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Comment by FlBroomie on January 12, 2017 at 11:25am

Hi BoiseMom and welcome!. My son was also PIR 12/05/2014. He also went to A school in GL and then C school in San Diego. They get to choose their assignments but what is available in their specialty. My son is also a 5 inch tech. They choose in order as to how well they did in A school. Some sailors like my son, because of special circumstances, are not allowed to serve overseas for at least one year. My son got stationed on an island here in the U.S.. He got to choose the island

Everything in the Navy is hurry up and wait. Nothing is set in stone until it actually happens.  My son's ship has yet to go out on patrol and he has been with his over a year.

My son also did not start A school right after boot camp. His class was held 82 days and because it was held his time in the Navy was extended 82 days

His boot camp best friend and he attended both A and C school together but his friend was stationed over seas. The differences in their ship lives is remarkable. His friend has been out on patrol twice so far while my son has only been out a few times on what I will call day trips

Each sailor's experience with the Navy is different which means each sailors family's experience will be different. Just remember you have lots of friends here at Navy for Moms to help support you. As NayMom2014 said its a heck of a ride !  

Comment by BoiseMom on January 12, 2017 at 11:20am

Thank you Ruth and NavyMom2014. Hearing your experiences has shed some light on what my son's future may hold. He definitely wants to see the world so I can see where he might volunteer for an assignment that would enable that. It really pulls at my heart strings though. I better toughen up. I also wonder if he will go to C school. Not everybody does, right? Is C school just for specialization, or is it kind of like a promotion due to good academic performance in A school? Does going to C school give them a higher rank? Thank you again. I have another son in the Air Force (National Guard side) and, while there are a lot of similarities between the two branches, there are more differences.

Comment by NavyMom2014 on January 12, 2017 at 12:47am

Hi BoiseMom!!  Welcome to the Navy!  I'm by no means an expert, but would love to share our experience with you.  Our son's PIR was 12/5/14.  As soon as he reported to GL for A school, his class was put on hold until they could "class up," and I'm still not sure what that meant, but they did not start A school classes until sometime in April 2015.  They picked their orders toward the end of A school (July), which is why he was very happy to learn he would be spending July through October in San Diego for C school after the winter and spring in GL when he chose to specialize as a 5 inch tech.  When they picked their orders, they chose where their first duty stations would be.  They "pick their orders" from whatever stations need their particular skill set at the time, whether it be on a ship or on a base either overseas or stateside.  My son was extremely excited to select a ship that is forward deployed overseas.  He is currently on his second patrol and has seen more of the world in the last 14 months than I could ever hope to myself, which is one of the main reasons he chose Navy with no plans of returning stateside as a duty station anytime soon.  Please keep in mind, it's the government, nothing is ever definite or set in stone.  Orders change all the time and nothing happens quickly, most of the time, not even when they want it to.  I have stopped saying "when" but "if."  It is a heck of a ride though and pride is the emotion I feel most!  Good luck and God speed to your family and your son!  and thank you all for your service!!

Comment by Ruth, Gun's Mom on January 11, 2017 at 11:13pm

BoiseMom, my son has been a GM for 13 years.  I think most, if not all, sailors have to do sea duty sometime. Mine was on a ship only once though.  I'm sure some duty assignment has to do with what kind of GM he is--there are specialties.  Mine volunteered for A-stan once, but never admitted to me that he volunteered.  Then he went a second time.  He was sent to Africa for a very short time, too.  The Navy says "see the world." 

Comment by BoiseMom on January 11, 2017 at 10:56pm

Hi everyone. I'm new here. My son's PIR is 1/20 and then he goes to A school in GL. In reading the comments below, I see a lot of GMs are stationed overseas. My son's recruiter said he would be stationed state side unless he volunteers to go overseas. Is that true?

Comment by FirsttimeNavymom on October 20, 2016 at 1:55pm

Hi Kimmy and thank you so much for this info...this is awesome and gives me an idea of what is to come possibly.  I just wish would start already It think that's the discouraging part for me and him especially.  Hopefully after reading your comment they'll at least start ATT in December.  Even though they shut down, will school still start or wait until January?  Believe me I am already planning on taking full advantage of him being stateside and seeing him as often as he will allow me lol.  From what I understand, stand down dates are 12/16-1/2 (I think), plane ticket already booked - woohoo!  That's awesome about your son i know you are just beaming with proud and congratulations to him...what an honor.  I agree with you, I am so fortunate for right now because before we know it I may not have this time with him.  Thank you so much for this info, it definitely helps me with my thinking.

