New Navy Mom

[proudmom]

Does anybody have a son/daughter that went in to boot camp on May 11, 2010? I am missing my son so much and wondering if anyone has advice on how to get through the 8 weeks of waiting for Graduation. He is in Div.234.

[Angela J. C.]

Hey Charlotte,
It is a pleasure to meet you. If there is anything that I can do please let me know. Because I truly know how it can be...lol If you ever need to talk you can leave me a comment at anytime. Or if your having a bad day I have a play list on my page. And the songs I have I hope will bring you some comfort. And I also have a group thats called: IT"S TESTIMONY TIME. You can go there and read of the good news that some of the mothers have to share also awesome songs there. God is a good God. And he has been there to put a song in my heart and comfort in my soul. God bless you and your family have a great day!!!

[charlotte]

hello angela J.C., likewise, and thank you so much for your words of encouragement. you know God puts certain people in our way just in time, and you are one of those people.the playlist is great! I love it! how can I get your list? I'm not a computer whiz but my other daughter is, so please let me know. thanks and may God continue to bless you and yours. and oh, by the way.... I was having a bad day but not anymore! thanks again, Charlotte

[BunkerQB]

Charlotte, if you don't want to join playlist.com you can simply open up Agnela's page, scroll down to the playlist box, click on POP playlist. Now you have her playlist open separately - you can then surf the net or N4M independently. You might have to click the PLAY button to restart it after you leave Angela's page. Of course, you can create you own play list on your own page. I have created 7 or 8 and rotate them around depending on my mood. If you join, my screen name on Playlist.com is the same as my screen name here - BunkerBee - so you can look for my stuff - mostly oldies, some country, some folk, some r&b, some pop.

[charlotte]

thanks bunkerbee! have a blessed day .

[susan721]

my son left June 2 and my heart hurts. he was the life of the house and my last to leave. how do i find out his PIR date? i really have no clue about any of this.

[Vickie]

Our daughter graduated at GL and our soon to be son-in law is graduating on 6/25/2010. He is part of SHIP 6, DIV. 932. If there is anything I answer for you let me know. We stayed there at the Ramada, it is just 4 miles from the base and they offer free breakfast every morning, and the mall is just 5 miles from there, and 6 flags is also about 5 miles from there. Drive yourself to the graduation there is plenty of parking for everyone, if you wait on the bus you will arrive with everyone else and have to wait longer.

The gate pass is available online within a week or two of the graduation, you will be mailed a password from your sailor to get to this site for download. Print it out and place it in the front driver side window as you enter the base. There is no photos to be take when you enter the gate or anywhere on the base, the only time you may take pictures is in doors at the graduation. There is no tickets sent to you, your name is placed on a list and you must have an ID, they will check the list once you get up to the table and mark your name off. Each sailor is only allowed 4 people to be invited, there is no way to add anyone else. I hope this helps you some.

The day of the graduation you want to get there early, the line builds up fast and everyone has to check in and then head to the next building for the graduation. Once you are there - each section one have a sailor with a sign saying what DIV this is for. Your sailor will march in once the garage doors open and they will come in one DIV at a time and they will march around and back up to the DIV they are assigned. Use the bathroom before the graduation starts. They do have a small table setup to where you can purchase drinks and a sailor hat, but it folds up and put away before everything starts.

Doors open at 7:00 am - Be there before that! We got there at 6:50 am and there was already a line formed to get in and be checked off the list. Once you get over the there graduation building, set about 5 rolls up so you can see everything. Be prepared to be there for a while, the graduation takes almost 2 hours and your sailor has to stand the whole time and wait this out just as much as you. We seen one girl pass out during the graduation and they are not allowed to help each other, they have people walking around that comes over and helps them out of the line. The are told not to lock there knees in because it cuts the blood circulation and cause you to pass out.

Get as much photos as you can inside at the graduation, once outside they are not allowed and you may have your camera took from you. My husband was videoing all of us and all into the moment and was asked to turn off the video camera while outside. There is a nice gift shop at the NEX, but it get full fast, but it is a must if you would like one of your sailors Division photos, there is bumper stickers and coffee mugs also. But the place does get over crowded so get what you need and check out. There is a place to eat at the same from what where was told, but we didn’t take the time to check it out.

