joe-mom - I can't help with getting exact dates, maybe from the ombudsman, I don't know - but the one thing I can say is - If you book flights, make sure you have ones that are changeable at least, or possibly buy flight insurance.
My son's Power School graduation was mid-October, and less than a month out, even later maybe, the graduation date was changed due to a hurricane. I was in the middle of trying to finalize the house sale from an inheritance, and the date change worked for me, but we did wait until almost the last minute to book the flights and car rental, because we had no way to plan.
Sometimes there is a window of opportunity that is closer to a flight date where tickets might still be cheaper, it just depends. This far out, I would not book without knowing things can change on a dime. Both A school & Power School graduations were changed for my son. I think Prototype was on schedule, but his completion of work was the key with that one.
Really the best thing is for you to bug your son - He is the only one that can give dates, now and out in the fleet. He needs to realize and understand this. He can ask his SLPO if there is a schedule yet. If PS has started, they should have a schedule of some sort, you may not be able to read and understand it, as I recall, but he can. It is okay to bug him a little bit. Saturday morning was the best time for us to call and converse with ours.
Also, if he does not have a vehicle yet, now is the time for him to be looking for one or figuring things out. He will need it for Prototype. We ended up driving a car from another family member out to our son. My husband and a daughter drove that one and I followed in our car so we could return home. We did that trip in early August which gave my son time to get reacquainted with a car before he was driving daily at all odd hours depending on the shift.
FYI - Depending on how long your sailor's T-track time is between A school & Power School, they will start leaning what it is like to stand the watch bill & the rotations for that process. This is all preparation, as I see it, for Prototype.
During Prototype, they will go on a rotation depending on which "ship" they are on, I think. Then they will be on different schedules as well. As I recall from my son, there were three shifts, and they were similar to what they would stand for watch on a ship. Sometimes he was driving into Prototype early in the morning. At other times he was driving home very early in the morning and would call to talk, mostly to help him stay awake.
Please be sure to read the ***NEW MEMBERS*** info at the top of the page. Lots of good info there. Also take a look at the Pages (20) to the right under the member profiles - be sure to hit "view all". And the discussion forum above has some good info too - be sure to read Chipmunks "Nuke A School Daily Schedule". And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Thanks, Chipmunk! We will be sure to book a flight that can be changed if necessary, but I will continue to bug my son about the date. He's been in Power School for 6 weeks and should have some kind of a schedule. He had no problem getting us his A school grad date, even though we opted to not attend that one since we were going to visit him a few months later. He bought a car a few months ago and is planning on renting a house with a few friends right after Power School. He's a pretty decent planner - just not always good with some of the minutiae!
joe-mom - It sounds like your son has some of the bigger hurdles out of the way for after PS.That is great!! Now you just have to train him to remember that you need the minor details, so that you can plan your travel ahead of time!! :-)
Also, it might be helpful to remind him that while you can glean a lot of basic information, and sometimes some details from here or the ombudsmen, that when it comes to specific dates, those can only come from him. I know I am repeating myself, but I think after BC, sometimes we have such a wealth of information our sailors think we actually "know it all", when in fact, we don't really.
joe-mom, I know my son didn't make it to graduation but 2-3 months before graduation we were sent a personal invitation with the date on it from the Command at the NNPTC. You should be getting that soon.
joe-mom my son started PS on May 17 and he said graduation was Oct 27, its not quite 6 months/26 weeks, which is what I thought it was. He hasn't changed from that date in a few weeks, so unless I hear otherwise, I have to go with this. I wish my son was a planner. I know that he said he was going to ask a couple of guys if they wanted to share a place, but he isn't telling me much more than that.
Northwoodsmom - Wow, that's cool if they still do that! Thanks for the info.
JNMnavymomOH - My son started on May 17 also, so for now I'll plan on October 27. Thanks! My son was not much of a planner before joining the Navy, but he's really surprised me during the last 10 months. I'm sure your son will figure things out in time. It seems that they only tell us what they think we need to know!
