belovedbyHim - good know how to count the time. He was told 88 days and I wasn't sure when that began. He is a BU as well so now wondering how long he will have to wait for class to begin. What do they do while waiting? All I know so far is he is going thru a book/manual and cleaning barracks.
yep-- cleaning barraks, pulling weeds with screwdrivers, visiting with the retired folks at the VA across the road. They keep them mostly busy but it's not an automatic thing, This is the Navy after all.... Hurry up and wait!! 88 days from when he classes up. My Bee took longer because they had the Christmas Stand down 3 weeks before graduation. Going through the book is a good idea as is choosing to work-out when he gets the chance. Some Bees took it easy and I heard stories of folks who were beyond sore when they started classes--lots of swinging hammers and such.
Wildcat_girl - Yes, there is a Facebook group called Navy Seabee Moms. We have Moms from Port Hueneme and Gulfport! It's a great way to connect and meet other Seabee Moms! Please join!
So my son is now at A school@ Fort Leonardwood MO. He wants me to send his laptop, as he has to complete online classes before his main classes start on the 18th. Does anyone know if it is okay to send electonics. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Hello, my son will be going to A school in Gulf Port Mississippi. He will graduate basics training March 18. I was hoping to find out if any other loved ones will be joining him. I would also like to get more info on how I can help support my sailor while he is in A school.
Hello, my son just graduated from boot camp and is headed to a school in Gulfport mississipi and any information wld be great- thanks for all the support!
Welcome, Tracie.11 :-) - my son went to A school in GP and is stationed there as well. He didn't have to wait terribly long for his class to fill so they could begin training/schooling. I love the group here on N4M, but it doesn't seem to be quite as active - seems to go in spurts. There is also a group on Facebook, Navy Seabee Moms - another WONDERFUL group of Moms who have so many answers and lots of support, too. I attended my son's graduation from A school, but it is nothing compared to the graduation from boot camp. I've been down to GP to visit him several times. What rate (job) is your son?
Hi all my son has been a BU and is being discharged in a few months after 5 years. There are som great facebook pages and groups like NCTC gulfport to see A school photos and graduation info as well as US navy moms too then you can sign up for the Seabee courier on the naval construction battalion center on facebook too. When your son joins a battalin they also have facebook pages which are great during deployments.
If you need any travel and visit info i am glad to help. I have been to GP many times!
julieb1019, I can't believe your son has completed his 5 yrs!!! Congratulations to him for his hard work and dedication! My son is being reassigned back to Gulfport for his last year and a half but this time he'll b going with his wife!!!! Much more fun that way:). It's crazy how time flys!!!! Good Luck to you both for a happy post Navy life!
Awe thanks deniseMatt's Mom. I can't quite believe it myself. I look at my photo here and 5 years later I have a lot more gray hair!! Lol! We survived 3 deployments and a few more downs than ups but I am proud of my son for pushing through it. It is so helpful for us Moms to make the connections that we have from these groups since we need support too. Congrats on your sons wedding. Have you been to GP before? I am really amazed at how quickly the time has gone ! Take care
julieb1019, may I ask where the 3 deployments were to and for how long? Our son is currently in Gulfport, also. He arrived there late spring of 2015 and was sent to Spain for awhile. Now he is back. Just wondering what we have to look forward to . . . And I also extend my congratulations to your family and son! Wow! Five years. Also, my husband and I are planning to visit our son over Memorial Day weekend. For those of you who have been there, any suggestions on activities, restaurants, etc.?
Tangled Skeins - my son just returned from Spain the beginning of February (he is back in GP). I love visiting that whole area. Some "musts" that I have: restaurants - Mugshots, which is a great burger place in Biloxi, Slap Ya Mama's BBQ (also in Biloxi), McAlister's Deli and The Shed (both in Gulfport). There is a terrific outlet mall just south of interstate 10. The beach isn't much in Gulfport (aside from combing for shells), but if you go toward Biloxi you'll find nicer beaches. Every time I've been there has either been the Hot Rod Magazine car tour (last June), Cruisin' the Coast (October), or Mardi Gras so there has not been a shortage of things to entertain us while there. New Orleans is only an hour away, and the USS Alabama is a great ship to tour in Mobile, Alabama (70 miles east of GP).
