Naval Aviation

For Moms with Aviators or anyone interested
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  • Dawn

    Campbellum. My DS is in Pensacola finished ifs a month ago and waiting to class up API.
  • Rose

    The waiting game is like a game of dominoes.  My DS finished API a bit ago & is waiting to class up to Primary.  A combination of clearing out the guys in the classes ahead + the holidays = created this particular waiting game for DS. Worked out well cuz he moved to & settled in his new apt in the interim.

  • Dawn

    Yes at this stage they seem to have a lot of down time. I am sure when they start primary that will change
  • Dawn

    Rose what class was your son and where will he be for primary?
  • Rose

    Dawn, my son graduated from API mid-November.  He is going NFO so he will remain in Pensacola for Primary.  There are a couple of groups ahead so it might be end Jan/beg Feb for his group to class up.

  • Dawn

    Thanks Rose. My son is SNA so will be whiting or corpus after API. he got held up for API because of the pool closing. Sounds like will start second week of January.
  • Dawn

    My DS was able to come home for a few days at Xmas. I always feel like I did the first day of Kindergarten when he leaves again. I try to hold the tears so I don't make him sad.
  • Dawn

    Glad I am not alone in the crying department.
  • Helomom

    Hey moms! Just thought I would check in and wish you all a happy new year. I've been reading everyone's posts sounds like lots of you were able to connect with your aviators. We were able to FaceTime both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with our son and his family. He said the movers will be coming in about a week and a half to pack out the family. His wife's SUV has already been shipped, she and the kids have their plane tickets to San Diego. Graduation from NWC is on track for March 6. He is set to move in with some friends until graduation and then he will rejoin the family in San Diego. We are really looking forward to having the whole family in one time zone!
  • Dawn

    Look forward to seeing your pictures
  • CheriH

    Hello all...what wonderful news to hear of those who got to see their loved ones.  And thankful for the technology that lets us connect when we are far away.

    We just arrived home after our 11 hour drive from Pensacola.  But it was worth every minute to see DS and his wife in their new environment!  He is in Primary at Whiting; waiting for his first flight.  He had his FAM right before Christmas, so the next thing is actual flight time. We had such fun listening to all sorts of technical jargon and what he's learning.  He took us plane by plane through the NAS flight museum.  It's fascinating!  

    Hope each of you has a wonderful new year and blessings to all of your aviators!

  • Jamesmum

    Hi all, my son just graduated from OCS 04-13 and will be in Pensacola Jan 11th. His housing just fell through and I wondered if anyone out there had any good contacts. He and 4 other aviators had a 5 bed place lined up but the owners just cancelled the lease. Now the 5 of them are on the urgent hunt. They will consider splitting into a 3 and a 2 if necessary.
  • Dawn

    Have them ask to join the naval aviation support group on face book. This was started by a group in September and he or you can join also. Ask the group. They have been there a while
  • Paymaster

    Welcome JSma2.

    Navy son and family are home.  Will have all my children and grandchildren under one roof this evening!

  • AH

    I have to share what my best friend's daughter was telling us over the holidays.   Her husband is a 1st Sgt in the Army and currently on deployment in Afghanistan.  She and their 7 year old son came home to Colorado to spend the holidays with her mom and brother.  I guess that every time that they are in an airport either dropping Erik off or going some place themselves that they pick a service member in uniform or by what they are carrying and either get them a meal or something to thank them for their service.  Erik has always had some one do it for him when he has been at an airport and they pay it back. Their son usually selects who they are going to do this with.  Apparently Carrie had Jordan pick somebody else up in Seattle this year.   I guess she decided that an O-6 could afford his own meal.  They then selected a Marine enlisted.  I got a kick out of that since my DS is an O-3.  She apparently draws the lines atO-5 and above.

     

    Everyone.... have a great New Year.  I plan to! 

  • Dawn

    Yes Kathy it does.
  • Paymaster

    Home babysitting the grandchildren, while Navy son and wife have a weekend off in SF.  They are meeting up some other Navy classmates and going to the Kraft bowl to watch Navy play AZ. 

  • Barb

    Jamesmum, we googled Austinwood Apartments.  That's where my son lived while in Pensacola.  Very nice apartments and military friendly.

  • Rose

      Yes to the Austin Woods recommendation.  DS shared a two-bedroom apt there til his buddy got orders.  Just moved over to a one-bedroom (still at Austin Woods).  Very nice mgmt folks - tell your guys to ask for Lynn, she is very helpful with move details, etc. & a super nice lady!

  • Dawn

    Navy plays in their bowel game at 3 pm CST today.
  • Dawn

    Leslie
    My thoughts and prayers are with you.
  • JudyM

    Leslie, my prayers are with you.
    Both sons and their ladies are gone. Seems pretty quiet here. Will hopefully see my fly boy in February for winging. He and his lady got stranded in Dallas last night. Hopefully back to Kingsville this morning.
  • Michelle

    So I wonder if my doctor will drop me when I turn 65 and my present health insurance starts requiring me to go through medicare first before they will pay.  

