txsailorsam-Donna

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Elizabeth and Colleen

Hi txsailorsam, WELCOME to Safe Harbor. I hope you enjoy our little group. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you. (I'm the group creator.)
Tee

so glad you got the call. Very scripted. He will be up now for about 72 hours. Getting his kit and physical. They sleep sitting on the floor sometimes. No food either! That made my 'mom' heart hurt... but didn't hear that till later. Just know he's in a good place and he will be fine. Are you writing your letters to him now? It helps. Then when you get the address you can send them. They hold the mail for 2 weeks so even when you do get the address and send his mail he won't receive it right away. Sam will do great. How old is he? What is he hoping to do in the Navy?

How are you doing today? I love the pics you have up. Is that your son Sam with a sibling? So cute!
That's great he's going to be at SD.. a coveted spot! That's where my son Paul is hoping to do 'C' school. But he could be sent to VA. Not far from us.
Hang in there.. the wait till you hear from him via letter seems forever. Then you will get one every week and your mail man will become your best friend... or worst enemy!
Was Sam a DEP?
Lori

That's great that Sam was given such a great start. I know my son said that the 'older' guys did much better at adjusting in BC. Good for him!
I have a photo of Paul with his nephew on my page as well. Is this your grandson? He misses his nieces and nephews and they him.

Click Here for your STG group.

My grandson is my step-daughter's baby. She is the same age as my oldest daughter, so I am definitely old enough...lol. His name is Noah. He is my little angel!! I don't really know any more than what I have read about the 900 division. I thought those were the performing divisions. Like band, marching, etc. Does your son have special talents like that? Maybe I am wrong, but seems like I read that recently...you could ask JessicaB...she has answered some questions for me. Where is Spring...by Houston? Have a good day...or night! I am a night owl so I usually don't check until around 10pm or later. If you don't hear from me during the day...just wait...hahaha

My husband is 33. He has always thought about joining the military, but went to college to play football, and has had sales jobs mostly. We thought long and hard, wrote many pros/cons lists and had several late night discussions about him joining. Frankly, the corporate world is just not secure and he was tired of going to work each day wondering if he would be laid off. The company he worked for went through over 20 account managers in the past year, and 4 or 5 team managers. Very scary! Our first anniversary was in April. I still consider us newly weds! Both of us had previous marraiges. We have a great love story, maybe I will write about it one day.
I am actually from Galveston, BOI !! We are now in Fort Worth and enjoy it very much. It has definatly been hot here!
Your son will do great, especially with your prayers and support! I smiled when I opened the box, but I balled when I got the form letter.

We went to the Air Force first also, but were turned away bc of my husband's age.
Sounds like your son is a smart fella! Good for you...and him!
It has been about a year since I have been down in that area. I have family and friends in Alvin and surrounding areas, but they have been coming up here for visits. Do you plan on going to the PIR ceremony?

I just got my letter today...finally!!! His PIR is 09/24...I am so ready to go see him!!! One week down...I am just counting them down.

txsailorsam..... did you find it?? How to make it where we know when someone posts? It took me forever... but finally found it! LOL

I just found it ok... go to your page, settings, then the privacy then click on the "approve" let me know if this helps you!!

YEAH!!!!!!! I also hate being computer-disadvantaged!!!

Is it working?? It won't let me post, maybe it is!!

uh OH.... how do I talk to you?

It won't let me talk to you...

test test test

I would love to meet!!! This next week I have to see, but once I go back to work, I know my schedule.. so it will be easier then, I usually have off from 9:30am until 12:30pm so that makes for a brunch!! FOOD.. anything that has to do with food is good for me!! LOL

Sorry.... nitey nite... I forget to look to the right side of my page!! lol

You are more than welcome to sit with us at PIR! I will be bringing the kiddos, and my mother in law and father in law and my mother will be coming too. I cannot wait!!!

Thank you, Donna! Pleasure talking to you!

We live in Baytown, East of Houston.

Hello Donna! Well, I said I would update you, and ... believe it or not ... they still have not accepted my son's trancript information. I am beginning to think that there is a miscommunication between the recruiters and the ES. Oh well, I will continue to try to provide whatever documentation is needed (although I am not clear on WHAT that could possibly be at this point). I choose to believe that there is a good reason that this is delayed, and that no matter what happens, it will work out for the best. I will keep your son in my prayers. Thank you so much for our chat.

It looks like I'm going to have to wait to meet you once school starts up! LOL That shouldn't be too much longer! I'll have routine down in just a few weeks!!

Hello. Just wanted to say that I was thinking of you and your son this morning! He's in my prayers, and I hope he is doing well.

Sent email privately! Thanks.

Thanks! Sorry I didnt realize that if I scroll down on my profile there are messages for me there. Still new to all of this and I dont have a whole lot of time to get on here. I have 3 daughters ages 9, 6, and 2. I also work a full time job so that gets in my way of N4Ms :( Anyway...my girls are VERY excited to have a brother. My pregnancy is going well....just counting down the days now, or I guess I should say waiting out the days lol. They dont expect me to go to my due date which is Sept 23rd. Its going to be hard without my husband being there but I have a wonderful support system so ill be ok. Im looking forward to meeting you at PIR as well!

We are naming him Parker Jay...I will for sure let everyone know after he arrives :)

Click Here for the PIR 9/24 group.

