Ship 12 Division 049, PIR 1/27/12

[Tonya]

Please join this discussion and let us know what you find out about our PR's while they are at boot camp. It would be nice to know who else will be graduating in this division.

[Mrs. David's mom]

So, it seems we are all in the same 'boat' (no pun intended), not getting as much communication as we'd like.  I was told not to expect much: "...I DON'T DO LETTERS..."

He never enjoyed writing.  All through high school he scraped by in English by cramming in enough work the last week of the semester to narrowly pull his grade up to a D.  He just would not write papers!  He'd say, "I don't know what to write".  I told him, he can carry on a conversation, just put the words on paper- write the words down just like you'd say them.  Well, that didn't work.  I forgot to tell him to leave out the cuss words that he uses around his friends.  So, one day when I was sub teaching at the high school, his english teacher approaches me: "I need to speak to you about David.  And the language he uses in his papers".  Ooops!  I let her know that was my fault. 

Before he left he told me, next time I see her to let her know he enlisted.  "She told me back then I should join the Navy.  I already 'cuss like a sailor' .

[kylesmom]

hi my son is also in ship 12 div 49, im reading all this and hear most of you already got your 2nd letter,i recieved the short one on the back of the form and one letter after that but no second one yet. I live in toledo 4hrs away. hopefully i get one today:(  i mustve sent him 10 or more so far and hopefully he is getting them. My son also said there is some immature ones in his div. and dont know when to shut up,thats what he said in his first letter. I was hopeing hes not one of them. We booked our room at the navy lodge,we are going up thursday it looks like  a nice place it has a kitchen which is nice.  my husband says i worry to much i keep saying what if hes not getting my letters and thinks im not writting,what if hes screwing up and his div.is mad at him and treating him bad,anyone else think these things?  I guess im just a worrier. The letter he did send me he sounded miserable he said he had blisters from his boots and they are killing him when he marches and he was sick for about 5 days with the flu. but he did ad a few ha has in the letter so hopefully its not as bad as i imagine,

[Tonya]

Don't worry too much kylesmom, I have only gotten on letter also (and have sent my SR one every day, at least 25). I think that we have all heard of these "immature ones". I hope that this experience will help to turn these boys into men :). He probably is getting your letters and has just not had the time or energy to write back, especially if he was sick. They don't get much sleep at night, my SR said they get on average 4 hours. If he is screwing up (which he probably isn't) then a little razzing from the guys won't hurt him, but I don't think the other guys in the division have much time to dish it out. The RDC's take care of that. I was wondering what kind of problems their PT was giving them, like the blisters. I hope that he gets to wear extra socks or something that will make him more comfortable. These are the kinds of stories he will share with his kids someday :). He's tougher than you think. He'll be fine. You're a good mom for worrying, but he is in God's hands and well taken care of.

[kylesmom]

my husband was in the navy (kyles step dad) and said if the boots were anything like they were when he was in they are very hard and not very comfortable,maybe he just wasnt fitted correctly for his big feet lol my husband also said hes probably so tired and kyle told me they can only write on sundays,but my husband said when he was in they could write every night but on sundays they had to be in church or if you didnt go to church you couldnt do anything and he got caught writing a letter and they made him do what they called back then marching party he said he thinks that its called i t now. and yes kyle does need a little razzing  if he is one of the screw ups because at home all he did was sleep in,play xbox and hang out with his friends,he had it made here and im sure hes not too happy there lol  i used to tell him just wait til ur in boot camp your not going to be able to handle not being able to sleep in,so he probably isnt doing too good with only a few hrs of sleep.  thanks for making me feel better :)  

[seawitch]

Hopefully the whole Divison will come together on one accord, so that they can all progress positively "together."  My hubby hasn't mentioned anything about blisters, but he says that the intensive training is really rough.  He also said that he gets a little tired, but that he's pressing on until the end.  Hopefully all will be well with the Division.  They will get it together....I am sure:)))))

[kylesmom]

kyle also said the intensive training is really rough he said he was very sore. Did your husband train alot before he went in? My son had to lose 25lbs before he went in and he did it ,he really cut back on his eating and did run the treadmill alot.He looked at himself in the mirror alot and kept saying can you tell i lost,and of course i kept saying yes kyle you look great,he was so worried he wouldnt reach his wieght goal. I wouldnt say he was fat when he enlisted 6months before he left but alittle chubby,he was so proud when he lost the weight he texted me from meps and said guess what i lost 30lbs yay!!  he looked really good when he left i bet he will looks even better after all this intense training. the one thing he didnt do was enough sit ups and push ups before he left,i bet hes having a problem with that now. But he will get it,for as much as they make him do it,lol

[seawitch]

My hubby did not train as much as he should have.  I kept telling him that he needed to, so that he would be prepared for BC, but he didn't listen...now it's kicking his butt, lol.  He also had to lose around 20 or 25 pounds before he shipped out.  I told him to stay focused and do his best.  He's probably lost more weight as well:))))

[hopeful]

My son Christian who is also on Ship 12 Division 49 said the training was pretty rough . He also said in his really short letter he's going to need a lot of prayers. See you in 8 wee but never finished the sentence. I wonder if he fell asleep writing. I wonder if they made him write that letter a couple of times because of his not so good hand writing I couldn't figure out what happened.His writing was ok but in that letter it was awesome. I am a teacher and I never really remember him writing that neat.SI guess those guys teaching them are heaven sent.My family is Catholic but because Christian has an Autistic brother we go to many other churches for opportunities for socialization and being links to help bring brotherhood and sisterhood of course so I hope My boy is being a part of the team and making sure noone feels lonely because I taught him never let anyone feel alone you need to be the link to make sure everyone is good to eachother.

[Mrs. David's mom]

Good Morning, Hopeful!

What grade level do you teach?  As a sub teacher, I work in all grade levels.  What I see, especially in higher grades, is less and less 'Penmanship' being taught, or even enforced.   Everything is on computer!  Type it, spell check it, print it! 

Now, I know in the military they have to print in block letters.  That should help make them more legible.

[ProudOfGar]

Hopeful you sound exactly like me! I had said about a week ago that my son trained physically I researched like a crazy woman but what we should have made time for was letter writing lessons (with intensive handwriting training...lol!

[hopeful]

So true, So true, So true!!!

[hopeful]

I teach Special Education, mostly ! I am only subbing right now. My youngest son is Autistic and was having serious communication problems. I spent so many years working with kids with serious developmental disabilities and It took a lot of time away from my kids . I mean I loved it but Christian's younger brother could not speak in a school or community environment. I put him in a christian equestrian school where they used animal therapy techniques and finally at 15 years old he began speaking now he is very devout to God and his main goal in life is to help others find a passion for God. Last year he even spoke to a congregation of 200 people. That was one my greatest days as a mom . In order to make sure I have time for my boys I substitute teach, I tutor and I am a CDC worker for an autistic man .My schedule is very flexible but my favorite area of work is in theraputic classrooms. I know soon another great day as a mom is coming up again.I have two awesome boys and if they're working for God and following his plan I am one happy mama!!