JNMnavymomOH and joe-mom - We did Power School graduation in March and we did not get an invitation. My son knew early on what his graduation date was (but didn't bother to tell me until I specifically asked.) Since power school graduations are every 6 weeks (I think), it's reasonable to assume your Sailors will graduate on the same day! Woo hoo!
In our experience, their finals were 4 days before graduation so they didn't know if they would actually get to walk across the stage until then.
We are now almost halfway through Prototype and my son also calls on the ride home. (NNPS puts roommates on the same schedule so they can ride together, but my son has had his schedule varied so he can't ride with his roommates.) The daytime calls are wonderful, but I'm getting a little too old for the calls after midnight! LOL.
I got word that my sailors 1st deployment will be this summer. I'm nervous and excited for him. He's so far away already so I dont see him but i do get calls at odd hours. Have a nice day
Pizanche, you are in my thoughts, my son has been in since early 2020. His first deployment will be sometime next year. I was going to retire but it is probably a good thing I am not this next school year. The kiddos will help keep my mind busy and the new puppy is keeping me more active but even with that I can't even imagine not hearing from them for so many months. Hugs!
North woods mom.. thank you. You are on my mind often when I read the stories. I am glad you have something (puppy) to occupy your mind. Chipmunk.. thank you
Please be sure to read the ***NEW MEMBERS*** info at the top of the page. Lots of good info there. Also take a look at the Pages (20) to the right under the member profiles - be sure to hit "view all". And the discussion forum above has some good info too - be sure to read Chipmunks "Nuke A School Daily Schedule". And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Hi, Tennekke! Welcome! And when you get a chance, please let us know where your Sailor is in this journey. My son is halfway through Prototype and should be joining the fleet soon.
Oh, I missed the post the other day about Prototype graduation. Congratulations to any and all sailors who have made it through the pipeline!!!
My DIL has been enjoying sending me pictures of my son who is now able to be out in the sunshine more often. She said he no longer has a pasty face!! And he is enjoying growing his beard and his hair, which he had mostly buzz cut short, way back in his swim team days!
He has enjoyed trading his Navy cap for his currently stay-at-home husband role, budding chef and housekeeper. LOL though, my DIL still does the deep clean on the kitchen even though my son has enjoyed cooking. FYI - some of these meal plan options that you can order online have significant military discounts. They are using one of the cheaper brands and when she told me the cost, I thought it actually was reasonable for them, especially when she was working nights and my son was cooking for them.
NPTU Spouses, check out this spouse event! The next date is this Thursday, July 27th. This is a great opportunity to connect with other spouses at NPTU, learn something new and have fun! There will be light food and beverages available and children are also welcome.
Please be sure to read the ***NEW MEMBERS*** info at the top of the page. Lots of good info there. Also take a look at the Pages (20) to the right under the member profiles - be sure to hit "view all". And the discussion forum above has some good info too - be sure to read Chipmunks "Nuke A School Daily Schedule". And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Hello - We just got back from visiting 9 states in 10 days. We put 3300 miles on our rental car (so sorry, Alamo!) :-) and visited several national parks: Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone, Glacier, and a few others. I missed a lot of posts, but wanted to check-in.
Thank you for posting the Prototype Graduation information. My son is in the next graduating class, and it was so great to see the schedule so I have an idea of what to expect.
He got his soft orders while we were on vacation, so for the moms who are in A school or Power school, he received his soft orders about 8 weeks before graduation. Everyone told him that he should get his first choice because he chose a location not many people choose. But he is going to a place not even on his top 5 list. (But he is actually excited about it, and we are happy that he is happy.)
