Worried for my daughter

[Allison's mom]

I am just starting to adjust to the thought of my daughter joining the navy. It's not that i don't think that it's a noble cause and it's not that I think only other peoples children should enlist. It's just that she has spent her entire high school career preparing herself for college, taking multiple AP courses and racking up hundreds of hours of volunteering. I kinda feel as tho this whole Navy thing has been sprung on me. All this Navy talk is so foreign to me because I have no experience with anyone I know being in the Armed Forces. So when she talks about MEPS and DLABS I am at such a loss. I didn't go to college so I'm not too familar on what to expect there, but at least with college I know people that I can ask questions of. With the Navy its like being a new mom all over again. Boy I thought that was scary, this is ten times worse....

[Allison's mom]

Thank you! This site is exactly what I am going to be counting on. I'm not the type of person that can go into something blindly, and this site, I can say has given me so much insight into a world that I knew nothing about. I don't want to even imagine what you must have gone through without its help.

[Niece19]

My son went half a semester to a private college $$$, then a week before xmas he told me "my life isn't what I thought it would be and I quit college and enlisted". I was devastated. But he is now very happy, has a career, is very independent, and has promised to finish his college with the help of the GI Bill. My advice is to ask lots of questions, especially to the moms here. We have all been through this. A lot of what the recruiters told us was "loosely" worded. I think you will get a lot of your questions answered here.

[Michigan Cindy]

Hi. I'm sure you are kind of bewildered by your daughter's decision to enlist in the Navy. And I don't think you're alone there. Once you adjust to the idea, I think you will find that there are many advantages, such as $$$ for college, world travel, self-discipline, I could go on and on. My son did NOT accel in high school. He attended a tech school and wasn't able to find decent employment. So he thought long and hard before enlisting, but he did so. Best decision ever. He graduated from boot camp with the Academic Excellence Award, and is now at a peachy duty station and is enrolled in college. I never saw that coming. Hope things turn out well for your daughter.

[Allison's mom]

I can't tell you how greatful I am to hear all of your stories. At times it feels like I have entered the twilight zone and after reading all your stories of how apprehensive some of you were in the beginning, it makes me feel not so alone....So thank you all for your kind words and reassurance.

[Allison's mom]

You all are definatly right, I sure am glad she is thinking about this before she has thousands of dollars invested in a college that she will have no interest in later. I just want to make sure she is making her decisions for the right reasons and not because she is afraid of being in debt when she is done with college. It just seems like she has so many changes coming her way all at once and the only way to deal with them is to go off in a totally different direction then she planned on going....

[Anti M]

I floundered through college, changing majors and schools. I got good grades when I tried, but nothing stuck with me (except the poor excuse for a boyfriend). Finally my parents quit paying my tuition, well after I should have had a degree. I decided to join the Navy after walking past the recruiter. Dad had been career Navy, I'd been raised Navy, so I knew a lot about moving and such things. Ended up in electronics and did very well. I came out of boot camp as an E-3, and my A school gave me E-4. I made E-6 within six years, my dad couldn't have been prouder. I was shocked to find out mom and dad didn't think I would make it through boot camp! The Navy has given me so much more than I can explain, I never regretted it, only that I didn't join earlier! College is fine and good, but it is not everything. There are many paths to success.

[Allison's mom]

Wow! That experience sounds exactly what my daughter is looking for...She is far braver than me, she wants to see the world and experience all it has to offer. I know that whatever she does in life she will excell at, She is probly the hardest working 18 year old that I know. I guess its a mom thing to not want to share your child with the world...

[Allison's mom]

Thank you Anti M! I loved reading your story. It sounds alot like how her college experience could go. I didn't go to college and my family has no experience with the Armed Forces, so I'm a newbie on both levels. I guess once she makes her descion either way (which at this point it seems to be 90% Navy 10% College) I will be ready to embrace it and run with it along with her =)

[Jess's Mom (Fire Controlman GL)]

I can totally understand how you are feeling. My daughter graduated high school with honors, was accepted at a very prestigious school for pre-med, but decided to go to community college for nursing to make sure she was really that interested in the medical fields. In October she hit me with the fact that she was going to see a navy recruiter. I cried for a long time until I realized that this was the best decision for her future. She did not want to end up like her cousins being stuck in our area for life. She left for bootcamp on 3/22 and I could not be anymore proud of her as I am at this moment. In this economic crisis our county\ry is in, she will have a good job and will become a productive part of society both military and civilian. After being in the DEP program for about 4 or so months, she want to continue on active duty after her 4 years are served. Hopefully she will stick with that decision. Spend some time on N4Ms and you will see that what you are feeling is normal. Take care and remember, no matter what your daughter decides, give her your full support and love.

[Allison's mom]

It is so nice to hear from moms that know exactly what I am feeling. I love the fact that my daughter doesn't want to put herself in debt. We are very close, she calls me her best friend, I guess I'm being a bit selfish because I don't want to loose my friend either. Good Luck to you and your daughter Jess's Mom and I look forward to hearing how she is doing.