Moms of Aviation Rescue Swimmers

The first four or five days is instructional where they don't have to forage for their food.  When they go out into the field, yes they eat what they find.  They are only allowed to evade for a specific period of time.  If they are not caught then they have to make their way to a designated place where they may get a small reward of food.  After SERE is over, the sailors are not allowed to talk about their experiences during SERE, and the only thing my son said was that he was able to use what he learned during boy scouts. VERY intense camping experience. All in all, it was rough, but my son loved it.

Hey yall!!!    sorry MIA...  been going crazy sending care packages to Afghan..  wool socks, thermals and gloves...  6200 feet up... anyhoo...  Im here... 

HI caliMom...  yea B said it was hard, fun, crazy and life changing in a good way tho!  Cali how are you???

Ann...  Oh true... mommie is not a title... it is a life time of love, pain and worry....

Ry'smom...  hey did you go up and read the Path of the Rescue Swimmer up in the discussion forum...  it will really help with all that... phases, schools.. etc.. hang in there...  and hang in here!!!  we love to help one another! 

KKrs...  awesome..  hey still along way to go but once they pass RSS and get into A school as long as they maintain their bearings..... it is pretty much good to go..  still lots of training and tests etc...  but not so much atrition rate

Sweet pea...  YEAAAa  awesome...  my B has one flight left and then the wings...  deployment after but not too soon... might have another christmas with him and daughter...  family in FL... then next year... well, who knows...  one day at a time tho right sista!!!!

Andys....  I can tell you this one thing...  my son and ALL his buddies who have been through it ALL said it was a great learning experience...  they all came out with even more of a determination to press on in the Spec Ops rate!  They come back tired, hungry BUT pumped!!!!!!!  so hang in there sis!

So all good here...  Bman getting wings soon and home for Christmas as far as we know...  (depends of course on the Middle East and what is happening there)   hubby is doing good too!  And Im just staying busy shippin out those boxes of love to our men and women...  

HUGS

Hey there Lydia-thank you for all that you do to help our military in afghanistan.  I'm sure there are very appreciative.

K said that he will be going on his first detachment in December, so we are looking at our first Christmas without him.  He plans to come home for about a month after he gets home from detachment, but that means not until about June or July of next year.  So by the time I see him again, it will have been about 16 months since he left and the last time we were able to hug him.  I think we talked about this before, in your son's squadron he can't go on detachment until he has his wings, and in my son's squadron they can't get their wings until they have gone on a detachment. Funny how they have different qualifications to get their wings.  I know K is really looking forward to his detachment and the opportunity to travel and see new places.

CaliMom - B thinks that he will be home for Christmas this one last time for a while...  16 months is such a loooooong time!  ugggg...  hopefully you will be able to skype with him...  will he be attached to a ship or a base...  b will be on a base.. he thinks...I know some squads are contracted to certain bases and some on ships..  well anyway..  this momma business sure is hard... and we thought Boot Camp would push us over the edge..  then it was RSS...  now it is seeing them GO away...  yes B said much the same...  he is ready to get into the action as he calls it..  ugggg....  

Well, it is quiet in here so hopefully that is a good thing and everyone is on the go!!!  BUT DONT FORGET TO CHECK IN AND TELL US HOW EVERYONE IS DOING....   how are our kids in Pcola??   And those in RSS and those in BC?? 

Good evening Lydia, glad to see you back in here. It's been very quiet without you around. J is in Pensacola. He classed up for NACCS (?)  which was a lot sooner than we were told it would be. He seems to enjoy where he's at  and has no regrets about enlisting which is a big relief for his Dad and I. Some of the guys and he have done some volunteering so that has kept him busy too. We miss him but have been able to do some face time on our phones so it is much better than when he was at bootcamp. I hope your son gets to come home for Christmas. CaliMom, sorry your son won't be able to spend this Christmas with you. I can't relate to that yet but I'm sure that must be very hard.