Hi all! Just checking in. My sailor is still on the Jimmy Carter and was just extended for six months. He is kind of bummed out because he was really looking forward to shore duty. He’s been promoted to E6 and has his girlfriend living with him now. He’s hoping to head back to SC for shore duty… but this Momma wouldn’t mind if he stayed put. Washington state is absolutely beautiful! Hope everyone is doing well!!! Here’s a picture my kid took while paddle boarding.
The Hammer - I am sorry that your son's time has been extended for sea duty. Since my son did not reenlist, he never had the option for shore duty. But I will say that WA is a wonderful place to be.
MomofJoseph - We took a similar trip years ago with our children but put all the mileage on our big van. Lately, I keep suggesting to my husband that we should rent a car for our long-distance trips to our children, so the mileage goes on the rental and not on our personal vehicles anymore!
I don't know why anyone would tell your son that he would get his 1st choice. It is rare. My son did - but I think it is just a luck of the draw and what they need where at the time as far as the Nuke rate.
MomofJoseph - Sounds like a wonderful trip! We did Badlands, Custer and Mt. Rushmore a few years ago. South Dakota is lovely. Congrats to your son on going someplace he's excited about! Thanks for the Prototype info.
Chipmunk - Love your rental car idea!
The Hammer - Sorry about the extension. I'm sure he and his GF were looking forward to spending some time together on shore. My son would love to be on the Jimmy Carter after Prototype - we'll see. Great pic from your son!
MomofJoseph - I had to laugh. My son requested to be on Ford (the newest carrier) and was instead assigned to the Nimitz (the oldest). For shore duty, he requested Guam (to SCUBA during his off time) instead he was assigned to Ballston Spa. Everything has worked out well though. God and the Navy apparently have their own plans.
Just checking in!! My son is doing well in Power School. He has a classmate that is teaching him and several other students how to drive, which makes me happy. I know he mentioned that he didn't know if he should ask for the new carrier that is going to Japan or the one that is currently there and will be coming back stateside (I believe that is what he said). I know his choice is Japan, no matter what.
The Hammer - We drove through the East side of Washington state and we were amazed at the landscape - not at all what I pictured Washington would look like. Hopefully, we'll get to explore more at another time.
Chipmunk - this is our third long trip and the first one was in my van and we put almost 3000 miles on it. But the second and third ones, we flew to a central location and then put the miles on the rental car. (Plus our van is old and my husband worries that it will break down on the side of the road!)
joe-mom - Yes, South Dakota is lovely. This was my first time in those 9 states (now all 50 are checked off), but I had no idea how beautiful the Dakotas are. We loved the scenery in all of those states. Such a great trip!
SuzAtlantaMom - I am going to hang on to your last sentence: "God and the Navy apparently have their own plans." That is so true! We prayed and prayed for our son to be put in the place that would be best for him, but we didn't get what we expected. But I'm hopeful that it will be perfect for him! Is your son still in Ballston Spa?
Chipmunk
joe-mom - I can't help with getting exact dates, maybe from the ombudsman, I don't know - but the one thing I can say is - If you book flights, make sure you have ones that are changeable at least, or possibly buy flight insurance.
My son's Power School graduation was mid-October, and less than a month out, even later maybe, the graduation date was changed due to a hurricane. I was in the middle of trying to finalize the house sale from an inheritance, and the date change worked for me, but we did wait until almost the last minute to book the flights and car rental, because we had no way to plan.
Sometimes there is a window of opportunity that is closer to a flight date where tickets might still be cheaper, it just depends. This far out, I would not book without knowing things can change on a dime. Both A school & Power School graduations were changed for my son. I think Prototype was on schedule, but his completion of work was the key with that one.
Really the best thing is for you to bug your son - He is the only one that can give dates, now and out in the fleet. He needs to realize and understand this. He can ask his SLPO if there is a schedule yet. If PS has started, they should have a schedule of some sort, you may not be able to read and understand it, as I recall, but he can. It is okay to bug him a little bit. Saturday morning was the best time for us to call and converse with ours.
