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Comment by M's mom on November 12, 2012 at 9:52pm

gordons4:  I hope your son has written to his wife that he is now feeling better!  (You said that he had a fever.)   The lack of communication is hard on all of us, especially those who have been used to texting or talking to their loved one every day!   This is how it will be when they are on sea duty, especially those on submarines!  You may not hear from them for weeks, or even months while on a sub tour of duty.  When they can communicate, it seems to go to the spouse or gf/bf, and not Mom.  This is what happens when they grow up and leave the nest!  (sniff)    It is said, "Once a Marine, ALWAYS a Marine."   Well, once a MOM.....   :-)

Comment by Dawn on November 12, 2012 at 1:34pm

It is hard being the mom. I told my son (class 14-12) to call his girlfriend when he was limited on time and she could pass info on. Which she did. I was glad I told him that so he didn't have to feel guilty. When he was able to call more mom got calls. It was great.

Comment by gordons4 on November 12, 2012 at 11:17am

aggiemom, My son is in class 05 and also has not lived at home for 6 yrs--and I thought it would be easier, too. The last time we had any direct communication from him was the morning he reported...he called to tell us goodbye and he loved us one more time. (sniff, sniff) He is recently married so his wife is getting any calls and so far all the letters. She is great about sharing with us right away and my son has given her a few messages to pass onto us. I had to realize real fast that this is not about me...it's about him and his future and dreams. It's so hard being the mom. You will do great and we are here to help you through. Sheri

Comment by M's mom on November 12, 2012 at 8:32am

Yes, some of those pay phones are bad, and you can't hear them.   The candidates were in line, and didn't have any choice as to which phone to use for that first call.  When he gets weekend phone privileges after the fourth week, he will be able to pick his phone, especially if he calls after the rest are finished.  Write and tell him if he picks up a phone and hears static before he even dials, hang that one up, and pick another.  This has been an ongoing problem, but OCS has not seen fit to get the phones fixed in that barracks because it will be demolished soon.  They are building a new OCS barracks right now which may be open early next year, so hopefully the new phones will be better for future classes!    No news is GOOD news the first four weeks!   After that, they can email, and it gets better!

Comment by aggiemom on November 12, 2012 at 7:48am

He said before he left if he could take two weeks he would, even if it meant he went in the hole with his leave. He left Sat, got a call last night but the connection was so bad I couldn't hear him. He had not lived at home for 6 years so I thought I would be OK. I was wrong, I know it'll get better. First letter has been written.

Comment by navymom9875 on November 4, 2012 at 11:43pm

When my son was in OCS over Christmas 2 years ago they could take both weeks if they wanted to but it put them in a leave deficit that they would have to make up after graduation.  Or they could just take one week so they wouldn't owe so many days back. 

Comment by aggiemom on November 4, 2012 at 6:39pm

That is how I interpreted the leave policy, only one week but my son says two. That's what he was told, he'll figure it out soon enough.

Comment by M's mom on November 4, 2012 at 12:35pm

aggiemom:  If you go to ocs.navy.mil, there is a link on the right side of the home page under the "Technical Training" picture that explains the holiday leave policy for OCS.  The school will be "standing down" for two weeks between Dec 21 and Jan 4, but each candidate will only get leave for ONE of those weeks, EITHER Dec 21-Dec 28, OR Dec 28-Jan 4.  The other week they must be at OCS, and will be on work detail, stripping and waxing the floors and cleaning all the classrooms, and the barracks.  They have to put in a request for the week they want, but they get what they get.  Such is life in the military.  My son is now in Intelligence School in Virginia Beach, and they will have the same policy.  He will get one week leave out of the two, and he'll have to be there for the other week, even though the school will be closed.  I think OCS will get Thanksgiving Day "off" of classes, and they will probably have a  turkey dinner for them in the chow hall.   My son was at OCS on July 4th, and even though they still had to do PT (physical training) that day, they had a cookout for them with hot dogs, hamburgers and all the trimmings, and he was allowed to call home that day. For those who will be at OCS on Christmas and New Year's day, I'm sure they will be allowed to call home.

Comment by aggiemom on November 3, 2012 at 10:26pm

M's mom - thanks, that's Abby my 11yo mini Aussie. I hope I am prepared for when he leaves. It will be interesting to see how leave works at Christmas. I think I'd really prefer they went straight through. We're having a small Thanksgiving turkey tomorrow and I'm using my last vacation days next week to spend with him & do whatever he wants to do.

Comment by M's mom on November 3, 2012 at 7:42pm

aggiemom:  Sounds like you are prepared, Mom!  That first phone call they are allowed, just to tell you they are there, may not come until Monday or Tues, so don't panic if you don't get a call on Sunday night. Depends on how big his class is. We didn't get called til Tuesday.  Also get phone cards with LOTS of minutes! (I got my son's at Walmart.)  Those pay phones they have to use charge the cards something like 15 minutes just to connect the call!!!   Some of the phones are bad and hard to hear.  After that first call, don't expect to hear from him again, except for maybe letters, for four weeks.  The Navy wants to wean the candidates (AND their loved ones) off of constant communication with each other. Just keep telling yourself that "no news is GOOD news" because that means he is still in the program and not coming home!   Write every day, but don't expect lots of letters back.  They have very little free time, and there is not an outgoing mailbox close to the barracks to mail them. It is an ordeal for this electronic generation to actually handwrite a "snail mail" letter!    BTW, cute dog on your profile pic!!!!!

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