Sub Moms

Patrick's mom enjoy graduation!  Only 6 graduating is that BESS graduation?  What is his ship assignment?

Thank you for the welcome ladies!  Graduation was wonderful this morning!  Terri, it's nice to know that his job will keep him very busy.  He will definitely like that, and I agree about Hawaii.  I can't really think of a much nicer place for a 22 year old single guy to find himself in when he's got down time!  Ohiomom, this was an A School graduation.  My son's actual class was only 6 guys, but about 40 graduated this morning with all classes included in that number.  He is assigned to the USS Bremerton in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, HI.

Thought I'd share a pic of my son receiving his certificate from Master Chief.  Cute comment he made to him:  "When you get to your boat you'd better learn to duck!"  Patrick is 6'4"!

Great picture Patrick's Mom  Congratulations!  Wow he looks tall no wonder the Chief said that to him 

Wow Patricksmom...very handsome!  You should be proud!

Congratulations Patrick's Mom & to Patrick! I hope all of you have a wonderful time together. =)

Awesome Picture!  Sure you are very proud!

hello all!!

patricksmom----that is a great picture!!   congratulations to your son!!!

Hi Tina41! Welcome

Thank you all for your kind comments!  I guess it showed that I am a very proud Navy Mom!

Lisbeth, I had to laugh when I read your comment!  Of course I think he's the handsomest guy I've ever seen, but of course he's MY son!!!  LOL

Ray ray, I just asked Patrick your question and he said A School was 18 weeks long, and no, it wasn't hard for him.  He then asked me what your son's rate is, and I told him I'd have to find out.  Although he said it wasn't hard for him, I do know he did work very hard at it.

On a much lighter note, it's so wonderful having him home on leave!  Just going to the gym together today and then grocery shopping was such a treat!  I'll most definitely be in heaven the whole time he's home...beyond that, I'm not even allowing myself to think about yet!

Hope everyone has had a nice weekend! 

Someone asked for a little clarification on the posting of deployments, so here are three easy-to-remember rules:

1) You can say "They've left!" once you know they've left.

2) You can say "They're back!" once you know they're back.

3) Don't name ports o' call.

Hope this helps...

Kaye S., Admin for "Sub Moms"

You son (s) could be written shouting distance but it doesn't always mean you hear from them more. I actually think frequency of calls is inversely proportionate to the distance away from you.

Congrats Patrick's Mom!  My son is an ET Nav on a sub at Pearl Harbor also!  He has done very well with his chosen position.  Good Luck to your son also.

My response when someone asks where my sailor is (while on deployment) is "somewhere in the depths of the great Pacific Ocean"!  

Mostly they just want to know is he is still out to sea or on dry land again, and to know if he is anywhere near Afghanistan.  When they ask for how long I tell them "A normal deployment is 6 months but that changes a lot of times.  I will know when it ends when he gets back to Hawaii and tells me so."  Doesn't please everyone but that is about all I know!
I have gotten used to not knowing and it doesn't bother me anymore.

Thank you Kaye S for the clarification for us new Moms to the sub world.

Mary - I had to laugh at your "It's the Navy's turn to watch him".  I'm gonna use that too if you don't mind!

Rhonda -Thanks you for your well wishes!  Is your son assigned to the USS Bremerton by any chance?  I'm glad to hear he's doing so well, and you've gotten used to not knowing where he is.  I can't quite imagine getting to that point, but with God's help, I'm hoping I will!

Hi everybody..I just joined this group..My son Danny is in Hawaii and underway right now..and thats all I know and thats all I need to know..Danny gave me this Navy4Mom website and I used it while he was in Bootcamp and it was a big help..since then I have been on Groton LOved ones fb page while he was stationed there and I am also on another Navymoms on fb page..fb pages are so easy to look at!!  I feel so connected to my son when connecting with all of you so thank you all for being here!!

Hi Peggy, welcome. Thanks for the FB tip on Groton, I'll join too. My son is also named Dan!