Our daughter was a Grad N Go, and was attending school at Great Lakes, if you would like more info on this let me know. We was able to be with her from Friday until Sunday all she had to do was call in 2 times a day and let them have phone numbers for contact and list the place we was staying at. But we was told by our daughter that not everyone gets approved for this, it depends on who is over you at there next stop.

Also we visited a few places and eat at several different places, so anyone need info let me know.
Good Luck to everyone! Vickie

I saw a few people post about taking there sailors laptop to them after graduation. They can have them but they are not allowed to us the Miltary Wi-Fi on their personal Laptops, you will need to get a internet connector. We got ours at AT&T it is free and we pay a monthly fee of $50 a month. Or they can go to the McDonalds on post and get free service.
If he is going to A school somewhere other than GL, then most of them fly out after graduation but they allow you time to be together it isn't much and then you can go to the airport and wait with them. My daughter said after A school when they are ready to fly home for there 2 week visit, they have to pay for there airplane tickets and then they get reembursed back..Sorry about the spelling it has been a long day. Don't pack alot for him to take with him to boot camp, he will send it all back. All he needs is his licensen, ssn card, a bank debt card and a form from the bank showing his route and account number for deposit, huis recruiter know the name of the form. I hope this helps.

[Victoria Horstdaniel]

Thank you for this information,My son graduates july1,I have yet to receive tickets 4 graduation,I thought hes suppose to send them to me,but after reading your note apparently they put you on a list,and I have 5 people going Im wondering if thats gonna be a problem? Im gonna be driving from Ft.Worth Texas,so im not wanting to run into any problems when I get there.I already have my hotel reservations,and was waiting on tickets,so if you can answer any of my questions it would be greatly appreciated,thank you! have a good evening.

[Pat (MP)]

Hi Victoria, there are no actual tickets however only 4 people are permitted to attend the graduation and those 4 must be on the list that your son submitted to RTC.

[carituggle (Ship 06, Div 944)]

Wow such great information thank you so much my daughter leaves for BC July 19 I didn't know what to expect you gave me alot to think about thank you.

[Angela J. C.]

Hi Charlotte,
Which play list did you want? I'll be more than happy to share it with you. But if you would like to do some more songs. You can go to playlist.com and you can do it that way too. I think if you look for my name it will show you my list of songs. God bless.

[kewl beanz (Brittney's Mom)]

I too am an new Navy Mom, my 18 year old daughter just graduated from Navy boot camp on June 4th. During her time there we wrote each other as much as possible. I would only let her know in a couple letters know how much I miss her, because I didn't want her to worry about me or feel bad for being so far away. The best advice is remember that we did our best to raise them and they are a special breed to volunteer for this. Write letters as they love to here what all is going on and yes that you miss them but doing okay so they don't worry. She is in Florida for A school and I just shipped her, her cell phone and I am looking forward to a few more phone calls. I know she is in her element, as she smiled so big when she was telling us all about her boot camp experience. I will warn you to get to the graduation early as it does fill up really fast. We arrived by 7:30 and it was to start at 9:00 and it was so full, we had to ask those areas to let us squeeze in. Good Luck and please write as often as possible as it can take a week for it to be delivered to them. God Bless and thank you for your son. TR

[celsjl]

Hey, I believe my son is in the same division. He left May 11, 2010 and is in Ship 03, Div #234!
I had been on NFM site a couple times during his DEP time, but never actually signed up. However, got a call on June 3rd and he was pretty low. He felt prepared for every thing up to that point, EXCEPT how homesick he would be. He said he would probably call the next night because he had earned an additional call. No calls since. Did get a letter that he had apparently written the Sunday before and it broke my heart, but absolutely no contact since Thursday's call. Sooo signed up to commiserate with other moms that may be freaking out too. I guess they keep saying no news is good news, but sure wish I would hear something. I have been scowering the site www.bootcamp.navy.mil/ which is kind of nice to have an idea about what is going on there was also another site that someone had posted an idea of the weekly schedules (what they are learning each week) which has helped me to at least feel in the know. Anyhow, looking forward to contacting other moms!