NUKE moms

• Hi Moms :-) My sailor is going through prototype training, and is looking ahead for when she is deployed.  She heard that some sailors enroll in Excelsior Onlne college for to complete a BS in nuclear engineering technology.  Does anyone have any experience with this online college, or have sailors who have gone through it or currently going through it?  Thank you!

This is the only pic I have with me of my son when about 3 yrs old. 

Hi all - Happy Almost Friday!

SallyG - one of my sons friends is doing online schooling at Excelsior and she's a proto instructor in Ballston Spa.  I've always heard good things about it.....

Welcome to our newest member ~ Rumace!  We're sharing pictures of our Sailor's when they were little - feel free to post one!

Thank you for the warm welcome.   My son just left for boot camp on Monday.  Navy for Moms has a wealth of information that I am so glad to have found..  I have gone from anxious to excited about what my son is going through.

Here is a favorite picture from about 10 years ago. 

YAY, got my sons address today...finally.  I am writing

This made my day!

Four years ago in November, but this pic gives you some idea what it is like at the airport after PIR. If they were not wearing them, the coats would have to fit in the seabag.

All these pics are very heartwarming and uplifting... GREAT IDEA!  thanks!

TessaNator - so glad you got the address and can start sending letters now.  Be sure to number them in the corner so he knows how many/the order of receipt.  Soon you'll be at PIR :-D

This is always one of my favorites and good to remember:

That's my Navy son!

good advice! I had my son pack his 'A' school box before he left, so it is ready to ship when he wants. but, I'm guessing there will be some additional items...so 2nd box will be headed out too. 

I love the pics you all are posting, its heartwarming.

Thank  you B'sMom, for the response about the online college.  Ladies, thank yo so much for sharing the adorable photos of your family, and encouraging words of support.  God Bless you all!

Pooh'sMom - such a very cute little navy guy!

ProudOfK - Thank  you for the compliment.  He's a cute baby in his Sailor outfit!  Even better, he flew home last night!  I'll have him until Monday!
Happy Mom!

Hi all - Happy Friday!

Pooh'sMom - what a cute 'lil sailor!

Moonbeam - I just texted B and he says "Basic Nuclear engineering qualification?".  Then he said "I think it's one of the tests".  So I'm guessing one of the many exams they take lol!  And I'm not sure I'm following what you are asking about the FB question...are you in a specific nuke group on FB that is giving you this problem?  You might have to ask the admin on the FB group to look at it.  Could be a problem with one of their pinned files.

JayDee - so glad you have email contact with your nukette now!  Fun that you are getting to see pics of her port visit :)

Welcome to our newest member ~ Em's Mom!

Be sure to read the pages to the right (10) under the member profiles, especially "Your Sailor's Schedule Upon Arrival to GC" and also familiarize yourself with OPSEC.  The discussion forum above also has some good info - be sure to "view all".  And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have!

B'sNukeMom - I was pretty surprised one day when I was looking through old photo albums and found the photo of my baby boy in a Sailor outfit.  Gosh it melt my heart.

Nicknukemom - I'm going to enjoy every minute of him being home.  Haven't seen him since Christmas, so this is a blessing.

I was just looking at the weather in Norfolk - it's 98* and feels like 111*. yikes!!!!  B said it's been miserable the last few days....

Pooh'sMom - make sure you get extra hugs!!!!

B'sNukeMom - Fully you mentioned the extra hugs, because every time he walks by me, I make him stop and give me a hug.  I'm in the phase where I just want to sit with him in silence and stare at every feature of his face.  I've missed him so much.

I am loving these pictures! I will have to find my pics, I think I have one of my son in a sailor suit when he was about 6 months old, never imagining he had a future in the Navy. My mother-in-law bought him the outfit because my father-in-law was in the Navy, and I only did the pictures because she insisted. Now I'm so grateful!

On another note, my son's PIR is next Friday! EEK! I'm so ready and so excited! My question for you guys is when is the best time to visit Goose Creek and take my son his belongings? My brother is stationed nearby, about 45 minutes away so I have an open invitation and a place to stay. Of course, I am wanting to go at the first available time since my time with him after PIR will be so limited, but I also want to make the most of my trip. Any advice? Thanks!!

I should add that it is only a five hour drive, and I plan on making more than one trip while he is there, since I can also visit family and have free accommodations.

jberg - Looking forward to your boy's baby Navy photos!

Nicknukemom - I know exactly how you feel!  Boot Camp nearly killed me!  He would write and call his girlfriend and that's how I got word passed along.  It was during those times I had to embrace that I was not his #1 gal anymore.  Thankfully, I do love his #1 gal.  They have been together for over 2 years, even though he's not here.

My next emotional battle will be when he goes into a sub and will be silent.  It's going to be Boot Camp all over again!

The weekend is here - well almost lol!  I'm taking a vacation day Monday so 3 whole days for me.  Nothing planned really, just using up some vacation time :D

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Those of you with sailors deployed remember, you are one day closer.....