Patrick's Mom - No my son is not on the Bremerton.  He is on the Olympia.  I guess I just decided that he is a grown man and is the Navy's responsibility now and I also know while he is out there he is getting 3 meals a day and doing what he loves.  That makes it easier for me. Also, my son is in his 7th year with the Navy.  It took some time, but I finally realized that as long as he is happy where he is, I can't complain too much.

Proudofbeau - ET is Electronics Technician, so probably very different from IT.  Although if IT is Internet Technician, my son does work on some computer systems!    What is IT?

Welcome Peggy!

Hi My son is at Groton..he is staying at Triton Hall. Working on his Packet and waiting, for Bess to class-up.. He said he is Bored....but he likes his new found freedom.

Welcome Peggy and 985!  What ship is your son on Peggy?  My son is deployed too now he is on the Cheyenne. 1st deployment!  Miss him terribly!

Women to be on Virginia class attack submarines.

http://www.navytimes.com/mobile/news/2013/01/navy-mabus-1st-women-s...

Thank you for the warm welcome everyone...My son is on the USS North Carolina he hasnt emailed me yet so I do not have communication with him yet..looking forward to it though..

Hi Peggy ...welcome to the group

Ok Yolanda, he will be in my prayers. =)  I hope he gets well soon!

Yolanda...My prayers are with your LO as well as his family and our entire Military Family.

Suzy

Yolanda, keeping him in my prayers as well.

peggyproudnavymom,  welcome!  My son is also on the North Carolina.  I've had a couple of emails from him.  He wants me to send long-ish emails with news of the world.  I think he especially means sports.  Now that hockey season has begun, I can give him Red Wings updates periodically.  Also, I'm sure he's happy to not be experiencing the frigid temps we've been having the last week or so!

Yolanda, so sorry to hear of the injury to your friend's grandson - I'm sure it's among all of our worst fears.  Praying for healing and comfort for him and his family.

I'm hoping you ladies might be able to help me out. I've been trying to find a blanket that is made out of natural materials that is warm and soft for my son. He's told me how cold it can be in the sub,and the blanket must be made with natural materials due to fire code. I've done some research but, I can't find a blanket that mets all the qualifications without being outrageously priced; $150 and up. Trust me if I could afford to spend that kind of money, I would buy one. Lol. But, I was hoping some of you might know of some stores off or on-line that sell blankets made from natural materials that warm and soft and that are reasonabley priced. I would appreciate any help or suggestions. -Thank you ahead of time =)

* If at all possible I would like to help keep him warm at night, so that he may get a more restful sleep. =)

RebeccaK - amazon.com has all sorts of 100% cotton blankets and wool blankets for very reasonable prices.  You should check them out.

My son told me that the blankets had to be 100% cotton and also could only be white or navy blue.  I seached at Christmas time and the only place that I could find a blanket to meet these requirements was Kohls.  I found a double sized white blanket for $50.  These are definitely not easy to find. I also remined him NOT to dry the blanket and to remember that it is white so it will get dirty very easy and will probably stain rather quickly.

This blanket is 100% wool and is US military surplus (but new) and made in USA.  But they are olive drab (Army colors Lol).

http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Blanket-Genuine-Military-Surplus/dp/B00...

These ones are the real McCoy made in Woonsocket, Rhode Island and is a military contractor.  Possibly the best value in real wool blankets. There are a lot of fake Chinese knock offs on Amazon so you have to be careful.  

....which brings me to another question ... can sailors do laundry on a sub? Given tight storage requirements and hot racking, my imagination is going "ewww" when it comes to a long deployment. So a personal blanket maybe need not be washable, but more disposable? lol

Yes Connie, they do laundry on the boat.  Usually they do their own; though apparently sometimes the "nubs" in a division will do the senior guys' laundry (back in the day, only the senior officers got their laundry done for them).

Don't mistake that washer and dryer for something you'd pick up at Lowe's though, they are robust and maintained by nuclear qualified electricians, and spare parts are on board.  When laundry time is scheduled (by division), it works pretty well.

Thank you everyone for your help...I'll keep searching. I will definitely take at look at Kohls and at Amazon. I'll also give my Ombudsman a call to ask if the blanket needs to be color specific.