Also, if he does not have a vehicle yet, now is the time for him to be looking for one or figuring things out. He will need it for Prototype. We ended up driving a car from another family member out to our son. My husband and a daughter drove that one and I followed in our car so we could return home. We did that trip in early August which gave my son time to get reacquainted with a car before he was driving daily at all odd hours depending on the shift.
Jul 5, 2023
Chipmunk
FYI - Depending on how long your sailor's T-track time is between A school & Power School, they will start leaning what it is like to stand the watch bill & the rotations for that process. This is all preparation, as I see it, for Prototype.
During Prototype, they will go on a rotation depending on which "ship" they are on, I think. Then they will be on different schedules as well. As I recall from my son, there were three shifts, and they were similar to what they would stand for watch on a ship. Sometimes he was driving into Prototype early in the morning. At other times he was driving home very early in the morning and would call to talk, mostly to help him stay awake.
Jul 5, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 5, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Welcome to our newest member ~ pw1406!
Please be sure to read the ***NEW MEMBERS*** info at the top of the page. Lots of good info there. Also take a look at the Pages (20) to the right under the member profiles - be sure to hit "view all". And the discussion forum above has some good info too - be sure to read Chipmunks "Nuke A School Daily Schedule". And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Jul 5, 2023
joe-mom
Thanks, Chipmunk! We will be sure to book a flight that can be changed if necessary, but I will continue to bug my son about the date. He's been in Power School for 6 weeks and should have some kind of a schedule. He had no problem getting us his A school grad date, even though we opted to not attend that one since we were going to visit him a few months later. He bought a car a few months ago and is planning on renting a house with a few friends right after Power School. He's a pretty decent planner - just not always good with some of the minutiae!
Jul 5, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Posted by NPTU Charleston Ombudsman
Jul 5, 2023
Chipmunk
joe-mom - It sounds like your son has some of the bigger hurdles out of the way for after PS.That is great!! Now you just have to train him to remember that you need the minor details, so that you can plan your travel ahead of time!! :-)
Also, it might be helpful to remind him that while you can glean a lot of basic information, and sometimes some details from here or the ombudsmen, that when it comes to specific dates, those can only come from him. I know I am repeating myself, but I think after BC, sometimes we have such a wealth of information our sailors think we actually "know it all", when in fact, we don't really.
Jul 5, 2023
Northwoodsmom
joe-mom, I know my son didn't make it to graduation but 2-3 months before graduation we were sent a personal invitation with the date on it from the Command at the NNPTC. You should be getting that soon.
Jul 5, 2023
JNMnavymomOH
joe-mom my son started PS on May 17 and he said graduation was Oct 27, its not quite 6 months/26 weeks, which is what I thought it was. He hasn't changed from that date in a few weeks, so unless I hear otherwise, I have to go with this. I wish my son was a planner. I know that he said he was going to ask a couple of guys if they wanted to share a place, but he isn't telling me much more than that.
Jul 5, 2023
joe-mom
Northwoodsmom - Wow, that's cool if they still do that! Thanks for the info.
JNMnavymomOH - My son started on May 17 also, so for now I'll plan on October 27. Thanks! My son was not much of a planner before joining the Navy, but he's really surprised me during the last 10 months. I'm sure your son will figure things out in time. It seems that they only tell us what they think we need to know!
Jul 5, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 7, 2023
MomofJoseph
JNMnavymomOH and joe-mom - We did Power School graduation in March and we did not get an invitation. My son knew early on what his graduation date was (but didn't bother to tell me until I specifically asked.) Since power school graduations are every 6 weeks (I think), it's reasonable to assume your Sailors will graduate on the same day! Woo hoo!
In our experience, their finals were 4 days before graduation so they didn't know if they would actually get to walk across the stage until then.
We are now almost halfway through Prototype and my son also calls on the ride home. (NNPS puts roommates on the same schedule so they can ride together, but my son has had his schedule varied so he can't ride with his roommates.) The daytime calls are wonderful, but I'm getting a little too old for the calls after midnight! LOL.
