Mamma Navy is a MYSTERY.....

[VeryProudNavyMom]

The one thing I have learned is that every sailors stories differ...LOL....there are kids still in holding from 6 months ago in Great Mistakes (as they lovingly refer to it...lol)....it is such a crazy experience....Mamma Navy is a true woman, full of mystery.....don't take it the wrong way, I LOVE what the Navy has done for our son...it is just getting a straight answer is never easy because I don't think there IS a 'straight' answer.....

But it is like an amusement park, full of ups and downs, twists and turns....lots of light, lots of dark....lol.....

So for the new Mom's sit back, put your seat belt on, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.....but ONE THING IS CONSTANT....Navy MOM'S help one another.....we talk, we help....and we ALL go through the emotional rollercoaster together.....

The OTHER CONSTANT is that our kids SO benefit from their journey...

[VeryProudNavyMom]

At least at college or school you KNOW when your gonna see them again, college, they'll be home to do their laundry....but Mamma Navy doesn't let ya know until THEY decide.....your not sure who his roomates are or what their PO's are like....or what they are eating.....if they are deployed to a war zone, which alot of my friends kids are now and one friend lost her son last year, it isn't even close to the feelings of preschool or school or college.

At least in Pre-school or 1st grade, you KNEW what they where eating and when they where coming home. So I don't compare being in any armed service the same as going to college or school, it is completely a different feeling. I remember the 1st day of preschool and that doesn't compare to the day our Son swore in and left for boot camp.

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

Must agree with you; our daughter is in college and hours away but we talk multiple times a day, emails, texting...somedays I wonder if she has even left the house. LOL ! Wish we knew when our recruit would be calling, mailing, etc but it all comes with the territory.

[Barb Pruitt]

There is alot of hurring up to wait in the navy. But they will get good training, and experience just as if they were on the outside. They also get to go to school pretty much for free, what jobs offer that on the outside. NOT ALOT. My husband is still 20 years later doing the same job he was trained for and did for 10 in the seabees.

[Stephanie]

My son says that all the time - he said it's always hurry up and wait. Yes, it is good training not only from the Navy but from the other sailors.

[Susan J]

I would have to say that I MUCH prefer my son to be in the Navy as compared to COLLEGE! The shootings on campuses, the hazing & extreme heavy drinking. I know of SO many of his mates that had to LEAVE COLLEGE, as there just isnt enough structure and support for the average student! I dont know of any college that ACTUALLY teaches them HOW to learn and study. The NAVY will do that, as they are investing so much time and money they want them ALL to succeed. Lets see, my oldest went to college and did very well, but this is a kid who felt girls were a pain in the butt, waste of time and money and got in the way of goals, until he met his goals. So HE did well, studied well and WORKED full time while going to school, paying his way by himself! NOW, his little brother is a whole different game! Girl crazy, prefered to hang with friends, loved to party..even HE knew it was best to enlist! He is amazed on how many of his friends who didnt enlist in the military have failed college and are now on dead end loser jobs here back home.
Do I hear from my son in the navy? ALL THE TIME! Do I hear from my son who lives and works here in the USA? Hardly! The last time I saw my oldest son was over a year ago, as he says he is too busy with work and life, my sailor has been home 3 times in the last year and has told me he is coming home again in 3 weeks, then AGAIN in MAY!
So which is better??????? I say the Navy!

[Susan E]

Susan J, that was a great letter. It was like you were talking about MY new Navy recruit. I too think that the Navy was a far better choice for him than college. Like you said, college didn't teach him how to learn and study and there wasn't any structure. Your son sounds just like my son..girl crazy, hanging out, loved to party..etc. My son left for boot camp 3/11/2008 and I have not heard from him as of yet. I just received his mailing address from his recuriter and I sent out 3 cards and a letter that I had written to him last week just waiting for the address. If I know one thing about my son, that would be he and I know he made the right decision about enlisting in the Navy. I know he will never have any regrets. HURRAH FOR OUR NAVY KIDS AND FOR US...PROUD NAVY MOMS!!!

[VeryProudNavyMom]

Yes, Susan, absolutley, I hear you....my son, 17 was going down the wrong path...if he had gone to college, well, that is SCARY.....I didn't even let him get his license at that time....now, well, yeah I know he drinks, he is 18....surprise...BUT I also know that he is learning and has boundries that are stronger than his own Mamma's....LOL...it has made him such a wonderful young man....he is our one and only and I was frightened by his old path, now I am looking forward to his future....and it all has to do with Mamma Navy....should ALL teenagers go to BC? hmmm.....I would think SOME parent would PAY the Navy for 8 weeks....the RDC's work hard and the result is amazing....if I could find out who his RDC's where I would like to give them the biggest hug they'd ever get....

Our lives have changed by a full 360 due to this experience and ALL for the POSITIVE......

Bravo Zulu.....Bravo Zulu.....

[Laura]

amen to this. roll with the flow. take advantage of the time we get with our sailors. cherish the moments so you can pull them out on sad rainy days. prayer helps and so does N4M thanks alot ladies you are great.

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

The Navy would probably say...no mystery at all! It's a "need to know" basis and family members are not the ones that ...need to know.

Your time as a Navy family will leave you full of pride and...questions! When will we see them again? Will they get leave? What is taking those orders so long? Where will they be stationed next? When will the ship be in again? Etc., Etc., etc.

It's all part of the lifestyle but it's a good life and those homecomings are wonderful!

[Pam]

Oh my! Mother Navy is full of surprises!
She kept my son on hold at Great Mistakes for almost 7 moths for *drum roll, please*...Acne!! He was what they call a "lifer" on recruit status. Including his time at boot, he was there 9 months.
You just never know what's up Mother Navy's sleeve, hurry up and wait in the guessing room. LOL

Anyone with THU experience, or new to it, give me a holler.
For those that don't know what THU stands for, it's Temporary Holding Unit....or
as my son and other lifers there have called it: Temporary He!! Unit. *sigh*

(for submariners you can't have acne, rashes, exsema or any skin problems, amung the other physical requirments)

[Navy for Moms Admins]

I learn something every day :) Thank you for sharing Momma Pam.

[MIMI]

did they tell you the reason? well I'm sure they told you A reason... but I wonder if they told you this one. ( I was a nurse) . Acne is staph, all the antibiotic resistant staph you have heard lately ...in football locker rooms, high school gym locker rooms, kids getting sick by the dozens, problems with football scraps and cuts healing??? It's all staph infections and in HS they finally figured out it was because the staff was being spread from towels, soap, etc. SO, because they can't watch kids all the time and stay on them, if you have acne, you have to clear it up . Can you imagine what would happen if that infection got on a sub??? It would like boot camp, everyone would be sick. So, get some proactive, go to a dermatologist, and get that acne cleared up before you go. I can't Believe recruiters don't warn parents of this . One more black mark next to the recruiter if you ask me.