Hi tangled skeins, my son has been to Spain 2x and was in Kuwait before all if US troops were pulled out of Afghan. There seem to be multiple places for smaller groups during deployments. I know that my son has had buddies go to islands in the Pacific, Bahrain, Africa and Bosnia too. Deployments seem to last for 6-8 months.
If you can get a reservation at the Navy Lodge on base it is the best choice for space and comfort. It has a kitchen and laundry facikity too. It is very reasonable. There is a WW 2 museum in New Orleans which is awesome and worth the trip. Restaurants that we like is Tony's bruck oven pizza. Thai lotus is a hole in the wall but delicious. Koi sushi is great. A nice Italian place is Salute and a plce that was on Diners drive ins and dives is called the blow fly inn. Mobile is an easy trip and has a mall. Dauberville has Outback too. Slidell in La has shopping. My son loves FYE and it is located in Slidell and Mobile too.
We have travelled in 2 ways. We have flown direct with Delta to New Orleans and driven to GP and then also on Delta with one layover to GP too.
Last year we even were able to plan a trip with the help if the Ombudsman to surprise my son for Homecoming. It was so awesom. We were even interviewed for the local news! Let me know if you have any more questions!!
My son will be graduating from A school in GP as a BU in April. Can you tell me anything about housing on base? He is going to Port Huenemee, CA which is a long way from VA where we live.
Also are there any groups for specific battalions?
Harleys best friend, my son was in Gulfport,but is in Port Hueneme now. We are in Georgia, so Cali is a long way for us, too. He liked San Diego, Coronado, and Gulfport, but Hueneme not so much. I think it is a general consensus that Hueneme is not a favorite place. I have heard several say that.They sent my son there last summer , then he was deployed. They didn't have housing available for him when they sent him so he had to stay in hotel with reimbursement for 10 days! Suposedly they were renovating on base. Well, he is back and they still have no vacancy on base. Crazy!
mograds 3 - they have phase up in A school which is earning liberty. Students have to be in pairs (or groups) everywhere they go on base. No student is allowed to go anywhere without a buddy. The basic schedule is class all day M-F, duty on weekends and some time during the week. They can have electronics so communication is easier. They are responsible for keeping their room clean, doing laundry. They will be taking tests on each piece they learn in class and lab. My son ended up waiting 3 weeks for his class to start because they didn't have enough to begin with. During that time, he was assigned "chores" to keep him busy. Some arrive from boot camp and are able to begin class within a couple of days. Good luck to your boyfriend. My son will finish A school in mid-April. Then he will go to ECS (combat) training and then on to his assigned battalion.
Dona 23 - I didn't know Seabees got assigned to San Diego or Coronado. Do you know if their rate is what determines which base they go to? Did your son stay assigned at one base for his whole enlistment period & with same battalion? Still new to all of this and learning more everyday.
@harley I didn't know that, but I also didn't know they could be assigned to Virginia either but my sailor is headed there. I believe it's a special honor to be sent there. They will be working with spec ops.
Travel question - my son will graduate from A school in GP in a few weeks and take leave to come home. Then he will go back to GP for ECS. Once ECS is over, he will travel to PH in CA. Does the Navy cover his travel expenses (flight) from GP to PH? My son doesn't think it is covered as ECS is not considered a duty station. He says Navy only pays when you go from duty station to duty station. Doesn't sound right to me since GP has been his duty station since basics.
I don't know what determines where they are assigned. It was his first assignment out of A school, called Gator Navy. Amphibious unit. He is a Construction Mechanic. When he went into battalion, he was sent to Gulfport, for combat training, then he started deployments.He was at Coronado for 2 years. He was supposed to be in GP for 4 years, but after 2 years, they sent him to PH. His was a different situation. During his 2nd deployment he had an injury which resulted in a blood clot. So he had to come out of the battalion for awhile. When he was cleared to go back in they sent him to PH to a new one. Crazy deal.
Dona- My Hubby was Gator Navy. That just means they are on the smaller Amphibious ships. They still deploy just like the rest of the fleet but they are the ships that are coming in close to shore to deploy the landing craft that are usually carrying Marines. A good portion of the ship will be allocated for berthing for Marines when they deploy. This sometimes means that they end up "hot racking" depending on the ship and your sailor's rank. They will be closer to their shipmates in the gator Navy too since there are so fewer of them compared to say a Carrier!
belovedbyHim- he never was on a ship, though, and didn't deploy until after he joined a battalion. CM's didn't go out on ships there. Actually, the only time he was ever on a ship was during Fleet week in Seattle and he took the tour up there from Coronado! He earned a medal while in the Amphib unit for rescuing the Marines off the beach.