  • CheriH

    Leslie--will keep you and Terry in our prayers.  So glad all the boys were able to make it.  Have loved all the holiday appreciation of our military.  Did you see the Fiesta Bowl piece on the military football game?  Heartwarming.  And now our guys and gals are back to it.  Praying for a safe year for each one of them!

  • JudyM

    Leslie, my prayers are with you and Terry. 

  • Paymaster

    Kathy....my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

  • Barb

    Kathy, my condolences on your loss.  Prayers for your whole family, especially for those that can't be there...that would be very hard.

    Leslie, thinking of you and Terry and hoping that all goes well.

    Haven't been commenting but very much enjoying all of the holiday stories...we were blessed to have all of the kids here...our DS made the 60 hour round trip from Kingsville through Enid OK to catch a ride with one of his AF friends.  It's so wonderful when they are all here and SOOO quiet when they all leave.

    Best to all....

    Best to everyone.

  • JudyM

    Barb, I didn't know  you had a DS at Kingsville. Our son is there until February or March. I often wonder if some of "the kids" of us Moms know each other.

  • Paymaster

    Nancy....Let us know if you are coming to Sacramento and have time for coffee or a meal.  JudyM and I live here and would love to spend some time with you.

  • JudyM

    Paymaster, I would love to help welcome a new member of our group.

  • Dawn

    Here is the site. I got my son one for Christmas
    http://nightvisionpen.com/index.php
  • Dawn

    I wasn't the mom that posted it originally though.
  • Dawn

    Your welcome.
  • Dawn

    Great stationary Suzie! I will save this. My son is just starting API follow on to Whiting which was his choice so that was great news.
  • Paymaster

    Gosh Suzie where was this site when my son was graduating!  Great stuff on this site!

     

  • CheriH

    Hey Dawn, my son is at Whiting in the midst of Primary.  Just had his first flight last week.  So wonderful to hear the details and the excitement as he tells us about it!

  • Dawn

    Cheri H. Thanks for letting me know. Our sons must have graduated close then! Mine graduated July 27. They had a bit delay getting into API with hurricane week and then pool goin down so he has been waiting for a bot. He finished IFS in October. He went ahead and got his pilot license during the down time. Full steam ahead now I hope. He should be in Primary last week Febuary. They will probabley run into each other.
  • Dawn

    Great picture Navy wife and Mom!
  • Paymaster

    Love the picture!

     

  • Helomom

    @Nancy W - Bremerton! We are in Suquamish. According to some ALL of Kitsap County is the boonies. We have lived here since 1975 and love it. We have had one of our two kids move back to raise their family and hope DS heads this way eventually. Did you take a look at Poulsbo? Or Kingston?
  • Helomom

    @Navy wife and mom - Bravo Zulu to your son! Awesome picture! Helo pilots are a special breed.
  • campbellm

    Dear Nancy W and Helomom - I live in Kent and just retired and have been looking at moving over to the Kitsap Peninsula.  My son just moved to Pensacola for flight training.  I would love to hear how your search progresses.  Melodie

  • campbellm

    Hi, Nancy.  "PM"???  It sounds like we are looking for similar homes.  I haven't tried Gig Harbor yet, but I have been looking up in Port Orchard.  None of the places I've looked at have been walking distance to anything other than the mail box.

  • Sweet*Southern*Lady

    Hey Ladies, If you have a child at API how long are their current wait times?  We should be getting pre-written orders any day now.  With the hopes of leaving Late May early June. We had a few friends that got moved just day after graduation we're hoping for at least two weeks so I can finish teaching for the school year.

    Also did anyone's children love where they lived? I'm looking for neighborhoods and best rental companies!

    Thanks Ladies!  Many Blessings!

  • Dawn

    It depends. My son got there in August and just started API. He had IFS first and then the pool used for API was taken down for repair so they didn't start any API class from Oct 1 until January. Hurricane weather also slowed down flying for IFS. So if you need IFS takes a bit longer. Most have a couple weeks after graduation to report it seems like. They will get a report date on orders at OCS..
  • Dawn

    There is a face book page naval aviator support group you could ask to join. People from OCS class 14-12 started it and they help answer questions for new people coming. They have some information on the group about good and not so good places to live.
  • Dawn

    Sorry. It is Naval Aviation Support Group
  • CheriH

    SweetSouthernLady...I'm afraid there is no "usual" wait time.  My son graduated from college mid-May; didn't get his orders until the week afterwards and then reported June 1.  Fortunately he got his wedding in on May 19th.  Some of the guys he reported with started IFS the next week;but he got delayed, and did the swimming portion of API starting mid-June.  Then went back and did IFS and the rest of API.  There was a step in there where he got to put in a preference, but I'm not sure it made much difference. 

    As for where to live; he knew he had follow-on orders to Whiting, so he and his bride decided to live in Milton; knowing that he would spend more time there during Primary than in P'cola and they didn't want to move.  I think they found a realtor from some friends that were already living in P'cola.  

    Good luck!

  • Dawn

    The married folks get their follow on orders right away so they know where to have their family. Single get when they start API. Most of the married my son knows got Whiting so they only move once. It sounds like right now most are also getting their choice for Whiting or Corpus if they choose.
  • Dawn

    Great words! Thank you!