Sailors attending A School in Meridian, Mississippi

We've passed Basic, now its attending A school in Meridian, Mississippi. Let's talk and get to know one another.
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  • mdubtxmom(Ship 09 Div 069)

    The base is pretty relaxed (especially compared to GL). As soon as they finish endoc, pass a PFA; PI, Room Inspection and learn how to stand the different watches then he should get green dot liberty. Probably don't want to visit until then because he cannot go off base until then. As far as personal items--He will want his cell phone, computer, ipod and civilian clothing. My son also wanted me to bring him his fishing gear because they can fish on base. They can also bowl and play golf! It is oh so much better than boot camp.
  • debotur

    Got the I'm a sailor call today! My bf will be on his way to meridian, mississippi next Saturday! I'm so proud of him and look forward to anoher great experience!
  • mdubtxmom(Ship 09 Div 069)

    Congrats debotur. My son is still in Meridian for who knows how long. He will finish A school on Friday but his orders to Japan (along with everyone elses) are on hold until further notice from SecNav.
  • debotur

    So they stay in A school til further notice? Even if they finished?
  • debotur

    Oh wow that's something I didn't expect :/. do they still get paid while their travel orders are put on hold? I'm sure they do since they have things to pay there
  • diannep

    Yes, debotur.  Their pay continues....thank goodness!  Hoping that he doesn't have to wait until Oct to be released!  That would be a LONG time !
  • debotur

    Yeah its way to long :( im hoping he gets stationed somewhere in california preferable san diego but with californias crappy economy I wonder if his chances at being stationed there are slim:(
  • mdubtxmom(Ship 09 Div 069)

    Well in my son's case the hold is not due to a funding problem but due to the fact that they are not sending any Sailors to Japan because of the disaster.  On a positive note my son finished A School.  He is an honor grad so he will get a pay bump.  At least he will be earning more while he is waiting.  He also has a recommendation to advance to E4 as soon as he can get to his command and serve 4 to 10 months there.
  • yeomom

    When I go to my sailor's graduation from A school, will I be able to drive into the base without any problems?  I'm remembering Great Lakes and the gate pass we had to download. 

  • SubWife2010

    Hello just wanted to let every one know My husband and I made it to WA last week and so far we love it here! We are ready for this adventure:) and Excited about it.
  • Soh@ppy&proud!ship 7 DIV 170

    my son doesnt graduated until may6th afterwards he told me he would be going to a school in Miss. does that mean he will be grad and go??trying to figure out how many days to reserve a hotel
  • Soh@ppy&proud!ship 7 DIV 170

    thank you for replying:)
  • cheryllynn-proud mom of a sailor

    We were not sure when my son was leaving for A school to Meridian either so we planned to stay the whole weekend and fly out Monday.  I wanted to be with him as much as possible.  Figured that if he left during the weekend my hubby and I would have some fun on our own but as it worked out Jonny didn't leave until Tuesday and we got to see him the whole weekend.....YAY!!!

  • teazure

    After I graduate RTC (I leave for training in two weeks), I'll be headed to Meridian MS for A-School as a Ship Serviceman. I heard it's very boring. Anyone's son/daughter have a better experience?
  • cheryllynn-proud mom of a sailor

    No, sorry.  You can have your computer and cell phone though.  My son had a psp with him...and after inspection you can have leave...although Meridian, the town, is rather small. 

  • maussie64

    And if the weather is bad, such as heavy rainy, then they may cancel liberty. My daughter got that a lot. She was there from late April to June.
  • mdubtxmom(Ship 09 Div 069)

    All of those with orders on hold to Japan.  Check this out.

    http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/3AE83C6B-13BA-4A5C-A845-5DA04E...

    Looks like our guys are headed to Japan after all.

  • yeomom

    I just thought of something that I don't remember reading or hearing about--do our sailors need passports, and does the Navy help with getting them?  My son got assigned to the USS Nimitz, which has ports of call on the Asian coast. 

