Cryptology ~ CTI ~ CTM ~ CTN ~ CTR ~ CTT ~ CWT Corry Station Pensacola Florida and Monterey California

P.S. There are those around a military base who prey on a vulnerable and lonely 25-year-old too. From one who knows

My son started Corry thanksgiving weekend. He took off from Chicago Saturday morning. Just like harpist he missed the class and did work around the base until classes started first week of January. I learned this week his graduation date is April 22. He did tell me about a month ago they stopped phase 3 to tighten things up. I am not sure if that is still the case. He too has to have 3 buddies and they have to be in by 10 weekdays ane 12 on weekends. He said bootcamp is a breeze compared to this. He has no need for a car - they walk everywhere and take the bus to the beach. $2 each way. Hope that helps

Things have tightened up more recently than 2009 at Corry Station. My son was there Aug through Oct and there was no buddy system required to go off base during that time. He said the rules were much more lax at Corry than at NAS while he was there. If I remember correctly, I thought he said something like a person could stay out all night and it would be no big deal at Corry. Glad they have tightened up now.

Thank you for verifying. My son said exactly the same thing. I am very disappointed in the negligence in enforcing structure and rules while my son was at Corry. It did not set a very high bar or good example for the Navy.

My son has just started "A" school. He is 19 years old and a really great young man.  I have a question regarding the stress level of being a CTT.  Not at the school level, but once they are in the fleet after all their training. I know most of what they do they cannot communicate to anyone outside of their job.  My husband and I want to help prepare him, now that he is in the adult world, with tools to handle the stresses that may come with being a CTT and how to put it in perspective.  Is it a level that some find overwhelming?  ?We want to help prevent that if it is an issue with this rate.  Any input would be greatly appreciated. 

Hey ladies, 

I haven't been on in a while.  Been very busy doing that CT thing at work...

The good news is my son only has about 9 months (max) left then he became a civilian..Woo-hoo!  I just cannot wait.  The contractors are already hounding him for a resume'.  Some have already gave him contingent offers.  9 months will come really quick for him.  What sucks is he could be getting out now, but the Navy just changed the rule.  Now he has to stay until his EAOS. 

Per the drugs at Corry.  There are drugs everywhere in the world.  Believe it or not, Great Lakes has a huge Heroin problem.  There are idiots in the world, it's part of our society   Those in the Navy will be caught, it just some time.  The sailor that gets into it would have more than likely got into it as a civilian.  The only problem in the Navy is your crime (drug use) will follow you around for the rest of your life.  

Kimberly - Is your son a Operator (4 year) or a Technical (6 year) CTT?  The stress is actually not that bad in school.  Yes, it's hard, but everything life that is worth anything is hard.  The hard part is actually in the fleet.  What's scary about CTT's is they are the keyplayers in recent Navy  accidents.  Look at the USS Stark, USS Greeneville, and others.  After the USS Stark took the missile hits, the Navy decides to update the CTT's gear.  It's a sad way to figure out you need to throw money at a problem. (ie after the fact).  Luckily all the equipment is now updated...  My nephew loves being a CTT.  He has it made....

ThomasLogans - As any Marine will tell you, there is no such thing as an "ex" Marine.  There are only "former" Marine.  Believe me, if you say the "ex" word around a Marine, you will be corrected....Guaranteed.  It's an honor thing....

"ex" is ok for all services, except Marines.  Man those guy really get worked up about it....  

http://www.military.com/marine-corps-birthday/marine-birthday-no-ex...

We spin them up too by saying:

On the Marine Corps seal, it says "Department of the Navy".... Is that the women's department?...."   They usually respond with a black eye....~ha

It's almost like brotherly love.  We love each other, but we also both dog each other out, but, if some outsider says anything to either one of us,  then we group together and dog them out.   

Craig,  My son is a CTT.  Takes his responsiblilities very seriously.  Just wondering how we can best support him so that stress doesn't rule.  We do not micro manage any of our 6 children's lives....we have worked though to provide a supportive base for them to build on.  This is a brand new area for us so thought it would be best to consult those who know better than we do.

Tell it like it is, TLM! HA

BTW, I believe you are making a good decision about the car.

