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.

[Akasha]

My 18 yo step daughter left yesterday and that last week was the hardest on us all. My husband was actually having a much harder time than excepted (daddy's little girl) but today seems to be a bit better. Going on here actually makes me a bit more emotional although it really helps getting the information that other posters have left. I have watched all the YouTube videos and it seems like the first few days aren't that bad and I got the phone call last night at 8:30 that she had arrived and everyone was nice so far. She also said she was going to get an allotted time every 2 weeks to call home so that made us all feel so much better!

[CDMom]

Welcome Jessmom,  All of your feelings are very normal.  My son is also 21 and he is our only child.  When he left for bootcamp nine weeks ago.  I missed him so bad I could hardly stand it.  I had a hard time sleeping and I would wear his sweat shirt in the evening just to feel close to him and I thought I was abnormal (my husband did too ;).  I would sometimes even cry I missed him so much.  At first the separation anxiety is exteme.  Than you get that phone call saying they arrived safely.  Even though it is only a few minutes you have heard their voice and it is a great relief.  Than you get the box with all their belongings and you may cry again.  Than you get that first letter and it is like candy to you after a long fast.  Than you may get two a week and you will be thrilled.  You may even get a few phone calls, if they earn them, or you may miss them like we did even the most important call after passing Battle Stations 21.  I think not getting to talk with them is the hardest part of all.  I so understand.

And before you know it you will be going to Chicago for PIR or graduation, which is where we are right now.  Tomorrow our Recruit becomes a Sailor and than leaves for A School.  At first it seems like an eternity and than before you know it your are at their gradution.  You are a normal mom who loves her little girl who is all grown up and it is hard to let them go, I know becauase I have been going through the same emotions.  Thanks for sharing and legitimizing my own feelings. 

[Smurfmom Ship 11 Div 066]

My daughter left on Dec 9th. Ship 11 div 066. We received two letters Friday and one Saturday. No form letter or Kid in a box. She must have sent it some where else. I feel like crying. She stayed with a friends family in AL to be close to her boyfriend. I can only guess she sent it to that family. I hope she will understand who really cares about her. When she is in A School can she get visitors?

[BunkerQB]

PIR: Feb 10, 2012  clickable link.  Join your daughter's PIR group. Maybe you connect with some of the other families. Send her a letter and ask if you are on the guest list. How many letters have you sent her?

[Smurfmom Ship 11 Div 066]

We have sent several. She writes us some. I hope the longer she is at bootcamp the more she will miss us. We would call or txt just about everyday. She spent some time with us before bootcamp. The family she was staying with is trying to turn her against us.

[sdserna]

Hello everyone, my son leaves 2/13/12, already dreading him leaving. My dad, brother, 2 uncles, 2 cousins and x-husband are all Navy. Now my 19 year old is leaving. I need to know what to send with him and what not to send with him. We are in South Texas so looking for other moms that are in the area. You figure I would know all by now! But my dad joined in 1958, my little brother joined in 1993. So it has been awhile. Any advice for me would be wonderful and much appreciated!

[allie1928]

Hello,  Congratulations to your son!  My son left Dec. 6, 2011 he is 19 also...it was a hard day for us but he was happy and we were so proud of him.   What to take:  basically the clothes on his back   a wallet license ss card a phone card , $20 cash,  a debit card or credit card if he has an account at home otherwise he can set one up during 1st week of processing....a navy credit union acct. my son was going to do that.  also make a small card with your phone # on it  & addresses  they won't have cell phone with them and they don't get much time to call ...my advice to you as a mom is to write him often....you won't have an address for a week or 2 but I started writing every day and mailed the letters the day I rec'd his first letter home...They love to get mail my son says its the best part of his day!!:)  Positive letters encouraging words  tell him you are proud of him etc.... He can't write often but when you get mail from him  it makes for a great day!   only 27 days till my son's PIR (graduation from basic training)  we have booked our flight and hotel ....they say it is amazing!  Bring tissues!  Best of luck to you and your son ....I am proud of him too!  Take care  God Bless! allie

[sdserna]

Thank you, so much for replying, I hope that you and all the other mom's can help me make it through this. 

[Trish]

I finally received my first two letters Saturday!! YAY!! (he left 12/12) What a relief. I just needed to hear that everything was how he thought it would be, and it is. No surprises. He said he wishes there was more PT, he feels like he is gaining weight and getting out of shape. I guess the food is not bad. I guess he has been sneaking (shhh) and doing pushups behind his bunk at night.  It's good to hear that he is handling it the way I thought he would, no stress for him. Now I can stop worrying. How about a phone call? Is anyone getting phone calls? Would kill to hear his voice.

 

[Anti M]

Oh, if they break the rules, don't share that here!  RCDs have been known to read or be told what their recruits are doing based on N4M or FB posts.  Careful, careful, it isn't hard to figure out which recruit is breaking the rules... and then they ALL pay.  You wouldn't want his division losing their phone call privileges, would you?

[Trish]

Really - this should be a private site for Moms. We're not in Boot Camp. he was telling me about someone throwing a coke can away in a place they were not supposed to have it and not fessing up so they all got punished. Didn't lose phone priviledges, because they haven't had any. I think the punishment was physical. But he wants more physical so he didn't seem to mind it.

[Texasproud6272]

This site is monitored by the Navy !This site is not private from the government!Everybody please be careful about what you post! That's why we are not allowed to post our Sr's last names!