My son arrrived at BC on October 27th.

[Jason's Proud Mom]

My son left for BC yesterday and arrived at GL last night. When will I get his address or recive a letter from him. He's only 18 years old and we have NEVER gone a day without speaking with each. This is tortune not knowing how he's doing. . does it get any easier???

[Arla]

I can relate to how you feel as my son left for BC yesterday as well. This is my first child in the Navy so I only know what I've read here or been told by the recruiter. We did get Charlie's 30 second phone call last night around 11:00 p.m to say he got there okay. The recruiter said he would have Charlie's address in several days and will call us with it. I don't think of my son as being a letter-writer so I hope he surprises me and I get one a week or at least every other week. My son is 18 and has been away to summer camp for a week but this is so different! I'm sure they are doing fine, but I keep wondering what he's doing (I keep picturing him doing push-ups lol). I'm anxious to get the date of the graduation! Prayers are with you and all the recruits.

[Cheryl, proud mother of PO2!! Brannon]

with todays technology, kids are not big writers anymore. I think my son wrote under the covers at night as I got letters all the time. It was a very nice surprise.
You might want to ask family and friends to send letters and cards too. My son came home from boot camp with a bag of all his mail and I kept every letter, including the envelopes!, that he sent home!!

[K]

Hi, Kathy. My son was newly 18 when he left also and he is doing GREAT! You should recieve a letter home from him within about a week or so. It will be the "Thank you for giving us your son" form letter from the Navy. On the back of the second page is a list of all the "ships" (barracks) and your recruit will probably circle his and write his name as you should address his mail. Then on the back of the second page at the very bottom are three or so lines where your recruit can write you a quick note.

After that you might recieve something once a week as they are allowed to write on Sundays and I think that is when the mail goes out. I have learned to expect ours on Thursdays but some of the moms get them as early as Wednesday.

You can start writing a daily letter now so you have some ready to go when you get the address. See my thread on "Letter Enclosures" for ideas on things to include.

It's hard but once you start to get those updates it gets better and stick with the ladies out here and they will be a great source of support!

[Cheryl, proud mother of PO2!! Brannon]

Hi Kathy,
it does get easier but when they first leave and they first leave it truly is hard. I am a single mom and raised my son single handedly. The morning he left out our front door with his recruiting officer I wanted to run out and grab him and bring him back in. his first phone call came earlier than I expected and I missed it as I was in a bowling alley with my daughter. I cried for hours. Come to find out he cleaned the floor with socks to get that phone call. My first letter said he got his wisdom teeth pulled and I was hurt no one called me to ask me if it was ok!! All that was almost 2 years ago. He is just graduating from Nuke school and will be stationed in Groton, CT. We talk and IM all the time. I miss him but am so proud of him. Definitely dont miss the graduation. I had been to my nephews 10 years before and even if you dont have a relative there, the magnitude of the event, and being an American will give you shivers and LOTS of tears.'
You will receive a packet closer to graduation with hotels etc. We stayed in (I think) a Hilton based hotel that had a little kitchen and free breakfast every day and dinner during the week, We met a lot of families in the dining room.
One mother says she got a text. My son wasnt allowed to take his phone, IPod etc. We took those things up there, along with some civilian clothes so he could just hang in the hotel room.
Wait till you see him, and all the others, in his uniform. He will be a different young man I can assure you!
Congrats and Good luck!! xox Cheryl

[Hortensia (Sergio's mom)]

Kathy, you will get a box with his belonings in about a week. Did you get the call last night? Relax..this seems to be harder on us more than our kids. BC is not so bad. They are well taking care of. My son loved the food. you will not hear from him for a while but he will be ok. The first 2-3 are a "reality check" after that they get used to and a bit easier. He is fine, he is fine young man. Congrats to you and your family, specialy to the future Sailor...

[Cindy]

Hi Kathy,Time for letter writing is set aside on Sunday's at BC.Phone calls are allowed as reward for good behavior not just for individual behavior but for the battalion.You can expect a letter every week.The first one will give you return address.Copy it down carefully!Best wishes and Welcome Aboard!
Cindy/Crypto Mom

[emily giles]

I feel your pain. My son left 9/18. It took a week to get the form letter from him with the addresses etc, then another week to get a "note". I usually get something every Friday from great Lakes. He did call last weekend. I bought the book Honor, Courage, Committment. So did a lot of us here. It interviews a division that went through boot camp at GL. It tells you through the recruits eyes what your son is doing. Get it. Its worth it. Get ready to hear not much. It hurts. Oh, write him at least 2x a week. Josh said there is nothing sadder than recruits who dont here their names called at mail call. I just mailed Halloween cards. Write as much as you can and dont worry about not hereing from him. It is harder on the younger recruits. Josh is 24 and he said he is a sort of mentor for the new guys. But get the book and WRITE! We are here for you.

[Tammy McCarty]

For some I think it does get better but for myself and my son it hasnt. We are a very close family and this has been the most difficult thing ever for us. If you dont hear from him with an address within a couple of days you can call his recruit and they can give it to you, that is what we did. Good Luck

[Felicia]

I'm a girlfriend, not a mom. But I can attest to the fact that it does get easier. When I got the box (which he sent to me and not his parents) I didn't know what to do. I jumped up and down the day I got my first letter. When I realized mail came on Thursdays, I'd stalk the mailman. Write to him often, because they love getting mail. I sent cards and letters as often as I could. Try to keep yourself busy. Days turn to weeks and soon you'll be at PIR. I'm going this Friday and I can't wait!

[Patti]

Kathy,
One great thing about Navy for Moms is that there are so many of us who can honestly say, "I know exactly how you feel". My son finished boot camp in September, and it was the longest 10 weeks of my life. He is now in A school, doing well, and calls me everyday. Please don't hesitate to write to me if you just need to talk. If I can give you any information or advice that makes it easier for you, I'll be happy to!

Patti

[Angie (Ben's Mom)]

My son also left for GL on Monday. His first call home will be to his girlfriend. That's ok. I was where she is 25 years ago. I can't wait until graduation. This is a very emotional time. The first time I blamed it on PMS, now I can blame it on menopause. LOL

[Jean Fields]

Kathy it will get better. You will receive info as it gets closer to graduation there are a lot of places to stay. Where are you from? I live in PA and took 3 of my other children with me to graduation. God will provide a way with out walking through fire. My son graduated June 13 and turned 19 on June 21st. He spent his first birthday ever alone at GL. He will be in Japan soon. It is hard being away and out of touch with them. But it gets better. Robert's mail used to come on Thursdays. We all lived for Thursdays.Good luck and God Bless
Jean