Hi Angie - I never heard from you before you left to go to Chicago. How did everything go? Was your son able to have some leave after graduating or did he go straight to A School? Hope everything went great for you and your family.
Angie, Have you joined the Rescue Swimmers Group yet? We all have sons that are Rescue Swimmers, and if your son is going Search and Rescue (SAR), then he will be going throught that training as well!! Thought you mights like to join us!! My son is currently in FRAC training in San Diego. Please let us know if there are questions we can answer!! My son graduated BC with only 6 divisions too...it was so awesome to not have to search through 800 sailors for him!!! PIR is soooo fun!!! Take lots of pics, and share them with us when you return!!! Another tip....when you get that "Battlestaions Call" this week, ask him where he is standing in graduation ceremonies (what row...does anyone around him wear glasses, etc......). He will know...they have been practicing all week!!! LOL!!! My son said "MOM!!! When you get there, sit at the very TOP by the orange triagle flag.....I will be right in front of you in the 3rd row......" I think he did that more so that HE could find US immediately LOL but it worked AWESOME!!!! Best of luck, have fun, and BUNDLE UP!!!! IT"S FREEZING THERE!!! ;0)
Hi Angie - ol darn....we are leaving for Las Vegas/Grand Canyon Thursday morning for 4-days - a mini trip (anniversary celebration) - We'll be back on Monday - so any time after that is just fine - feel free to pick another day that's good for you. Other than a party I'm planning for on the 19th, I should be home each evening next week. Just let me know okay?
Hi Angie - oh wow - it's getting close! I'm nervous for you!! Take plenty of TUMS and Kleenex - I was just a shakey mess! :) ha......Glad you at least got the reservation for a place to stay. Okay - lots of details.....It is SO tight security it will take you a LONG time to have your car searched. It was recommended for us to take the shuttle from the shuttle which worked out perfectly! We did that the second boot camp graduation (we were PROS the 2nd time around) - otherwise, you will need to get there EARLY - it can take 30 - 45mins to get the car searched. You will get a drive on pass but the traffic will be hectic - you'll be doing a lot of driving back and forth....if you would like - we can meet and I can go over what we learned etc....and/or I can phone - or feel free to phone me at home - 517.278.3047
Hi Angie,
My guess is that the kids can get really, really run down while at boot camp. I know that pneumonia is not at all uncommon, and plenty of kids end up hospitalized as a result. So far, Zach hasn't mentioned anything health-wise other than an injured ankle. But their immune systems have to be shot to heck with all the shots, closes quarters living and lack of sleep and stress. It's really nice that they will be coming home for Christmas and have time to take a break before they have to start in for A school. I wouldn't worry much about bringing extra guests to the PIR. There are only 6 DIV's graduating, and they routinely have 12, so there will be far fewer people attending. I think they just make the extra guests wait until all those on the list are seated first. Sure hope the weather cooperates for us for the drive to Chicago. This is the snowiest December I can remember in years!
Hi Angie,
No, I didn't get a phone call on Thanksgiving either. My cell phone, on vibrate AND sound, never left my back pocket! But today is my usual letter day, so I'm really hoping to hear something. Last week's letter was really upbeat, and I hope things are still going well. We have reservations at the SpringHill Suites. I made them when we thought we'd be there for 3 nights and we figured a little extra space would be nice, but now it looks like we'll turn around and drive home after we see Zach off at the airport. Oh well, it will still be nice to have some room to spread out! Our two daughters will be coming the PIR with us. They wouldn't miss their brother for the world! It's amazing how this separation seems to have brought them all closer. I love it!
hi i read on of your comments from graduation an my boyfriend a well is in div035 on ship 07 an he will graduate on the 19th will i hope you have a great time happy holidays
Angie - we LOVED the Residence Inn- Waukegan (847-689-9240) - we felt right at home there. They have lots of room choices. We always stayed in the mini suites as we wanted it to feel more of a home for when our boys "tried to relax" over that weekend - rather than a hotel room. On Thursday and Friday nights I believe - it is only $79 or so and includes an awesome breakfast. If you know what weekend he'll be graduating - PHONE NOW!! There are literally hundreds of sailors graduating every Friday. Be sure and tell them it's for a Navy graduation - as the rate above is discounted. Let me know if you need maps/clarification/tips etc....- it was so nerve wracking the first time we did it (with the first twin) the second graduation - one month later was a piece of cake - we laughed saying there were a bunch of "noobs" around us - and we were joking we were all that! ha... :) much more relaxed the 2nd time.
Angie, sorry I didn't reply sooner. I was at a conference in Orlando for work. It just broke my heart to see sunshine and palm trees (ha ha ha.) Then I come back and we get 8 inches of snow. I just love Michigan weather. So I am now and playing catch up. Jan and Joe still live in the same place. Janelle met a guy and is moving to the U.P. sometime after the first of the year. We haven't met him yet but Jan, Jessie and Jackie all had nice things to say about him.