Kimberley- I can understand you feelings- My CTT loves his job- but has shared the seriousness and stress of that type of work has huge consequences and the responsibility is great. I have found that as a parent you have to trust the job you did in raising them and then let them go. The Navy makes them men. They have learned to do a man's job - just listen to them and encourage them- and pray for them.

Craig-  my son is thinking that once he gets out of the Navy ( either in 2 years or 6) he will want to work as a contractor- Just a quick question, do you know if the sailor has to have a 4 year degree to get hired on as a contractor? or just have the experience of being a CTT in the Navy??

Thanks NavyMom4J. 

NavyMom - It's nice to have a degree, but it's not required.  Raytheon is always looking for a degree.  However, they have a disclaimer that says they will trade xx amount of experience in lieu of a degree. The best thing is just get an associates, then you don't even fall into that category.  

Raytheon is ususally the prime on most contracts, but they spread the wealth to sub-contractors so you have Northrop, Lockheed, Boeing, General Dynamics  and others....  When the look up jobs, they should just search for "TS/SCI with CI poly"

Example:

http://jobs.raytheon.com/search/?campusOnly=-1&talentArea=-1&am...

or "TS/SCI with Full Scope Poly".

Example:

 http://jobs.raytheon.com/search/?campusOnly=-1&talentArea=-1&am...

Kimberley - I'm a guy and totally different than you ladies.  To me, yes, he needs to blow off some steam by going to the beach, by going to the mall, but doing stuff to get away from Corry Station.  Corry is just a tiny base.  It has nothing fun to do. I required my son to have his car there, and I actually drove my nephews car down also.  

This stuff about staying in the room playing x-box is just crazyness.  The joined the Navy to see the world.  Let them.  These guys can't be barracks rats.  They need to see the scene and to experience life.  You might as well place these sailors in solitary confinement if you want to protect them.  Geez, that's how the drugs all start.  They are trying to get away from the Corry stuff.  

How does a young guy meet some of the local gals in Pensacola without a car? God didn't put all these people on this planet just to have you focus on the ones that you grew up with.  He wants young men to travel away from their own families and eventually start new ones (just not starting one in Pensacola yet  ~ha).    You've got to give these sailors an outlet.

Thanks Craig- you are the best help EVER!!!  Next time he comes home - he will get in contact with you for a tour- hopefully he can get shore leave in Denver for the next 4 years- scary right now thinking he might choose to get out in two years with the way the economy is- I keep encouraging him to stay in the Navy and get more experience and time in his job before he gets out. It has been tough to get up to E-4 for him - when he got out of Corry he was assigned to a Ship that has been in port being refurbished (not sure of the correct term) - he has been doing alot of menial jobs like chipping paint and washing dishes- as well as CTT work...12- hour days- no time to study which has to be on his own time - but.... they are going out on aways more often now and the ship went through huge inspections- my son was given a commendation from the Caption in front of the whole crew for "job well done" on passing his CTT Inspection- ( I am sure I am not saying this correctly)  The ship is now battle ready- and will be joining a fleet soon for a month. It will be deployed in 2014- so maybe on deployment he can get more accomplished..  :)  I think once they leave Corry they have grand dreams of what life will be like, and it can sometimes be an awaking that things worth while in life takes perseverance and hard work- and working up the ranks to achieve them.

Amen!!

ThomasLogansmom-  You know- once they leave home- and grow up in Boot Camp- I think that makes them men- especially in the military. Their lives become their own... my son ended up marrying his girlfriend not soon after he got out of Corry- and as much as I would have wanted him to wait and be single to see the world- experience more of life that way... he went his own way- and now they are expecting a child- so I will be a Grandma  soon... so as much as we wish them to do what we wish them to do... they go their own way. But - he will soon be 23- so at least he is not 18-

TLM - What happens at Corry or NAS (for those with CTT 6yr, CTM) is the kids want to get away from the base and spend a fortune on taxi cabs.  Who really waits for a bus? Not many.  That money will be out the window because of things like buying computers at the Navy exchange and not Best Buy.  The beach is not the only thing to see in Pensacola.  There is a lot more to see.  