Hey all! K tells us that he will be coming home for Christmas which is great since  he will have a new niece. A couple weekends ago he got to spend the long weekend with his brother and nieces and it just felt good for me to know they were all together, if you know what I mean. I'm also thankful that he loves what he gets to do, even if I don't always understand the process and all the terminology!    And Lydia, I'm packaging up some protein bars from some  of our guys in Afghanistan  who really love them. Not near what you have been up to, though!!!  Have a great week and breathe in the new fall air!!  

Hi yall!

Hey Jodi...  that is great, he is on his way..  keep us posted!

Vita..  everything counts to these kids...  no matter how large or small..  just something from home...  glad you are doing it!!!!

Okay if this does not make you swell with pride and bring a tear or three to your eyes.. nothing will!!!!! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hWPqSP31lY&feature=youtu.be

 chopsmom - welcome sis!    Well, to answer your question Id try and google the squadron...  most all squadrons have a PUBLIC web site and some a Face Book Page too..  AT - is that Aviation Technition??  not sure of all the rates...  but I do know that each squadron is made up of many Rates..  my son is Sierra and a Rescue Swimmer  RSS SAR) he is attached to a squad in SD also ..  depending on whether your son is Sierra or Romeo will make a little difference... as their over all "Jobs" are a bit different and each squadron is different.  sooo  welcome here!!!  Happy to have you with us!!!!  Its been a bit quiet in here of late..  but we are an active site usually

Hi Jodi and Vita 

SO EVERYONE!!!  SHOUT IT OUT!!! 

Jack

Lanne

johunton

WendyJ

teamnavy girl

BJship

LeslieCR

Birdier

avasmooch

ochaos

WendyPcola Mom

jbmom

NavymomGG

NavyMom93

sweet(est) pea

bsmom

MammaB

Rox

NavyWife

Westcoast mom AIRR

and everyone else who I might have forgotten...  my brain is slower these days!!!   YIKES

how is everyone and how are kids and hubbys and bfs???   Who is classed up RSS now??  Its been so quiet in here I cant rememeber..  anyone having a hard time in RSS...  need a shoulder to lean on WE ARE HERE!!!!!!

Chopsmom, your Son will be in the same squadron as mine. You can go online and check the squadron out     

Hey all,

My son graduated Air Crew a week and a half ago and started RSS this week.  He got held back with another sailor in starboard D.  So he will be there for 2-3 weeks and then will start RSS  again after that.  He is excited because he has the extra time to prepare for the rigors of RSS.  Also, once they graduated Air Crew they switched bldgs.  He got a bed that was infested with fire/black ants.  He spent all night the first night with ants biting him and swarming him.  I think thats all been taken care of now...crazy!  I can tell he has made lifetime friends already in his short time in the Navy.  My husband went down to visit 2 weeks ago for about 5 days and were able to relax and do some fishing.  My son caught a 150 lb shark.  He is loving life in Pensacola and was glad my husband was able to visit--but he specifically told us that he doesn't want us to make any additional trips--he wants to come home for visit FIRST.  So hopefully they will get time at Christmas.  He supposedly has asked about it...but no one will confirm definitely if they will get time off at Christmas and what day the closing may start and when they'd need to return.  Does anyone know anything Definite??

Hi, Lydia. J's loving Pensacola. So fra he's been bitten by a crab and swam with some stringrays - which this momma wasn't too happy about. I saw his facebook page and he's holding a lizard. Can you tell he's a creature lover? He's in Air Crew class now and should graduate next Thursday. My other "son" is at bootcamp right now. He said he's doing great except for the sit up part so now he's worried the Navy won't keep him. I had to go into "momma" mode and write a "you can do it no problem" pep letter.

johun anlumni Christmas leave is highly likely!

Hey Everyone!! Had my best PST last week with 8:19 swim, 52 push-ups, 83 sit-ups, 6 PULL-UPS!!! :), and an 11:16 1.5 run.  I'M GOING IN THE DRAFT OCTOBER 4TH!!! My SEAL Chief said I was very ready and 100% Navy haha I'm so excited!!  And I'm sticking with AIRR for now since its so corrupt for females up at prep school for EOD right now, so I'll try to switch after 2 years of AIRR.  Thanks for all of your support!! Can't wait to finally get my contract and have a final leave date! I'll let you know what happens!! Prayers please!!!