So what is your son going to be doing? From the comments it sounds like whatever he signed on to do got changed. That happened with our son too. He signed on to be a Machinist's Mate but ended up a Master at Arms. I think for Patrick it turned out to be a better opportunity and will give him better skills for a job when his enlistment is up.
Search and Rescure...I wonder if that's with the helicopters etc....seems like I have heard of it - sounds fun I would say. Seems like one of the recruiters we knew did that. I think the Navy was really short on Corpsman and so there was a huge push, but not now - so maybe that's why it was changed for your son.
Oh I'm sorry - the OH was "Oh, wow...." not Ohio - my boys are both in JAPAN! :) ha....Ohio would be AWESOME right about now though! But that's okay - I am slowly but surely getting used to this Navy life. No, we won't be seeing them for the holidays. I haven't been with the State for too long, so am not able to just pick up and go otherwise we were wanting to go over to Japan next month. With deployments coming up I just am concerned it will be more and more difficult to see both on the same trip - so we'll see. Well yes, feel free to stop by and visit - that would be great. Do you have a hotel room booked for the Great Lakes graduation - are you all set with all that? Since our boys went to A - School there, we were back and forth from start to finish for about 8 months - so we can't tell you how many times we were in Chicago! Crazy....So that's where we were spoilt - seeing them so much.
Hi Angie - thanks for the note...yes, I did realize there are two Lisas'! Wow - you live in Union City? That's just pretty much down the road from us! We live Just soung of Union City Rd (considered in Girard). So your son is half way through boot camp - boy - that's awesome! Those were "challenging" days - that's for sure. I have twins and had to go through it - what seemed like forever! My boys went in one month apart - as they didn't want to be picked on or played against each other - but it was still tough. What is your son going to do? My boys are both Corpsman - both over in Okinawa. OH - I work for the State...I'm a manager for the Secretary of State. currently, I'm working out of the Coldwater branch.
OMG, I've got to get on the phone after this response . I am Anne, Joe and Teresa's big sister. Anne's youngest son, Alex, joined the Marines and left in October about the same time as Ben. If you knew Steve (between Joe and Sue) his son, Paul joined the Marines in May and will be leaving for Japan soon. He is a cook. Sue who is a year older than Anne has a son Josh who is in the New York National Guard he has had 2 short tours to Iraq and just returned in August. Mary is my cousin. Did you know she got married about a year and a half ago?
So, from the discussion below I know you have gotten your first call from Ben. I know the relief to hear their voice and know they got there safe. I cried a lot when Patrick left. You feel so helpless. BC is hard because you don't have much contact but it does get better. It's hard being a Mom and letting go. The hardest thing is not having contact whenever you want while he is in BC. It does get better thorugh. When Patrick was in BC I think we got 3 phone calls (one on Thanksgiving) but we got a letter just about every other week. We didn't know he could write so legibly. I think we learned more from his letters than from when we talked when he was home. When he went to A-school we talked every week, so it does get better. So do you know what job Ben is going to do? Where his A-school will be? Are you going to his PIR? You have to go if you can. It is such a beautiful and touching ceremony and you feel so proud when you are sitting in the stands waiting to get that first glimpse of your son in his uniform. Hang in there it does get easier.
Hey. Angie I left a comment for you on Navy 'Nurse" Mom's. I just wanted to let you know that as our kids leave home we need to follow our dreams. I will have kids in my home for many more years, I am tired of going know where so as long as I am taking at least one class I am moving toward my goal. You can do it also.
btw... Mikael (my son) is in DIV 034 ship 7 PIR 12/19. He arrived at BC on 10/28.
Wow, Angie what a small world. Patrick was born in '84. My family has lived in the area all my life, we had the grape farm on Q Avenue in Texas Corners. If you graduated from Mattawan in '83 did you know any of the Dragicevich's (my maiden name) or Steven's? Little Mattawan has changed a lot since '83. When was the last time you were back?
No, Patrick will not be home until next August or September, thanks for asking. He is able to call us almost every week so we get to hear his voice and get a read on how he is doing. Patrick left for BC October 29, 2007 and graduated December 21. He was grad and go and we were lucky enough to have him home for Christmas and New Years last year. He was told to enjoy it because he may not be home for the holidays for a long time. Knowing he probably would not be home for a long time I made all his favorite foods and made the holidays as special as possible. After his A school we were lucky enough to have him home for 10 days in April because the detachment he was assigned to was going to the U.A.E. for a year. We considered that bonus time. He did more training after the April leave and didn't leave for the U.A.E. until August. So now I am counting the months until we are able to see him again.
From the posts it sounds like you will be as lucky as we were and Ben will be home for the holidays. What job is Ben going into in the Navy? Does he know where his A shool will be? What a growing experience the Navy is for both the recruit and family.
