Now Your Sailor is at Dam Neck

[Mary (Chris' mom)]

With the N4M website growing in popularity and new billets being added to the IS program we have seen a substantial increase in the number of new members to the IS group. Welcome all of you. We have found ourselves over the past few months answering some of the same questions many times. It is wonderful that families are so involved with and supportive of their sailors, and want to know so much about what they face as they go from Seaman Recruit (SR) at boot camp, to SA (Seaman Apprentice) at Dam Neck, to IS as they exit school.
I hope in this discussion area questions about A school, C school, the Dam Neck Annex, and the Virginia Beach area can be addressed. Let me remind everyone that in the Navy there are basic rules of thumb. First, hurry up and wait...they ask you to hurry so you can sit around and wait. Second, nothing is etched in stone...base commanders change, instructors change, equipment and technology change, rules change, and orders change; that's what the Navy and our National Security need at that given time. Third, please understand that we all have come to this website for support, comfort, friendship and answers; we can not answer things we do not know or that should not be put on the internet.

Please remember that these things are subject to change:

At the time of this posting, when your sailor leaves boot camp if you can meet them at the airport, they will be allowed to bring a cell phone, a laptop, and a small personal music device (iPod or similar). You do not have to face the "kid in a box" again. Although your sailor will have a lot more freedom at Dam Neck, the first several days are busy (actually all their days are) with getting processed into the school, going to medicals to hand them their medical records, finding their way around, and in the meantime being active sailors. They will be put on a duty section where the sailor must remain at the barracks except to go to the school building, get something to eat, or if scheduled for an appointment. I have been told that duty is every fourth day now. If they are on duty, they will be assigned duties to perform, if their duty section leader assesses them and feels that they are not performing up to standard their duties may be reassigned. They may also have to stand watches.
Also, if you were not able to attend PIR or spend time with your sailor after graduation, be aware there is a strict rule that while they are out in uniform they cannot be walking and on the cell phone at the same time. Since they march in formation to and from the barracks and school that cuts into time as well. They will do PT (Physical Training) several times a week, either before getting ready for school or in the afternoons after classes. They must keep their rooms in ship shape because they do get inspected. They do their own laundry and do general cleaning around the outside of the barracks. Do not expect them to answer the phone every time you call just because they are on hold, waiting to class up. They are still kept busy.

Dam Neck is a small base just south of the main Virginia Beach. It has it's own beach as well. The MWR (Morale, Wellness, and Recreation) building has a bank of computers where your sailor can send emails or go online. They also have a projection TV, a room with gaming consoles, a small theater (there is a larger IMAX theater at Oceana, NAS), a coin operated laundry room, pool tables, lounging area, and a very helpful staff. There is a small NEX store (a larger NEX mall at Oceana), and a Chapel which has 2 or 3 services on Sundays, maybe Saturdays as well. There are I believe, 3 softball fields, a track, a walking/running path, tennis courts, and I think I remember some outdoor basketball courts. For those of legal age there is an enlisted club as well I think. A sailor is considered "legal age" on base if he/she is of legal age in his/her home state, is the way I understood it.

Phasing up: The first week at Dam Neck your sailor basically has no liberties. Once they arrive at Dam Neck though they can call, text, email the address to you and you can ship clothing, any small electronics they did not take with them, and some food stuffs. Your sailor will be told to send any parcels certified. I can tell you as other moms can too that what they mean is ship it insured. Certified is for documents and letters. If you send it USPS-insured, it will get sent to the NEX for pick up. If it is not insured, only the minimum postage paid on it, the parcel will be sent to the school building and security will have to have your sailor name off all the items that are in the parcel. Believe me Chris and I had to go through that and if there is food stuff in an uninsured parcel, they give the sailor a big frown. :( They do not like food at the school.

POVs (Personally Owned Vehicles) :
When Chris phased up to being allowed his car on base we checked with Fleet and Family Services at Oceana and they gave us the hours of operation for the Pass and ID office at Oceana. To bring the vehicle on base (or even one visiting on base) a pass must be issued for the vehicle. If it is during the weekend and you are simply visiting, those passes can be issued at the gate but ONLY if the Pass and ID office is closed. Otherwise ALL vehicles must go to the Pass and ID Office. A couple of moms have posted more current information about vehicle registration below. (Sorry I'm having trouble making my Admin tools work properly, or I would paste the links here)

After approximately 6 weeks at Dam Neck your sailor will be phased up to full liberties where he/she can leave when their liberty begins on Friday and remain off base until Sunday night. All liberties are considered a privilege that can be recalled at anytime the Navy decides they need your sailor more. Also if they are scheduled for duty over the weekend they will either have to swap with someone in advance or they will have to remain at barracks during that 24 hours. Plan visits accordingly.

Visits: You may go to Dam Neck and visit your sailor. There are many places available in the Virginia Beach area. They vary in prices, availability, services, etc just like anywhere else. I stayed at the Navy Lodge right there on the Annex and found it very nice. The room was clean, there was a small kitchenette, and more than enough towels. There was also a small play area for younger kids, charcoal grills out back and picnic tables. It was just about a slow five minute drive over to the barracks so Chris was able to leave the room just before midnight and be checked in, in time. He came back over early the next morning. If you are out and about on the base (the MWR, riding around, the NEX, etc) your escort (sailor) must remain with you. Except for traveling directly to and from the Navy Lodge they should be in the car with you also.

