Moms of Officers

Helomom, that sounds like an amazing trip! I love the Mediterranean, but we've never done a cruise! Gotta add that to the bucket list!

M's Mom - what a great trip to Japan! I really look forward to seeing where our son gets stationed!

sueb,

Probably wouldn't hurt to send Christmas packages to the ship in early December soon after deployment.  You never know how long it will take to reach him, so if you don't want it to be late, I'd do it sooner rather than later.

When my son was deployed on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, packages took anywhere from only one week to over three weeks to get to him.  It just depended on if his package made the weekly or whatever shipment from the fleet post office.  If you use the "large" size US Postal Service flat-rate boxes, (size 12" x 12" x 4")  there is a military discount of a few bucks off the postage if it's going to a FPO or APO address.

Helomom,

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip to Italy!  I've always wanted to see Rome, and Pompeii.  I'm jealous of your retirement, too!  My hubby just retired, but (I never thought I would say this) I'm only 60, so alas, I'll be working a few more years!  

My son thinks he wants to go for the career in the Navy, because he likes what he does in intelligence. Hopefully, his next assignment will be stateside, since he's been on a long ship deployment and then 3 years of foreign duty.  It will be nice to have him and D-I-L closer to us, but after that, I may hint that he try for Europe, so we can visit and take the grand tour!

Just introducing myself to the group. My DS , who is 25, who has been working as an aerospace engineer for the last 3 1/2 years, has decided he wants to join the Navy and become a Naval Aviator. He has applied to OCS and has handed in all of the required paperwork but he still has to have his physical. He was hoping to be considered for the February 2018 board but now that the physical has not been completed he will probably not be considered till the following board in 2018.

Hi and welcome rousse54. your DS sounds similar to my son's path to OCS. He worked as a mech. engineer in the PNW after college then made to the choice of joining the navy. He said  persevere in getting paperwork and appointments with the recruiter is key. He too experienced delays but finally did get his date to go to OCS to be a Nuke.  Good luck on this next adventure and looking forward to hearing DS has a date at OCS.

Welcome rousse54!  My DS applied to OCS for pilot when he was 26, but he was enlisted at that time. Your DS needs to graduate from OCS prior to his 27th birthday. Looks like the deadline for the uponing board is Feb 16th. He should get on his recruiter everyday and do whatever takes to get the physical done and his package complete. I wish him all the best!

Welcome rousse54.  Unfortunately, the military is very much "hurry up & wait."  With my son it was "wait, wait, wait,....now HURRY UP!!!"   He was accepted to OCS in 2012 right before his college graduation, but was told that there would not be a spot for him at OCS for about a year!  He was weighing his job options, not thinking he would be able to get a very good job if he was honest with a prospective employer that he would be leaving for the military in a year.  We were on a family vacation, as a last trip before his job search, when his recruiter called him and said he had to report to OCS in six weeks!!!!   It was a very unexpected whirlwind to get all of his stuff ready, memorize all the required Navy info, and try to get into OCS physical shape in just a few weeks, when he had been thinking he had a year!!!  

They have to learn to roll with whatever their orders are and whenever.   As others have posted, part of the game is showing the recruiter how badly you want it.  They want to see the perseverance and drive.  Gone are the days when the recruiters would pursue the candidates.  Now the candidates must show the Navy that they really, really want it, and they have the Right Stuff.  Tell your son to keep at it, and good luck to him!  

Thanks, everyone! He has been on top of his recruiter but the recruiter tells him right now is a very busy time and MEPS is processing a lot of people. I am fairly certain he will miss the February 2018 board and be considered for the next Naval Aviation  board, whenever that is! 

Rousse54, welcome, and I wish your son the best of luck. My son is studying aerospace engineering at Auburn in the NROTC program. He also hopes to become a pilot.

Thanks, Glenni for the warm welcome.  Good luck to your son. My son did not make the Feb. 7 aviation board deadline as he is still awaiting his physical with MEPS. They are asking for additional information from him. But hopefully he will get that all done and be considered for the next board which I believe is in May 2018. 

Anyone have a son or daughter scheduled for January 15th start at OCS in Newport?

Hi rouse54.  

the hurry up and wait never stops. My DS got caught in the after effects of 9/11 with all the reserves coming back in and using all the training time for them.  After two uncertain years of waiting, the do I get a full time job etc,My DS finally got to OCS in Pensacola.  Now 13 years later he still files Jet  Jockey carrier style and is also doing a stint at the same time  in the big place on D.C.  got in 3 Masters Degrees to so the wait is worth it.

Congrats BoomMom on having a LO heading to OCS. Time has flown bye since my LO was there now over 2yrs ago. If you have not joined the OCS  page here is can be another great place for info. If you are facebook join the officer training command  newport.  They will post pictures of the classes. It was so fun searching pictures trying to spot a glimpse of your LO. There should also be a fb page for your LO's class it will look something like Navy OCS class xx-18 friends and family. 

BoomMom - You might also want to ask on the "OSC Graduate Moms" group. You will find "To be", current and past OCS family members in both groups.  Best of luck to you and your son/daughter!

TriciaM, you mentioned that 13 years later your son is still flying. That is awesome. My son has said that they have been told most pilots only get 1 actual flying tour of duty unless they are really outstanding! That was a little discouraging to him, and he has considered the Nuke route (they're also pressuring him towards the Nuke program), but at this point he really still wants to fly. So it is encouraging to read that about your son!

