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Comment by mikesmom on May 23, 2013 at 8:12pm

I joined this group the other day and have not posted any comments, but as I was looking through some of the comments here I see some difference of opinions, putting it nicely.  Anyway my son just signed his contract a couple of weeks ago and is headed for BC Dec 10, then he will be in OS school.  About him being away and off to sea and what not, sure I'm concerned but it is his life and I am so proud of him. I would love to hear from other moms who's son/daughter went to OS school and how they are doing.     

Comment by Noelle Blues Mom on May 23, 2013 at 8:04am

P.I.R 5/31/13!!!! Can't wait to see my Sailor Daughter

Comment by blm on April 5, 2013 at 4:27pm

Ya that's my gal on the tortuga and Japan was her first choice. They move around a lot and she has been to several countries. But I do miss being able to talk very often.
The tiger cruise sounds like quite an adventure. Good for you for tsking advantage if that

Comment by lori ship 12 div 228 on April 5, 2013 at 1:51pm

Story clarification! When I explained that Tortuga was a ship...he said that would work...a flag with Tortuga would definitely work! lol!

Comment by lori ship 12 div 228 on April 5, 2013 at 1:48pm

fbettyboop

Thanks for the info, and yes, it is a scary thought to realize that not everyone will make it through boot camp...prayers are already in progress!

I had forgotten that during boot camp they get to make a "wish" list of where they would like to be stationed. We are in Wisconsin, so I don't really know of any place very close! lol! I think our son will be less concerned about how close or far away it is from home, and more interested in getting to be somewhere warmer than Wisconsin!! He is also thinking about getting to see the world and the experience of new places - which ultimately is how we would want him to approach it. As mom, my head knows all that, just takes some time for the heart to follow suit!  Thanks again for the info! I'm going to remind my son about the chance to make a wish list...thinking he might want to have some ideas before he goes to boot camp. Funny story...I was telling him about the mom whose daughter is an OS in Tortuga Japan...he got so excited. He immediately said that is exactly where he wants to go. I was actually surprised...I didn't know he knew anything about Tortuga...well, not sure that he does. Tortuga is the pirate island from Pirates of the Caribbean..."how cool would that be? I could even get a pirate flag with Tortuga on it". lol! Boys will be boys!

Comment by lori ship 12 div 228 on April 5, 2013 at 1:30pm

Ken-55,

Wow! That sounds crazy amazing! I would love to do it, but I think it would mean more to my son and his dad to get to experience that together. If we could work it for both of us, I'm in! But, if not, I know my husband would LOVE it and our son would be proud for his dad to get to experience it. We are closing in on the day my son heads to BC, and despite the unknowns and thoughts of what changes await all of us, a sense of excitement is emerging! Thank you SO much for sharing your story, we are putting "Tiger Cruise" on our wish list!

Comment by Ken-55 (OS Dad) on April 5, 2013 at 1:22pm

Lori,

You're right about OS being "sea-duty intensive", there's not much for them to do in port.

A Tiger Cruise is where a sailor's family member gets to spend time at sea on the ship. I think it's mostly done when the ship is heading towards home port after deployment. There are a few rules, you need to be healthy (had to have doctor's permission), have to be sponsored by a same-sex sailor (if you wanted to go on your son's ship, he would have to get a female sailor to sponsor you) because your sponsor looks out for you and the berthings are separated by sex. Wives and girlfriends are not allowed.

Basically, you get to spend days living aboard the ship and learn a little about what your sailor has gone through. You sleep in the bunks, eat in the galley (although from what I heard the quality of the food improves when we get there) and I was able to be in CIC while my son was on duty. It was an incredible experience. Very eye-opening!

My cruise was only 2 days long, I met the ship in Mayport, FL and we sailed to Norfolk, VA. There was an informational meeting of "Tigers" shortly after we left port and then we were released to our sponsors. You can tour most of the ship and everyone is friendly and helpful . . . just think for a minute, they've been away from home for more than half a year . . . us being on board just re-enforces how close to home they are! Think back to when your sailor was a toddler, this trumps Christmas!!!

The whole strike group was nearby and we were treated to numerous displays like at-sea refueling, weapons firing, fly-bys from the carrier's planes and a "drag race" between the ships. At night we played bingo in the galley.

At "sea and anchor", the CIC is pretty busy . . . I got to watch my son do his job and see how much he had learned. Made my proud! I did miss some of the excitement as we pulled into port because the CIC is deep in the ship but once he was released from duty we got to see everyone gathered at the pier, it's something you don't want to miss.