Hi Angie. Thanks for responding. Yes, stress & depression have been a daily way of life for me about the past 10 weeks. But thanks to a doctor who decided I needed help, I now have some nice little capsules that are helping me cope. Winston is going to Charleston for the Nuclear Engineering school (more commonly called the Nuke school). Jeanne's son Zach is going there, too. Pensacola ... isn't that an aviation school? And yes, Winston's hair is classified as red ... really more auburn, but it gets much brighter in the summer. It looks like Ben has red hair, too. And it looks like they have similar complexions ... fair with LOTS of freckles! I'm glad he'll get to be home for Christmas. I won't get to see him except for a few days, but at least he'll be there. We have some family traditions that I know he's be glad he won't miss. Anyway, thanks again for responding. Since you're a nurse, if I need some medical questions answered, do you mind if I ask you? My dad's onocology office leaves a lot to be desired. Thanks again. Lin
Thank you so much. I'm so glad also. I feel bad for the mom's who will just get to see them that day and then they are out to A-school. Given us these two weeks makes it easier to handle.
Hi Angie, hang in there. I'm glad you got to talk to Ben even if it was just for a couple of minutes. My first phone call from my son was rough also. I think it really hits us and our sailors hard during that first phone call. They aren't feeling too sure of themselves and we just hate not being able to do anything for them. But soon you will notice that confidence in his letters or phone call and feel much better. He's about to the point where he will get busy and start learning all the "cool stuff".
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Angie (Ben's Mom)'s Comments
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My guess is that the kids can get really, really run down while at boot camp. I know that pneumonia is not at all uncommon, and plenty of kids end up hospitalized as a result. So far, Zach hasn't mentioned anything health-wise other than an injured ankle. But their immune systems have to be shot to heck with all the shots, closes quarters living and lack of sleep and stress. It's really nice that they will be coming home for Christmas and have time to take a break before they have to start in for A school. I wouldn't worry much about bringing extra guests to the PIR. There are only 6 DIV's graduating, and they routinely have 12, so there will be far fewer people attending. I think they just make the extra guests wait until all those on the list are seated first. Sure hope the weather cooperates for us for the drive to Chicago. This is the snowiest December I can remember in years!
No, I didn't get a phone call on Thanksgiving either. My cell phone, on vibrate AND sound, never left my back pocket! But today is my usual letter day, so I'm really hoping to hear something. Last week's letter was really upbeat, and I hope things are still going well. We have reservations at the SpringHill Suites. I made them when we thought we'd be there for 3 nights and we figured a little extra space would be nice, but now it looks like we'll turn around and drive home after we see Zach off at the airport. Oh well, it will still be nice to have some room to spread out! Our two daughters will be coming the PIR with us. They wouldn't miss their brother for the world! It's amazing how this separation seems to have brought them all closer. I love it!
Yup, we're planning on going and so is Karen from RO as well. I can't believe it's only 3 weeks away. Yippee!!
So what is your son going to be doing? From the comments it sounds like whatever he signed on to do got changed. That happened with our son too. He signed on to be a Machinist's Mate but ended up a Master at Arms. I think for Patrick it turned out to be a better opportunity and will give him better skills for a job when his enlistment is up.
the navy has really taken a toll on me lately. it sucks.
but thanks for the comment, it was a nice pick me up.
So, from the discussion below I know you have gotten your first call from Ben. I know the relief to hear their voice and know they got there safe. I cried a lot when Patrick left. You feel so helpless. BC is hard because you don't have much contact but it does get better. It's hard being a Mom and letting go. The hardest thing is not having contact whenever you want while he is in BC. It does get better thorugh. When Patrick was in BC I think we got 3 phone calls (one on Thanksgiving) but we got a letter just about every other week. We didn't know he could write so legibly. I think we learned more from his letters than from when we talked when he was home. When he went to A-school we talked every week, so it does get better. So do you know what job Ben is going to do? Where his A-school will be? Are you going to his PIR? You have to go if you can. It is such a beautiful and touching ceremony and you feel so proud when you are sitting in the stands waiting to get that first glimpse of your son in his uniform. Hang in there it does get easier.
btw... Mikael (my son) is in DIV 034 ship 7 PIR 12/19. He arrived at BC on 10/28.
No, Patrick will not be home until next August or September, thanks for asking. He is able to call us almost every week so we get to hear his voice and get a read on how he is doing. Patrick left for BC October 29, 2007 and graduated December 21. He was grad and go and we were lucky enough to have him home for Christmas and New Years last year. He was told to enjoy it because he may not be home for the holidays for a long time. Knowing he probably would not be home for a long time I made all his favorite foods and made the holidays as special as possible. After his A school we were lucky enough to have him home for 10 days in April because the detachment he was assigned to was going to the U.A.E. for a year. We considered that bonus time. He did more training after the April leave and didn't leave for the U.A.E. until August. So now I am counting the months until we are able to see him again.
From the posts it sounds like you will be as lucky as we were and Ben will be home for the holidays. What job is Ben going into in the Navy? Does he know where his A shool will be? What a growing experience the Navy is for both the recruit and family.
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