GROTON, CT. SUBSCHOOL & "A" SCHOOL MOMS

hi
My Son is currently in Groton, Ct. for Submarine School then "A" School.
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  • ProudNavyMom#1

    mrsb, you know how it goes, I'm hoping 7/25 sticks as their grad date from A school but our US Navy has their own plan :)

    I don't think I will make it to the graduation ceremony and am planning a family get together for when he comes home (if he does get to come home before his first assignment date) so many ifs...... :)

  • tidefan

    proudnavymom I haven't heard about it anywhere on here. They gave him a day off and everything. He had to be interviewed for it(I don't know by whom)

  • ProudNavyMom#1

    HOOYAH tidefan!!!
  • KKristen

    Stylist613- my son also told me he's moving rooms but still doesn't know when. He starts Sonar soon. (July 7th ish?)
  • mrsb

    stylist613 nd KKristen, my son did have to move on tuesday.  We skyped on Sunday and he was hoping he wouldn't have to move again but turns out it's a nice room and the A/C works so he's happy!

  • tidefan

    mrsb my son didn't have to move but his room mate did and then he got a new room mate-go figure. He said that they have been moving furniture all week

  • Linda

    My son arrived at sub school over the weekend.  His PIR from bootcamp was 6/20/2014.  Spoke to him last night he is enjoying the weather coming from Florida where the temp is in the high 90's.  Was looking forward to getting started in sub school.  

  • mrsb

    Welcome to the sub world Linda!!! My son is due to graduate from Groton next month and move on to somewhere.  He will hopefully find out today where he will be going.  I'm hoping west coast!

  • FATHOMOM

    Welcome Linda. Congratulations to your Sailor on P.I.R. Your Sailor-son will enjoy sub school. He will have lots to do while getting settled @ Groton and will enjoy a little more relaxed environment. HOOYAH!

  • Linda

    I understand that they have to phase up to get to wear civilian clothes.  My sailor has ask me to send him some clothe from home  What can and cannot I send?  I am sure there are Navy standards that have to be met.  Do not want to send clothes or shoes that would get him into trouble.

    Thanks

    Thanks

  • FATHOMOM

    Yes, they must phase up to yellow and blue card to wear civilian clothes. I sent jean pants, shorts, pajama bottoms, more of his fav. underwear, work out wear, tennis shoes, flip flops - we used to call them thongs ha ha!, lots of casual t-shirts, a few less-casual shirts, swimming trunks (there is a lake there on base for the guys to swim in) sweat shirts. I understand as long as they have earned wearing civilian clothes and they are not on duty or watch,  they can wear what they want. In October my husband and I visited Groton (totally awesome) when we ate chow with all of his firends, they all had the same casual guy wear. HOOYAH!

  • Psalm150.1.6

    My son is arriving today with 14 other sailors! PIR was yesterday! He is two hours from home!
  • mrsb

    Hello ladies!  I just wanted to share a photo taken today. Annette had an open house/welcome home/bon voyage party for her son who surprised her last saturday morning by appearing on her couch in the wee hours.  He will be off to a far away place in July.  It was so nice to finally meet Annette, her husband and Sailor Son.  Fair Winds Sailor!

  • mrsb

    Oh Annette is in the middle, flanked by two MrsBs!

  • tysmom

    Those parties are so bittersweet!!!! Glad you could spend time with him!!!!

  • Annette

    It was wonderful to meet to Navy Moms! You ladies were so sweet to make that drive!
  • tidefan

    hello ladies.I am still just watching and listening to you and your sailors' life in Groton. Mine is still on hold and looks like he will be for a while. Enjoy your week and have a happy 4th

  • ProudNavyMom#1

    Ooops! Or should I say OPSEC? hahahaha

    My dear Ladyrocker, we don't share names of our Sailors for their own safety. However, you can Private Message us and ask, or perhaps, the right moms will PM you claiming their Sailors :)

    Also, it's kind of embarrasing if you happen to be the Mom with the Sailor that chews their sunflower seeds so loud and makes gross noises bc then we would all know HA! That's the Mom of the noisy/smelly/loud Sailor! HAHAHAHA

    I know, you are as eager as I was at first to match our boys to their mamma's on here!