School: The school hours and days may vary by holidays, mandatory medicals, Instructor's meetings and things of that nature. Most of the time school begins at 8:00am and runs til lunch break, they march back then to barracks or the galley, have their meal and then march back for the after noon session. On some Fridays they may be excused around lunch time, and those not on duty can usually begin their liberty if they have earned it.
Both A school and C school are very competitive and demand a lot of study time. If a sailor fails a unit they can sometimes retake the test but they will be put on mando (mandatory study time), or they may be put on hold and have to be dropped from that class and wait until another class makes it to that unit. It is not unusual for students to go back to the schoolhouse after evening meal and study until, 9:00, 10:00 or even later at night.
A school is 13 weeks long. it is a general over view of Intelligence specialties and whatever else they learn. (Who knows?) C School is job specific. Near the end of a school a sailor has the opportunity to make his/her "dream assignment" known. The Navy will then release a pool of job openings by the specialty and/or location of the job. The highest ranking student in the class (highest grade average) is allowed to choose first. The second highest gets to choose second and so on. These are only preliminary choices that may be changed later. That happened to my son. He picked DC and the instructors began talking to him about the area and 3 weeks into C school his orders were changed to go overseas. Again, nothing is etched in stone.
Depending on the specialty that the sailor trains in during C school determines the number of weeks that his/her C school will last. One specialty school lasts about 6 weeks, another I believe, lasts about 15 weeks, and then Strike and a couple of other more classified areas train for I think about 8-12 weeks. Those, I am not as sure about since my son starts shutting up on some of it and there is not so much info out there on those couple of specialties. Everything in IS is a "need to know basis" and that's stuff I don't need to know. There is more info on all this in Ellen's discussion about the IS rating in general.

When a sailor completes A school there is a very brief and very informal graduation for them. I understand that when C school is completed the "ceremony" lasts a little longer but still informal. I understand that family may attend. I will post more about this after I attend my son's graduation soon.

The one thing I can tell you is that I asked a few moms whose kids were already out in the field and they have all said that their sailors like what they do. It is a field that is vital to our security and gives them a wonderful background for other jobs after coming out of military service. Please tell your sailors thank you for their service and congratulations, they've earned it.

It sounds as though there are a lot of negatives here but it not really so bad and there is free time. It’s just better to be aware that they are still in the Navy and are basically on the job 24/7. Will post more later about the VB area.

[JM-ISmomx2]

She hasn't received her hard copy orders yet, but it should prove interesting since is still breastfeeding her 8 month old daughter.

[philipmom]

Thank you very much for all of this useful information!

Pam

[Mary (Chris' mom)]

Pam, You are welcome. As I said, I'm not sure how accurate all this is now since my Chris, Anna's Chris, and a couple of other "experienced" moms' sons and daughters were there close to 4 or 5 yrs ago. It gives you a general idea though of what you and your sailor can expect. Remember that anything the school "throws at" them is going to end up being for their own good. It's not an easy school to get through, but bootcamp will help to prepare them for school, and school helps to prepare them for the job, and the job helps to prepare them for life. You will see changes at PIR and you will "sense" changes after school. You will see a lot of changes within that first 1-2 years on the job. How he matures and becomes so much more responsible. It's a scary but awesome ride! 

[Tina]

Thank you very much for the time you put into the information you posted.  Tina mom of a Airforce son, Marine son and now a Navy daughter!!!

[Mary (Chris' mom)]

Tina, Congratulations and thank all your soldiers for their service and thank you for your sacrifices. It's not easy to have one in the military but you and Anna pretty well take it all (Anna has 2 in Active Navy and one in Inactive reserve Navy and she and her husband both were officers in the Navy!). Best of luck to your daughter. 

[USnavymom63]

Hi my son is at Dam Neck now ans is almost done with A school in jan, how long will it be before he gets his orders for C school? 

[Mary (Chris' mom)]

It is all up to "needs of the Navy". He might be expressing his choice now, but until all the available billets are in front of them and the Navy knows how many will actually graduate on time, etc nothing will set in stone. From the things moms have been saying over the past couple of years, the sailors don't have as much say in their first assignment now, but I still have not heard anyone come back and say that their sailor really does not like their job. Try to take it all in stride. It will all work out.

 

[Laura]

Your sailor will get orders near or at the end of "A" school.  However, the "C" school class might not begin immediately.  there may be a few weeks lag in between schools. 

They need to have a certain amount of sailors ready/qualified to begin the next school.  It is not uncommon for some sailors to not make it successfully though "A" school.  Once they reach their numbers, by waiting for a few more to complete "A" school, they will then begin "C" school.

My sailor got his second choice and is now happy that he did! 

But as Mary said, "Needs of the Navy".  It makes it hard for us to try to plan the un-planable. LOL! Enjoy the ride!

[Kim]

Hi Laura! My son got his last choice but ended up having a great experience (and only had a weekend between A and C school). Once he did his sea duty, he came back and went through another C school which was his first choice to begin with....all is good!

[LizziesHusband-2/28/14 - 14-091]

Has anyhad someone do IS as a reservist. If you would connect with me. I have questions.

[emtbuggy]

My son will be doing IS as a reservist so any information you have that would be helpful would be greatly appreciated.

[Mary (Chris' mom)]

IS as a reservist can vary greatly in job duties, station location (there may not be a high level security site within your area) and job satisfaction. Generally reservists will return home after school and do the same type of training as other Reservists (a weekend each month and 2 weeks during the summer) but they may have to travel many miles to get to their duty station each month. Since they are not generally on a ship, or at a base full time, their duties may not be the same as the active full-timers. It does allow them however plenty of time to pursue their education and/or careers and family life. The training is the exact same for the reservists as for the full-time folks. Your sailor will understand the subtle differences one they are at the school and see how it all works. 

Sorry this is sketchy at best but it really depends a lot on where you live, the job they choose and how ambitious they are after they get out of school.