Some Tiger Cruises are longer . . . one of my son's friends from high school joined a year after him. He's currently stationed aboard a aircraft carrier in the Pacific. His brother is joining the ship in Hawaii and gets to sail to Washington state. I think it's a 5 day cruise.

Hope this helps, bottom line . . .do it if you can!

Comment by fbettyboop on April 3, 2013 at 6:54pm

to lori, if you can get through bootcamp, then it's all downhill from there. that was the hardest for me, because #1 there is no communication for several weeks, and then when you do hear something it's about sailors that didn't make it or they got hurt or sick, and then how the hard the petty officers are. i was on my knee's daily praying for my son and everyone on his ship, what i'm trying to tell u not everyone makes it through bootcamp.  then once they get through bootcamp you have all your commuication back whether he is on base or a ship, my son is an os, stationed in san diego so for the first year he worked on base and came home every weekend (which 2 hours from home) he is now on his first deployment for 9 months, but he can email me daily if he wants and i have had two phone call from him he been gone so far for about 2 months. also in bootcamp they get to make their wish list and what that is, they pick the three places where they would like to be stationed so he can pick a base that is closest to home if he wants. well i hope that helps you please let me know

Comment by lori ship 12 div 228 on April 3, 2013 at 12:47pm

Ken-55

Thanks for sharing your experience. In the "job" description of an OS, the first thing mentioned is that it is "sea-duty intensive". Hearing the different stories from other OS parents, helps to at least begin to wrap my mind around what the possibilities are. That being said, I understand that nothing is "set in stone" and things change all the time!. We are excited and proud that our son has chosen to serve in the Navy. He's been to college for two years, so we have been empty nesters for awhile, but we realize that this will be much different. I had to smile when I read that your son has decreased his phone time with you since the girlfriend entered the picture! Our son doesn't have a girlfriend at this point, so we will enjoy being the priority while it lasts!! lol!  You mentioned that you got to join your son on a Tiger Cruise...how were you able to do that? I'll reveal my true naivete now...what is a Tiger Cruise?!! I have no idea what that is, but it sounds amazing!

Comment by Ken-55 (OS Dad) on April 3, 2013 at 11:30am

Going to try and stay out of the drama and just share my experience . . . my son was supposed to have a couple of weeks off after A-school (he was getting some extra days off to visit area high schools with his recruiter) BUT he found out his ship was leaving for deployment. After discussing it with his chief, he realized it was better to get on board before they left rather than catch up with them later. He cut his leave short, I took some time off work and drove him to Norfolk. I hugged him outside the gates and he was gone . . . for 7 months!

Now, a little history here . . . I'm was a single dad, raised him on my own since his mother and I split when he was 3 y.o., we were pretty close to begin with but he was a typical teenager, getting him to really talk to me was an effort. 

Seven months was a long time but both of us made the effort to stay in touch. We emailed a lot, I sent care packages and he called every few days. I asked him how he was able to call so much since I had heard family members of other sailors complain about not hearing from their sailors, he said, "it's easy, I just wait my turn". It could take an hour or more to get to one of the 2 phones available for his use. It's was matter of priorities.

I was very fortunate to be able to meet his ship in Mayport and go on a 2 day Tiger Cruise and be with him as they sailed into Norfolk for homecoming. It was an unbelievably awesome experience!!!

Homecoming was a year ago last December . . . since then he's been home one year for Christmas and one year for New Year's. He spent a week at home last summer with his new girlfriend and we're planning another week this summer. My wife (his step-mom) and I, vacationed near his base and he was able to spend some time with us last year. We've planned a repeat of that for this year.

In the last 18 months he's had a half-dozen or so short deployments, ranging from a few days to 6 weeks. He visited Boston on one deployment and we drove up to spend the day with him.  I don't get as many calls when he's deployed now that he has a serious girlfriend but I understand that.  ;-)

I realize that we're fortunate . . . his ship is based relatively close to home (about a 8-9 hour drive). We can afford to connect more than some other families. That being said, all I can encourage others to do is to focus on the quality of time you get, not the quantity . . . our sons and daughters have joined the service . . . service to our country!

The pride I have in my son and the personal growth I've seen in him, thanks to the Navy, more than makes up for the time we don't have together.

*surrendering the soapbox*  ;-)

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