“Deleting inactive members - The ad agency that handles N4M is in the process of updating the site. If you have not been active since 12/1/15 you will be deleted to make room for new members. You will be able to re-join. If you don't want to be deleted you will need to post something to activate your account. They have already started deleting members.”
Please don't delete my account.I probably am the only Seabee mom "literally" on this site. I was the first woman Engineering Aide in the Seabees (1974-1978) and had my son in 1978 while still in the Seabees. I'm still trying to find out if my son was the first child to be born to a woman Seabee (or Phoebes (female Seabees) as they called the 6-7 women in the Seabees back then!)
I have not been here in awhile. a lot of stuff going on . We lost our grandson last year he was only with us 12 short days. He was born at 29 weeks on Halloween. Its been a rough year. MY son is stationed overseas he has been there a year now. My other son got out almost 2 years ago and in January is going to try to get back in. I will do my best to be more active.
JodyV1- WOW!! Congratulations!! I hoe you find out if your son was the first. Does he also serve?
Momofahouseful- Isn't it the best when we see our children grow up to become friends!!
Lois in OK- I'm so sorry for your loss! It's hard having a child stationed overseas!! (mine is on the final leg of a 3 year stint in Italy!) Does your other son want active duty or reserves?
Bona's Mom- My Bee is at Sig. He'll be in CA next!! The only downside is that he's going on deployment right away so we STILL don't get to have "normal" communications with him!
Good morning all. Glad to see the activity, hope it continues. Our son reported to PH the first week of Nov, good to have him back in CA. It will make visiting much easier, although we're NorCA.
Good morning all - I am rarely on this site as I'm much more active in the Seabee Mom page on Facebook, but I'm logging in so I remain active with N4M and I'll try to stay more active here! My Bee has been stationed in Gulfport since 2014.
Harleys best friend
belovedbyHim - good know how to count the time. He was told 88 days and I wasn't sure when that began. He is a BU as well so now wondering how long he will have to wait for class to begin. What do they do while waiting? All I know so far is he is going thru a book/manual and cleaning barracks.
Jan 14, 2016
belovedbyHim
yep-- cleaning barraks, pulling weeds with screwdrivers, visiting with the retired folks at the VA across the road. They keep them mostly busy but it's not an automatic thing, This is the Navy after all.... Hurry up and wait!! 88 days from when he classes up. My Bee took longer because they had the Christmas Stand down 3 weeks before graduation. Going through the book is a good idea as is choosing to work-out when he gets the chance. Some Bees took it easy and I heard stories of folks who were beyond sore when they started classes--lots of swinging hammers and such.
Jan 14, 2016
Wildcat_girl
Does anyone know of a group for either Port Hueneme or Gulfport?
Thanks!
Jan 20, 2016
Beachmom (Ship 13, Div 281)
Wildcat_girl - Yes, there is a Facebook group called Navy Seabee Moms. We have Moms from Port Hueneme and Gulfport! It's a great way to connect and meet other Seabee Moms! Please join!
Jan 20, 2016
Harleys best friend
Classes for "A" school in Gulfport - does it typically begin on a Monday or can it be any day of the week?
Jan 26, 2016
Bradsmom
Feb 9, 2016
Gidget
Feb 15, 2016
tracie.11
Mar 20, 2016
barefoot1
Welcome, Tracie.11 :-) - my son went to A school in GP and is stationed there as well. He didn't have to wait terribly long for his class to fill so they could begin training/schooling. I love the group here on N4M, but it doesn't seem to be quite as active - seems to go in spurts. There is also a group on Facebook, Navy Seabee Moms - another WONDERFUL group of Moms who have so many answers and lots of support, too. I attended my son's graduation from A school, but it is nothing compared to the graduation from boot camp. I've been down to GP to visit him several times. What rate (job) is your son?
Mar 21, 2016
julieb1019
If you need any travel and visit info i am glad to help. I have been to GP many times!