It kind of reminds me when I was in Europe.  The ones that didn't have much fun where the ones that stayed on base.  Then you had the one that purchase Euro-rail passes.  They were the ones that said everything was expensive.  It was because they were limited to 200 feet from the train station since they were carrying stuff.  All of my friends that drove Europe had the best time because they went to all the small towns and truly experience Europe.

When does a boy become a man? The Navy just gave you him.  He is now a man.  

I will tell you an old saying "A son is a son till he takes a wife, a daughter's a daughter the rest of her life".  What does this mean?  It means a son will rely on his mother until he gets married. His new wife then fills the space.  It the wife that he must now rely on.  He is the protection of the family and he must focus on this new family that he has formed and not on his parents.  A daughter on the other hand will always rely on her mother and will always need her mother.

I don't quote bible verse much, but I will now ""For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:24"

It is nice to see this group chatting again.  My son left Corry in Oct. after 16 mos. and is now on deployed on a carrier.  Somebody must have gotten in trouble big time for them to get rid of phase 3 and I don't think it has anything to do with the murder several years ago because my son didn't need a buddy in phase 3. 

Pensacola has fun beautiful beaches and fun places to go.  My son had a truck and a motocycle there and had a blast.  Believe me they will learn quickly to be careful and they explain all of the areas to stay away from in indoc. 

I know it is scary and we worry but if they don't get to blow off some steam and have a good time they will get bored and depressed.  They are there a long time and it would be like being in prison stuck on the base.  I have been to the base and there is not much to do there. 

Believe me they need to learn how to get around and be safe before they go on to these deployments because when they go to ports it is even scarier.  Thailand is a pretty crazy port and they need to be prepared. 

Just my 2 cents.

Cinder: well said. No matter where they go to be stationed after Corry- it is a whole new deal! Now I know why the Navy keeps the Boot Camp graduates well protected at Corry! Life in the Fleet/or at their station is totally different and has its own pitfalls with seasoned sailors who have a whole different attitude.

My son was only at Corry about 10 weeks, which really isn't such a long time. More structure would have been beneficial while he was there. He even expressed frustration, at times, about the lack of it. 

Craig- Absolutely Correct!!!!!- thanks for reminding me of that saying- because it is so true- !!!!!

Hi Everyone!

I haven't written for a long time, but I still read a few posts.  I know it's hard not to worry about our sons/daughters while they are at Corry.  They seem to have alot of free time there and I did think he and his classmates hit the bars at the beach ALOT.  He went to college first and got a degree so he was older when he joined the Navy.  We decided once he went off to college, that was it - our parenting job was over. We didn't want to tell him what to do all the time.  He would call alot more than come home during those years and always asked us for our opinion.  We never critisized or dictated or tried to sway his decisions.  Now, he is stationed in San Diego with a wonderful wife.  She is so nice and we love her dearly.  They call us every weekend.  We feel so blessed.  Oh yeah, they went to a New Year's Eve Party at her cousin's house and neither one drank any alcohol!  Just let your kids experience life and sit back and enjoy all the high points with them.  The Navy has given them the best possible start.

And thanks Craig for helping us keep everything in perspective for us new Navy families.  I appreciate all the info and advice.

Corinnel- me too!

My point: it seemed like Corry was not enforcing the rules and structure that were already in place, from the feedback I got during Fall 2012. My son had an enthusiastic attitude after BC and the time spent at NAS. His attitude toward the Navy turned sour after his time at Corry Station.

Craig, that's great about your son being hounded!!!  My CTT son (you met him and gave him a tour at Buckley when he was training there) still has two more years but hopefully he will be hounded when the time comes!!!  Hope some of those good jobs are in Colorado. That is where he wants to go.  Too much traffic in the DC/Baltimore area where he is now and not enough outdoor activites for him!

Up above the discussion groups there are links for CTT, CTR, CTN, and CTI.

Craig, Could you please post that link that describes what all the intials stand for and the jobs they do? I have seen it but cannot locate it right now. Some of the new moms have not seen it yet. Thanks!

I'm sorry if you have taken offense to other peoples opinion and I respect your values and opinions but there is no reason to be angry with what other people have said. 

harpist mom- CT- cryptology technician, I-linguistics-translators, M-maintenance, N-networks, R-collections- collect info to put together for intel, T-technical- actually put the info into something coherent. And if I understand correctly this is their specialty. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Hope this helps.