When my son/daughter first spoke about joining the service I…

[Navy for Moms Admin]

Story Time anyone?
I know when you first join N4M’s one of our standard Q’s is: When my son/daughter first spoke about joining the service I…

And then usually there are the standard answers like:
Was concerned or afraid, Was confused, Needed to learn more about it, Was proud, Was relieved, Encouraged him/her, Said “No way!”

But I'm starting this thread- because I wanted to hear the stories and memories behind these standard answers! Things like: How did they bring it up to you? What was the reasoning? I see your responses to this question and I think things like "I wonder why they were confused. Or if they said “no way” how did still end up joining?" Heh. Plus, I think every mom on here has an interesting story to tell.
So (pretty please) take us back to that moment…

[Dawna]

My son has talked about the Navy since he was a little kid, sitting on my father-in-law's lap looking at the tattoos he got while he was in the Navy on a sub tender in the South Pacific during WWII. School was never his cup of tea, and my husband and I always talked about the military. My grandpa was Navy in the South Pacific in WWII, my dad was Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, my uncle was Coast Guard and my husband and I were both Air Force. When he found out that my step-dad was Marine Corp during Viet Nam, he considered the Corps. Thank you God he changed his mind! I think that my son because of our family history has a very strong sense of patriotism, and ultimately that is what drove him to enlist.

[sandy dossey]

The reason my son Stephen joined 8 years ago was simply due to the money issue. He worked out a budget and figured that the Navy was one of the only jobs that would pay an 18 year old right out of high school the kinda money he needed to live on. We are very thankful that it has turned out well for him and he has enjoyed it so far,

[Angelika]

I had for years talked about when he grows up it would be good for him to join the service. I had always thought it would teach him a lot. He had always replied "that's not for me mom". So when he started talking about it this last Spring I was really taken of guard. I thought he was doing it just to get the money for college. But he was saying yes that was the reason in the beginning to talk the dif. recruiters from all branches. He decided on the Navy. He thought the Navy would suit him and what he would like to do the best. It offered a lot he thought. He's still at boot camp. In 6 days he will graduate. Yeah!! The one long phone call that we had and all the letters from him he is sure that it was the right thing for him to do and cant wait to graduate and get started in his new life. I'm very proud of him.

[politelytwisted]

I'm an Army brat and a Navy veteran. I served eight years around Desert Storm. My husband is retired Navy. When my one and only son stated at 13 that he wanted to join the Navy (Special Forces) we were not surprised, but doubtful. I imagine it's much like your child stating they want to be the President or an astronaut. "That's nice dear." we said out loud but secretly had our doubts he would stick to any commitment. To our amazement, he proved true to his goal over the next five years, training himself in everything he could to prepare himself. He excelled in the martial arts and when all his high school classmates were getting their drivers liscenses, he was running to school every day with his overloaded backpack (you know the one ladies, full of 50 pounds of books, ipod, cd's etc.) and ankle weights. Everyone, including his classmates all thought he was a bit tetched in the head and then finally graduation was here. He came to his father and I with the paperwork to sign because he was only 17 and what choice did I really have? To hold him back til he was 18 and resented me for it? I signed them believing the recruiter who told us we would have him for the summer at least. Being ex military, I should have known better because he left less than 2 weeks later. My baby, my only child, into the military in the worst political climate I could have imagined. I cried every day and then boot camp was over and off he went onto the next phase of his training. He called not long ago, still getting through yet another phase of his training and thanked his father and I for raising him so well, sounding so mature, admitting we were right about so many things I'm still gobsmacked with shock. "Who is this?" I said, "and what have you done with my son?" while wiping away tears of pride. I'm still waiting for the aliens to return my turkey. He didn't make it through training for the special forces. Physically able the instructors said, mentally... maybe bit off too much, too young. He's ok with that. He's an Aviation Rescue Swimmer now. Think Ashton Kutcher in The Guardian, with hopes of going back in a few years to BUDS. I'm so proud of him and the choices he has made and the Navy for completing the job of making him the young man he has become. Like so many proud military moms...wish the military would slap some of those recruiters around tho. Ever hear the term "full disclosure". Some of the turkeys friends joined the military as well and ohhh the horror stories of promises made. Some of these recruiters should be ashamed of themselves. My sailor is on his way tho.

