bootcamp

[jessmom]

my daughter left today 12/12 for boot camp in great lakes  she is 21 years old but i feel lost without her already. it just feels so different then when she went away for college.i know there are many people that go through this everyday. its just so hard for me, i work with two people who have had their young men go away and i really dont think they felt the way im feeling. Im told by some of my family members that i need to grow up. she is a adult and this is the life she has chosen. i think its more that im not gonna be able to talk to her when i want to, and have her come home for those special occasions. when something does bother her i want to know that and be able to help her through those times and im not gonna be able to do that all the time. i do know i have to loosen those aprons strings but boy it sure is hard. as im writing this she is sitting at ther airport in harrisburg pa....plane leaves at 5:20 will arrive in chicago and from there take a bus to great lakes. the time zone is different there, she said it will be about 10:30 their time when she calls so i will make sure im up at 11:30 our time (new york). i will make sure i dont fall asleep at 9:00 tonight. i would love to hear from any mother whose child has left today for great lakes, im just curious how many mothers children may be with mine and from anyone that might beable to let me know that im not inmature about this in general. im very proud in the choice she has made to serve our country, its just gonna take a little bit of time to adjust to it.

[Anti M]

Hang in there!  Crying is OK.

A Christmas call is unlikely, there simply are too many recruits and too few phones.  (Okay, cry a bit now).  But she will have a good meal, and a chance to write letters and to go to church.  I was in boot camp for Christmas, I promise it is harder on you than on her.  She will have 80 new shipmates with her, all going through the same thing.  

[Mary321 (ship 4 div 806)]

thank you for that information about calling on Christmas. I will start preparing myself to not expect a call... and my husband! 

 

And I do like to think of the perspective that everyone he is with is in the same boat ( so to speak!).  It is hard being in our hometown as all of his friends are now coming home for Christmas... and my son just left. 

 

Merry Christmas and thank you for the support!

 

[Trish]

It sure has been nice reading evryone's comments. i work with a group of men who were in the Navy, so they do not understand my sadness. ("Seems like he just left") They do tell me that it is much harder on mom's then it is on our "kids" in bootcamp. That makes me feel better. Yesterday was my toughest day, (he left on the 12th) I would be real happy with even a 15 second call saying he's fine, its everything he hoped it would be...something. We still have not received any information on graduation or an address for him. Hopefully today. My sons girlfriend received his "box", which really made her sad. They have been together for 4 years and are planning on getting married, so I know his is REALLY hard for her. I am sure there is an obvious reason we are not allowed to communicate with them right now, but when you are sad it just doesn't make sense. King (my son) is the youngest of 4...everyone is grown and out on their own which all happened this year. (Two are in another state) Christmas will be very quiet this year. So I just do not have enough distractions. NOT loving this whole empty nest thing on top of bootcamp. Has anyone else recieved the Graduation info letter??   Thanks again for posting you experiences, its nice to know my emotions are not over the top.

[jessmom]

yes trish i did receive my graduation letter on monday 12/19. if your son is at great lakes graduation is scheduled for 02/10/2012. that is if he went on 12/12/2011 they ask that your arrive about 6:30 am and ceremony starts at 9:00. when we got the information, on the very last page on the back of it is where my daughter had wrote about 4 to 5 sentences she stated they only had 3 minutes so there wasent time to even begin to tell  what was going on. im understanding that i may not get to get a phone call from her on christmas  or christmas eve due to the limited phones and people at boot. they will have a wonderful dinner im told and have lots of people in the same (boat)  lol    and will get along just fine.  i cant believe im sitting here talking as calm as i am and not crying. when im am able to get on this site, im told things will get easier. today im not feeling as upset as other days, im also a lot busier too. i guess that is the key to all of this heart ache. hope you do have a very merry christmas

[Darlene]

my son left for boot camp on 12/12. I am from Louisiana. even though i has been only 10 days since he left, I miss him terribly. I got the 10 second phone call when he got to boot camp and he sounded very excited. I am so proud of him. I am in need of extra tickets for graduation. If anyone out there can help on how to get more I would greatly appreciate it. 

[allie1928]

they say you only get 4 tickets and your son will need to write the names and make sure they are on the list!  but I read on the website in the first letter I rec'd that if other people come there is a visitor area and once grad. starts and there are empty seats the other people can sometimes get into the hall and watch.....this is all knew to me first fam member to join military but I get great information from this site....hope it helps....good luck to your son! Proud of him!

[kenyastate]

My husband left for bootcamp 12/8 and this time apart has been the hardest thing ever. I got his "box" on 12/13  and his form letter a week later. On the back of the form letter he wrote a short note that I read over and over. We have a one year old and he keeps me busy but today has been the worst when it comes to missing him. I am waiting patiently for a call or a letter and praying the days pass quickly. I am optomistic for our future but somewhat afraid of the constant seperation. I am very proud of my husband and praying for the best.

[Debra11]

I'm right there with you!  My son leaves January 5; he's my baby and although my daughter went away to college, this is totally different.  Hang in there....

[Debra11]

I can't remember the exact title, but at this point his assigned job is on a submarine as an electronics technician.  

[Anti M]

Sounds like he'll be going through SECF to be an ET.  It is important you learn his rate, as this will lead you to the correct groups for his A school, so you can learn their leave and liberty policies.

[mgmellie05]

You are not alone in the way you are feeling.  My 18 year old son left for boot camp at Great Lakes on November 29th and I have 4 other children here (one still at home) and I still cried like a baby and still miss him greatly.  My son called on Christmas Eve and was upset because all the other kids were here for Christmas and he was missing it, family being together and the food, etc.  I wanted to drive down there right then and go pick him up and take the hurt away.  I tried to stay positive and be cheerful but the whole time while talking with him my heart was breaking.  So, don't think you are feeling any different than a lot of us.  You will get through it and they will make it thru.  My son called last night and sounded much better, was still homesick, but knew he was where he needed to be at this time.  I have had people tell me the same thing that I need to grow up and let them be an adult, loosen my apron strings, and a few others.  I have decided that any of my children could be in their 50's and the mother in me is still going to be there always trying to take care of them to a point and not wanting to see them hurt.  That is never going to change and it won't for you either.  I think having them grow up and move on with their lives is harder on me than them because you always want things after they are gone that can no longer be.  I am now making plans to attend my son's graduation on January 27th and can hardly wait and decided now I just have to enjoy the phone calls, letters, and seeing him so much more than when he was here and you just kinda take things for granted.  My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, and your daughter.  Be proud of her and don't ever change the way you feel, it's just being a mother!

[mandersmom72]

Awww! Tell those people they are the imature ones! That's your child, your best friend standing up for OUR country! We as mothers are giving them our children. I will miss my girl she is my rock,I can't breathe without her. But now know there is a mom out there just like me! I am from Pa..but live in Minneapolis, she leaves January 9. I pray it will be easy but know it won't. Please keep in touch...we can lean on each other...

Rose