Jul 7, 2023
3B'smom
MomofJoseph - Just wait til you get a call in the middle of the night from the other sid elf the world. You won’t mind a bit. :)
Jul 7, 2023
3B'smom
*side of the world
Jul 7, 2023
Pizanche
Momof Joseeph - enjoy all those calls.
I got word that my sailors 1st deployment will be this summer. I'm nervous and excited for him. He's so far away already so I dont see him but i do get calls at odd hours. Have a nice day
Jul 8, 2023
Chipmunk
Pizanche - {{{BNMHs}}}
Jul 8, 2023
Northwoodsmom
Pizanche, you are in my thoughts, my son has been in since early 2020. His first deployment will be sometime next year. I was going to retire but it is probably a good thing I am not this next school year. The kiddos will help keep my mind busy and the new puppy is keeping me more active but even with that I can't even imagine not hearing from them for so many months. Hugs!
Jul 8, 2023
Pizanche
North woods mom.. thank you. You are on my mind often when I read the stories. I am glad you have something (puppy) to occupy your mind.
Chipmunk.. thank you
Jul 8, 2023
MomofJoseph
3B'smom - Yes, calls from the other side of the world will be great WHENEVER they come! :-)
Pizanche - That IS scary and exciting at the same time. I know our Sailors are excited about their adventures, but it's tough on us moms. Big hugs!
Jul 8, 2023
joe-mom
Pizanche - Thinking about you!
Jul 10, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 10, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 11, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 12, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 13, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Welcome to our newest member ~ Tennekke!
Please be sure to read the ***NEW MEMBERS*** info at the top of the page. Lots of good info there. Also take a look at the Pages (20) to the right under the member profiles - be sure to hit "view all". And the discussion forum above has some good info too - be sure to read Chipmunks "Nuke A School Daily Schedule". And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Jul 13, 2023
MomofJoseph
Hi, Tennekke! Welcome! And when you get a chance, please let us know where your Sailor is in this journey. My son is halfway through Prototype and should be joining the fleet soon.
Jul 13, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 14, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 14, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 19, 2023
Chipmunk
Good Morning Everyone!!
Oh, I missed the post the other day about Prototype graduation. Congratulations to any and all sailors who have made it through the pipeline!!!
My DIL has been enjoying sending me pictures of my son who is now able to be out in the sunshine more often. She said he no longer has a pasty face!! And he is enjoying growing his beard and his hair, which he had mostly buzz cut short, way back in his swim team days!
He has enjoyed trading his Navy cap for his currently stay-at-home husband role, budding chef and housekeeper. LOL though, my DIL still does the deep clean on the kitchen even though my son has enjoyed cooking. FYI - some of these meal plan options that you can order online have significant military discounts. They are using one of the cheaper brands and when she told me the cost, I thought it actually was reasonable for them, especially when she was working nights and my son was cooking for them.
Jul 20, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 21, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 24, 2023
AmeliaJW3665
Jul 24, 2023
AmeliaJW3665
Happy 26th birthday to my son etn2 Austin J currently at sea on uss Tennessee
Jul 24, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 25, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Amelia - Happy Birthday to your son!
Jul 25, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
NPTU Spouses, check out this spouse event! The next date is this Thursday, July 27th. This is a great opportunity to connect with other spouses at NPTU, learn something new and have fun! There will be light food and beverages available and children are also welcome.
Jul 25, 2023
Chipmunk
AmeliaJW3665 - Welcome to the Nuke Mom group. We are glad to have you here.
If anyone has a sailor in King's Bay, please check out her discussion above. Thanks!
Jul 26, 2023
AmeliaJW3665
Jul 26, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Welcome to the group AmeliaJW3665!