[judy]

Hi everyone! About 3 months before my daughter graduated high school (not to mention looking at colleges, applying for scholarships ans mapping out her future) she came home from school one day and said she had decided to join the Navy. Talk about shocked, I know I was speechless! She said "I know that there is more to life out there momma and I want a piece of it." I want to experience "things" and meet new people. I want to be able to pay for my college when I decide to go, and until then I want to be able to tell my kids and grandkids stories of my adventures.
She was an A\B student, had scholarships and had already started the process of registering in college. She showed me then that she had grown up and was ready to take on the world

[WV Mom of 2 Sailors]

I wanted my youngest one to go to college but he said that he wasnt ready for college. He kept telling me that the recruiter wanted to talk to me. I told him "no way, if your doing this, your doing it on your own." He finally came home and said fine, i'm going marines. Well, i changed my tune and said fine "bring that stupid recruiter home so i can talk to him." Well, my son went to meps the next day. The recruiter only lives 6 miles from us and has came to be part of the family. After getting James signed up and in the Dep program, i was having trouble with my oldest son so i asked the recruiter to work with him and get him in the Navy. He worked with my son and inspired him to lose 50 lbs and now he is in bootcamp ready to pir on 12/5. My youngest has already been through pir and is in Va. Even though i didnt want them to go, it was the best thing both of them could have ever done.

[Johnna,Lynettes Mom]

My daughter had her mind made up to join the Navy when she was a freshman in high school, so it was no surprise, didnt make it any easier watching her leave for bootcamp though.

[Becky]

My daughter is a freshmen in high school and has also made up her mind this is what she wants. I am proud and worried all at the same time. This is a child who really is a mommys girl and is independant to a point but hasn't been away from me for more than a couple of weeks. I worry most that she will miss us and not be able to cope.... But of course i'm a mom. I am excited for her and encourage her at all times. But i'm also honest and want to make sure she knows what she is getting into. I know my heart will break when she leaves for boot camp but at the same time, i know she is starting her own life and must make her own choices.

[Barb K.]

Becky,
My son has been in the Navy almost 2 years now. He is my only child, but has a step brother and two step sisters, who do not live at home. He has always been very independent, and had a great core group of friends, but I too was worried about when he left home for BC. His dad died when he was 5 and it had been he and I together for 10 years. When he was 15 I married his step dad and the change was tough on him. He made the decision to go in the Navy on his own and we were a little surprised when he did make this choice, but very proud of him. He had a very hard time in boot camp and it was very hard on me too. But I am so proud of him and the choices he has made in his life, and whether he stays in the Navy for a career or for his 5 year hitch, he will be a better man because of it. The Navy is a great choice for our sons and daughters, and no matter how much heartbreak we moms go through, the pride far outweighs the pain!! Good luck to you and your daughter.

Barb K.

[Becky]

does the navy have a delayed entry program so that juniors can attend bootcamp in the summer, then finish their senior year before going active?

[Kim Vinal]

We always told our boys growing up that they needed a plan for when they finished high school: either college or a job or the military. My husband (a fabulous stepdad to my two sons) was in the Marine Corp. and told them that they should consider either the Navy or Air Force over the Army or Marines for a variety of reasons. As Stephen progressed through high school, he didn't seem to really have a strong direction. He talked about this or that, but nothing that he felt passionate about. Navy recruiters had come to his campus and he talked with them. That evening when I got home from work, Stephen followed me into my bedroom to tell me that he had been talking with some recruiters and wanted me to talk with them, too. I said I was willing to do that and he said they were in the living room NOW waiting for me!! Talk about surprise! So we talked a bit and Stephen started their testing. He scored so high on his ASVAB that they sort of targeted him, started meeting him at school, coming to the house, calling him. He was feeling a little harrassed and asked me to run some interference for him. Finally, he got completely fed up and said that he would not go into the Navy. He felt so pressured to make a decision before he was really ready. I was very disappointed because after all our conversations, I felt this would be the best choice for him. We talked about his decision to stop the process and he was firm, so we backed off.

After he finished high school, he had a local job and was going to a junior college, doing well and enjoying it, so we left things be. After one semester of school, he decided that he wanted to go live with his dad and continue going to school there. Things were going along quite nicely for him and out of the blue he called to tell us that he had enlisted. Not that he was thinking about it again, but that he had signed the paperwork and everything. It was a done deal.

Since we had pretty much gone through things with him the first time around, he knew what to expect and what to do, so we felt alright with this "sudden" decision. He had a list of reasons why he decided to do this and we were pleased and proud that he was thinking about his future and how to get where he wanted to be in life.

He has been in for nearly 18 mos. and loves it. Except for Basic Training, which he hated. He says it's the best thing he ever did and the only part that is bad is being separated from friends and family. We try to keep in touch with him as much as possible and are going to see him in a couple weeks. He's been in school for a long time and is very excited that he'll finally be joining his ship in January, looking forward to more knew and exciting adventures.

[sharon mcanally]

When my son graduated high school, I told him he needed to get a job...... came home from work one day and my son informed he had a job I thought maybe burger king a local factory, NO, I ve joined the navy mom, No you didnt, yes I did No you didnt, yes I did I leave in august. HE DID and I couldnt be more proud of him