That's great teamnavy-- Congratulations and keep going!

As for my son, he gave up his AIRR contract and has been working out and up for Special Ops.  His original ship date was supposed to be Oct 30 (per contract) but we knew that could change when he elected to give it up.  His PST scores were entered in the Draft, but we didn't get any news at all, until today.

He ships next Thursday.  My head's in a spin.

hi everyone, read a few posts.... three years ago my son left for bootcamp...wow it was a slow and painful process....but he is stationed in North Island and loves it. He is a Romeo.... loves flying and will be deployed soon. A few of his buddies are deployed for the first time and my husband and I love to get their emails... we cry everytime we are so proud. God bless everyone here and your kids and what they are doing!!! Our sons friends are like our own! Our son is getting married next month....so exciting. Navy family will be there!!! Love you all.....

this is two years old....just after finishing SERE...... with my husband

westcoastmom. What a handsome son you have. Congratulations on your son's future marriage.  I am just starting this path as my son just got to Pensacola but I'm looking forward to the day when I can say he made it through.

Hello all!  Hope everyone is doing well! :)  I've been gone awhile and enjoyed every minute!  Both Navy kids got married my Rescue Swimmer just got done with SERE is now in VA. WOW!!  What an emotional ride :)  I've got a lot of catching up to do..... I'm back! :)

My AA contract for RSS has developed a stress fracture in his foot..  he has been on a 28 day medical to rest and hopefully get better (although sounds like there is really nothing being done...  if he were here I would have him in a PT/sports med doc... sometimes nurse moms have to turn that off I guess....)  I am guessing that he is no longer in his original pipeline because of this delay...  anyone have any experience with this kind of setback?  I am really just not really thinking about it much, I just want his injury to get better, but I am thinking he will be with a completely different group than who he came with from BC a month ago...

johun, my son hopes to be moving into the RSS building this coming Friday. I do hope they have taken care of the ant problem but I think I'll warn him anyway. Brenda (ry'smom) so sorry to hear that ry has a stress fracture. Had he classed up for Air Crew? J said its a lot of PT. Hope they are doing what is necessary-or will be soon-to get him healed and back into the pipeline.

My sailor told me that he hasn't seen any ants.  He says that they stay on them about no food in the bedrooms and to keep the trash taken out.  It is a big building, so maybe it was a confined incident.

Dan.

Comment by Lydia (For B - The Sea is Ours) 17 hours ago Delete Comment

HI DEEEE HOOO yall -

Woooow... got some new folk here... hey yall whose kids are in BC or just Pcola... read the Path of the Rescue Swimmer up in the Discussion forum...

Johun - RSS is soo hard... stay here with us...

Jack - no matter what Rate he choses... please check in with us...!!!!

teamnavy.. awesome get her done sister!!! you so got this

jajaio... woooooow weddings!!!

Westcoast... soo awesome!!!

rysmom.... my son experienced horrible stress fractures and almost threw in the towel... but he didnt andn that was three years ago and he is doing stellar...

Hey yall who have not been here long.... here is the thing... HANG in there... these kids go through so much which multiplies to us parents (wives etc) I have seen many kids go throught this pipeling and pass and many who fail, roll for med reasons or just decide its not for them... DOR no shame in that... the important thing for US is that we never forget to support them back them up push them on no matter what... In Pecola, kids are not allowed to eat in barracks but sometimes they sneak stuff in... not good... make sure you dont send care packages to them when they are on hold for NACCS or RSS... not with food anyway... dont worry... the time for care packages will come soon enough!!!

Okay so those with kids in BC... hang in there.!!! They will be okay... for those on hold... encourage them to use their time wisely for PT and swimming and then more PT and swimming... etc etc etc.... for those in RSS.... well, just hang in here and we will help you though it... they CAN do it but the atrition rate is 75% or more... they have to have as much encouragement as you can muster up.... for those in A school... they are on their way..... woooo hoooo....!! SERE... well, it a great time of training and self awareness.. they gain a lot.. thats all I can say about that.... sooooo hang in here yall... we are all here to help one another... for the newbies... my son PIRd 09-02-2010.. passed all...done now with most all training... attached to his squadron ... should have his wings shortly... deploy first of next year...

