Ship 12, Div 057 Let's get our group together on this!

[deanna]

Hey Ship 12, Div 057 moms please leave your name and something fun from your SR's first short note. My SR said the food wasn't "super bad" and he likes his new hair cut.  Aren't our young men and women the best!  Hope to hear from several of you soon!

[deanna]

Did your daughter say how many people were in their division.  My son mentioned 83. I wasn't sure if that included the girls too or not.

[blackie123]

She didn't but with that many probably includes both.

[pennie]

My son finally sent a real letter last week and called for a couple of minutes.  He said his division is having a hard time being quiet and following directions, so there has been far too many "IT's"---intensive training.  Other than that my non-letter writing offspring didn't say much about boot camp. 

Do you know when they will get their first cheques?  His father checked his account today and nothing is there.  Also do you know if they will have leave graduation weekend or if is only graduation day (which is what the website says.

DId anyone else spend the holidays, haunting the mailbox and telephone hoping for a call or letter from their recruit?

[Navmom]

Do you know if your son set up a Navy Federal account?  Our son had a checking and savings account at our bank, but his recruiter said that they encourage them to set up the Navy Federal account when they are being processed at bootcamp because they can access that account anytime while deployed.  They can keep their other account and it is their decision on whether to go with the Navy Federal account or not.  We told our son to go ahead with the Navy Federal account and that he could use it in the future for spend money and use his home bank as a place to save money that he won't access unless he gets out or has a future big purchase. 

 

Our son seems to be not exactly enjoying bootcamp, but seems to appreciate the structure and training.  His 1st letter was short, but sounded positive.  We received a call last Thursday and got to talk for about 6 minutes.  He sounded a bit homesick, but otherwise good.  He said he had passed his first set of exams and fitness tests.  We got our 2nd letter on Friday.  He sounded really good in that letter.  

 

Can't wait till February 3rd. 

[deanna]

He has an account here as well but he had planned to open the Navy Federal Account as recommended.  I'm not sure that any of them are actually enjoying bootcamp but I know my son is making the best of it.  He said in his last letter that he was shining his shoes and ironing his socks and it was "Just Another Day in Paradise".  I'm sure he is using his sense of humor to get by.  I'm hoping he isn't one of the ones that is keeping them doing the IT.  I think I need to ask him about the awards and flags and encourage him to Help in that endeavor.  I know he is usually very competitive so normally I would think he would be helping to lead the charge for any awards etc.  I know blackie had mentioned that her daughter said our Div hadn't received any awards or flags in one of her letters.  My son hasn't mentioned the awards etc.  He did say in one letter that their Christmas gift was early morning hours IT.

 

I was really missing him yesterday when we went to his great grandmother's funeral without him and all the other boy cousins his age were pall bearers.  That was really hard. 

 

Pennie I check on Thursdays and Fridays because that seems to be the days we get mail from him.  I'm hoping for a letter tomorrow!!! 

[Lani]

Deanna....I claimed green for our scarf color on the scarf discussion page for Div 057 & 058.  Spread the word :)

[deanna]

What is the name of the scarf discussion page?

[mebw64]

Yay!  I finally found this group again!  I am new to this site and found the group a few nights ago, but wasn't sure how.  So glad I was able to find you all again.  We have only received a couple of letters from our son, and missed his call last week.  I was so bummed :(  In his letters, he seems okay, but his voice on the voicemail sounded a little down.  He said he wrote a letter the night before and was hoping to get it in the mail Friday.  We still haven't received it.  His letters are short, and not too detailed.  Just that he is ready to be finished.  

Deanna, I am sorry for your loss.  I am sure it was very tough not having your son at your great grandmother's funeral.  

Could you please re-post about the scarf.  I missed the discussion, and would like to go along with it.  

Thanks, 

Mary Ellen

[deanna]

Division 057 & 058 will be wearing green scarfs to the PIR so our SR's can find us in the crowd.  Some of us will also wear them to the meet and greets so we can find each other.  Someone posted an easy sewing pattern somewhere that I plan to do for my sister and I.  I found some websites to order a "manly one"  for my husband in a fleece type material.  They were about $6 dollars plus shipping and handling. Some of the ladies are knitting or crocheting their scarves. (I can't knit or crochet.) Hope this helps.  Maybe we can get someone to figure out how to repost the pattern website.

[mebw64]

Thanks, that did help. I can't sew, knit, or any of those things, but I can use a hot glue gun and velcro! We got a letter today. Our son sounded kinda down, especially because he hasn't been able to talk to us. I think he is really ready to be finished with boot camp. He also said he was getting more exercise

and more sleep before he left for boot camp. He is also loving getting mail, although he isn't much of a writer. He didn't mention anything about testing,but did say they got dog tags, and like someone else mentioned, uniforms.

Where is the 'Meet and Greet'? We will be flying into O'Hare from Florida on Thursday, and staying at Courtyard.

Mary Ellen

[deanna]

Hey, we will be flying in on Thursday to O'hare as well from Texas.  We are staying at the Hawthorne Inn and Suites.  It is a little further away but the price was better than I thought it would be.  We will have to drive to everything in a rental car.  I hope they aren't too expensive.  The meet and greets are al the Sundance Saloon and the Ramada Inn.  I heard the one at Sarge's (Sundance Saloon) was fun.  We might try to split our time between both but don't want to miss anyone from N4M.

My son is still sick and has been the entire time.  I normally wouldn't be concerned about him passing any physical tests but when you are consistently sick that could make a difference.  I received two letters today.  One was the questionnaire I copied.  He wasn't enthused about filling it out though.   His written letter was very entertaining as usual.  I wish he would write a longer letter but I know they are busy ironing!!

[blackie123]

Speaking of rental cars, checked out priceline the other day. Budget had rentals for like 20.00 a day. We will probably drive from here in TN and my husband will fly in from TX where he's working right now. We are staying at the Hawthorne suites in Wadsworth, Managed to get a one bedroom suite for 71.00 a night. Not only will it be PIR for my daughter, but we are using it like a mini vacation to reconnect as a familty too.