Mar 21, 2016
deniseMatt'smom
Mar 21, 2016
julieb1019
Mar 22, 2016
tangled skeins
julieb1019, may I ask where the 3 deployments were to and for how long? Our son is currently in Gulfport, also. He arrived there late spring of 2015 and was sent to Spain for awhile. Now he is back. Just wondering what we have to look forward to . . . And I also extend my congratulations to your family and son! Wow! Five years. Also, my husband and I are planning to visit our son over Memorial Day weekend. For those of you who have been there, any suggestions on activities, restaurants, etc.?
Mar 23, 2016
barefoot1
Tangled Skeins - my son just returned from Spain the beginning of February (he is back in GP). I love visiting that whole area. Some "musts" that I have: restaurants - Mugshots, which is a great burger place in Biloxi, Slap Ya Mama's BBQ (also in Biloxi), McAlister's Deli and The Shed (both in Gulfport). There is a terrific outlet mall just south of interstate 10. The beach isn't much in Gulfport (aside from combing for shells), but if you go toward Biloxi you'll find nicer beaches. Every time I've been there has either been the Hot Rod Magazine car tour (last June), Cruisin' the Coast (October), or Mardi Gras so there has not been a shortage of things to entertain us while there. New Orleans is only an hour away, and the USS Alabama is a great ship to tour in Mobile, Alabama (70 miles east of GP).
Mar 23, 2016
tangled skeins
Thanks for that input, barefoot1!
Mar 23, 2016
julieb1019
If you can get a reservation at the Navy Lodge on base it is the best choice for space and comfort. It has a kitchen and laundry facikity too. It is very reasonable. There is a WW 2 museum in New Orleans which is awesome and worth the trip. Restaurants that we like is Tony's bruck oven pizza. Thai lotus is a hole in the wall but delicious. Koi sushi is great. A nice Italian place is Salute and a plce that was on Diners drive ins and dives is called the blow fly inn. Mobile is an easy trip and has a mall. Dauberville has Outback too. Slidell in La has shopping. My son loves FYE and it is located in Slidell and Mobile too.
We have travelled in 2 ways. We have flown direct with Delta to New Orleans and driven to GP and then also on Delta with one layover to GP too.
Last year we even were able to plan a trip with the help if the Ombudsman to surprise my son for Homecoming. It was so awesom. We were even interviewed for the local news! Let me know if you have any more questions!!
Mar 23, 2016
Harleys best friend
My son will be graduating from A school in GP as a BU in April. Can you tell me anything about housing on base? He is going to Port Huenemee, CA which is a long way from VA where we live.
Also are there any groups for specific battalions?
Mar 24, 2016
Dona
Mar 24, 2016
tangled skeins
Harley's best friend . . . yes, there are groups for specific battalions on Facebook.
Mar 24, 2016
tangled skeins
Thank you julieb1019 for the info! Have a good weekend!
Mar 25, 2016
Harleys best friend
mograds 3 - they have phase up in A school which is earning liberty. Students have to be in pairs (or groups) everywhere they go on base. No student is allowed to go anywhere without a buddy. The basic schedule is class all day M-F, duty on weekends and some time during the week. They can have electronics so communication is easier. They are responsible for keeping their room clean, doing laundry. They will be taking tests on each piece they learn in class and lab. My son ended up waiting 3 weeks for his class to start because they didn't have enough to begin with. During that time, he was assigned "chores" to keep him busy. Some arrive from boot camp and are able to begin class within a couple of days. Good luck to your boyfriend. My son will finish A school in mid-April. Then he will go to ECS (combat) training and then on to his assigned battalion.
Mar 25, 2016
Harleys best friend
Dona 23 - I didn't know Seabees got assigned to San Diego or Coronado. Do you know if their rate is what determines which base they go to? Did your son stay assigned at one base for his whole enlistment period & with same battalion? Still new to all of this and learning more everyday.
Mar 25, 2016
Wildcat_girl
Mar 25, 2016
Harleys best friend
Travel question - my son will graduate from A school in GP in a few weeks and take leave to come home. Then he will go back to GP for ECS. Once ECS is over, he will travel to PH in CA. Does the Navy cover his travel expenses (flight) from GP to PH? My son doesn't think it is covered as ECS is not considered a duty station. He says Navy only pays when you go from duty station to duty station. Doesn't sound right to me since GP has been his duty station since basics.
