My Son is leaving for Boot Camp Nov 18th...anyone else?

[Grasshopper]

After my son joining the DEP program last December the day is almost here. He is scheduled to leave for BC on November 18th. He is the youngest of three boys for me and this is going to be so hard not having contact with him for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Looking for other Moms out there for support!!!

[Barbara-Sailor Brandon's Mom]

I'm with you. My son left November 18 as well. I'm can't stop thinking about him and praying that everything will be ok. I dread not having him home for Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. I hope that they'll let him call. He is my youngest child also. I hope that we'll hear from them sooner than we expect.

[Dixie Lee-Jared's Mom]

Hello,
My son left yesterday (Nov 19th) for BC. I would love the support as well. Pls contact me.

[Grasshopper]

How are you holding up? Today was much better for me than yesterday. I also got Philip's address from his recruiter which helped. He's Ship 6, Div, 909. Hopefully you will get your son's address first of the week. Hang in there. We are all in this ogether and it sure is nice to come here where others understand why I am crying all the time!

[Angela74]

My son left here on November 18 as well, he was actually changing planes in Charlotte, so I am not sure but it is possible they may have been on the same flight to Great Lakes. I seemed to be okay on the 18th but the 19th I cried off and on all day, just missing him, the 20th was better I slept a little longer that day. Today is better but I am still having my moments. I am very proud of him but my biggest obstacle at this point is the communication barrier. I find that if I start writing letters it does help with the communication a little. I am also not really looking forward to Christmas or Thanksgiving but witht he support here that we can give each other will really help. I am also glad I am not the only one who has cried without feeling as though I was not proud of my son's decision. I am supposed to call his recruiter Tuesday the 24th to recieve his address , this I am looking forward to greatly. Look forward to hearing from everyone here on the updates as I will also keep my updates posted as well.

[Grasshopper]

Hi Angela...
That would be cool if our boys were on the same flight to Great Lakes. He was flying on United from RDU.
I called his recruiter on Friday and was able to get his address. I was so excited and surprised. His recruiter had told me he would hopefully have it by Friday and he was right. We have been for fortune and had a wonderful recruiter!! Friday though was actually his last day as a recruiter. After 4 years he's going back on a ship. That's why I was shocked he got me the address. Since he was leaving he could have just not worried about it and left it for the the recruiter. He truly has been true to his word since my son entered the DEP program last December.

My crying was not quite as bad today as yesterday. My husband swears I bound to be dehydrated from crying so much. Fortunately he has been very understanding! I just can't make myself excited about Thanksgiving! I how I enjoy it knowing that my son has been through probably the toughest two weeks of his life and I can't even call and comfort him.

As you say, at least we have each other here on N4M's to help each other.

[Angela74]

I am not sure which flight it was exactly that my son was on but yes that would have been really cool. My son also has an awesome recruiter , he has been very helpful to me if I have any questions at all and I am hoping to get the address Tuesday but that has not kept me from already starting the letters. I have had an on and off day with smaller things bothering me more so today but so far no crying. Like you my husband has been very understanding and helpful and I am very blessed to have him. I believe I am going to go and purchase a couple of Blue candles so I can burn them on Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

[mother_hen_deb]

Grasshopper,
hello! My daughter left on the same day too. It is going to be very different without her for christmas. So sad about it. We decided to go to the coast for thanksgiving this year just not really wanting to have the whole traditional thanksgiving dinner without sarah. We made a dinner before she left. Christmas is going to be really rough though. But by then we will have had some contact I am really hoping they will let them call home on that day. It would be soooo very nice to hear from them and that would be the best christmas ever just to hear there voices. Christmas and thanksgiving can be when you want too though. We are going to have a combined christmas and birthday for sarah after she is stationed (not sure where that will be) I heard that after boot camp they can have there phone after they leave the facitilties. I think no contact is the hardest part about boot camp. I think they are keeping the kids really busy so there time will hopefully be going by pretty quickly. I think graduation will be Jan 15. I am waiting to buy my airline tickets till I am positive but right now from oregon round trip is 259 each that is a really good price. Good luck to you hang in there it has been 5 days so the first week it almost over! Feel free to add me if you like. Take care and god bless you and your family.

[micsport mom of a Sailor]

Well my daughter left on the 18th. She was really nervous. This is the second time for me. I also have a son stationed in Japan in the Marines. I thought the second time would be easier, but I'm finding out that it still feels the same.

[Angela74]

Well I now have my son's address,

Ship 10 Division 066, anyone else in this group, would love to find those in the same area as my son.
Still love talking with and having support of all here.

[micsport mom of a Sailor]

I know how hard it is to have a son leave for boot camp. This is time two for me only this time it is my daughter. When my older son left for the Marines my lifeline was the marine parents boards. I still keep in contact with many of the people that went through the experience with me. I can only tell you that getting letters from my son was bitter sweet. I cried when the letters expressed sadness and frustration. I was happy when they seem proud. The change in my son was amazing. I can honestly say that he left a boy and grew into a man. That was almost three years ago and he continues to grow and amaze me with his accomplishments. Now my daughter has chosen a similar path. Mostly from watching her older brother and seeing the change in our relationship with him. She chose the Navy and everything is new to me. I thought I would feel more relaxed after having gone through this once before, yet I find myself wondering exactly how she is doing. I can't wait to get an address as I know how very important each letter is. My son keeps his in a special box. I don't know if this helps but you are not alone in how you feel.

[AlexMomMJ]

Hi. I'm MJ - and this is my second son to join the military. Our first has been Army for 6 months and is in Afghanistan. Our second son left on the 18th for Great Lakes, IL for bootcamp. We've not heard from him yet, but I'm told to give him a little over 1 week to get himself settled in.

After this, he makes a move across country for 'A' school for Sub Sonar Tech. He left feeling pretty excited, but concerned about boot camp. We've already made our plans for the trip out there for his graduation in January.

With our first son, we soon learned that stamped envelopes are the BEST thing to send, in the way of 'gifts'. To insure that WE benefitted, we went ahead and addressed all but a few directly to us. ;)

Anyhow - that's our story. Anxious to hear from our boy.

[Angela74]

I recieved the box today so now the packet. I am very anxious now to find out this information. I seem to be a little better since getting his address and now his things, although I thought I would have gotten a little upset by getting his things, oddly enough it seemed to make it a little better knowing he is there safe and he is fine, so to speak anyway.