Here is my Nuke about 7 yrs old.....such a cutie.  Decided to style his own hair w/spit for his school pics! LOL

TessaNator - you will most likely only have the afternoon following the grad ceremony until your sailor is required to be back on base - usually sometime around 7:00 pm but that varies based on what orders he gets.  In our case, our son had to run around and get some things taken care of and we ended up waiting for him in the NEX for two hours. At that point we were finally able to take him to lunch and spend a few hours together.  We then dropped him off on base went back to our hotel (the Lodge) and got a few hours of sleep and then went to the airport to meet up with him.  They will all have different flights outs - starting at 5:00 am, but they will travel by bus to the airport at midnight.  You can go to the airport and watch the procedure they go through getting off the bus, getting their gear bags organized in the baggage claim area and then they will be dismissed until their flight.  We basically pulled an all nighter at the airport with him and his buddies... it was great and I highly recommend it.  They can usually get a gate pass for you (bring ID) and you can go all the way to the gate with him and wait until the flight leaves.  This is also the only opportunity to give him his laptop and cell phone.  It must fit in his gear bag.  He will have a large duffle bag (already pretty full with boots and uniforms and everything the Navy has issued to him) and a back pack - he needs to be able to carry everything, so he cannot take an extra box or bag.  Whatever you give him must fit in his gear bag or backpack and that is not a lot of room. Laptop yes, phone yes, xbox or other stuff... doubtful.  After his flight left, we then went back and slept for a few hours. Our flight home was not until Monday, so that we had maximum flexibility depending on what might happen.  Hope this helps.

When my son flew out after boot camp we brought the bit of stuff he wanted in a small backpack and another small bag. Our son's bags were already quite full but he found he was able to check all 3 of his navy issued bags and then he carried the 2 bags we had brought him on the plane. 

One more thing - they don't necessarily fly out in the morning. Our son flew out at 8:15 pm (it was supposed to be 7:30 but was late) but they still were dropped at the airport at 3:30 am (yes that is a as in Apple or very early morning).  Since we were going to be there with him until evening we decided to meet my son around 4:30 am and get 1 extra hour of sleep so we missed the actual drop off part - kind of wish we'd gone earlier. 

At any rate we spent over 15 hours O'Hare airport. I am here to tell you if there is a worse airport to spend 15 hours at in the US I haven't been at it. O'Hare was a misserable airport to spend that much time at - I really felt rather unwelcome there. It was nice to have the time with our son and we're very supportive of the military and the navy. But if there is one thing that I really think they could do a better job at it would be to not leave families with the only way of being with their sailor being to spend 15 hours at a very misserable airport. 

We actually went across to the Hilton - you can get there without going outside and his group leader ok'd it - because some of my extended family that was in town met us there for lunch. That is the only time I've been in a hotel of that caliber that had no place to sit other than in the restaurant. We had gone outside of security to check it out mid morning and didn't want to go multiple times through airport security - and there really is no seating to speak of outside security so we had a mid morning snack at the Hilton restaraunt. 

In the restaraunt very nice older gentleman spotted my son in his navy whites and came over to talk to us (turned out he was ex-navy).  One of the first things he said was 'you know you can go to the USO'.  I burst into tears - I think my son and husband were wondering if I'd completely lost it. You see anything I had heard or read before hand was that we could go in the USO with your sailor - and apparently most of the time you can - just not on Saturdays when families are stuck at the airport for 15 hours. Also before we went to the restaraunt I had literally been sitting on the floor while my husband and son napped in the only 2 chairs. 

Sorry that last post got a little long - once I got going I couldn't stop. I think I did need to vent a little. This was all back at the end of April. 

I believed I responded to your same request on a different group - but I will add here also incase other Moms need assistance fro apartments.  My son is now at prototype, but while in Charleston he lived at an apartment complex located at 9345 Blue House Road  

Ladson, SC 29456 (sorry do not remember complex name).  They were several other officers living there going through the same program.  It was very nice (gated) and close to base.  Hope this helps someone.

We just booked a room at airport Hilton for friday and sat. night sept.1-3.  Then we are in the actual airport and or sailor can come hang out, nap, eat instead of sitting on floor somewhere for up to 12 hours.  With our AAA, we got a huge discount and brought it down to $107/night.  Now we are just praying that he flies out of O'hare and not Midway.  But they have a 24 hr cancellation policy, so we should know 24-48 hrs ahead.  It's a crap shoot, but worth a try.

Finally found a baby pic on my laptop (i'm traveling), not the best quality, but one of my fav's.  I am missing him like crazy this week and it just helps to go thru my photos. 

Even tho we waited for months for his security clearance, when he got the call on friday (before leaving) it felt like my fledgling left so abruptly. Only a few days to spend and say goodbye, cook all his favorite meals, etc.

TessaNator - I would get a hotel close to RTC, rather than the airport. It will give you more time with him on Friday after PIR because you won't have to drive so far to get to your room, where he might want to go have a hot, solitary shower. And he will not be allowed to leave the airport on Saturday, anyway.

TessaNator - it is really hard to know what is best. On Friday it really is nice to have somewhere close to RTC. But for us it would have been a Godsend if we'd had a room at the airport Hilton. The other unfortunate thing is that you most likely won't know for sure which airport 24 hours ahead. You will know at 10:30 Friday morning when you see your sailor after PIR. 

Oh andTessaNator very cute picture. I've been loving seeing all the kid pictures!