Sailors attending A School in Meridian, Mississippi

Thank You so much diannep and nancynavymom! Congrats on your Sailors. Please do let us know when they get their orders... :)

I had a wonderful visit with my daughter. The Navy Lodge is awesome. While we were there she had liberty from 4PM Friday until 10PM; Saturday 7AM-10PM;and Sunday 6AM-10PM. We had to leave at 6:30PM Sunday in order to make it to work today. I hated leaving her there however I know she is doing great.We were able to go to Easter service there on base and meet some really wonderful young men and women.
I hope you all had a fantastic Easter.
God Bless
Sia

I have been cut off since Thurs. I got to Meridian Friday afternoon and left last night. We had a great time and I would recommend anyone stay at the Navy Lodge! The base is awesome and everyone is so nice. I loved being able to see everything that my son talks about.
Kae-the phases are red dot, curfew at 10 every night; yellow dot can wear civilian clothes after 530 and curfew at midnight on Fri and Sat; green dot can spend the night somewhre else Fri and Sat....that is the way I understand it

What airport do u all fly into and how far is the drive to the base from the airport? Did u all rent a car? Im from Los Angeles. So even if they are still red dots, we can visit them as long as we stay in the base? Sorry for my 747588585 questions ;(

Kae-I drove so I didn't have to worry about a car. I think the best/closest airport is Jackson. There are plenty of places that you can spend time with him on base. He should be able to go off base too, you will have to go to the quarterdeck with him and sign out as his "liberty buddy" he will know what all that means

Kae-If it is his duty day then he is limited to where he can go on the base because they have to stay close in case they are needed. My son had duty the last day but we just stayed around with him

Kae - hey I remember talking to you during boot camp! My bf is in Meridian - he arrived there about a week ago. He has started doing some duties and started his classes (earlier than scheduled) today. So far it has been great! So much more contact than in boot camp. He has been borrowing phones to contact me here and there and there are computers they can use in the library (I think) and we talk through myspace.

I sent him a package through UPS that he should receive tomorrow with some snacks, clothes and his cell phone. He is coming home for about 2 weeks after he finishes school and gets his orders - and then we are getting married. Yeah - I'm having fun trying to plan all of this with a moving target (the date). But worth it!

Hi sschick02 !!! I remember you too.. our bf's graduated a week apart :) well now they're both our fiancee's. lol. He finally proposed after 6 years of being together. It was amazing! anyway, he was a grad n go and had to leave right away after PIR. It was all a big tease :( So that's why I'm planning this visit once he gets settled and knows all the rules and stuff.. hopefully I can go 3rd week of April.

p.s. Has anyone gotten married in Meridian here? my fiancee's PO told him a lot of people do it to get their families included in their orders and that's what we want to do too. Any inputs?

LadyHamilton thank u soooo much! I called them and was able to inquire. You guys are awesome! My fiancee is loving the freedom in A-school so far although he did admit it was another culture shock for him but glad he's out of RTC. LOL

Congrats Kae on the engagement!

Kae - there is an airport in Meridian. It is small, but several Delta flight coming thru Atlanta fly in to it. To all you other moms - I live on the Gulf Coast and my husband and I were camping in Meridian this weekend. Saturday started out nasty and rainy, so we went to the mall. There were lots of sailors there - obviously straight from boot camp because still in the uniform wearing stage.

Gulf Coast Mom: Yes, the Meridian mall. My son has spent many hours hanging out there while in A School. I don't think there is much else to do in Meridian He didn't want me to mail civilian clothes to him because he didn't want to have to try and get them packed and home when here on leave. He doesn't seem to mind being in uniform all of the time...and I know I loved seeing all of the Navy unforms in Great Lakes when at the Gurnee Mall. Made my heart feel good! I knew that behind each of those uniforms was a man/woman who worked hard to earn that uniform! YAH!

YES diannep!!
My son likes his uniform!!
Is like you say; they worked hard for all uniforms and steps....

Hi Chris in MI! Is CA one of your daughter's choices when she filled out her dream sheet?

Chris, where in CA?

Awww Port Hueneme is an hour away from me. It would be the most wonderful thing ever if my fiance gets stationed there.

But then I heard its almost impossible to get stationed st your home state :(

LAX for the bigger airport and Oxnard for smaller airport.

I'm sorry, what rate is LS?

Oh and also Burbank and Van Nuys for smaller airports. Oxnard is the closest :)

Okay. Thank you. I am still learning here.

He just got there on Saturday, graduated BC on Friday. Hasnt even started classes yet just Indoc. He's also LS.

Yeah I really dont mind the other states just not Japan :( but watch, just our luck he'll get Japan! i'll keep u posted. Im actually going there end of this month to do a court wedding. Hopefully everything works out ok.

