MAA Moms

[Brenda Sue]

My son just switched jobs to be a MAA. Tell me something about it. He is in Virginia Beach for A-school. Should I go to that graduation? Expense is a problem for me. Driving is really not an option and air fare is so high.

[Melissa Greenfield]

Hi Brenda
Welcome its nice to finaly see another MA mom !!!! We live in Michigan and James went to A - school in San Antonio, Tx. We didn't go because James said not many parents do. The big one was PIR. which we did attend and it was great. Our son has been in for a year now. Does your son he have his orders yet? I dont know all the jobs MA offers. But theres K9, brigg (jail), harbor patrol and more. I'm still learning the Navy terms. Thanks for joining. have you checked out any of the Navys web sites? They helped me alot. my son is overseas and I even check the foreign newspapers/ web sites of where he's at. Melissa

[Brenda Sue]

Hello - thanks for replying. I sure wish my son had got to go to MA school in San Antonio. It is only about 4 hours from home!! I did get to go to PIR in Great Lakes on February 15 - and probably never cried so much in my life.
Derek just wrote me and said that he might go to Bahrain because alot of the people from Virginia Beach are going there.
I have spent many hours looking at Navy websites. My son's first desire was to be a SEAL - I really looked into that. I am glad that he changed his mind -
You said that your son is overseas - where is he and what does he do? How often do you get to hear from him? Please just tell me if I am being too nosy.
Thanks,
Brenda

[Melissa Greenfield]

James is in Bahrain I hear from him alot mainly text. He has a cell phone. he got on base at the mall 10 cents a text and he call also. guards the base,harbor, airport. When he walks for duty he carries a 9mm and M16, When he is at a stationary post or nest I call it he also has a M60(it sits on a stand). he get flown of base to unknown locations were he guards loaded fighter planes. He was taken to unknown locations when President Bush was there a couple months ago. He's part of the Special Operation Forces. Right now he cant arm up tho he had surgery last monday. But he goes back on duty this Monday (unarmed tho).

[Hether Range]

Brenda, my son left from Virginia ( A-school) about three weeks ago, he too was sent to Bahrain. I have spoken with him a few times but until we figure out the cost of each call we have tried to keep it short ( I have heard some horrible stories about international rates). we e-mail each other daily. He has been there about three weeks and is still unsure of what exactly his job will be. ( I am learning that until the job has started, you never assume what they tell you to be true). Things seem to change alot, or so it seems. Maybe, my son is not communicating everything to me.

[Nancy]

Hi Melissa
My son has been in MA school San Antonio for a couple weeks now and just just went through the pepper spray. He says its worse than in boot camp but like he says "mom, Its not suppossed to be easy" Im really proud of him!!! He had no interest when he was in high school but here he's doing great!!! Just informed me he got an 86 on his last test!
I was hoping he might have a choice of where he is assigned after MA school but he says they usually get their orders halfway through school. Theres alot of countries he could be in and I'm hoping he's out of harms way. In the U.S.would make me sooo happy!
He's really grown alot since he joined (even his sisters agree) and he has alot more self confidence after finding himself doing things he didn't think possible, but after loosing alot of weight it makes it a whole lot easier.
Nancy

[Melissa Greenfield]

Hi Nancy
It is true the pepper spray is worse and also true there orders are just handed out. But the next one there givin a list of whats open and they can put there name in. Our son is in Bahrain right now.

[Laura]

Hello my son Randy is going to be an MA and will be going to Texas after his PIR this Friday. We are going to go and can't wait!!! Do they get leave during or after their advanced training? Are we able to go to Texas to see him?

[Brenda Sue]

Hi - We thought that my son was going to get to go to San Antonio, Texas after his PIR on Feb. 15. I got to stay in Great Lakes an extra day because of President's Day. I came home Monday night and got a phone call from Derek Wednesday morning saying that they had changed him to Virginia Beach. I was sad because we are only about a 4 hour drive from San Antonio. He was going to get to have his truck and everything - oh well.
Do you have reservations for a hotel in Great Lakes? We stayed at a Navy Lodge about a mile from the base. It was great!!! We left for the PIR about 7:00 and it took us until 8:00 to get through all the clearance. We got good seats up front. Plan on LONG LINES. The Navy Lodge was a nice hotel for cheap - $62 a night and no taxes. After flying, and renting a car - I was glad for something cheap.
I think they get to choose when they take leave after advanced training. They may get liberty during advanced training- where they stay near the base, but can leave the area. Leave - they get to go anywhere. Derek is planning on taking a few days of leave after advanced training.
It sounds like my son is just a couple of weeks ahead of yours - I will try to keep you posted.

