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.

[mcvdh]

My son left 12/1!  I was behind him all the way!  I kept telling myself that I would be fine but.... I found that I miss him more than I could!  The first few days were really bad but it has gotten better!!  IT will...  He left Newark NJ at 6:30  and called me our time 12:45 am.  Trust me - when that phone rings you will jump from the soundest sleep!!  He left on a Wed and the following wed I got his "box"!  this was really emotional also!  Yesterday I got the form letter with the PIR date and a short letter from him!! Let me tell you this put me in such a better mood!  So happy!  The first weeks have been rough but it does get better.  I have done a lot of reading on here and the RTC site on Facebook!  So much info - please do it!  Please know that you are not alone and we all have gone through exactly what you are feeling.  These forums and sites help so much!!  God bless you and your daughter!!   Mary Clare

[jessmom]

it has been three days now that jessica has been gone, i think it has gotten a little better but not much. everytime a friend or family memeber ask if she has left yet or have you heard from her i start crying again,same as i am now responding to you. then i start thinking no its not easier at this point. maybe once i am able to talk to her i think it might help. i have a 26 year old daughter and my husband who tell me i dont know why you are acting like this, its not like you are never gonna see her again. i do support her in the decision she has made and very proud of her.....but boy its so different then when she went away to college.one thing i am wondering is if she has learned how to make her bed yet..lol...there werent very many times in 21 years that she did at home. thank you for your response it means a lot to me    teresa

[callieahoy]

My son leaves Jan 8 for boot camp.  We are not from a military family, so this is all new for us.  Any encouragement would be appreciated!

 

Tana Davis

 

[Trish]

Tana - my dad was in WWII,  but never talked about it, so I get where you are coming from. I got a ton of information from my sons recruiter before he went so I knew what to expect. (You can actually see them off at the gate at the airport. They will give you a special pass.) He went to boot camp 12/12. We still have not heard from him (except the intial 10 second call) or received a letter.  Prepare yourself because this is tough. My son moved out back in April, he's 20, but we talked everyday and I saw him all the time. I know this is what he really wants to do, and he was really prepared thanks to the delayed entry program, so it makes it a little easier for me because you want them to do what they want. I guess the first 3 weeks of boot camp are the hardest as far as no communication. BUT...I keep thinking about how the NEXT time I see him he will be in uniform graduating. What could possibly make me more proud? So I guess this is one of those things we just have to deal with as parents. I couldnt be more proud of him, but this is really tough. Best of luck to you and your family!!

[SmoodysMom]

Please alleviate some of your future stress by ensuring that your son familiarize himself with the you tube videos of navy bootcamp and all of the required information on these sites and the facebook site. It will make you feel better knowing that he is prepared for bootcamp. I told my daughter numerous times to read as much info as she could. I only hope she listened. To further drive home my point I wrote her a personal letter that I asked her to read on the plane going there, when she was able to send her brief letter with her graduation information, she stated that she is doing well based on the advice i gave her. That made my heart proud and decreased my stress a little. Good luck to your son.

[Debra11]

My son leaves for boot camp on January 5; we are not a military family either, although I work for a company that supports the Navy.  I'm already a basket case, but am trying to hold it together.  We just found out our daughter, who is 20 and just graduated from college as a Veterinary Technician, got a job in Yonkers, NY, which is about 2.5 hours from Schenectady, where we live.  So...she'll be moving out around the same time as our son leaves for boot camp, which will leave our house empty.  

So...at this point I have no words of encouragement, but it's nice to know there are other people feeling the same way!

[Dawson'sChefMom]

Hi, my son left yesterday 1-5. I got my phone call around 9 last night. Yes, we are both on the same "ship". I did get my gate pass and saw him off to the plane. We both cried. I cried all the way home. My cousin who lives in Barcelona, Spain, stayed up so she could hear that all was well. Again, I cried knowing this. It hasn't been 24 hrs and I'm still teary eyed. Maybe our sons will be together. If that's the case, then I will meet you at graduation!

Lisa

 

[mattsmom]

my son left for boot camp jan 4 he is 19 i feel so lost without him so i am feeling the same way!

[TMB]

We are dropping off our son at the recruiter today at 2:30PM.  He will then go to Ft. Meade to spend the night and will ship on Wednesday for Great Lakes.  He is 21 (an only child) and attended college for 2 years, but this feels so different than we dropped him off at college!  We support and respect his decision to join the Navy!  Any info about the first couple of days at basic training would be helpful...also, when should we expect to get THE phone call telling us he is in Great Lakes?  What about mail...how do we get an address?  I hope that the recruiter will be able to answer some of these questions.  Would it be appropriate to go to Ft. Meade tomorrow to say good bye or will the good bye be today at the recruiter's office?  I am just a bundle of nerves. TMB

 

[TMB]

He was sworn in last July...he did mention that there would be another swearing in, but I couldn't find any info about this, so thanks for the heads up!  Also thank you so much for the info about the call, address and graduation day!  I am feeling better already knowing that there are Moms like you out there!  I feel like I am on the verge of tears every minute and I just hold them in.  My husband just doesn't get it!  And, I don't want my son to feel my anxiety either.  Thanks so much and God Bless!  Teresa

 

[BunkerQB]

TMB, I posted the link to the Survival Guide on your personal page, so you'll always have it. On the menubar, click the MY PAGE tab which will take you to your personal page, scroll down, you'll see my post in the middle column under "Comment Wall"

Good luck.

[Liz]

Yes, it does take time.  and just remember this is just for a short time.  My oldest son joined the Army and left last May, and my middle son graduated from high school and joined the Navy.  He went to bootcamp Sept. 1, we saw him graduate Oct. 27th and now he is deployed.  It was very hard at first, but I would be happy to get 2 days in a row without tears!  But now with facebook and SKYPE we are able to communicate quite a bit.  I would encourage you to look forward to the future, and she is probably doing better than you think!  Hang in there, and keep busy!