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I will check out SEAL's. Nuke's was the one thing he didn't qualify for on his ASVAB. The info you have all given me is really appreciated, and maybe I will finally learn patience. My son called earlier and said instead of going for his rate on Monday he is now going on Tuesday. He is 26 and wants this for his career so hope something will come soon even if he doesn't ship out for several months. He will at least feel he is making progress.

jdmom or anyone else. If I'm reading correctly in this economy etc you can keep waiting till the job you want opens up? My son was just told "you must be willing to take anything" He takes the asvab next tues. has already taken the "practice" one I do not like this recruiter one bit.

CTmomof3 no he kept going and there weren't any jobs open! After his initial trip to MEPS his recruiter would call and say, I heard a rumor there might be something open, or something similar so they would go and wait and it wasn't until the 4th trip that there were anything really open. The week he did get his rate he actually had a choice of a few rates.

Corey met with the Chief at his recruiting office today. His ship date is 5.5 weeks away and coming fast. We all go back to the recruiting office in 1.5 weeks to meet again for final verifications, drug testing, and etc. He ships on Nov. 9. He is exicted and nervous (I beleive although he doe not admit that) and I am so also. I will miss him like mad but am very proud.

Yvette-Our son's 10 month DEP seemed to move so slowly...then the next thing I noticed was that it was 1 month. He leaves in 3 days. I've been ready for him to go for a while (he's 23) but now I'm really feeling the finality of all of it. It makes it easier though because he's so excited & says he can't wait to start.

Please need an answer quick
My son is going to meps tuesday to take the asvab and physical. He just told me it takes 2 days. Is that correct? My other son and my friends kids never took that long. He was also told that his is his only chance to go. If he doesn't pick a job he'll never get to go back. Anyone have this experience?

Will they make him sign a contract while at meps? His dad told him NOT to sign a thing till he discusses it with us

CTmom, our son was at MEPS for 2 days. Went on a Monday afternoon & took the ASVAB. The Navy put him up at a hotel & he went back early the 2nd day for his physical & to meet w/the jobs person there. Because he wanted NUKE, they were able to contract him then. His recruiter told him that if he wanted some other job, they wouldn't contract him until a job came open.

Oh good to know Dodie. was this recent? Are the meps people really the ones that do the "job" stuff or does it come from his recruiter first? Thanks PollyAnna that's what I'm thinking things change so I want to make sure I have as much info as possible. I'm wondering if going through another recruiter will be better. The one he's using just from what I can see is only thinking of Navy not the recruit. This will be his career so no sense in either pushing him to take something he won't like or making it so miserable experience he won't join. Then the Navy will lose a good person.

CTmom, jobs are few and far between right now. He has about two minutes to decide if he will take an offer. It WILL be gone within 5 minutes (taken by another sailor) if he waits. If he comes home to talk about it with the intent to return, or even the next day, I guarantee the job will no longer available. They also do not allow sailors to call home during the process, even on their own personal cell phones, until they have either signed for a job, had no offers, or turned down a job.

However, they can return later. One of the prospective sailors who went to MEPS with my son went back five times before there was a job for him, and he had to take the first one available. A lot of high-scoring prospective sailors are taking undes, because that's sometimes the only thing available.

It's better to get a list of ratings, go through and list "unacceptable", "desirable" and "accept only if there are no other good options" before he leaves for MEPS so that the discussion has already happened.

Oh, and the recruiters have NO control over jobs. Their only job is to prepare prospects for the ASVAB, to get sailors to and from MEPS, and help and encourage them in the process of joining. They're not even allowed to be in the same room as recruits while they are choosing jobs.

It is the MEPS detailers that have all the power when it comes to jobs. Sometimes they will call the recruiters to let them know they expect X jobs to be available X day, and the recruiter can pass that on to prospects, but that's all recruiters can do when it comes to jobs.

Oh thank Arwen are you or were you a recruiter? Hmm about the calling because my friends son got to call home before he signed. If you want x job and are qualified for it and it's not open can you wait till it is? Otherwise why would you want to take something your not happy with? This is you life/job.

