Newbie Mom here....'A' School for GM questions...

[CTMom]

Hello,

My only son and oldest of three will be arriving at GL Boot Camp on January 3rd. After graduation, he will be entering 'A' School for GM. I wanted to know if someone can tell me how long he will be in school. Also, how much time will he have after graduation to spend with us. 

Thank you!

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

CTMom, if you look further in the GM discussions there's a schedule that might give you an idea of how long GM school is.  How much time he has with you is never definite.  Depends on so many things. I don't think GM is usually grad and go, so you could have Friday and Saturday. Welcome to the Navy!  You will be proud, frustrated, happy, sad.  You will learn to plan nothing until you get the info from your son.  After nine years,  everything has changed and nothing has changed!  It's the best thing that ever happened for my son, but I joined without knowing it too!  It may  sound hard, but when your son leaves for GL, he no longer belongs to you, but to the Navy.  (He'll always be your baby.) 

I know this really is no answer to your question.  ((Navy hugs))

[CTMom]

Thank you for the Navy hugs...I really need them right now. Yes, he will always be my baby...

So many of my friends are telling me to stop worrying so much, it's just like their kids being away at college, it's no different....but I won't be able to speak to him for months and that's so hard. :(  My son & I are close. I am feeling all of the things you mentioned. I have been on this site and the Navy Dad's site looking for info. Thank you for your reply. 

[DebbieF (Ship 14 Div 055)]

Ctmom- hi , my son is in boot camp right now and is scheduled to graduate 1/11/13....he's a Gunners Mate and will be in Great Lakes for A school. Boot camp is tough on us moms, but I assure you....my son has been enjoying the experience as I'm sure your son will. My son left November 12th so we went through Thanksgiving and Christmas without him being home and next week is his birthday...so it's been real hard making it through the Holidays, but we did it....next is New Years! If you have any boot camp questions...now or while you're going through it, feel free to contact me! N4Ms is an awesome site....couldn't have done it without these wonderful ladies! Good luck to you and your son!!

[cherylhubb]

My son graduated July 27 & it was grad & go. After he got ck'd in we got Friday evening, Saturday, & Sunday w him. GM skl is roughly 18wks but u might have holidays mixed in there that make it longer. My son also oldest of 3 just graduated GM "A" skl December 7. U r correct Ruth nothing is ever set in stone w the Navy. Newbie Mom he will always b ur baby but you'll b so proud of the new man he becomes once he finishes bootcamp.

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

It won't be months. He'll earn a few phone calls during GL basic. They usually get time to write on Sundays, too. Surprisingly, the time goes faster than you think. In A school, he'll be able to talk to you as much as his schedule allows. That could be everyday. If you raised him to be strong enough for the navy, you are strong too!

[Ruth, Gun's Mom]

My son never went to GM A school! First he was undesignated, then wanted to be an MA, ended up being a GM. Everything happens for a reason! He has a job he loves now. He's been deployed twice as a GM. Next week he's being sent to Indiana for five weeks of school finally! He's run an armory at a base in Afghanistan and been on a support team for some elite sailors there. Now he's back in Virginia. There are many kinds of GM. He is small arms.

[Gunnie430]

Ive been deployed 3 times as a GM.  Ran an armory for a region of Afghanistan and then did ordnance for all the special forces in Southeast Afghanistan.  Oh and you forgot Im also a instructor, small arms instructor, and small arms tech.

[denise]

We got the weekend of her PIR (4/612) to visit, but 1st she had to move over from RTC to her new "ship" on the other side of the street right after PIR.  From about 2:30pm on Fri till 9 pm on Sun, all we had to do was get her back to ship by 9pm.  In A school they can have phones and computers so we talked, texted and skyped every few days - much more reassuring than snail mail.  Her A school was about 5 months, but everyone is correct-nothing is definate.  The ladies at N4M are a Godsend! Navy hugs { }

[CTMom]

Thank you all for your replies. I appreciate it very much. Gunnie 430, thank you for your service!!

Our son has been in boot for one week and one day today and already has a broken elbow! He is on a medical hold right now. They want him to stay for 12 weeks to recover and then go back through boot. That's all I know right now anyway. I'm hoping I can speak to him on Sunday.

[Fawno]

CTMom - I am sorry to hear that. I hope you were able to speak with him too and his recovery is quicker.

 

[CTMom]

Thank you. He is doing much better since I posted my last reply. He is now in phase 3 of boot and in AIT shadowing a DIV. He has to be able to do push-ups, pass his swim & run test and then he can phase up to 4 and hopefully PIR on 3/22 instead of his original date of 3/1. He is healing very quickly, thank GOD! I'm concerned that he will be on a hold after he graduates because they originally timed his Boot with A school and now he will be delayed....