Boatswain Mate

Hi again, If he is in A school for BM at Great Lakes what school will he be in in Mississippi and the 6 months in San Diego?

My son wanted San Diego so bad but went to Norfolk. Good thing because he met the love of his life and they are expecting thier first child Jan 23. I love her to pieces he is a lucky man.

My daughter lives in San Diego and it is so beautiful I think once you live there you never want to live any where else.

im not sure what base in Missississippi forgot what he said he is going to do EOD mobile unit 1

I think Mississippi training is 28 days hopefully he will be able to come home after that and has to be in san diego late oct

Oh wow that Explosive Ordnance Disposal how cool is that!!!

Yes he is very excited... Wow your son is doing great. going to have a baby re-enlisting is his wife/girlfriend in the navy?// Is your daughter in the navy. we are from Connecticut where are you from will you be going out to Virginia in January when your grandchild is born

Hello Miss My Sailor hows is everything going??? my son surprised us and came home before gulf port Mississippi he graduated on Friday from there and is now out in San Diego

My son is starting BM School in Norfolk, after being undes - How long is this A school - and considering he's been assigned to the ship for the past 18 months, would he stay on it upon graduation?

Hi Skippy,

I saw your note and wished I had answers to offer, but I don't.  My son's experience was a bit different than what you describe so I don't think I'll even offer guesses of what to expect.  You might look at previous comments to see if they help get some ideas of what to expect.  My son was undes for a while, attended training in Great Lakes and was then assigned to a ship in Mayport FL where he has been for about four years now.   Good luck!

Skippy,

I am the same as Cindy, and my son never actually went to BM school. He was undes when first assigned to his ship, and then rated up, I believe, but without leaving the ship. I'm not sure how that works. I know once he got assigned to a ship, he was committed to that ship the rest of his navy contract- meaning he won't get re-assigned unless he re-ups (which he probably won't be doing.) So my guess is your son will stay with the ship he is currently assigned to. But that is just a guess.

I thought i had Deleted this websit,for many reasons...

Good Morning!  My son just graduated from Bootcamp, 1/31/2014.  He is now at school in Great Lakes, and was told that he will be assigned as a Boatswain mate on a cruiser.  He said that he graduates Feb 24th, and will be coming home for 10 days.  But shouldn't his training for this be longer than two weeks? 

Hi Lisa I think BM school is longer than that. I found when my son was in Boot Camp the dates changed many times. It was easier for me because we live just 45 minutes from Great Lakes so he was able to come home every other weekend or so. He was also on hold until there was enough room in A school, there was too many BM's that graduated Boot Camp at the same time so they took A to L then M to Z and my son happened to be M LOL. He did allot of other things on base while he waited to go to A school but I thought it was like 2 months??? My son is underway or I would have asked him before I replied. He has been a BM for 4+ years and has had his ups and downs like everyone at the beginning of a career but he worked hard and has done well. The key is when he gets to bas after A school he should take every class the offer him. My sons ship was still being built and he signed up for every certification available to him was busy 24/7 but it pays off.  I will try and be checking in more. Good luck to him Mayport I hear is a beautiful base. Paula

LisaLynn, your sons experience sounds similar to my son's. He's been on his ship for about 3 years and learned most while on his ship. I saw the note about Mayport which is where my son is stationed on the Phillipine Sea.  Is your son going to Mayport?

hi, I am new to this group

New to this site,my son"s PIR was May 9  staying in Great Lakes for A school for boatswains mate. school already on hold until May 27, I guess that is nothing new???

Does anybody use this group page? 

To Jessie, I have seen very rarely people use this group page. My son is a boatswains mate.

How does he like it?

Hi Teri, thanks and good luck to him with the promotion! My son is DEP and BM was not his job of choice but he signed the contract...I'm glad to hear your son likes it! Mine is afraid he will be the ship's janitor. I hope it's not like that!!

Does fire safety fall under BM's job?

Just looked at the time...I'm out the door to work! Will look for you later!

To Jessie, my son just completed "A" school at GL. Received special orders.Report to Mississippi for "C" School.Then go to VA for Navy Cargo Handling Battalion one as a BM.

Will you post about how it is for him as he goes through training? I would love to hear! Thanks!

