Ship 09 Div 279

[Jana]

Just got my son's form letter.  He shipped on 7/5 and is in Ship 09 Div 279.  If yours is too, please reply so we can get to know each other and share information.

[caylex 9/279]

Is navy recruit command a website or a forum on this site?  I'll have to check it out!

 

My son is a real homebody type. He never got to the usual teenaged mentality of being mouthy or not wanting to be seen with his parents.  :)  As a family, we love to watch movies at home and at the theater.  Also, our family is big into bass fishing.  My hubby is a professional bass angler, and both our kids fish tournaments too.  My son was leading the division he fishes before he left!  Also, he was a wrestler from 7th grade through 11th.  

[Jana]

Sorry I have not been able to reply in the last few days.  Things at work have been crazy.  Today was my 7th day of working in a row without a day off.  Instead of having 4 days off this week, like was scheduled, I am ending up with only one day off due to someone quitting.  I am looking forward to my day off tomorrow!

I am doing much better since seeing my son off at the airport.  It was much harder than I thought it was going to be on me, but I have done much better since then.  I didn't even cry when I got the box.  I hear other people talk about how stinky their boxes were, but his really wasn't.  He has always been such a good kid.  He is smart, respectful, athletic.  He played football in high school and was an honor graduate.  He scored extremely high on the ASVAB, but couldn't do the job that he wanted because he is color blind, so he is going to be a hospital corpsman.  What are your SR's jobs?  I do miss him, but know that he is doing what he wants to do.  He decided to enlist in the Navy when he was 17, but didn't want me to have to sign.  He waited until his 18th birthday and then signed then when he could do it himself. He had to wait about 11 months before he shipped.  He worked at his job at a grocery store in the meantime and has managed to save up quite a bit of money before he left.  I think he is saving for a car.   I thought I was going to miss his birthday this year, but PIR is on his 19th birthday.  Isn't that cool? 

Navy Recruit Command is the RTC facebook page I believe.  Go to facebook and type in US Navy Recuit Training Command and you will find it. 

I am waiting for my first letter and phone call.  Have you all received anything yet?

I have made my hotel reservations.  We are staying at the Ramada Inn Waukegan.  I keep debating about whether to fly or drive.  I enjoy driving, and we have not been in that part of the country before, so we might just make a mini vacation out of it.  Hopefully I will decide in the next few days.  Where are you all staying?

[caylex 9/279]

Good morning!

 

I am making our hotel reservations this morning, and am calling the Ramada first.  If they are full, I will try the Courtyard.  My parents and sister are going with us, even though my mom and dad probably (but there is a chance) won't get to see PIR.  I didn't cry when I saw Alex's box at the door. I brought it inside and quickly put it in his room on his bed.  An hour or so later I went downstairs and opened it.  It was stinky at all.  I cried a little as I took things out because I knew it was the last laundry I was going to have of his.

 

My son's job is medical assistant (I think) as a Corpman.  Originally he wanted in for large diesel engine mechanics - he has always loved tinkering on cars. But he scored higher on the ASVAB and they offered him the corpman. I don't know much about the difference between seaman and corpman yet.  He enlisted about six weeks after his high school graduation, which was a year ago. He was in DEP for a year + a 3 weeks! Alex turned 19 in April of this year.  His Jr and Sr years of high school he worked Co-op at tool and die factories.  But the last six months before leaving he worked at a pallet factory working with large saws and other equipment.  

I'll be sure to check out that facebook page - thanks! 

I have not gotten a phone call or letter either. My guess is we'll get the call on the same day, but you are farther away from GL so my letters will probably arrive faster. We are only 3 and half hours north of chicago.

 

[Jana]

If you call the Ramada, ask for the Naval Graduation package.  I think there is a discount on the rooms.

[caylex 9/279]

They said the graduation rate was 79 plus tax.  Is that what you got?  

 

I was sooo hoping for a letter today, but the post office empty handed and feeling quite down. I wish I didn't let myself get my hopes up, then I wouldn't be so disappointed.

[Jana]

Yes, that is the rate I got.  I think it's $89 a night without the Naval graduation package.  Yes, I was disappointed myself to check the mail and no letter.  Though knowing him, he probably won't write.  Since some divisions in the 8/26 PIR group have gotten phone calls this week, I have kept my phone by my side at all times this week except when I can't at work.  Hoping for a phone call or a letter soon. 

[caylex 9/279]

I'd love a phone call at this point, but I would sure be thrilled a letter.  Maybe today or tomorrow we'll find it's a "good mail day" - that's what my sister called it when she was in another state for college  :)

[caylex 9/279]

We got TWO letters from our SR today!  One was addressed to me and one to my daughter  :)  We are so happy!!  You two gals should gets yours soon - I know you both live farther away from GL than I do.

[caylex 9/279]

He sounded pretty good!  Here are a few things he said:  It's not as bad here as you would think, the food is really good, we get 15 min to eat, the base is very large sometimes we get up at 00400 to be on the other side by 00600, we have only had PT twice if you can believe that, we have mostly been in the classroom learning things.  

 

He said I should try to only write 1-2 letter a week because they are not getting much time to read them. However, his later was dated 7/17 on sunday (like we thought was their first opportunity).  He said he is making lots of friends, especially the young man that is also from MI that rode the bus with him. He said "everyone in 279 is really cool".  He of course said he loves us all and that he probably will only have time to write home but to thank everyone else for writing to him.

[Jana]

Aww, that is nice.  Well they must be doing good if they have only had PT twice.  I haven't been able to write as much as I had wanted to.  I have mailed him 3 letters and have another one to mail tomorrow.  My job has been driving me crazy the last few weeks.  I told him that I had read that some people asked their parents to just send 1-2 letters a week, so if he needed to tell me that, that was fine.  We will see what happens in the next few days, but I'm glad that someone heard from them. 

[caylex 9/279]

I wonder if we'll get the phone call next week?  When my son called the day he arrived, he said "we'll probably get a phone call in three weeks".  I cannot wait to hear his voice!

[Jana]

Yes, I hope so.  I have had a feeling the last few days that a phone call is coming soon, so I have been keeping my cell phone by my side at all times.  He will probably call when I'm at work and can't answer the phone, but I have given him instructions that if he calls and I don't answer, he better leave a voicemail!!  When he called with the "I'm here" phone call, he also said that it would be about 3 weeks before he would be able to call.