OHHHH and Pecola mamas... the base goes on stand down for the holidays... most of the kids get to go home... not all but most... depends on duty etc.. not to worry... when my son was there (and in the middle of RSS) they told him 5 days before that he could go home... hurry up and wait.... rememeber patience is all we can do.... xoxoxoxoxox

Hi all, I have been keeping up with everyone but not contributing for a while now.  My sailor, PIR 7/27/12 is finishing up RSS this next week.  We are so proud of him. He has had to dig down deep to keep going and some days he would call so exhausted, physically, mentally and emotionally but he always said they want them to succeed so they work with them to learn what they need to learn.  Very clear the instructors don't give it away though, they need to know these young men are in it for the long haul and have what it takes for the job.  My son recruiter gave him some advise on how to get through RSS and he has taken it to heart.  He has stayed focused and been off the base three times since he got there in July, twice for community service and once for the hurricaine. Other than that he is always shining, stencilling or studying something when he calls.  Very uncharacteristic for him, he never was a big studier and certainly never shined or stencilled anything when he was growing up.  It sounds hard but really fun, well maybe not all the running in the sand stuff but the pool stuff, cool, but I am an ICU/BMT nurse so adreneline is the name of the game. 

Won't be able to swing going to graduation and am bummed about that, thank god for family, my brother and nephews will drive up and attend.  He doesn't know it yet.  Still holding our breath because he has multis this week and finals next, but so far he has passed every test. 

The trick seems to be to keep their head in the game, if they are waiting to class up, PT, PT, PT.  The stronger they are when they get there the better.  As his recruiter said, where else can you go and get paid to work out. 

Have a great day, just had to share our exciting news, hope it wasn't too soon to take a deep breath. 

Hey Remind your sailor to apply for absentee ballot and VOTE!    

rnterry, I copied your text and plan to send it to my son. He graduated air crew today and will be heading for the RSS building tomorrow. I think he'll be doing the same as your son did. I know at bc he said he studied any spare minute he had and I think he's done that down in Pensacola too. I hope it doesn't take too long to class up but he plans on using whatever hold time he has to work out so he's not upset if he has to wait a while. Congratulations on his getting through RSS. From what I have heard on this discussion page, that is quite an accomplishment.

Alumni and Jodi -   

Alumni....  awesome he has made it this far!!!!!   Yes test week is tough but Ill bet he will be stellar!  Super awesome...  will be praying for him this week for sure!!!!  He will go on hold for A school after and be assigned to either Sierra or Romeo...  they usually find out pretty soon after RSS...  KEWL BEANS

Jodi.....   Just remind him to hang in there and use every second on hold to prep for RSS...  NACCS is a walk in the park...  but he already knows that cause these guys hang out and talk and listen to each other...  they watch and listen...   so again...  we will be praying for him...   remind him..  flutter kicks, rip of mask and clear at various depts, run run run, PT and most of all ignor the mental my son said if you listen and really pay attention to each finger position, wrist, hand, motion..  stay focused..  walk a tight line..  the instructors are watching for any one tiny thing that they can expound on to into their minds...  So Rss Building they refer to as Starboard D (technically a D holding pattern when in a helo above the fleet)   watching and guarding and waiting...  that is what the kids on hold have to do.  I know your Sailor will do awesome.us know  Jodi and Alumni...

HIIII  Vitamama...    yes one of the freedoms our soldiers have fought for and defended is our American right to vote!!!!!  

My boy is about to get his wings!!!!  hoooooraaaaa...  so excited....  been a long road for sure...  he PIRd  09-02-2010....  seems a million years ago!!!  hahaha  He is Sierra..  Black Jack....     anyhooo...  yall stay here and keep us posted.. we are here for you!!!!!!   xoxoxoxox

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/NavyAirRescue

just one of many pages for RSS.......

