When will/ how will I have contact with my son?

[Darlynn Tracy-Oberg]

My son Kurtis left our house with his recruiting officer on December 15th. I saw him off at his swearing in on December 16th, in Boston MA~ MEPS building...thought we were going to go to Logan and have a 'last burger' together but was informed that was not OK....so we all said our goodbyes there. He has been gone for 5 days now. Shipped out to Illinois/Great Lakes for Boot Camp...How will I know how to contact him? Will there be some sort of contact made by him? Is there a place I can find an address to send him letters?
This is my first visit to this site and I am trying to load it up and read what I can, but frankly...am computer 'challenged'...LOL
Thanks for any advice...Darlynn out in Princeton MA.

[Anne R]

Welcome, You will find a wealth of support here. My son left 11/05/08 and will be graduating on 1/2/09(PIR is what it's called). You will first receive a "box" (this feels a little weird), which contains everything he was wearing when he left and anything he's not allowed to have. Few days after your box arrives you will receive a form letter from the Navy with a few handwritten lines at the bottom from your son. He may give you an address or it may arrive a few days later with his first letter(yeah). As soon as the letters come you will feel a little better. Don't worry if after you send off your first letter you get another address from him. As long as the first address has his Div # and ship # it will get to him. They are only allowed to write on Sundays and mail only goes out on Mondays. They do sneak in a letter or two when the lights are out(shhh). It will feel like an eternity until you hear from him but hang in there it get's so much easier after the first few weeks. Just write everyday or as much as you can and don't wait for his response just keep the letters coming. My son says they live for the mail. Good luck to you and your family if you have any questions contact me through my page. Happy Holidays, Anne

[Cheryl Cox]

My son left on Dec 8th. I have only received a few letters and a minute phone call to verify the graduation list attendees. Not even a phone call home during the holidays. He will graduate on Jan30th. It is tough in the beginning, but hang in there it will be over soon. I am counting down the days. Only 28 more to go and then he is off to San Antonio.

[Betsy Lamotte]

Hi - My son left on Dec. 9th and I don't have a graduation date. How did you find out. I just received two letters from him today but nothing about the graduation date. My son is also going to Texas for electrical school. Please write back. Thanks.

[Janis Kay]

Your son's recruiter will have his address by now, I think. I would pester him until he gets it. You will get "the box" as Anne told you. You will also get a form letter that sometimes has a line or two handwritten at the bottom. This was about a week after he left. Then it was about another week, when I got the first letter. Like Anne said, there were two different addresses. But as long as you have the division number and ship number, he will get it. My letters came on Wednesdays to my house. You will know very soon which day your letters come and you will stalk the mailman like we all do! A couple times, my letter got lost in the mail and I didn't get it until Friday or even Monday. Those were hard weeks for me. i did write my son almost every day. it is the only "normal" that they have. So keep your letters going, mom!!! Hang in there, boot camp is very long! But it is so much better when they are at A school. They can have their cell phones and my son now calls every day! There is light at the end of that boot camp tunnel!!!

[jules]

Janis,

Is there any significance to the ship name on their address? Or do they just use those names for different divisions?

[Janis Kay]

One address that they gave me had a ship name and another one had a ship number. Either way they get the mail. Seems odd that they would have a couple ways to write the same thing, but it seems that they do.
I always used whatever address was in the return address space on my son's letters.

[Vee, Michael's Proud Grandmother]

Janis,
My grandson told me that the ship's name on his address in boot camp is the name of the building he is in. I am traveling for 2 months and had made mailing labels for him before I left home; when I got his first letter, the address he is using is a little different than the original one his family had received. However, he is getting my mail regardless of which address I use. Before he left, he gave all of us his recruiter's business card and said we could call him with any questions. I hope this has helped. If I can be of any other help to you, please let me know. God bless you and your family and MERRY CHRISTMAS! Vee

[Cyndee Fields]

Darlynn,

My son left on Dec 16th and still no phone call, which I thought we would have gotten when he arrived in GL. Today the package arrived with all of his belongings - whew did the water works turn on when that arrived. I dug through every pocket and shoe looking for any kind of a note, there was no return address on the package and our recruiting office is closed on Monday so I can't even call them for information.

Hang in there, I understand it gets better. I suggest if you don't here from him soon - contact the recruiter.

Cyndee

[Kathy]

Cyndee,

My son also left on the 16th, I did get a phone call from him from the USO in Chicago from another recruites cell phone, to say that he was there and being treated very well and waiting on the Navy to get him and the others with him. It was a long, delayed flight for him.
I haven't heard a thing since then. I did talk to his recruiter this morning and got his address, and have mailed him a birthday card (which was yesterday). The recruiter actually gave me this site to go on.
I haven't gotten the package yet, I quess I will when I get home today. I cleaned his room out yesterday of the mess that he left behind. I am so new to this, I dont' know what I am doing

Happy holidays
Kathy

[Kim, mom of 2 sailors!]

Hi Kathy, My son Andrew left to GL on the 15th, so please know your not ALONE. I did the cleaning of room too. and cried like a big baby. I have found writing letters help. If you don't have his address, write he letters anyway and send them as soon as you do! Let us know when you hear for him, and keep your chin up, that's what I keep telling myself!!

[Joanne ( Nick's Mom )]

Hi Darlynn,
I contacted the recruiter on day 7 and he gave me Nick's address and I started to write that day. Nick left for Great Lakes on Dec.1 and the first letter I got was dated Sunday Dec.14. I did not get a phone call or a second letter yet. But I understand they get to call home on Christmas day. I hope this helps.
Joanne

[jules]

My son left the arrived at bootcamp in the wee hours Dec. 17th. Called us at 3am. We received a form letter with his address on Saturday. One line at the bottom in handwriting from son. "as I said arrived safely. time is tight I will call you when I can. I will be alright."

We already sent him a letter back.

needless to say, the last sentence had me bawlin' like a baby.