AECF - FCs and ETs

My daughter is an FC still in A school, but am wondering how its decided what kind of system they will specialize in?  And does that determine where they might be deployed?  Inquiring minds!

that was quick on his C school orders.  my daughter is in A school for FC and we've heard there is about a 7 month hold on C school orders

We were very surprised that orders came thru quickly for him. We were told to expect 4-6 month hold at least!  But I am thrilled with his orders

my daughter is shooting for C school in VA

my ET son had PIR 1/21/11  ....C school in San Diego 1/3/12.  To the amphibious base Little Creek Norfolk,VA mid February 2012.  It took almost a year; all of the time at Great Lakes until 1/3/12 to San San Diego for the C school. 

Son has been in GL almost a year - with boot, ATT and A school behind him without much in the way of holds.  We were told while he was a DEPper to expect close to 2 yrs in GL

Well hopefully they use the holds to learn and rest

Jacqueline...you are too funny! Yup...the Navy knows how to pick em for AECF!!! Bravo Zulu to your boy!

Helen...good to see ya back here! So happy you are getting to see your sailor! Been enjoying your posts on FB as well and seeing all your awesome pics of your boy! I keep hinting to ours that we want pictures! His other grandma even bought him a camera for Christmas...I think he got the hint!

Good morning all,

Helen, it's been a good year for your sailor but he will be delighted to see his family again and be back on land for awhile.

Nick's ship is in the yards for maintenance so he is taking leave leave and we are meeting him in Pearl Harbor for a few days and then we are all flying over to Kuawai for a week.  He's anxious to get away from the base for a bit and we are just anxious to spend some time with him.  He was home for Mother's Day last year but that seems like forever ago.  We be arriving on my birthday and he has offered to cook my birthday dinner at his apartment, I am so looking forward to it all.

Okay, off to San Francisco today.  Another long flight.  Have a good week everyone.

Have a wonderful trip, Mary!  So exciting.  Kauai is beautiful!

Welcome back Helen, I am glad you get to go to Homecoming. I know you will have fun! Yes, you were spoilt lol.

Chrissy is on a small ship, they are have not been in the news at all. And she is only allowed to send me pics when they get liberty. I do chat with her on FB, that is indeed a lifeline.  

https://www.mynavyexchange.com/storefinder/nx_display_facility.html...

scroll down and click on florist.

I think you can use it if it is going on base delivery????  If not, they're right there on the base.

anyone know of one at GL?

My son just emailed me to say his ship got the Battle E Award for 2011. They all get a ribbon he said. Anti M- does that mean something on his uniform?

Lori, yes, they get a new ribbon for their uniforms.  my daughter called (bored down south on the ship) and told me she'll now have 7 ribbons.  she's also on the bush.

BR549, thanks!  i'm thinking of sending my daughter some flowers for vday

I went to the FB page that the ship has [ he's on the Carl Vinson] and they had posted a newspaper article talking about it. Very interesting. How many deployments has your daughter been on duhhuh? This is only my sons first. Seven ribbons is great! Is she dry docked?

Great Lakes student NEX

http://ftdfloristsonline.com/florist_information.html?flc=12-0358ZA

Congrats GoldnG8r, I know they are so happy just to get out of GL, wherever they get. Lol

just to let all you out there know, the NEX in GL will not take orders on the phone.  the ONLY thing they have is a bouquet for $18.99 but you have to physically go in there to order it.  FTD doesn't even have a bouquet for $18.99

GoldnG8r,

spoke to my daughter last night and she said the holds have gotten shorter. 

Hello everyone....it's been a few weeks since i've been here....there's been so much going on.  My son is an FC, currently in phase II, and he seems more homesick now than when he was in bootcamp.  I was hoping to send him something nice to brighten his spirits...but I see that the NEX in GL won't take phone orders.  Any other ideas???   How are all of you holding up with your sons/daughters in A school?

hello Batmansmom531-I just send my son a care package every now and then.  For Valentines day I sent some $1 candy boxes, and frisbees, magazines are good. Even a card will lift them up.

Care packages from home; homemade goodies of their fav cookies, breads and stuff you made when they were home.

for those keeping track: My ET son flew to his ship today 2/13/2012 after all his schools.  His PIR was 1/21/2011...a little more than a year.

Well, good to know one of the florists delivers!

Hey mammajill,  if you don't mind sharing...when was his PIR and when did he finished A school?

Chrissy went to Dahlgren. I agree with Denise, he is going to need a car. Chrissy bought a 2012 Honda.

Chrissy liked C school, she liked the teachers , much better then the ones in A school. She said the housing was better, too. She liked  Virgina beach.

Of course, she is always going to miss the mountains. One friend said there are mountians in VI. I said Not the Sierra Nevada mountains of Califronia. No matter where the Navy sends her California will always be home.

Thanks mommajill!  R's PIR was the same day.  Date for his A school graduation was the week after Thanksgiving. He told me last night that some from his A school class got orders and that he could get his real soon.  I guess the hold time in GL's is getting shorter!!!!