Thank u and good luck to ur daughter as well!

Chris,my son is going to Lemoore Ca...where your daughter will be in Ca?
My son told me that he and other sailor took some of the girls to the mall to buy suitcases...They finished their studies,but no leaving dates,yet.
Nice day all!!

Bhappy (Sharon) - Is Japan one of your son's top 3 choices? i just wanna know how well the Navy grants their dream sheet.

BHappy I wish I could be near!
My son wanted Japan or Fl;he said that when he got to the office,Japan's choice was gone,there was one position.
He is happy because like I said before,when he talked on the phone with Lemoore base,the man who talked to him,was nice and gave him all the info he was looking for.They told him that his position is available for him,thanks to God.
You all, have a nice day!!

Son just got verbals for USS Roosevelt out of Norfolk. He is happy. Still waiting at Meridian though.

diannep, does that mean he will be at sea or are they all attached to a ship?

maussie: he'll be at sea...or on ship in port..
Not sure how long they go out each time. Still learning! Everyone at Norfolk is not attached to a ship. One of his buddies has a shore post in Norfolk.

Whats tin can sailor mean, emma?

Yes, Sharon, it is a carrier. Don't know how big. I read on a group site that it has been in dry dock?? Not much info yet! Yes, I hope that their paths will cross again!

Wait a minute, Sharon. The sites you sent me showed the Theodore as the carrier? I'm so confused now. But it said USS Theodore Roosevelt in VA as the carrier, so I'm sure that's the one. T confirmed it to me this morning. Says that the Theodore's home port is VA on the 2nd website you sent me. I will have to investigate further.

Emma, I understand now where you thought he was on the destroyer. Didn't realize that two ships were Roosevelts at the time. He is on the carrier based out of VA. Confirmed with him this morning.

Sharon, And yes, a retired Navy guy told me that this carrier is one of the largest in the fleet, much larger than the one he was on.

Sharon: Maybe so. You never know!

maussie: Well, he won't be at sea. The ship is in dry dock in Newport News VA. So I guess he will work on it and live on it there? I understand it will not be ready for service again until 2-3 more years! So on a ship in port....

Have you been on a ship dianne? How much space do they have? I bet they have to be minimalists. :))

Sharon, I thought they didn't need passports in the military? Have things changed?

Joymar: Tried to private message you several times to correct my 1st message, but site was having issues and they wouldn't go through. Re-read your PM and saw where you had mentioned he was shore duty, taking finance class and graduation next week. Sorry I was redundant and asked those same questions...again! Kind of tired today! :-)

Maussie: I'm sure that they have minimal room. But if anyone can live that way, my son can. He is a man of "few things." :-) Maybe meant for the military??
He had no clue that his ship was "dry docked" until I told him...they didn't mention that to him. Read an article on line that said it will be 2.5 more years at least before it is complete. So he sounds like he will have "shore duty" on a ship????

Sharon: YEAH! So glad that he will finally be coming home. One of the "powers that be" told my son that he most likely will be gone next week also, but who knows?

Hey for the sailors and families that got their orders! Mine is in AZ and should graduate on Tues, anybody else have one in that place?

Thanks, Emma, for the info. Joining the Navy has made my "short" son glad he is short for the first time in his life! Thank goodness he is not claustophobic.

My son called me this afternoon;he is coming home TOMORROW!!!!
Thanks to God!!
I am very happy!!
Nice night all!

Congrats to Mother Always and Sharon: YAH! Enjoy hugging those boys of yours! Hoping to be doing the same in a few more days....just waiting for those final written orders to followup the verbals.

Thanks for your nice words!!
I'll be at the airport early!
He said that there were tears when he left,he said that he is sad because they have a nice group;he have some e mail addresses.
He said that he liked there in Meridian.
Have a nice day!
I got up very early today,I could'nt sleep any more...I'm all excited!!

mother always: my son said the same thing about Meridian. He has loved it there. He told me it will be hard to leave it...he has bonded with so many there. But now many of them have left, so it will be easier! for him to go Hope you enjoy your son's visit! What is your son's job?

Congrats to all who get to see their loved ones!! Talked to my son last night, got through graduation but no orders yet!!!

nancynavymom: I hear ya! My sons verbal orders came last Fri. He graduated the Wed before. Is that when your son graduated? Is he a YN? Talked to my son last night and he said he keeps checking on line for orders, but so far, he is still listed out of Great Lakes. He said once it shows Norfolk, then he has his written and will be ready to GO!

No mine just graduated yesterday, and is AZ, I know they are all getting anxious, as we are! We will just have to keep praying!!!

nancynavymom: Yes, PRAYERS. We are definitely floating these sailors on wings of PRAYERS! :-)

Anyone know what the rate is called for Admin. and support sailor?

is that a yeoman?