AECF - FCs and ETs

Ari'smom, just sent you a friend request.

I was an ET.  Daily work in the fleet tends to be maintaining the gear, which is communications and radar systems; and of course, repairing the gear when it goes down. (I"m leaving out all the duty and shipboard tasks).

 FCs learn weapons systems, and operate their systems, ETs are not operators.  C schools can be varied, she might go to a system school, or a handful of schools for individual pieces of equipment.  There's so may of these, I can't tell you where all the C schools are for ET.  

Hey, a mom doe snot have to accept smoking, and never at her home.  Give her hell, you're allowed.  

That 30 days of leave, yes, they get them.  They might not get them all at once, or when they want, and in the fleet, some have to carry the days over to year two before they get a chance to take them.  Also, they don't always get to come home while on hold, that is on a case by case basis.  Glakes use to never allow it, but the longer holds have changed that.

My son graduated boot camp 1/21/11 and will begin C school for ET this January 2012 in San Diego.  He has been at GL since his bootcamp; came home to Northern California for the holidays as an E4 assigned to the USS Ashland in Norfolk, VA when C school is finished.  I am proud.  That's a long way from landing at O'Hare airport to report for bootcamp in his flip flops, Hawaiian shirt and shorts a year ago. 

my son started smoking when he was in boot camp too.  I have talked to him, etc. etc.  but he will do what he wants I guess.

togo  I know what you mean about they will do what they want anyway.  

She enlisted in the navy after 3 months of College without telling me.  when I talked to the recruiter his reply was (she's an adult).  So I am proud of her but she does do what she wants regardless.

togo and Ari'smom, my son started smoking after boot camp.  Later he decided to stop. He told me he wants to be in good health and be able to pass his PFAs. He doesn't want his lungs all plugged up. After awhile most of them come to that conclusion.

Ari'smom, It is hard to estimate hold times. I will say this though. It is very likely that your daughter will be at Great Lakes until June 2012. My son is an FC and he was at Great Lakes from June 2010 to September 2011. FCs seem to be on hold for longer after (A)school. 

jackie,

how wonderful for you son!  my sailors would have either cried (they're both girls) or yelled back, lol.  guess your son got punked!  CONGRATS!!!!

Hi! My son will be PIR Feb. 10th. he is AECF but not sure about Fc or ET. Not knowing this yet can I determine where he will be going to A school. Tried to look it up if I'm not mistaken ( and I probably am LOL) he is going to A school in the Great Lakes?

Thank you for responding so quickly Goldn8r! Now I feel better! I needed that! I'm about 20 minutes from Athens and 15 from Commerce. Nice to meet you! I know Waycross!

Jackie congrats on his CAP!  Always great when that happens.  Hurray for your new ET2!

So happy for John and what a great story he will be able to share with his grandkids one day!!!  Congrats to him Jackie, I know it was well deserved!

Hope everyone is enjoying their new year - wishing each of you much love, happiness and good health in the year ahead!

Hi to all you Mom's out there!

I'm new to this group.  My daughter will be studying/training for "ET" at Great Lakes.  She PIR'd on 12/2.  Any other 12/2 alumni out there?

To Arismom:  It seemed forever before my son knew anything about where C school was to be. He did not know where C school would be until just before the Christmas leave (almost a year after PIR).  I do not know if he was able to choose where C school was to be.  He said he was asked which ocean he would prefer...he said Pacific then he was told he would have the Atlantic. I do not think there's much choosing in the Navy.

To Jackie: congratulations to John.  What a wonderful story.  Congtatulations and how very proud you must be.  Hope my son, John, will have those stories to tell too. Thanks for your well wishes.

Well may daughter is back is in G/L after two weeks. hated to see her leave. But my son is home for a week from VA. he is on the IKE. She hopefuly will start A school soon. just passed ATT before coming home.miss her already. Jackie great news about your son congrats!

Congratulations Jackie and family. Bet the ones toruting him enjoyed themselves!

My daughter will be graduating from Boot Camp this coming Friday and will be attending A school in Great Lakes for ET. She said she will be there until August 6, and doesn't know where C school will be afer that. I am so thankful for this site as there are places to follow them on their Journey and get lots of helpful information.

As an ET, she won't know about her C school for quite some time.  Just settle in and make the most of Glakes, there's a lot to do if she explores what's available on base, and when she earns her liberty privileges, off base.

Congrats to your son, Jackie. I don't know about the way they told him, kinda mean. I hpoe they don't do that to Chrissy, she would freak out.

Hey Ladies I have a quick question: I know most Wives of AECF get to live with their husband after basic... and everyone talks about how to get moving money and him getting paperwork done... my question is what if you will already be living in the GL area BEFORE he even graduates basic? will he have to get different paper work?or will it go faster since i will already be established there? I dont care that we wont be getting financial assistance (my work is moving me up there). Has anyone been through this? Thanks!

The paperwork is the same (assuming you're married already).  He can't get it started until he graduates and checks into the TSC side.   It might go a little bit faster,  because you won't have to house hunt.  However, he still has to submit the same Live Ashore packet and earn his liberty privileges to stay offbase.

