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Comment by Lynne on November 13, 2010 at 8:05pm

I wish I knew what to tell you, keep calling the recruiter and you might even talke to the Chief Petty Officer at the Recruiter's Office, but I have learned this, things change in an instant with the Navy. It is a roller coaster ride and you have every right to be angry. I wish I could tell you that you could do this, this , and this to resolve it, but one thing I have learned from the seasoned moms is that sometimes you just have to accept that it is the Navy way. Is it fair..no! Is it right...no!! It just is. More seaonsed moms will be dropping in and may have better ideas for you!!

Comment by Lynne on November 13, 2010 at 7:58pm

One formerly teary eyed mom reporting in for duty. I promise you not one of you could have cried a bigger river than me. I threatened, I pleaded, I begged, I did everything I could to convince my son not to join the Navy or any branch of the military service. Now before you jump down my throat, let me say, my father gave his life in service to our country and the thought of losinng my only was more than I could bear. My son was adamant that this was what he wanted to do. So, I bucked up and cried in private for several weeks.

As I began my journey on navy for moms, I had some pretty tough skinned moms tell me to buck up. I had others who let me cry and and moan. Slowly I found my place in groups like this. I became educated and empowered. My fear level decreased and my tears began to flow less violently and less often.
I began to recognize that the more I focused on my son, the less i focused on my fears.

I began to look at what he really needed. I began to encourage him and and I became more encouraged. I met other moms who shared my fears. I realized that many moms rode the same roller coaster of emotions that I did. That day as I my son left for boot camp, I did what he needed. I put a smile on my face, gave him a big hug goodbye, and whispered in his ear to read his bible. You see on the empty pages of his bible unbeknowst to him I had written him little notes of encouragement. As the car pulled away, I closed the door, put my head in my hands and cried.

Then I got my butt back on this site and I never looked back. With Jessica, Dianne and Angie's help I led my PIR group and we had fun. We laughed, cried, worried, and even got made together. We planned for PIR and the Meet and Greet. We waited for letters and phone calls and shared their contents. We earned our stripes of Navy Mom strong and proud.

You too will take this journey, full of ups and down, challenges and rewards. Then one day you will stand with pride at PIR as your sailor enters that hall and know that everything tear, every fear, every worry, brought you to that point!! You will hug your sailor and another journey will begin. Stay tuned...my phase two has just begun!!

Good luck ...it is going to be fun!!

Comment by Purplemom (Ship 3 Div 084) on November 13, 2010 at 7:09pm

Okay I am offically TICKED!!! My son just came home from work and was checking his email. He had an email from the recruiter in response to an email he sent a week ago! He emailed the recruiter to ask him if they would be able to get together to in sometime this week before we go on out trip as he hasn't seen or talked with him in almost 2 months.
The recruiter emails back that he doesn't have time to get with him and probably won't prior to his ship date. Then he adds that he will have his flight info to him for his flight to ITALY for his swearing in and his flight info from ITALY to Chicago sometime in the next week or so. We were already given his flight info from Germany to Chicago almost 3 months ago. When was he going to spring this whole Italy thing on us?????? So now they are flying my son to another country to do his swearing in and none of his family will be able to be there with him. My son is ticked and so am I.

Comment by Purplemom (Ship 3 Div 084) on November 13, 2010 at 6:01pm

I know what you mean about the "moments of tearfulness". Mine is also never home. He actually was sick this week and had to stay home for three days. I am pretty sure it almost killed him to stay in the house. The only time he went out was to go to the doctors. They gave him a HEFTY dose of antibiotics so he would get better and stay better. The doctors told him he is going to have to get his tonsils out soon as this is his 8th bout of tonsilitis in the last year. He told them it will have to wait until at least the spring when he gets to his first duty station. Wish the doctor had mentioned this several months ago.

Comment by beachbum on November 13, 2010 at 4:42pm

Anybody now having what I like to call "moments of tearfulness"? I am so happy and proud and at the same time on the verge of a serious crying jag! My son leaves in 26 days, he is not spending alot of time at home going out with friends, going to see friends away at college, I have finally convinced him to start going through his room, I tried to pack up some stuff alone the other day...bad mistake! We plan to go to MEPS with him and hopefully sit with him at the airport, he has not said one way or the other how he feels about that. I can't believe time is going so fast! Does anyone know how that day goes as far as the swearing in, will they then be sent to the airport right away, are there other things they have to do that day. I had wanted his brother and sister to go, will that be too much?