    We all have this in common in that we love our boys and this forms a special bond between us Moms on N4Ms.  In time we all private message each other and find out about each other's Sons and exchange prayers and hugs and love for our kids.

    I am happy to hear you are communicating with your Son.  God bless him and all our boys in Groton! That is my daily prayer.  Big NMH!!!

  • ProudNavyMom#1

    Thank you tidefan! You have an awesome 4th of July!!!

    I just said a prayer for your son and all who are awaiting class up! God bless them all.  All in God's time.

    Big NMH my dear!!! 

  • tidefan

    thanks proudnavymom

  • FATHOMOM

    so nice to read along and find I am not alone. I continue to keep our son's in prayer. Yes, in God's time they will all class up and all recieve orders to move forward in their NAVY journey!  We must learn as well, military time....hurry up and wait.

    Big NAVY Mom hugg to ALL. Enjoy your 4th of July celebrations. 

  • mrsb

    Nice picture Mom C!!!!

  • Kevsmom93

    What a great photo of your handsome family!! Thanks for sharing looks like you're having some good times together ;-D

  • FATHOMOM

    thank you for sharing - lovely pic, lovely smiles!

  • mrsb

    Fathomom, does your son have orders yet?  I can't remember anymore!

  • ProudNavyMom#1

    MomC, beautiful pic!!! I see a lot of Gig'em Aggies there (thumbs up HAHAHA)

    mrsb, it must be unnerving not knowing where yours will go! Specially with the moving of your daughter. Bless your heart!  And our boys are so ready to move on with their Navy Careers!!!! I'm praying for all of you.  

    I do hope it's Hawaii :) Then Kevsmom, yours and mine will be stationed there! HAHAHAHA They've been together since bootcamp!!

    Oh, an update on my trip to Groton for graduation...I will not be going up there after all.  My Son is supposed to leave right after graduation so we really would just be turning right around and going back home.  So, we'll be waiting for him here. 

    Dear Ladies, if any of you is/are going to A school grad, would you kindly post your pics? I'm hoping I'll get one of my Sailor! Kevsmom, you were blessed to have a pic of yours graduating! 

    God bless our boys and all in our military! Big hug to all!!!! 

  • Linda

    Hi ladies,   My sailor called last night and said that he completed his qual packet and will do final check this morining.  He is looking forward to be able to wear civilian clothes.  He is happy and really enjoying his time so far.  Has made some amazing friends .  Life is good. 

  • Kevsmom93

    Congratulations Linda that is spectacular news!

    ProudNavyMom#1 I agree it was definitely a very lucky moment captured on camera. Apparently a person in the room was photographing someone else and my son saw it posted on their FB page and he asked if he could have a copy, they gladly obliged. My hubby and I never made it to Groton while he was in CT it just never fit into our schedules or budget. So I agree that picture was/is a huge blessing for us both! I hoping somehow the same happens for you and mrsb! 

  • Kevsmom93

    ProudNavyMom#1 had to look up Gig'em Aggies..found out you were talking in Texas code....lol. 

  • stylist613

    Im also going sept 11
    My son is ET Nav
  • stylist613

    Mom c what is your sons rate
  • FATHOMOM

    Linda - good to hear your son is enjoying Groton. It is much nicer wearing civies. Groton is a lovely place and our son has enjoyed being there.

    mrsb - Hello.yes our son did receive his orders. I am hesitant to mention them, incase they are changed (he has been told they wont, one never knows) however, he is still waiting for hard orders to come thru. Until hard orders come thru -nothing happens.he has graduated, his mailbox has been closed out, he has been moved to another dorm and some of his paperwork has been taken care of. so he and several other graduates are on hold until then. We knew things like this happen, still difficult when it does.- We planned to wait for him at home and not attend "A"school graduation too. Normally, the graduates leave base a few days after. I wish we would have gone to graduation. So, we wait patiently here at home until his paperwork comes thru. A lesson in military life patience. I am thankful he is ok and safe. 