HI all, My son has been a BM for the pas 4 1/2 years now and recently re-enlisted for another 6 years. His career is going great!!! It is very hard work but if they play their cards right they can move up fast and be picked up for additional training. My son became a RIB boat captain at about 2 years then became part of the VBSS team driving the RIB boat during his first deployment. He also drove for a Seal team while on deployment which he and I are so proud of. Since then his ship has sent him for further hand to hand combat and gun training and he was promoted to the VBSS team but now he boards the ships is part of containing crew and he is also trained to bust down doors or blow up and locked doors on a vessel they are searching. He loves it he is an adrenalin junky and money hungry. With VBSS he gets paid a one time fee every time he boards a vessel to search for contraband I am sure it is a danger pay thing. He is a BM2 will be testing for his BM1 soon and he is assistant to the chief so he has his hands full the VBSS training, weightlifting is in addition to his regular hours so he has long days but would not change it. 

For the first couple of years he did not watch TV I swear when off work he said he studied and rested. There are some many tests you take you have to study all the time to keep your career moving at a nice pace.

There are many things you sons can become when they go in as a BM. My son is in Norfolk Va if your sons end up there and he wants to meet someone who can show them around and tell them all the ins and outs let me know my son is happy to talk to them he has done it in the past for me. The base is really BIG it sits within 2 zip codes so it is good to know someone when you get there because the Navy does not show you around.

Take care, Paula

Wow, y'all made my day and congratulations to your sons!!!

I have heard so many good things about Japan! My sons Fiancé just got out of the Navy and her dad was in the marines for 22 years she went to middle school and high school in Japan. I would love to go there!!!!!

Thi biggest thing to tell your sons is to always be taking some kind of class/certification class. My son thinks all the classes he took helped him pass his tests to Rate up along with studying the entire year before. There is so much information on the test you need to take a long time to study them cram a review when it comes close. My son also talks with a career counselor not sure how often but I know it seems like I hear him talk about talking with her allot to be sure he is on the right track to move onto some thing bigger. There is always going to be bull crap days cleaning deck but as you move up new seamen and women come in and take your place and you move on to better stuff. I remember when they taught him to be a rigger he would go from the top where they hang a flag down the side of the ship to fix a platform. I will never forget when he called me to tell me he got up at 3am got set up to do his rigging then they shut off all the lights and he had to do it out on the water in the pitch dark and to hear the pride in his voice was amazing and a time I will never forget! So I guess I am saying remind them to always look at the big picture and all the things they can become with hard work and every thing I have said before trust me he past up people that were BM's in the Navy years before him because they saw how hard he was trying. 

It's not a bad rate....

Paula, how often do y'all talk and how? Does he have cell service on the ship or do you skype or email and text? Mine doesn't go to GL until April so we're still figuring things out. I love reading all the stories though, gets me excited to think about the adventures he'll have. Nervous too of course, but mostly excited for him (and proud)!

Jessie

We send messages through Facebook that seems to be the best way to keep in touch. He just got ooVoo on his phone too so as he was in England recently he face chatted with me for the first time. Between his job as a BM2 and  assistant to the chief he has his hands full then he has to lift weights work out and train with the VBSS team as well so his days are usually 12-16 hours then he talks to his fiancé  on Facebook in the morning and at her bedtime to check on her and his son. When he is in home port he calls me frequently though. You can e-mail on the ship for sure but if you don't have your own laptop you have to wait inline to use one. So I think each ship may be different but I would give them a laptop once they get settled on their ship. When they are on deployment you can give them a calling card they can use from the phones at port when they dock for a weekend but no they can't call you from the ship and the cell phone will work as they are leaving so you may get that last text saying Love you as they are just about to leave the US area. 

Make sure their cell phones have a Gorilla case and are insured because BM's work hard and many times my sons cell phone has fell out of his pocket and got smashed, cracked water logged the guy at AT&T was so nice he would sell him a cheep pay as you go and change the SIM card to get him by.  I think any Sailor should have a tupperware container with rice for that time it gets wet because it really works to get the water out too.

The Navy is what that person makes of it. No matter what happens keep a positive attitude don't let anyone get to you because who your boss is today may not be your boss 6 months from now so keep the big picture in view.

In boot camp they are going to scream yell and call him every name in the book!!!!!!! Tell him their job is to scare out the weak do not take the name calling to heart and laugh it off in private...lol   Take criticism and learn from it to make yourself better.