Arwen, great insight into reviewing all of ratings & scoring them for use at MEPS. The recruiter told my son that if he wanted something other than NUKE, he might have to wait a while for a slot to open. In the mean time, other ratings might come open that he would qualify for. He was told that if he turned down an open slot, his name would go to the bottom of the list & it might be a while for something else to open up.

I was not a recruiter during my time in the Navy, but I did follow my son's more recent experience pretty closely, and I pay attention to what is happening with other moms/recruits.

CTmomof3, Arwen just explained exactly what happened to my son. His first trip to MEPS they did make him an offer but it was a rate he was very unsure about. They did let him call me for like 3 minutes and by the time he got back to them the rate was gone.
It took 3 more trips before anything was open, he did have a choice then of a couple rates and more than one were on his list.

Having just been through this my suggestion would be the same as Arwen, take the next day to research the rate, have a frank family discussion about what he should be looking for in his contract so he can make an informed decision, if he really wants to join the navy he needs to be ready to sign on the dotted line.

The Navy completely supplants parents as the primary authority figure in young sailors' lives. Parents become "home/safe" while it's the Navy becomes the one they obey and please.

Sailors know they have their family's unconditional love and support, while the Navy only cares how well they work and obey. Family is the place where they go to get AWAY from discipline and authority. So, when they talk to parents/come home, parents no longer have the pull to get their child to do as they ask and expect. The more a parent tries to influence their child's decisions, even just to help advise, the more the sailor child will pull away. They don't want expectations coming from home, they want comfort and acceptance.

The Navy very carefully creates this situation through mental conditioning. That's what boot camp is about - retraining young adults and altering their allegiances and thought processes. Family becomes second-tier, but a Navy-supported (and encouraged) second tier. To the Navy, family is like a beloved teddy bear - great for emotional support, but to be left behind as needed.

Those young people who resist the Navy's mental conditioning tend not to do well in the Navy. I speak from experience.

About the jobs. My son went to MEPS the first week of june. He was there ended up staying two nights three days. The 2nd day he did not get to the jobs person untill the end of the day. They told him about 4 jobs that were open that he could get and the Requrter told him that he had to stay again anyway sence it was so late in the day and that he would think about it and decide in the morning. Well in the morning when he got his turn in the office thier was only 2 jobs left to pick from. So I say sign when it is offered or you may go home with nothing.

Hi jess<3spense! You'll want to check out and add yourself as a member of this group (link below). You'll see more activity on it the closer you get t July 2011. Good luck to you and your bf!

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/leavinforbootcampinjuly

My son just left today. Any one else leaving today?

Starchild, We took our son to his recruiting office today. They're driving him to St Louis. MEPS tomorrow morning early then to Great Lakes tomorrow. Recruiter said he would fly to Chicago if 6 or less sailors, if 7 or more sailors they will go by shuttle.

Thanks for the encouraging words kk. Now tell me what to do about crying. When does it stop????

We missed the swearing in but they did it again so we could take pictures. I did not cry because I did not want that to be the last thing he sees on his mother's face.

I started to tear up at the recruiter's office when I hugged & kissed him goodbye. But I felt better when he smiled at me & told me, "I'm gonna be fine."

kk, Amen sister...lol. I bought a new cordless phone w/3 handsets (the old one was 5.8 Mh & kept interfering w/my wifi connection). I hurriedly hooked it up as soon as I got back today so I can get that call tomorrow evening/night.

I don't want to cry either, God help us: Just keep an eye on our boyz, send an Angel to watch over them....Thankyou God.

Good Luck Starchild, Dodie, and all the others who had someone leave...we are all thinking of you and praying for them.

My nephew left for GL today! His name is Austin.

175 days to go for my boy....