I've have never seen this site so 'quiet' for so long. I hope everyone and their families are doing well. =)

I haven't been here much in the last couple of weeks, as my son has been home on leave, and I'm trying to enjoy every minute!  That is getting harder and harder though, as he will be boarding a flight to Honolulu, Hawaii on Sunday morning.  He will be stationed there for the next 4 years, and although I am absolutely THRILLED for him, the reality of it is really hitting this Navy Mom right now.  I don't know how I'm going to get through the goodbye at the airport, not to mention the next four years!!! Tomorrow night (his last night home), I'll be having his Dad, Stepmom and sister to our home for dinner.  I'm sure it will be a wonderful time, but of course his leaving is looming heavy on all our minds.  Any of you praying Moms out there, I could really use some prayer.  Thank you so much in advance, and if there's anything I can pray for you about, please let me know!

Patrick's Mom - definitely praying for your family and your son.  I know it's a difficult transition and it's so hard for us as moms to come to terms with them leaving.  Hawaii will be wonderful, you already know that, the work will be hard sometimes, and easy other times - you already know that too.  Deployment will be the worst, but as much as we miss them and want to put our arms around them once again so we can hug them and know they are safe, we also have to reconcile that side of the emotion with the knowledge that they are productive members of the world, and protecting our safety, working!! which some parents desperately wish for!  :-)  We are proud of them, we are happy for them, we miss them more than words can express.

My son stood on the dock in San Diego a few days ago and watched his boat off to ports unknown.  Only his heart is with his shipmates today.  He is currently waiting for two more surgeries to be scheduled, and knows he is unable to go with them, but his voice on the phone carried such pain that I bawled my eyes out when we hung up.  I knew then that if God allows him the path of continuing in the Navy and my son can get on a boat, regardless of where he is stationed, or how long he is gone from me - it will never be as painful as the day I listened to his heart break because couldn't go too.  Please pray that his upcoming surgeries can be scheduled soon and that they will be successful so that he can continue his Navy career that he loves so much.

Get a few more hugs while you can!  Nothing better than a Sailor hug, that is for sure!  :-)  We are all proud for you!

KathyMmom, thank you so much for your quick response.  I have to admit I had tears in my eyes while reading it, both for me and my son, and for you and yours.  Thank you for your encouraging words.   I know all of what you said is true, but I can't tell you the value of a reminder from another Navy Mom who knows how I feel right now.  I am so proud of all my son has accomplished.  He went from a young man who was searching, not knowing his place in this world, to a mature man who has become so responsible, knowledgeable and proud to serve in the US Navy.  What more could a mom ask for, than to know her son is happy doing what he's doing?!  Again, thank you for your invaluable words at a time when I really needed to hear them, and thank you also for your prayers.  They mean more than you know.

How sad I was to read of your son's boat leaving without him.  I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for him (and for you).  I will most definitely add him (and you) to my prayers.  Since he requires surgery, and the Navy has kept him in spite of that, you truly must know that is where the Lord wants him!  What joy there is in that!  Hugs to you Mom as you wait to hear of your son's surgeries to be scheduled.  I pray they are in God's PERFECT timing!

Blessings,

Karen

Here's a thought I read a long time ago, written by a WW2 wife.  It's helped me "get through" those goodbyes.  I'm paraphrasing it, but the idea is the same:

Always look your best when saying goodbye.  Wear your prettiest dress and do your hair.  Try to keep a smile on your face, because the last view of you is what he'll remember everyday until he comes back.  You don't want him to picture you weeping, looking a mess.  You want his memory to cheer him and give him a smile.  And likewise, look just as beautiful when he comes home - so he can't wait to get you in his arms.

I always think of this in those last looks at departure.  And having said that, I must also tell you that I keep a cup towel in the car, so I don't ruin my dress wailing on the way home!

And I'm going to adopt Kathy Mmom's comment:

Nothing better than a Sailor hug!

Hi "new family"! Our son has been in Groton since June, and is ready to embark on his next adventure....  Are any of you "Groton" Parents? 

BJA57 my son is a submariner stationed in Groton.