My son started getting ready for bootcamp 6 months before. He went to a local Gym explained he needed to work out to get in the Navy and asked them to cut him a deal on the cost until he leaves after they verified it they were happy to. He went every day lifted weights, stairclimber and ran on the treadmill. Got to the point where before he left he was running with a backpack of books, don't remember who's idea that was but it helped so much in boot camp!!!!! In BC you job ALLOT, and I remember my son telling me they all were in a line and they had to do the stairclimber where everyone was in sink(sp) and if 1 person was off they had to start over he said it was horrible but by training like he did before he got there he was able to get through it much easier than most. Swimming is important too. He said you would be surprised how many people showed up at MEPS could not swim and were sent home. They don't want to teach you to swim and they want you to be a good swimmer before you come to them.

This brings back so many great memories for me! 

Hello!!!! I was wondering if we can get this group active again!!!

Any moms out there with a Sailor on the Anchorage LPD23 or even the Essex?  

moms please reach out here so we can become active on this page again!!!!

It's a quiet group, my son is still in Boot Camp so I don't have a lot to contribute but I was looking forward to hearing about other sailors in this job. He will PIR on 6/5. 

The sailor of the mom who started this group might be out of the Navy already.  

So Jessie....it's up to you & me to get this party started!!!!

I tried that once but it didn't catch.  I'm actually not thrilled about the job is your sailor male or female and how do they like their job? Sounds like long hard hours with little reward.

Hi Jessie and Up&Down!  I noticed someone posted in this page, and thought I would just give you a little info. My son's PIR was Aug 16, 2013, and he is currently stationed at Navy Cargo Handling Battalion One in Norfolk VA after a year of bouncing around and being caught in a paper trail of government shutdown.  He enjoys what he is doing, and he has gone on two "dets" (detachments) so far, meaning he has travelled to another location to load/unload a ship.  He's working on getting all of his (licenses/permits) for crane operator now.  You can see the equipment he works with if you go the the NCHB-1 facebook page.  

My son's PIR was 9-12-14. He is a boatswains mate. He is currently stationed in Williamsburg VA as a Navy Cargo Handling Battalion One. He has been moved to the same division but as a trainer. He is also working on getting all of (licenses/permits).

My son is in just called...he was selected to be a BM on the USS Constitution!! I am beyond excited and proud!! He will be in Boston for two years (same coast as me!!) and will hopefully have some rank before going on deployment. Can't believe how well the Navy suits him. He's even loving boot camp!

It's great to hear new moms on this page.  My son is part of a detachment and is a BM....not sure if there are different jobs for him versus being a crew member on a particular ship.

Congratulations to your son Jessie!

I advise all moms to go to your son or daughter's  PIR.  Believe me it is an amazing ceremony!!!!

My son came back from his first deployment in February and is out again!!!!

Always be careful new moms what you say on Navy For Moms.  Don't reveal your name, sailor's name etc.

Thanks Up&Down! I am SO looking forward to PIR! I don't know a lot about BM rating but it sounds like a lot of long hard hours! But, on a ship that's not going out to sea I don't know what my son will be doing...looked at the ship's website and it looks like a lot of PR type work...community outreach and ceremonial. 

I would also like to know if any moms on here have sons that are MRF  (maritime raid force)

Where is "A" school for Boatswains mate and how long does it take to complete?  Thanks

poos my son's PIR was 6/5. He stayed in Great Lakes for BM school and will graduate Tuesday 7/14. I think he had about a week of processing and then four weeks of school.

My daughter leaves for BC 7/2016 her rating is BM. She is not thrilled with this but is making the best of it. She wants to go into a medical field eventually. She is a big swimmer loves the idea of rescue.. but also wants to know what you actually do. To us it sounds like a variety of things. With her brother in Navy as well telling her that is a horrible job and she will be cleaning and painting and tie knots all day, well you could say that is not helping lol...HELP any info is great.

For 2navykids. Your daughter is rated a BM. But never know. She might never become a BM. My son was rated a BM in BC and now is currently Navy Cargo Battalion One. If she never knows, shines in front of her peers. They may take notice. And that can make your advancement. Good Luck.

30 days from my son leaving for BC as a BM. The nail biting has begun..

Any BM mom's in San Diego?

Any BM moms out there?