Glenni,

I will agree my son is an outstanding aviator (I get a quick reminder when I just say he is a pilot, he is a Navy Aviator!).  There are others also so good luck to your son.I have flown with my son before he went in so do know he is an born aviator.  He is an Embry Riddle grad so started flying there.

Tricia M,

Embry Riddle was my son's second choice. We visited the campus and were very impressed!

Don't want to brag but where else but here to do it.  My Navy Aviator just finished qualifying on the HS Truman and received "Top Hook" . We are so happy he just made it and the icing on the cake to boot !

PA Navy Mom:     You are rightly justified in bragging about your Top Hook son!  Of course you should be very proud.  Congrats to you and your aviator!

That is awesome PA Navy Mom!

PA Mom.  You certainly should be very proud of him.  Top Hook is an amazing honor.  

Congrats PA  Navy Mom!  Brag all you want!  We "get it" here :)

Thank you !! 

My son just got a text today from his recruiter that he has been accepted for a Naval Aviator slot. He is very excited, I am excited for him but also nervous, understandably. No official OCS date yet but they are shooting for July 1... I am sure I will be on this site more once he gets an official date... 

Congrat rousse54. I am sure he was excited to receive that text. As time gets closer OCS graduate mom is another good page to join.  If you are on fb look at officer training command newport they will post pictures there of the classes. You can spend a while searching out for your LO there. There will usually have a family and friends of class# page too.  

topdog1p: thanks for your suggestions. I will definitely join those groups when the time comes! Looking forward to getting to know you and the other moms on this site! 

Welcome rousse54 and congrats to your son,

As topdog1p wrote, join the group "OCS Graduate Moms" here on Navy for Moms.  That is specific to OCS.  In this group, some of the Moms' officers were commissioned through ROTC, and some went to the Naval Academy.

Once he gets to OCS or even before, read back as far as you can on the OCS Graduate Moms group postings and discussion forums.  We have probably answered many of your questions already, since we have had some recent new members with LO's (Loved Ones) currently at OCS.

Topdog1p,

Congratulations on your sons’s Acceptance as an aviator!

Hello.  New to this group, but not Navy for Moms.  All of our boys are military.  1st one an AF enlisted reservist / full time guard.  2nd is AF enlisted reservist, going to Officer training soon.  3rd is active Navy officer at school in CT.  

 to MaineGrammy.  Welcome to the group and thank you to your sons for all serving. and congrats to rousse54 and your son.  

Welcome MaineGrammy,

(My daughter-in-law is from Maine!)

Is your Navy officer son in submarine school at Groton CT?

Thanks TriciaM.  We are proud of our military service (I was AF and Hubby was AF and is NR chaplain)

Thanks M's mom!  Where in Maine?  Our son is at Groton for advanced training I think. Department head school.  Not sure of the official name.  He has orders for the Indiana.  

A moment to brag. My son graduated from OCS and is now an officer. More schooling and training to come. We are very proud of him. 

Congrats PKM! Always a proud mama event!

MaineGrammy,

My daughter-in-law is from Orient/Danforth, ME.  She says it is close enough to spit across the Canadian border!  haha

We're from Indiana, so excited to hear that your son will be on the new sub USS Indiana!

Congrats PKM!  OCS is an accomplishment!  

Thanks for the congratulations. I don't deserve them, but I know that my son does, also my daughter-in-law. She joined the Navy through love. I have him close to home for a few weeks till they are off. Excited and sad at the same time.

PKM,

Will your son be at Dam Neck, VA?

Yes, for a bit and then off to another location for more schooling. 

Hi:  Anyone know of a group for Informational Professionasl?  I know that the Navy is a family, but I keep getting subtle warnings that family of  enlisted will not be  friendly/accepting of family of Officers. Has anyone had any problems?

PKM,

The only group I know of here on Navy for Moms is "Moms of Intelligence Specialists," which is made up mostly of Moms of enlisted sailors in intel.  The enlisted experience is different than officers, so those moms can't answer many questions about the officer's experience with school, etc. 

 Then there is the fraternization thing.  Officers and enlisted are not supposed to socialize with each other off-duty, especially within their chain of command, and that applies to the families also. So there are usually different enlisted and officers groups here for the same specialty.  I haven't really been made to feel unwelcome in the enlisteds'   I.S. group, but they can't answer any of my questions about school, etc. since their experience is different. 

 I have not found a group for intel officers here or anywhere else; probably due to lack of numbers.   You could start one!

PKM,

Yes to what M's Mom said.  It's not that officer families and enlisted families don't accept each other, it's just that because of that fraternizing thing, they don't mix socially.  If you are asking about the Intelligence community, like M said, there is a group that is mostly enlisted people.  If there is more information you are looking for, please don't hesitate to ask!!  That's what we are here for!!!!!

Hi Moms! SECNAV released the FY-19 Active Duty Line Officer Captain (O-6) Selections this morning. Our DS is on the list! I knew he would make it but it is really nice to see it actually in print! 

I am new to this. My son is in OCS due to graduate in July. is there a group to join for that and I don't know how to find the FB paige. any help would be appreciated

Congratulations, Helomom (and to your son) - that's fantastic!