    Also, does anyone know approximately when the next time we get to see our sailors will be, once they set sail? My son is signed up for 4 years.  

    I'm going to his graduation at Meridian on the 13th.  Can't wait to see him.  Is anyone else planning to be there on that date? 

    I finally found the answer (I hope) to an earlier question of mine.  To get into the base, your sailor has to meet you at the front gate and you have to have your drivers license, proof of auto insurance and your car registration.

     

  • mdubtxmom(Ship 09 Div 069)

    No sailors do not need passports if they are traveling on military orders. And you are correct about the entry to the base. 
  • kimcon55

    My son will be heading to Meridian this weekend to learn to be a logistics specialist.  I am wondering, when will he get liberty for the weekend?  Does Meridian have a facebook page?  We live about 8 hours due north of Meridian, would it be feasible to visit him on the weekends.  Lastly, can he have his car there?  Thank you!

     

  • Luvn_my_Navy_son(ship 11/div184)

    My son will have his PIR on May 26th then head straight to MS. Is there anything I should be prepared to send him right away?
  • diannep

    kim:  He will "phase up" and eventually will be able to have weekends if he is there long enough.  He has a radius that he can't go out of, but you could go down to visit him.  He will have to let you know when he is phased up to have weekend liberty.  Not sure about the cars...mine had sold his before bc, and bought another one once stationed.  But your son will be advised of all of this during INDOC when he arrives in Meridian.  So he can let you know...because you will now have CONTACT with him again!!  HOOYAH!
  • diannep

    LuvnmyNavyson:  I mailed my son his cell once he gave me the address in Meridian.  I wasn't able to meet him at the airport to give it to him in Chicago.  Cells and laptops are usually what they want pretty quickly.  Eventually they can wear civilian clothes so you eventually can mail some of those (but they have to "phase up" to wear them).

    Your son will be able to tell you when these things happen after INDOC once he arrives.

  • Luvn_my_Navy_son(ship 11/div184)

    Thanks Diane :)
  • debotur

    My boyfriend received his orders already :)! He is vp40 whidbey island, washington state , I don't know if I said it right haha
  • bailey 03/155

    Any one else have a sailor in the reserves?
  • Luvn_my_Navy_son(ship 11/div184)

    My son is in the reserves.
  • bailey 03/155

    I havent heard of many others. Just wanted to know if A school was much different for our guys!
  • Luvn_my_Navy_son(ship 11/div184)

    I've wondered the same thing. I have no clue what the differences may be. My son was trying for active, but told there was no availabilities at the time. So not sure how much being in the reserves will mean for him.
  • bailey 03/155

    Hm thats surprising. Mine is looking forward to college this fall so he's hoping nothing will interfere. Im wondering how often the reserves actually get deployed?
  • teazure

    Your sons are active duty while at A-School until they graduate. Just like bootcamp, they do the same things as everyone else in their NEC.
  • candy-oh!

    Hey, yall, my son just settled into A school in Meridian. He is a Yeoman. He says it's very pretty and there is a lot for him to do. I do believe he is very relieved to be there and out of boot camp!!
  • debotur

    candy does he live in the"ghetto" I know there was a new guy this week that my boyfriend and his friends were showing around
  • chadanddianedivision155

    my son graduates from bc on 4-29-11 and then goes to Meridian, Ms to be a ship serviceman. Just thought i would come on and post, and say Hi! My name is Diane
  • candy-oh!

    debotur: He didn't say anything about living in the ghetto :) I'll ask him next time I talk to him!!

    chadanddiane: Hey!!  You will love the graduation ceremony. It was such a great weekend. My  husband and I loved Chicago, which we were able to visit after our son went to O'Hare to fly down to Meridian.

  • chadanddianedivision155

    I am the Diane part and Iam so psyched about graduation. Depending on the tie of his flight we are going to try to stay to see him off at the airport, but we have to be home saturday night and it is an 8 hour drive. But i hope we can. i can.t wait to see him. and captains cup is tomorrow i'm so nervous for him.
  • candy-oh!