Please be sure to read the ***NEW MEMBERS*** info at the top of the page. Lots of good info there. Also take a look at the Pages (20) to the right under the member profiles - be sure to hit "view all". And the discussion forum above has some good info too - be sure to read Chipmunks "Nuke A School Daily Schedule". And of course, feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Jul 26, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Jul 28, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Aug 1, 2023
B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)
Aug 2, 2023
MomofJoseph
Hello - We just got back from visiting 9 states in 10 days. We put 3300 miles on our rental car (so sorry, Alamo!) :-) and visited several national parks: Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone, Glacier, and a few others. I missed a lot of posts, but wanted to check-in.
Thank you for posting the Prototype Graduation information. My son is in the next graduating class, and it was so great to see the schedule so I have an idea of what to expect.
He got his soft orders while we were on vacation, so for the moms who are in A school or Power school, he received his soft orders about 8 weeks before graduation. Everyone told him that he should get his first choice because he chose a location not many people choose. But he is going to a place not even on his top 5 list. (But he is actually excited about it, and we are happy that he is happy.)
Aug 2, 2023
The Hammer
Hi all! Just checking in. My sailor is still on the Jimmy Carter and was just extended for six months. He is kind of bummed out because he was really looking forward to shore duty. He’s been promoted to E6 and has his girlfriend living with him now. He’s hoping to head back to SC for shore duty… but this Momma wouldn’t mind if he stayed put. Washington state is absolutely beautiful! Hope everyone is doing well!!! Here’s a picture my kid took while paddle boarding.
Aug 2, 2023
Chipmunk
The Hammer - I am sorry that your son's time has been extended for sea duty. Since my son did not reenlist, he never had the option for shore duty. But I will say that WA is a wonderful place to be.
MomofJoseph - We took a similar trip years ago with our children but put all the mileage on our big van. Lately, I keep suggesting to my husband that we should rent a car for our long-distance trips to our children, so the mileage goes on the rental and not on our personal vehicles anymore!
I don't know why anyone would tell your son that he would get his 1st choice. It is rare. My son did - but I think it is just a luck of the draw and what they need where at the time as far as the Nuke rate.
Aug 2, 2023
joe-mom
MomofJoseph - Sounds like a wonderful trip! We did Badlands, Custer and Mt. Rushmore a few years ago. South Dakota is lovely. Congrats to your son on going someplace he's excited about! Thanks for the Prototype info.
Chipmunk - Love your rental car idea!
The Hammer - Sorry about the extension. I'm sure he and his GF were looking forward to spending some time together on shore. My son would love to be on the Jimmy Carter after Prototype - we'll see. Great pic from your son!
Aug 2, 2023
SuzAtlantaMom
Aug 2, 2023
JNMnavymomOH
Just checking in!! My son is doing well in Power School. He has a classmate that is teaching him and several other students how to drive, which makes me happy. I know he mentioned that he didn't know if he should ask for the new carrier that is going to Japan or the one that is currently there and will be coming back stateside (I believe that is what he said). I know his choice is Japan, no matter what.
Aug 2, 2023
MomofJoseph
The Hammer - We drove through the East side of Washington state and we were amazed at the landscape - not at all what I pictured Washington would look like. Hopefully, we'll get to explore more at another time.
Chipmunk - this is our third long trip and the first one was in my van and we put almost 3000 miles on it. But the second and third ones, we flew to a central location and then put the miles on the rental car. (Plus our van is old and my husband worries that it will break down on the side of the road!)
joe-mom - Yes, South Dakota is lovely. This was my first time in those 9 states (now all 50 are checked off), but I had no idea how beautiful the Dakotas are. We loved the scenery in all of those states. Such a great trip!
SuzAtlantaMom - I am going to hang on to your last sentence: "God and the Navy apparently have their own plans." That is so true! We prayed and prayed for our son to be put in the place that would be best for him, but we didn't get what we expected. But I'm hopeful that it will be perfect for him! Is your son still in Ballston Spa?
Aug 2, 2023