  • mrsb

    Fathomom, glad your son got his orders!  Sorry he's still waiting to depart to his duty station.  :/  I have a feeling my son will be stuck there for a while after graduation as well.  Just a feeling I have.  He will probably have to move yet again-he's already moved barracks 3 times!  Guess we just have to hurry up and wait, as usual!!!

  • ProudNavyMom#1

    Fathomom mercy. I hear a new one every day! Hard orders? Mrsb so true, hurry up and wait! I keep all our boys in prayer. They are so ready to go on their first assignments! Hang in there mommas!
    Now my concern is will my son need to be at first assignment ASAP? Should I rebook everything and go to his A school grad? Mercy. Jesus I trust in You.
    God bless us all.
  • Linda

    Yay!  He got his yellow card. 

  • tidefan

    yay Linda-yellow cards are great

  • Annette

    Hello ladies! I have been lurking, but not posting, but here we go! On June 19th, our sailor graduated A school and is now an STS. He told us he was on hold for awhile while paperwork got straightened out. He and his buddy shared a congratulatory cake made by Kristen. On Saturday morning the 21st, I had to work. I was greatly looking forward to the end of the school year (I work part time at a middle school) on Tuesday the 24th, and my sister's arrival on Monday the 23! Shortly after 6 I stumble down the hall to turn on the coffee maker, which I had set up but I forgot to set the switch for it to come on before I woke! I get to the end of the hall and see a pile of stuff just inside the front door behind the love seat. I wondered for a couple seconds at what I was looking at, then I recognized the huge duffel from the World Scout Jamboree! I gasped audibly, and my eyes watered as I went around the corner to see my sailor sleeping on the couch! I thought for half a second about leaving him to sleep but that was ridiculous. Besides, he was already awake, had heard me gasp. Oh, hugs and kisses and tears! It was beautiful! So glad we had sent him a key to our new place!

    His friend picked him up from LAX around 10:30, and their first stop was In n Out! After picking up a 6 pack they headed home, with sailor using GPS on his phone to find our new place. They got in sometime after 2:00 am. He said the first door he saw he opened, found the garage and threw his sea bag in there. He saw the slider to our bedroom, realized what it was and kept going. He and his friend were carrying his huge, heavy duffel together, and dropped it right near our bedroom, we didn't hear a thing! He got in the front door and Daphne (our doggie) was whiney and groany and wagging all over, so happy to see him, he was afraid that would wake us but it didn't. He went to close our bedroom door so he wouldn't disturb us, unaware of the heavy, antique flat iron that we use for a doorstop, that clunked over, but didn't wake us! After having a beer, his friend went to his dad's house and Dennis went to sleep on the couch. Oldest daughter came out at one point to get a drink of water (thank goodness she put on a bathrobe, she doesn't wear much to bed!), saw them, said, "awkward" (because she almost didn't grab her bathrobe!) and went back to bed. Was not even sure she was really seeing what she was seeing!

    We had a wonderful time, I cooked some of his favorite things, crossing stuff off the list he made before BC (the only thing left is lasagna, and if he ok with the non-traditional one I made while he was here, I got that covered too!). We played some UNO, rummy, Phase 10, Monopoly. And we enjoyed each other's company. He spent a couple nights with his friend in Riverside (these 2 have known each other since 2nd grade, he was the sailor's ride from the airport). He rents a home there with some others from his college snowboarding group, but looking to move as soon as a job is secured, he just graduated with 2 degrees. He saw some other friends as well, but spent plenty of time at home.

     

  • Annette

    Tuesday July 8, leave the house by 7 to get him to LAX to head to Guam. 30 minutes up the road, a stream of profanity comes from the back seat! He left his NWU folder with orders, plus his sealed medical records behind. Luckily we had given plenty of time, so back we went, poor guy tripped and fell on the sidewalk after getting out of car to run in house (luckily his dress whites were unharmed!). Back on the road, getting him to the airport in plenty of time. But he didn't really relax until he was seated on plane, poor guy. Change planes in HI, he said just enough time to get to other plane and board (luckily the airport in Honolulu is not terribly huge). He arrived in Guam a little after 6 in the evening July 9 after 2-6 hour flights and crossing the international date line. He said it wasn't a duty driver who picked him up, but a guy from the class before his that he knew! He drove him around the island a bit before heading to base. He says his barracks is really nice, roommate gone because his boat is in HI with RIMPAC. He might be brought there or not, depends on whether the boat wants him there. It is now 7:40am Monday July 14 where he is!