Comment by exxie on November 13, 2010 at 10:18am

We haven't done a "home visit" and I doubt we will (or will even be offered). When we started this process, I took my nosy butt over to the recruiter's office, myself, and spent about two hours chatting and crying and chatting and giving them the third degree, and crying some more. I'm sure they thought I was a complete nut. But we've had a great relationship ever since and I am FULLY on board with my son's choice.
I have a little different situation, though, since I work for a local high school--the recruiters come to our school about once a month to actively engage kids in conversation during lunches AND we've recently been inviting them into the classrooms to address seniors and some juniors (even more fun, they bring my son as a liaison, since he knows quite a few of the kids or at least he knows their teacher-ME!). So they're getting a bit more face time with the kids via me. ;) They like to keep me happy! LOLOL!!

As for going to MEPS, hubby and I will be going for the swearing in but will not go to the airport. I'm with tls and Purplemom . . it's an important event in the process and I want The Prince to know that I value the experience as much as he does. But on the other side of the coin, the airport tear-jerky scene would just be cruel. I'm a major crybaby . . . so I think Princey will put up with me at the swearing in and then be ready for me to get the heck out. At PIR, he'll be far enough away that he won't have to be embarrassed by the "scene" I will surely make.
If y'all are at the same PIR that we attend, you will certainly be able to pick me out of the crowd by the big ball of Kleenex that will attached to my face! LOLOL!!

Comment by Purplemom (Ship 3 Div 084) on November 13, 2010 at 9:33am

I have no clue about the home visit. We barely ever hear from the recruiter here. Because we live overseas, my son will not process through a MEPS. We have been trying to get the recruiter to give us a straight answer as to what will happen as far as the swearing in will go. When he swore in the first time I actually had to find the officer to do it. I told my son I had to know soon if I will be required to dig up another officer or if he will be going to the recruiting station to do as then I will need to take that time off of work. All we have been told is that they will be putting in a hotel on the 14th and we have been given his itinerary for his flight on the 15th. I am actually getting a bit frustrated about the lack of info we get from the recruiter. My son has only seen him about three or four times since entering the DEP program in February and only talks to him when he makes repeated phone calls for information and finally gets a call back.

Comment by tls on November 13, 2010 at 8:51am

HI JTW's MOM and PURPLEMOM --- I am also planning to go to MEPS to watch my daughter swear in (complete with video camera). She has a friend who is still in high school that will be shipping next July, and she will go with us as well. The way I look at it, once the bandaid is off ... it's off. So I will spend every possible moment I have with her until her first priority becomes the Navy.

On another note ... what is this "home visit" everyone talks about? My daughter leaves on 12/8 and I haven't heard anything about that. We are relocating to Minnesota (although she'll still ship from Michigan) ... will the MN recruiter maybe be doing this at our new house? Or will we miss it completely because of the move?

I guess it's not a big deal ... I have a pretty good relationship with her recruiter here and could probably call him to ask questions --- but sure would be nice to get some "face time" with someone ...

Comment by Purplemom (Ship 3 Div 084) on November 13, 2010 at 7:09am

JTW's MOM. I would go to the MEPS and at the very least see you son take that last final step of actually swearing into the Navy. It is a huge moment for them and I am sure he would love to have you there to see it. Sometimes I don't think husbands really understand the depth of connection between a mom and her baby (they are always our babies). You can use MEPS as your Bandaid ripping off point and not go to the airport if you want to. I know I plan to watch my son swear in and be at that airport. It just so happens my stepson will fly out the same day on the same airline at almost the same time to go visit his mom for Christmas so I "have to be there", but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Comment by battlebuddy on November 13, 2010 at 3:15am

OK...good meeting today with recruiters. Yes 2 came to our home to talk to us and answer our questions. JTW's new date is 12/12/10...spend the night in the hotel that Sunday night. Will be at MEPS 12/13 most of the day...and hop a plane near the end of the day. Was told would have an address by Wednesday for him. Was told I could go to MEPS on Monday to watch him swear in and even wait at the airport with him if I wanted to. OK...I am conflicted on this one. My husband said it's like ripping a band aid off slowly....and that I should not go to MEPS....and he thinks that would be best for us both....not really sure yet how I am going to handle that day....but after the recruiters left....it hit me really hard that my son is leaving home. I don't want JTW to see "mom" upset so I hopped in the car and cried my eyes out...Feel a little better and a little worse at the same time....Please keep me in your prayers this next month as I try to spend quality time with him, not fall apart, and prepare myself for life without him being home with us. I have one month from today..... ♥

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