Jay,

Average total time spent in GL counting bootcamp, A school and holds, etc. has been about 1 year. To give you an idea for ATT and A school, the following is taken straight from the AECF contract page:

FC: ATT approx. 9 weeks, A school approx. 12 weeks.

FC A School:  3 semester hours in solid state electronics; 3 semester hours in electromechanical systems; 3 semester hours in digital circuits; 2 semester hours in microwave fundamental; 1 semester in electronics laboratory; 1 semester hour in digital laboratory; 1 semester hour in radar maintenance.

ET: ATT approx. 9 weeks, A school approx 17 weeks.

ET A School: 3 semester hours in basic electronics laboratory; 3 semester hours in AC circuits, 7 semester hours in solid state electronics; 3 semester hours in electronic systems trouble-shooting and maintenance; 2 semester hours in electronic communication

Hope this helps a bit.

Both ET and FC schools are long enough to qualify for a paid move for dependents.  Of course, he has to earn his liberty privileges like all the others, but that gives him time to submit his Live Ashore packet in order to get permission to live offbase with you.  He should get started on it ASAP after he checks into his A school, the Monday after PIR.  He has to get on top of the situation and pursue it.

In the meantime, you should prepare for a move, toss, donate or sell everything you don't need.  Make a file to keep with you at all times of important papers and certified copies of birth certificates and so on.  

R's mom, so our kids probably know each other.  I will pray he gets his orders soon.  I know how waiting can be.  We all do.  Where are you from?  We are in Arizona.

Anti M, I saw your pics when I first signed up for n4m in 2010.  When did your kids go to bc & where are they now?  If you don't mind me asking.

Denise, how much did it cost to visit all those tourist sites?  We want to see them cuz we have never been to that part of the country.  And who knows if we will ever have a chance to go again. So we want to try & see all that we can while we are there, but worried that it will be more than we can afford.

Mommajill, hmmm... two acquired kids, and it has been a few years.  The gal made it to her first command and was given a medical discharge, that's been several years, seven?  She was an MA (and I knew the Navy wasn't going to be good to her).  My ET is on his second enlistment, so six years or so.  He's in Atsugi with his wife.  I didn't actually get to have kids, so I acquired them! Which is why I don't have the dates locked into my head.

My nephew is an EM2 nuke on his first sub, so just over three years.

And both hubby and I were ETs, back in the Dark Ages.  Great Lakes has not changed all that much, except the liberty phases are stricter and a few other details. LOL, like the new uniforms.  The holds are the same.  My dad was Navy too, and some of his experiences are as relevant now as they were in WWII.  It really takes a multi-generational family to see the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Perfect Denise!  Thanks so much!  We love history too.  We want to see all those places you did.  Thanks again!

Anti M, that's funny and so true.  Now I understand why you know so much.  Awesome!  Thank you for your service and for continuing to serve now by helping all of us moms, wives, and girlfriends.  So nice of you! 

I saw the comments about places to visit in Washington and thought I'd mention another. We have lived outside of DC for decades. I live in MD but DC is easy to get to from the metro. Definitely make a day [ or 2] of seeing the Smithsonian. Lots of museums to visit. Plan out what most interests you. There is the Art Gallery, The Natural History, American History, Air and Space to name a few. Of course the Lincoln Memorial, National Cathedral, National Monument all downtown. If you are interested in news there is the Newseum which you do have to pay for but a good visit. Also the Spy Museum is wonderful [ have to pay for that]. Google and plan as there is so many things here to take advantage of. The National Post office. Library of Congress, I could go on and on- and that's just in DC. If you went further out like Denise said there's all the battlefield. Harper's Ferry in West VA is an awesome place to spend the day if you had time. If I can help in anyway please let me know.

Thanks Lori!  I gotta go now ladies,  talk to ya later.

Hey mommajill, we actually live in central Virginia, used to live in Va. Beach area and  have family there. Orders in Va. would be nice for this mom but, it's not about me.  Never been to the west coast and would love a reason to go there.

R'sproudmom, I agree it is never about us Moms. I realised that when I got The Box. My kid has disappeared! She belongs to the Navy now. I have no control, I can't change anything when she is upset with the Navy. I have to use tough love; "That is part of the job" I say.   She has got 3 years + 3 months more to go , then if she still doesn't like it she doesn't have to reenlist.

yeah at what she is all upset about was made public yesterday;

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/16/2645215/us-navy-selects-destr...

Spain!

Son made ET3 yesterday. I was so happy for him and asked nicely for a picture. When I reminded him he sent a picture of the insignia and when I asked where he was, he said behind it.  Sense of humor is good, but he knows I would love pictures.  He sounds so upbeat.

Odi....Congrats to your new ET3 !  Yes, we sure do look forward to pictures, don't we? I keep reminding our guy the same thing. I forgot....where is your son? In C school?  In San Diego? Norfolk? or out in the fleet? sorry...it's hard to keep up!

Vickyrun..is she attached to one of the four selected ships? Looks like this will take place in 2014 and 2015 ? Interesting.

Oooh, Spain.  I do like it there.  But then, I chose to visit, not be sent there far from family.  How much longer will she be on her ship?