  • FATHOMOM

    Oh my - Annette!! Thank you for sharing - I am crying happy tears! What a beautiful suprise to find on your couch!! I am happy you decided to give him huggs and kisses AS SOON as you saw him...I wouldn't wait either! I am thankful your son has arrived to his next post safely. Off to the next part of his NAVY journey - Fair Weather and Following Seas, wherever he goes!  Please keep us informed. Big NAVY MOM hugg! 

  • FATHOMOM

    Linda - yes, yellow cards are great....soon the blue card! 

    Mom C Ship - thanks for being there for our young men! such a wonderful heart you have!

  • Ladyrocker

    Wow Annette!  You and your Sailor have been through a lot. Blessing to your Sailor and you and yours. 

    Fathomom......what is the blue card? My Sailor got his yellow never told me of course I had to see his selfie on instagram......is that Phase 3? and if so what is that? 

  • Phoebs

    Hello Moms! I haven't been on this sight for a while but as my sons "A" School Graduation approaches I've decided I would reach out for some assistance.  I plan to attend his graduation along wit my two younger boys and my mother.  I will be flying into LGA. I know I will have to catch the train and go over to Groton. Can anyone tell me what to expect as far as the graduation itself. Where can I get the information to attend and any neccessary stuff I might need to attend. I would appreciate any and all advice I might get.  Thanks

  • Linda

    For those of you who live in Groton. We are planning a trip in mid October. Is this a good time to see the leaf change of color? We are from Florida so we do not get much of a seasonal change Looking forward to a visit with our sailor. What is the blue card?
    Thanks
  • Cath Bubblehead mom

    Linda - that should be a good time - but it all depends on the weather - rain and heat - sometimes it's earlier or later.

    Regarding the card colors:

     Phase one liberty (WHITE)- return to barracks by 2200 (10pm), wear uniform off base, no alcohol, 25 mile radius

     

    Phase two liberty(YELLOW)- return to barracks by 2200 on weekdays and 2400/000 (midnight) on the weekends... Civilian clothes may be worn, and alcohol is allowed

     

    Phase three liberty (BLUE)- return to base by 0700, civilian clothes allowed, alcohol is allowed.... Can go 250 miles off base during the weekend and doesn't have to return to base on the weekends if it is not their duty weekend.

  • Cath Bubblehead mom

    I know several of you do belong to FB and various Navy groups. There are some useful files in the Sub School group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496302360419464/files/

    I know I rarely look at the file sections on the FB groups!

    Phoebs - I have not experienced A school graduation yet so I cannot help you there. But the FB file link has other useful info about transportation, hotels, places to eat etc.

  • shirl

    Remember they are allowed to drink if of age, I know u might think this is a no brainer but it is not. I know form first hand if ur son is underage stay away from the alcohol if of age stay away from the underage drinker, or face the consequences which are not fun. Just some motherly advice u can tell them, and pray they listen or learn the hard way.
  • Cath Bubblehead mom

    Absolutely - Drinking has been an issue. Also, sailors visiting NYC and attending a RAVE. If it's a holiday weekend, the base ups it's "random" testing!

    Fortunately, my son is older - referred to as grandpa by the others - he is 27 and enlisted last year. 

  • shirl

    That is funny, he is grandpa,but they can enlist up to 33 in the navy, so by those standards he is young. I was 27 when I joined the Airforce and 28 was the cutoff.
  • hoosiermamma

    My son arrived at Groton this past Saturday.  He graduated YN A school on May 16th and had been on hold all this time in Meridian.  He is SO happy to get out of the humidity.  Just another one of may legs of what his Navy journey holds I am sure :).

  • mrsb

    Welcome to Groton hoosiermamma!!!