Yes write, write write my daughters pir was 8/6/10 and yes they need letters i wrote her 62 and she still got other letters from friends and family. And yes i got the call and then the box sending home her stuff she left on the tues i got her box on the friday and she was able to write a letter to me on the sunday yes the first week is hell but they will make it through just write you will be able to find out their address by the end of the first week ask your kids recruiter to look it up but it is also possible that they will move to another ship and willhave another address that happened with my daughter but your letters will still get there so dont worry! This was a hard couple of weeks but you will get through it. Good luck to you all and hang in there its all worth it when you go to graduation believe me what a day! My daughter has been in A school since about 8/13 and should hear today where her home base will be and since graduation has also married so a lot of changes. She left home at 18 to go to boot camp dep she graduated high school at 17 and is now in the navy and is a married woman and this all happened within 3 months so be prepared for change from your child, they may leave a child but they come back an adult and a very independant one at that. But this is a good thing! So hang in there!

OK, I'm freaking out a lil bit here. I've been readings stuff on here for a while, my son has been in dep since July. He was not suppose to leave till Jan 25, BUT we got a call today, they want him to leave THURSDAY, I'm so not ready. Everything I have read is now spinning. If any one can revise me on what I need to do, PLEASE refresh me

This is different from my experience a few years ago. Once you do the meps thing how long do they guy/.gals wait to leave for bc? And is your rate guaranteed (meaning the one you want is open yet but youll get if before bc so to "get in" you must choose something?)

My son has been waiting since April of this year. His recruiter told him he'd probably go next year around March/April. I hear this is pretty common but can the recruiter be doing more to help? Now it seems not too far off but it seemed an eternity before. I'm just afraid the time will come and nothing will happen and he will get more discouraged (already 2 of his friends and a cousin, all girls, have left in the last 4 months). Any advice?

javismom, what is your son's rate?

Just got word that my son is leaving for bc on 1/18/11. His rating will be Information System Technician.
We are so excited, and thrilled.!

MommyHunt...I guess hes ready he said yes, he hasnt studied the governers orders or navy history etc...due to we were gonna start next week...but I guess its his time. I was doin lots of research..but I'm at a blank, didnt expect the call so soon.

MommyHunt....TY I"M just goin crazy right now I wish it was a week, not a day and a half...he's also my only child sooo I'm a big baby...lol

WooHoo!! Just got the "I arrived" call from my son. The call lasted 15 seconds...definitely scripted. It sounded like he was reading from a card. I asked him it was like his recruiter said it would be. He said he didn't know yet.

Thanks for the support kk and Dodie

Got two calls last night. One when he was in Chicago and the 3 second call when he arrived at Great Lakes. I can't wait until 3 weeks are over.

Deppers tend to go stir-crazy. They can't really start anything new, anything they are already doing seems pointless because they will be leaving it soon. They're stuck in a holding pattern. I was incredibly happy when they moved up Chris' boot camp date from April to December last year. The whole family had four fewer months of suffering through his boredom and anxiety.

My younger son, Sean, plans to take a semester in college while waiting, to get those 15 credits toward E-2, and hopefully earn E-3 through the DEP exam or a bootcamp leadership position. His goal is to make E-4 before Chris, who started as and E-1. Sibling rivalry never ends, I guess.

Once a recruit signs a contract for a job, his/her job is guaranteed - providing s/he is still eligible.

Sometimes things change, or they can't get the security clearance they need, or they are later diagnosed color blindness or another legal or physical flaw that makes them ineligible for that job. It happens often enough that its not rare, but the vast majority of sailors end up at the school they signed for.

Then, of course, they have to actually graduate from that school.

When my son joined (a year ago) he was given a date eight months away. Six months to a year seems average right now.