Lisa 

Comment by KTP (Kim) on October 20, 2016 at 1:15pm

To First Time Navy Mom and Navy Mom 2014 and FIB roomie, I don't want to leave anyone out, but I have inside info for you FirstTimeNavyMom.  My son had PIR 10-15-16 and stayed GL for A school.  He reported on Monday 10-18 and had to wait til Dec to start ATT school, learning the rules of A school.  He finished A school and was assigned to Virginia for 5 years.  No C school for him. For Christmas, GL has shutdown.  This year it will most likely start around 12/23 or 12/22, get his plan ticket booked now if he is coming home.  Always return 24 hours early if the flight gets delayed, he still has more time to make it back on time, in the Navy, there are no excuses for being tardy.  My son went in the "hole" for leave and stayed for a week when he only had 3 days by then.  we sent him back on Jan 1 (unhappily) as they did not report until the 3rd.

As for when he graduated, that was April 1, 2016.  Since his assignment was in VA, and we were going to drive and not fly (they gave us 3 days to get there and $500).  I planned a road trip of a lifetime through Louiseville, some hiking, camping, etc.  Two days prior to leaving, he called to say the trip was off and that he was being sent to combat training same day as graduation.  Deflated, devastated, learning that is the way the military operates. 

Since then............. I have seen him twice, hasn't come back yet, but hopes to next year. if you can, visit his base if he is stateside.  It's a way to understand what he does and where he is at.  I wont say what his job is , it has a lot of security to it as he doesn't live where he works and yes he is a Gunners Mate still and recently became Pinned as Petty Officer PO3 and received the "Sailor Blue Jacket of the Quarter" award for Honor , Courage and Commitment.  (or something like that) does go up for Blue Jacket of the Year, but he thinks he doesn't have enough time in for that. 

There are many things that lie ahead for your son.  This job as GM holds so many different jobs and assignments, I am fortunate for now and will count my blessings. 

God bless all our Children and please keep them safe !

Kimmy

Comment by FirsttimeNavymom on September 21, 2016 at 11:01am

Hi FIBroomie!  Thank you, I love this group already lol.  She told me how y'all met and i love that!  So special knowing that your boys are also best friends.  That's how i have it here with my son's best friends.  There was a group of 4 boys, all grew up together since childhood and all joined military, 2 Navy and 2 Army.  Strangely enough us moms didn't really start hanging out with each other until our boys left.  I guess we were always too busy who knows but now we get together once a week to cry, laugh, drink margaritas, etc, mainly laugh!  This journey is so emotional I swear.  It's amazing and I am so proud to be a part of it.  I'm not the most patient person and I want everything NOW but I am quickly learning that is not the way here haha.  That's ok though, I am enjoying talking to y'all listening to your stories and advice and believe me I am one to take advice and apply it, I promise.  I just wish I knew everything, the ins/outs of school, GMs, and so on.  I think once he actually starts school, things will move along and he will be better and I will feel better.  It is a little discouraging when he's hundreds of miles away from me and there's nothing I can do about it.  But on the bright side, if I'm being honest, I'd rather him be there than here at home up to no good ya know?  But anyhoo, thanks for listening ladies and I'm so glad to join y'all on this journey.  

Comment by FlBroomie on September 21, 2016 at 10:43am

Hi FirsttimeNavyMom Welcome to the club. Listen to what NavyMom2014 says. Her son and mine were in boot camp, A school and also C school together. She and I met on FB and then in person in San Diego when we visited our sons. We like our sons became fast friends. 

My navy son is my youngest. He is serving in Hawaii. I havent seen him since last October and it will be another year or so until I get to see him. 

Definitely message him either through FB or phone text. You can even arrange Skype times with him

Always remember you have friends here and on FB who will help you through the "bad" times .

Comment by NavyMom2014 on September 20, 2016 at 9:02pm

Message when you see him online if you want.  If he can and wants to respond, he will.  If he can't, he will get back to you when he can.  There are days when I see my son online and all I say is "just wanted to say hi and I love you."  That way he knows I'm thinking about him, but I'm not really asking for a response even though I usually get one that just says "love you too Mom."  My son went to C school in San Diego and was there about 12 weeks.  We didn't think he was going to be able to come home after C school before he deployed, so my husband and I went out to see him and spent 5 fabulous days the end of October making memories just with him we never would have otherwise. He wound up having to take leave for a few days before his military flight overseas would be leaving so we moved around flights so he was able to fly home with us and be home for a few days.  The last time I hugged my son was the beginning of November.  The hellos are absolutely magical, but the goodbyes are killer.  It took all I had not to just sit on the floor at the airport and break down even though the tears had already started to flow, but as soon as I got in the car you would have thought someone had died for as hard as I cried.  I probably shouldn't have been driving at that moment.  The goodbyes so far don't get any easier, and you never know when the next hello will be.

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