidTheMid.com and MyKidTheCadet.com) are jumping off points to explore the military academy parent experience, filled with dizzying heights and gut-wrenching anxiety. My hope is "experienced" parents will see themselves in some of the stories while incoming parents will be just a bit more prepared for that moment when their child crosses the threshold from son or daughter to officer-in-training. And parents outside the military academy experience will get a peek into a different world.

"Among his many talents, literary philosopher Karl Smith has the ability to delve into tender topics with warm wit, courage, and compassion. In this book he combines a journalist’s acute eye with a father’s heart, exploring the unexpected, raw lows of life in a military academy along with the stratospheric joys unique to the journey."
- Susan Weisberg, author of the Chester Midshipmouse series