    Diane...let us know how it goes!! I am thinking about you...my son is SO happy down in Meridian. I "talked" to him over facebook yestreday and he sounded really really good.
  • kimcon55

    Doug really likes Meridian too!  I guess after boot camp they feel like they are at a country club!  It is so nice to be able to talk to him on the phone!  I am hoping he has liberty over Mother's Day weekend - I think I may drive down there!
  • candy-oh!

    Kim, I know, right? I'm on spring break this week and I wonder if I should take a quick trip down just to see James Dean. Just coming back from Chicago, I may need to wait awhile just to regain some finances. We talked to him last night...he tried to Skype him while all the family was here but we missed each other. I love being able to text/call/facebook/skype him.
  • kimcon55

    Yes, it is wonderful to be in contact with them again.  I am glad you had such a good time in Chicago.  What did you guys do?
  • chadanddianedivision155

    My son has battlestations tonite! Hopefully i get my "I'm a sailor call" i think i will tho they got 2nd place in captains cup. Pray!
  • candy-oh!

    Diane, keep us posted!!  So exciting. Kim, we went to the Naval Pier and walked through the stained glass museum and had a beer at the cafe that was spoofed in Saturday Night Live (cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger, cheeps, no fries). We had dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant called The Italian Village...three restaurants in one, oldest Italian restaurant in the nation (may be Illinois but I'm pretty sure the nation...been open for like 86 years. There are pictures of Frank Sinatra...and the owners and servers are dressed in suits and tuxes and are extremely gracious. I HIGHLY recommend it. We ate in the cafe on the third floor because I had on a sweat shirt and jeans; they didn't bat an eye, made us feel wonderfully welcome.
  • reggie11209 (Ship 11, Div 115)

    hi everyone my son has been in Meridian since beginning of this month.  I was on another group and just found this one...ugh.  He is a LS.  So nice that he can contact now.
  • candy-oh!

    Hey, Reggie!! Do you know in what building your son lives? Mine lives in the "hood". I'm not sure how many barracks there are or what all their names are. My son is a yeoman.
  • chadanddianedivision155

    My son just called he passed battlestations. He is officially a sailor!!!!! Yay. he leaves for meridian on saturday 06.00
  • candy-oh!

    Diane, SO cool. James Dean had to be at the airport at 01.00 Saturday morning but didn't leave until 5 Saturday afternoon, so he was at the airport for 15 hours. The USO there is AWESOME. They have cots and pillows, snacks, coffee, computers...I have never donated to the USO but we are committed to supporting them FULLY from now on. I have never met such nice people in my life. And the only time I cried during the whole weekend was when I watched the people in the airport watching my son walk through the airport. I was pretty much brought to my knees by it.
  • reggie11209 (Ship 11, Div 115)

    Diane congrats on the call...I remember that moment only a month ago..it feels like yesterday...how exciting.  They had Ryan on a flight out of Chi at 6:30am.  We met him there at 4:00 am to hand over his cell phone laptop and ipod.  and we got to spend about an hour 1/2 with him before they boarded and off they went. 

     

    Hi Candy asked Ry about his building he said it is called the Quarterdeck. He laughed when I asked him...lolz 

  • candy-oh!

    Reggie, Kimcon's son lives in the "ghetto"!!  My son laughed, too, when I asked him if he lived in the ghetto. He said "no, I live in the hood" which made me laugh. I love it. The "ghetto" is next door to the "hood"; I wonder where the "quarterdeck" is in proximity. :)  Sounds a little classier!!

     

  • reggie11209 (Ship 11, Div 115)

    so far he loves everything about the Navy except the weather..lolz First Chicago with the worst Winter storms on record and now Mississippi with constant tornados. I called him last night right before I went to bed and he said things had cleared and they had gone out to the courtyard. OMG
  • lucyloves...herSailor!

    Tell me a out LS...my son signed up for reserves. His job is LS. What sort of civilian job can you do when you get home after going through this program.