Kids in Bootcamp

[wehenkelc]

  My son has been in the Navy three years now.  He is my oldest son and joined the Navy in 2008.  He left for boot camp right after he graduated from high school.  I had a very difficult time when he left- I cried a lot.    In boot camp you do not hear much from them- your only option is to write letters. They say they can call once in a while, but really they don't.  It is a big shock for them too.  It is going to be very different than they expected.  The best thing you can do is just write them, encourage them, that will help encourage you too!  They usually get to write letters on Sundays, but it takes about 10 days for them to get their letters.  It gets much better once they graduate from boot camp.  When they go to A school, they can call and use their cell phones at that point.  Stay strong, keep telling your son or daughter you love them in the letters- that will help them get through boot camp. 

 

My son just got back from his 6 month deployment- and I have to tell you, the deployment was not as trying as boot camp was.  So stay strong, write lots of letters.  Be sure to go to his graduation.  He will need to see family by then and the graduation is awesome! 

[bethberan]

We just got our first letter from our son and it is evident that the "culture shock" is strong! We're writing him almost everyday! thank you for your post, definitely helps to know what is "normal"! Good luck to your sailor!!

[Pebbles60]

My son left yesterday for bootcamp. I miss him so much. Any advice?

[Pebbles60]

How far into bootcamp can they write?

[wehenkelc]

 

You probably won't get a letter from him for at least a two or three of weeks, but I would start writing him letters now, because it takes at least 10 days for them to get their mail.  Bootcamp is the hardest.  This is really where they get them acclimated into millitary mode- so they break them down and build them back up, and they keep communication to a minimal because of that.  I can't tell you how to stop missing your son because you never really stop missing them even 3 years into it. Stay busy, stay positive, just remember they are doing a really good thing for our country.  I can tell you that each time my son comes home for leave, I try to make the most of that time, and when he leaves it is still no easier.   It takes a special kind of person to do what they do.  Military life is different and it takes sometime to get use to all the processes.  Make sure to communicate with them any way you can and as often as you can.  We did not actually get a phone call from our son until the Friday before Graduation and he had " 10" minutes. 

When our son went on deployment- we added Skype, and also added Overseas texting and Calls to our cellphones and he would call us when they went to port.  Email is good too.  The Navy will give them an email address to them in the future and you can use that to communicate as well.    Hang tough- it get much easier and better for you and your son after bootcamp.  The next level of your sons service is way better that this part.  He will get through it and so will you!