Mar 28, 2016
samsmom
Mar 28, 2016
Dona
Harleys best friend,
I don't know what determines where they are assigned. It was his first assignment out of A school, called Gator Navy. Amphibious unit. He is a Construction Mechanic. When he went into battalion, he was sent to Gulfport, for combat training, then he started deployments.He was at Coronado for 2 years. He was supposed to be in GP for 4 years, but after 2 years, they sent him to PH. His was a different situation. During his 2nd deployment he had an injury which resulted in a blood clot. So he had to come out of the battalion for awhile. When he was cleared to go back in they sent him to PH to a new one. Crazy deal.
Mar 28, 2016
belovedbyHim
Dona- My Hubby was Gator Navy. That just means they are on the smaller Amphibious ships. They still deploy just like the rest of the fleet but they are the ships that are coming in close to shore to deploy the landing craft that are usually carrying Marines. A good portion of the ship will be allocated for berthing for Marines when they deploy. This sometimes means that they end up "hot racking" depending on the ship and your sailor's rank. They will be closer to their shipmates in the gator Navy too since there are so fewer of them compared to say a Carrier!
Mar 28, 2016
Dona
belovedbyHim- he never was on a ship, though, and didn't deploy until after he joined a battalion. CM's didn't go out on ships there. Actually, the only time he was ever on a ship was during Fleet week in Seattle and he took the tour up there from Coronado! He earned a medal while in the Amphib unit for rescuing the Marines off the beach.
Mar 28, 2016
FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW
HEADS UP
“Deleting inactive members - The ad agency that handles N4M is in the process of updating the site. If you have not been active since 12/1/15 you will be deleted to make room for new members. You will be able to re-join. If you don't want to be deleted you will need to post something to activate your account. They have already started deleting members.”
Dec 2, 2016
Judy
Hi everybody'
Posting so I won't be deleted.
Dec 3, 2016
JodyV1
Dec 3, 2016
Momofahousefull
Still blessed to be the mom of a SeaBee! He reenlisted last year and had one of his older brothers administer the oath - does a mama's heart good!
Dec 3, 2016
Lois in OK
I have not been here in awhile. a lot of stuff going on . We lost our grandson last year he was only with us 12 short days. He was born at 29 weeks on Halloween. Its been a rough year. MY son is stationed overseas he has been there a year now. My other son got out almost 2 years ago and in January is going to try to get back in. I will do my best to be more active.
Dec 3, 2016
belovedbyHim
JodyV1- WOW!! Congratulations!! I hoe you find out if your son was the first. Does he also serve?
Momofahouseful- Isn't it the best when we see our children grow up to become friends!!
Lois in OK- I'm so sorry for your loss! It's hard having a child stationed overseas!! (mine is on the final leg of a 3 year stint in Italy!) Does your other son want active duty or reserves?
Dec 3, 2016
Bona's Mom
Dec 3, 2016
Lorie
Dec 3, 2016
belovedbyHim
Bona's Mom- My Bee is at Sig. He'll be in CA next!! The only downside is that he's going on deployment right away so we STILL don't get to have "normal" communications with him!
Dec 3, 2016
Karen
Dec 3, 2016
Nancy
Dec 4, 2016
hotflashes
Haven't been on in a while, please don't delete! thanks
Dec 4, 2016
LAKE MOM
Good Morning all! Have a Beautiful day today!
Dec 5, 2016
yakergirl
Good morning all. Glad to see the activity, hope it continues. Our son reported to PH the first week of Nov, good to have him back in CA. It will make visiting much easier, although we're NorCA.
Dec 5, 2016
Stardust
Dec 5, 2016
barefoot1
Good morning all - I am rarely on this site as I'm much more active in the Seabee Mom page on Facebook, but I'm logging in so I remain active with N4M and I'll try to stay more active here! My Bee has been stationed in Gulfport since 2014.
Dec 6, 2016
LAKE MOM
Good Morning all! Have a Beautiful day today! :)
Dec 13, 2016
tangled skeins
I, too, do not wish to be deleted! Our son is stationed in Gulfport until sometime in January.
Dec 13, 2016
Sarabi2013
Dec 14, 2016
Gidget
Dec 14, 2016
LAKE MOM
Good Morning all! Have a Beautiful day today!
Dec 14, 2016
LAKE MOM
Good Morning All! Have a Happy Day!
Jan 9, 2017