Yep, we get Monday off!! Week is goin fine - only gettig better!
Call sometime!

In 2008, Leatherneck Magazine gave a 90th anniversary Leatherneck challenge coin to a select few readers who sent in letters to their Sound Off section which the editors particularly liked. There is another story about an American soldier scheduled to rendezvous with Philippine guerrillas during WWII and with him he carried a Philippine solid silver coin stamped with the unit insignia on one side and the coin verified to the guerrillas that he was their valid contact for the mission against the Japanese.

This tradition spread to other military units in all branches of service and even to non military organizations. Today, challenge coins are given to members upon joining an organization, as an award to improve morale, and sold to commemorate special occasions or as fundraisers. Every Airman receives the Airman's coin upon graduation from Basic Military Training for the United States Air Force.

The tradition of the coin giving dates back to Vietnam actually when soldiers would tote along a piece of "lucky" ordnance that had helped them or narrowly missed them. At first it was small arms ammunition, but this practice grew to much bigger and more dangerous ordnance as time wound on. It became then actually a dangerous practice because of the size and power of the ordnance being carried, so commanders banned it, and instead gave away metal coins emblazoned with the unit crest or something similar. The main purpose of the ordnance had been when going into a bar, you had to have your lucky piece or you had to buy drinks for all who did have it. The coins worked far better in this regard as they were smaller and not as lethal! So, if you go to a military bar, whip out a challenge coin and slam it down on the bar, those who lack one buy drinks! Obviously you have to be careful about this tradition... However, Commanders and units give out coins for this and as mementos for services rendered or special occasions.

Desperate to prove his allegiance and without any identification, the pilot pulled out the coin from his leather pouch and showed it to his French captors. One of the Frenchmen recognized the unit insignia on the coin and delayed the execution long enough to confirm the pilot's identity.

Once the pilot safely returned to his squadron, it became a tradition for all members to carry their coin at all times. To ensure compliance, the pilots would challenge each other to produce the coin. If the challenged couldn’t produce the coin, he was required to buy a drink of choice for the challenger; if the challenged could produce the coin, the challenger would purchase the drink.

Another tradition dates to US military personnel assigned to occupy post-World War II Germany. With the exchange rate, the West German one Pfennig coin was worth only a fraction of a U.S. cent, and they were thus generally considered not having enough value to be worth keeping - unless one was broke. At any place where servicemen would gather for a beer, if a soldier called out "Pfennig Check" everyone had to empty their pockets to show if they were saving any Pfennigs. If a soldier could produce a Pfennig, it meant that he was nearly broke. Likewise, if a soldier could not produce a Pfennig (meaning he had enough money to not bother saving them), he had to buy the next round.

One version of this story dates from the Vietnam war

As the legend goes,[one such student, a wealthy lieutenant, ordered small, solid-bronze medallions (or coins) struck, which he then presented to the other pilots in his squadron as mementos of their service together. The coin was gold-plated, bore the squadron’s insignia, and was quite valuable. One of the pilots in the squadron, who had never owned anything like the coin, placed it in a leather pouch he wore around his neck for safekeeping. A short while later, this pilot’s aircraft was heavily damaged by ground fire (other sources claim it was an aerial dogfight), forcing him to land behind enemy lines and allowing him to be captured by the Germans. The Germans confiscated the personal belongings from his pockets, but they didn’t catch the leather pouch around his neck. On his way to a permanent prisoner of war facility, he was held overnight in a small German-held French village near the front. During the night, the town was bombarded by the British, creating enough confusion to allow the pilot to escape.

The pilot avoided German patrols by donning civilian attire, but all of his identification had been confiscated so he had no way to prove his identity. With great difficulty, he crept across no-man’s land and made contact with a French patrol. Unfortunately for him, the French had been on the lookout for German saboteurs dressed as civilians. The French mistook the American pilot for a German saboteur and immediately prepared to execute him.

A challenge coin is a small coin or medallion (usually military), bearing an organization’s insignia or emblem and carried by the organization’s members. They are given to prove membership when challenged and to enhance morale.

Origins of the challenge coin in USA
Like many aspects of military tradition, the origins of the challenge coin are a matter of much debate with little supporting evidence. While many organizations and services claim to have been the originators of the challenge coin, the most commonly held view is that the tradition began in the United States Army Air Service (a forerunner of the current United States Air Force).

Air warfare was a new phenomenon during World War I. When the Army created flying squadrons they were manned with volunteer pilots from every walk of civilian life. While some of the early pilots came from working class or rural backgrounds, many were wealthy college students who withdrew from classes in the middle of the year, drawn by the adventure and romance of the new form of warfare.

Yes, do have some pictures - I'm still working off the school's laptop and I didn't want to put them here - but I'll probably go ahead - later!

Challenge coins - there is a long story behind them (and I posted it all!!) They get them from their officiers for doing something special. Derek got four in one day for some special training he did and did good!

hahaha - I didn't write all that out - just copied and pasted!
I don't think they get them at boot camp - but things change constantly!
Don't worry, we'll wait for you!

highlight desired words - hit the "ctrl" (control) button and the "c" - to copy - then "ctrl" andthe "v" to paste where you want it!

I'm not sure about downloading to an Ipod - don't us one of those.