Thanks for the infomatin Lydia. I know J really wants this and will work hard to make it happen. Congratuations on your son and his wings. I know that will be a big relief for you both.

Soooo still waiting to hear about my contract! My scout never called me on Friday and they're off today since it's Columbus day so I just have to wait until tomorrow! ugh.  

Lydia-question, you're the one that does all the care packages and stuff for the deployed troops right?  I'm the youth, family and sports coordinator at the YMCA and we normally do the "Mail for Heroes" to the Walter Reed Hospital, but I want to get them overseas this year...do you need any letters from kids for your care packages or any suggestions on where I should send them?

Welcome MomofDan. There is a discussion above called the Path of a Rescue Swimmer which is very informative. Lydia and the other veteran moms on here are very good about answering any questions you may have and giving you all the support you need. They are wonderful. As far as how long it takes from signing the contract to leaving for bootcamp, I think its based on when the Navy wants him. My son joined the Navy in the fall of his senior year and wasn't supposed to leave until August. After his first PST they had him sign his rescue swimmer contract and his ship date was changed to June,which was before he even graduated. Thankfully we were able to get it set back to July 3 so I did see him graduate. Once your son signs his contract they will let you know his ship date. Good luck. It's quite a ride from here on.

So my son made it through Air Crew school last week and told that he would be on hold for a while before RSS school and was told today, that he is to report to RSS school tomorrow and do a PST Friday.  He is very scared. Is this normal for it to happen so quick and what am I suppose to say to him.  Also, I was suppose to come down there this weekend leaving tomorrow, due to lenght of drive. Should I cancel the trip-it's his birthday? Need some advice.

My son moved into the RSS quarters today... (not sure of the terminology)... is anyone else's son starting RSS today?

My son got called up yesterday, met with the instructors today. I think he said that he has to do some type of test Monday to make it into the class and that it will be the "toughest day of his life". I'm not sure if that means he started RSS because he said something about 36 guys but only 20 places or something like that. Guess I'll find out on Monday night. I've got my fingers crossed that he makes it in. 

GOT MY CONTRACT!!!! Should know my leave date next week officially, but it's most likely going to be March 19 since that's the next time spec war females ship!  SOOOOO EXCITED :) 

With this path it is hurry up and wait but with all things military things change all of the time and maybe they had a spot open up for whatever reason.

congrats teamnavy. I know you worked hard to get the contract. Good luck.

Jodi,

I heard the same thing from my son about Monday.  From what he understands they will just push them until only twenty are left standing at the end of class Monday.  If more than the twenty make it through the day, then he thinks that they are just going to pick the twenty that they think are the top candidates.  

Of course, as with anything they are told, this could be just to sike them out or it could be right on the money, ya never know until it's over.

Good luck to all 36.

 JMH, did you make the trip? How did it go? We really enjoyed time with our sailor a few weeks ago, and enjoyed the small vaca in FL.  We arrived late Friday night, and left Sun at 5pm.  It seemed to quick!

But it does pep your sailor up.  Good luck!

What happens if they don't make it through?  Then what willl their job be?

That will depend on where people are needed at that time they can do undesignated into the fleet and they will place them as needed. i have heard sometimes they will give them a few choices as the what they can go into, sometimes they just place them. GOOD luck to all.

Monday will definatly be a gut check for these guys they will be pushed to the max for sure our son told us the Mental stress was the worst part.He was ready for every thing else. They really try to crush them mentally to see what they will do under that type of pressure. Stay strong young men

My son classed up! So excited to finally get started on this journey. He sounded pretty good although he said he's going to be sore tomorrow.( Lots and lots of pushups today.)

teamnavy-congrats on getting your contract & Jodi-congrats to your sailor. 

I haven't been on here much, too much life going on in my life.  Hope every one is doing well here.

A huge sigh of relief...Jesse made it through today....says he's sore as heck...but whatever... So proud of him!

Jesse's mom, when my son completed his first day, he called from his bunk, he was laying down had his head on the phone on the pillow, he hurt so bad, couldn't hold the phone! Jesse will be great!

congrats jesse's mom, our boys are on their way, YEAH!!!!