Does the sick feeling go away?

[Stitching4JoyNavyMom]

My daughter called to give us her class number and she was crying and very emotional.  We could barely understand her.  We just discovered this site after she had left for OCS - someone told her about it on the plane to Newport.  So all this advice I am reading about hydrating and focus - we had none of this to offer her before she left.  I just feel like I didn't say the right things and wasn't encouraging enough and just didn't feel the three minutes went well at all.

 

If we write letters every day, do they get them every day or do they hold them for a while before delivering them?  How do you deal with not knowing how they really are doing?

[BunkerQB]

Our son graduated with honors from an excellent university with a degree in electrical engineering. He had made a career choice. He had done his research. He had a couple of job offers but not quite what he wanted. He genuinely thought the Navy would provide him with opportunities that the private industry would not have provided in 2007 He graduated from OCS early spring of 2007 before Navy For Moms was launched in March of 2008. We took our son to the airport. My husband shook hands with our son. I gave him a "public" hug (no clinking, no tears). Yes, he called and informed us that he had gotten to Pensacola. A couple of weeks went by, we finally got another phone call, then a letter. We wrote him after we received the first letter. We didn't know we were supposed to be upset. He survived. We survived. You will survive too. Don't over think it. Don't make the separation into something bigger than it is. She wouldn't have been admitted into the OCS program if she was not considered capable of performing. The Navy is not that desperate for applicants these days (except for NUKE officers). Be excited. She is going to be experiencing an amazing journey and the beginning of a great career (if she chooses).

OCS is not forever. It's just a few short 3-4 months.  Enjoy the ride.         

[BunkerQB]

Join these two groups for moms of officers (or OCS). See you there. Click on the links and click +JOIN.

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

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

[Stitching4JoyNavyMom]

THANK YOU so much!  After I finally had a good cry to let all the emotion of the past few months out, I slept well.  I joined the two groups you mentioned and then joined discussions for those with children in the same class as Alicia.  She graduated witha  civil engineering degree but couldn't shake the desire to fly for the Navy.  She worked hard and was accepted to the pilot program and OCS.  You are right - they wouldn't have taken her if they didn't think she could do this.  The initial shock of it all is rough.  And we really had no idea what to expect - we didn't know about this site until she talked to others going to OCS at the airport.  I feel like she was woefully underprepared for the change.  She did much to prepare physically and learned a lot of what was required, but some of the other things would have been nice to know.

 

thanks much for your reply!

[BunkerQB]

You are welcome. From one helicopter mom to another - relax. My best friend from college has a daughter who joined the Navy one year before my son joined. She is an intelligence officer currently assigned as an intel officer for a Marine unit. She is doing fine. IF she is prepared physically - that is 90% of the battle for women in OCS. With her degree in civil engineering - she won't have any problems with the academic part. Now, here is one thing - if it happens to her - tell her not to sweat it. My son was rolled by because of locker-room something inspection. He missed it by 1 pt. He was furious since he aced the physical and academic stuff. He wore flip-flops throughout his four years in college. Never ironed. Never shined a pair of shoes before. THREADS were always hanging out of his pants seams (apparently there is some glue you can buy at the NEX that will keep the threads from unraveling further - tell her about this). Anyway, after he was rolled back (graduated a few weeks later) he tutored the prior enlisted candidates in exchange for shoe shining, ironing and folding of laundry! He jokingly said he still be at OCS if it wasn't for what he calls "teamwork" haha.....  hope weather is good for her graduation. Don't miss that.

[Kathy (AOMom)]

Congrats on your daughters acceptance into OCS and the pilot program. What an adventure she is going to have. Even though as moms we are always thinking if they are ok, are they healthy, I myself have realized that there is nothing I can do to change it all, I listen to any issues, (not too many in 2 years) and just move along. There are so many things she cant even tell me, so I take what I can get from her, and am so proud, she is doing what she wanted, she had the courage and desire to do something with her life at a very young age (was in DEP at 18) She still loves being in the Navy. Even though she is not an officer, she is pretty special, and I still write to her everyday and send her care packages, so she always knows I am thinking of her. My sailor is currently deployed and today email said "I still love being up on the deck"  Her job is on the deck of a carrier. Since she signed on the dotted line the one thing I always said (not knowing anything at the time about her job) just hold on!!! Every email, every phone call she says, "Mom dont worry, I am holding on" Be brave, its a long journey for them, and you, and always always remember they are extremely well trained for their jobs, and there are always others with them that have more experience to help them get through. Bravo Zulu to your daughter.

[Stitching4JoyNavyMom]

Thanks so much!  In less than 24 hours, the encouragement I've received from people on Navy4Moms has been a HUGE help to my sanity!

[BunkerQB]

Kathy, there is no reason for your daughter NOT to think of the future. If she stays in the Navy, she should consider getting her degree and going OCS. In my son's class, there was a woman who had been in the Navy for over 10 years, her husband was enlisted also. They had two little girls. My son thought the drill instructors were extra hard on her but she stayed right with it and graduated with top scores!

[Kathy (AOMom)]

BunkerBee, She has been thinking about it for a long time. Went to an agricultural high school for horse management, and worked for and Equestrian Center and dairy farm...sounds like we are very rural here but were not, only 25 minutes to Boston, and she wants to be a large animal vet, just loves horses more than people I think. Chose the Navy because she wasnt ready for college, and wanted to see some of the world. I wouldnt mind either way, if she stays in or goes to college or both, but she hasnt made up her mind 100% yet. We have talked about going blue to green, (I think thats what its called) Navy to Army, they have a very big vetenary (sp?) program that takes care of all military animals, still need to do more research into it.

[BunkerQB]

My husband and I loved our German Shepherd - that is about the extend of our knowledge about animals. We did have an old family friend who was a noted professor of veterinary medicine at UC Davis. He died in 2006 otherwise we would try to get your daughter an interview with him or at least try to put in a good word for her at a vet school.

http://articles.sfgate.com/2006-08-10/bay-area/17305936_1_pathology...

[Kathy (AOMom)]

Thank you so much for the thought. I really messed up spelling veterinary! LOL