[Laura]

Hi, Thank you for the information. So in February the weather must have been very cold. How were the driving conditions? That's what we are afraid of the most. Was Derek allowed to have liberty off base after PIR? We are staying at the Courtyard about 4-5 miles from base. Sounds like We should have gone to the Navy Lodge. Any suggestions on where to eat and what to do?

Oh well I can't wait to see him!! Thats all I'm thinking of day and night. Randy and I were not on the best of terms when he went in. I'm so proud of him he has come a long way already. You can just see it in his letters that he is doing great and is having fun.

[Brenda Sue]

I was most afraid of the driving conditions also. It was really not bad. They kept salt on the roads good. The snow was piled up everywhere. You had to be careful because some of the entrances to places were blocked and if you missed the first one - there was not another - like at the Gurnee Mills Mall - getting into Starbucks and Krispie Kreme. Watch out for the toll road by the mall - if you accidently get on it, it costs $3.00 just to get off and turn around.
I got there Thursday night and left Monday evening. The only times the roads were bad was Sunday night - it got icy. I just drove real slow. Other than that it was pretty normal - EXCEPT the potholes are horrible!!!! I learned where they were between the Lodge and the base and could avoid those - but everywhere else, you just had to be careful!!

Derek was allowed liberty - he had to go back Friday after PIR for two hours from 2 - 4. Then I picked him up again and we got to go eat. He had to be back every evening by 9 - and he wanted to be back between 8 and 8:15 because of the line to get back into the base and the walk back to his ship. He was supposed to have to stay on the base all day Sunday - but he did guard duty from 2am - 4am instead. Other than that he was free to leave, and again on Monday because of President's Day. Some parents did not know until they got there that their child had to leave right away. It was sad!!! But it was still worth going to the graduation!!

Where are you from? Are you driving up or flying? I wish that I had made definite plans in Chicago - like picked a tour. I wanted to do what Derek wanted - and he was very non-committal. He just wanted to get away (although he did enjoy basic). I suggest looking into tours that leave from the Navy Pier. That is a pier in Chicago that has nothing to do with the Navy. We did not go on it, we just saw if from the top of the Sears Tower. You can park at the Sears Tower for the day and walk places from there. Of couse, go up there - it is pretty interesting. Parking is the biggest problem is Chicago. I paid more for parking places in Chicago that I did back home leaving my car at the airport. Do not go to the Chicago History Museum - unless you like Chicago - pretty boring - mainly for school groups. On the pier, there is a Bubba Gumps Seafood restaurant that sounded pretty interesting.

The other directions from Great Lakes is Gurnee and the Gurnee Mills mall. We walked around there a couple of times. It was fun to see Derek greet and be greeted by other kids from boot camp. Also, it was great all the strangers from all over that came to him and thanked him for serving. It made me want to cry everytime with pride.

Any more question, just let me know. I sure wish I had done more research before I went.
OH YEA - the best thing was I had borrowed a TomTom (GPS system) from my sister, I could never had done what I did without it. I strongly suggest getting one. The car rental places have them to rent also. I will never travel again without one. It made several trips possible.

[Melissa Greenfield]

My son James boarded a plane the next morning to come home before going to Bahrain. But there were som.e who left the same day to go home for Liberty. I think its up to the sailor. But they are required to leave the barricks by a givin time on grad day. (to make room for the next group). They can make arrangement to stay at one of the on base hotels. I think it cost James like $25 for the one night.

[Sheila or Justin's mom]

this is all so new to me....my son is going in for MAA and is supposed to go to san antonio Tx after but i really hope I get a little time with him cuz I am dying inside...lol this is literally the hardest thing I have ever had to do so any of your good info sure helps me out...thanks to everyone....stay strong