Heathers Mom and Daddys Little Girl:  My son was PIR May 2010 and has been in A school and then on hold at Great Lakes since then.  Thankfully he just rec'd his orders to leave for Norfolk in mid January.  Great Lakes is a great base and the schooling is wonderful...but 20 months is a long time! 

GoldnG8r--yes, the Aegis C school is in Dahlgren. My son went there for 7 months and then was sent to SanDiego and is now on his first deployment.

I went to C schools after I was an E-5.  As long as he's in the fleet, he receives evals and can do his courses for advancement.

Proud Navy Mom of Two Sailors - Good luck to your son inNorfollk.  My daughter PIR's on 6/17/11 and I don't think she has any idea she is going to be there that long.  You're right 18 months is a long time.  She said she should finish A school sometime in March.

Jackie - Congratulations to your son - what a great story.

our sailor just got orders for CIWS in San Diego. leaves March 5. new stuff for me to learn about! =)   Boot camp grad was 2/18/11, FC  A school grad 10/7/11, so not too bad of a wait, but he's ready for the next phase!

Goldng8r, the Dahlgren school is in Dahlgren. It is a small town on the Potamac river about an hour from Fredricksburg, VI.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Dahlgren,+Virginia&hl=en&ll=3...

My husband is in FC a school right now we're looking at a mid-march graduation. does anyone know what kind of holds there are right now for orders?

My daughter is set for a mid march FC A school completion too. She said the rumor is 3-8 months hold time.

GoldnG8r, I know if I go back and search, I will find your sailors PIR date but would you mind sharing it with me?  R's was 4-29.  Looks like some FC's are getting orders a little sooner than I expected.  Thanks!

Alway's, your daughter's orders are great news!  I know she was excited. 

My son is leaving GL this Friday, 1/6/12 to go to C school for ET in San Diego..  His PIR was 1/21/11.  He is just short of a year at GL but he is an E4 now. He is thrilled about this movement in his career. Perserverence furthers as it is said.

@chew92 when did your son get his orders to C-school??

WhiteClay- Hi! i saw your name over on this site. I'm on the Vinson site where you are. Glad your son got SD for C school. My son loved C school there and now he's stationed there for the next 4+ years.

Hi all. My SR is set to PIR next week 1/13/12! Hooyah!!

I have a question with regards to cell phone, lap top, ipod. Can I bring those to PIR & give them to him over the weekend? I know he should have liberty Sat & Sun.

Based on what I read here the June "A" school graduation they told him is really tentative. Like if there were no holds?

Jackie-congrats!

Good morning all,

Hope everyone is staying warm.  Chiming in on what you can take to a PIR, like Connie we packed up all that gear and when our son checked into his new home - he asked can I have and they said SURE.  But things change or it may depend who is on watch when they check in so my recommendation has alway been take them but be prepared to bring them home.   

Connie is right there are lockers available very inexpensive that you can rent on base so they can access their items when allowed but I don't remember the specifics of them.  Perhaps someone has used them and can post that info (?)

Contacts can be worn at the PIR, we mailed a set to our son the week before and he got them into to be able to smile big for his PIR photos :-)

Can't wait to hear more about this pilot program for the FCs.  Our son will be hitting his four year mark in February and they have tried different pilots over the years.  My hubby was an FC during the 80s and 90s...you don't even want to hear about some of THOSE pilots!!!   LOL

Mary, my son is doing a Pilot FC CWIS program in Dam Neck.

moms, I have a question. My son is almost done with C school in San Diego and I want to get him a nice gift. I was looking at a watch. Like a navy watch.. do they have anything like that?  or does anyone else have any other ideas. He is an FC

Yes, Jackie, Chrissy said she knows your son. She said he works very hard, he deserved the capping. You should post the story on the ship's group, not much activity there.

alwaysdaddyltlegirl. My son is stationed there for (C)school. There is a big school at Dam Neck for CWIS weapons system. The CWIS is a big Gatling Gun. It's nick name is R2D2. Dam Neck is a pretty small but nice base. My son likes living there. The base is right off of Virginia Beach. I think your daughter will be very happy at that base. The instructors a great. The living quarters are different than at Great Lakes. There are only 2 Sailors per room. The barracks are like small apartments.

Hope everyone had a very Happy New Year's Day! Just now catching up and enjoying reading all the posts I missed over the past couple of weeks!

alwaysdaddyltlegirl...I believe Dam Neck provides training and development for the Aegis Combat System, and also other shipboard combat systems like the CWIS (Close-In Weapon System) which uses that big radar-guided 20mm Gatling gun mounted on a huge swivelling base. I think that is the gun Sandy said they call R2D2 !!!  Our sailors do have a sense of humor!

Renie... gerber tools make great gifts for our sailors....multi pocket tools....flashlights, etc. Sometimes our sailors could even use really good work gloves with non slip features so they can work wearing them.

Worried about Japan?   Join the Japan moms, get your questions answered early.

He'll have to get a different phone, ours don't work there.