I'm a little confused as I've been hearing 2 different stories. My son was told that when he goes to meps ift he job he want's isn't open he must pick something inorder to get into dep. He's told his contract will state that he wants x job and that he will wait until a spot opens and will not got bc until then no matter how long it takes.. That's the written guarantee i'm told. So the "interm" job he chose at meps is just so that he can get on the bc list months away. Then I'm hearing NO if the job he wants doesn't open and his bc date comes he takes the "interm" job he chose. Once your in DEP it's very hard to get things changed. So now you understand why im confused.
the way things worked a few years ago for my other child was he wanted x job his contract stated he'll go in as x. the recruiter called to find out when the next opening for x job was and that was that. a guarantee. So, if you want to make sure you get what you want and you're willing to wait what do you do? This picking something to get into dep disturbs me. I've heard that they're booking bc into July now. Holy
Bottom line if you want to make sure you get x job how do you go about it? His scores are high so qualifying for the job won't be an issue.
I'm tearing my hair out from so many differing answers. AHH

I think the confusion here is the assumption that you have to enter DEP to get the job you want. No. Once a prospect becomes a Depper they stop going to MEPS and the job search ends. Whatever job he signs for to enter DEP, he better be prepared to take.

Once in DEP can sign up to be on a list to wait for another job, but it's not common for desired positions to become available before he goes to boot camp. I've only seen two or three Deppers on this list actually get to change to what they really wanted.

Signing up with an undesired job is only for people who are desperate to get into the Navy and are willing to do anything. Often its a young mother or father who can't find a job and want to support his/her family, have insurance, or a young person with debt (college loans, credit cards, etc) and no job. An undesired job is better than living under a bridge.

Sometimes a Depper will simply ask for an earlier ship date, in which case their recruiter will call and say "I have X job on x date, do you want it?" However, there is no guarantee what that job will be. This is more common (my son moved his ship date up twice this way), and again, the Depper needs to be flexible in his/her willingness to try a job that s/he may not have wanted.

If he really wants to wait for a specific job, he needs to keep going back to MEPS until the job he wants is open and available. Whether that's something that will happen in the near future (within a year) depends on the job. Some jobs just don't come open since the Navy is over-manned, and others are always looking for qualified prospects.

33 days to go to bc.....we are going to see the recruiter for some type of parent meeting on Friday. Getting real nervous , excited, and sad. This forum has been a great help !

Yeah, my younger son scored a 93 on his ASVAB but needs a waiver for an old knee injury. We're working on the waiver (his knee was fully reconstructed and stronger than ever) Despite his stellar score and demonstrated desire to join, the recruiters in the area don't even return his calls.They have plenty other 90-something scoring prospects who don't need a waiver (and the accompanying paperwork).

I think what Mommyhunt was saying was when she was in bootcamp they kept telling them "the navy does not need anyone" I think if you don't work your butt off in bc you could get the BOOT. It doesn't matter in BC what your contract job is everyone is in the same bootcamp. It is full right now and even with Nukes they have alot of kids that score high enough for that too,and they want the best of the best!

My son left with the attitude that he didn't want to pass the PFT test w/the minimum score. He wanted to test in the "good" range in all areas. I think that's what motivated him to begin working out w/his brother & friend doing P90X. It didn't hurt that his younger brother is Army NG & regularly scores a 300 on the army PFT:)

xbfx1 - I'm with the other Mom's LOL! The last few months are the worst!! I would almost rather have had my daughter get a call to go early. Just keep breathing in and out, in and out. My daughter left yesterday, there were 8 kids in her group flying out from our airport. The airport was wonderful, they gave us guest passes to get through security to wait at the terminal gate with the kids. I was the only Mom who stayed till the flight took off so I kind of was the adopted Mom for all of them. Best wishes to you both! When we got "the call" last night about 11:30 Meaghan said there were "like a gazillion" of them there, and they actually left them make a 3 minute call home so it was short, but not rushed.

Thanks MommyHunt!! I've been stalking your page and photos - GlitterBomb looks wonderful!! I know my 8 weeks will go by fast because it seems like just yesterday when your daughter was getting ready to ship! I've already started my first letter LOL....her orders to me are for me to keep her up to date on all her shows.....Teen Mom, Glee, etc.and to send her a picture of something meaningful in each letter !! I'm all set to send her some family and pet pictures but also different ships and their homeports so she can figure out what she wants to list on her Dream Sheet! Thanks for all your help and support - HUGS to you and GlitterBomb!!

Here is a little thought for you to chew on....

If you never chase what you want, you'll never get it. If you never ask, the answer is always no. If you never step forward, you'll always be in the same place.