my girl arrived at boot camp September 11 - help! I need another mamma :(

[pollyann (ship 11 div 363)]

My 19 year old daughter left September 11th. 

I got my "I'm here" phone call around 9:30 pm that same night. I am anxiously awaiting 'the box' - and the form letter.  

I would love to connect with another mom whose daughter (or son!) arrived the same day...

[tequilla (ship 11 div. 363)]

My daughter is 20 and also going to be a corpsman!! And I'm like  you, i'm glad i haven't heard anything from her, cause that would only mean one thing!!  No news is good news!!  My daughter is 5'4, tiny thing.. hope she kicks some butt in there!!  I just got the address from recruiter..can't wait to send these letters i've been writing along with her dad's letters.!!  No box or letter yet..

[tequilla (ship 11 div. 363)]

Hi PollyAnn, my name is Heidi, and my daughter, 20, left out of Atlanta, Tuesday, sept. 11 in the late afternoon... i just talked to her recruiter and he gave me her address!! thank goodness... It's been a very hard week..They need "bootcamp for mom's first week support group"  hellO?  They didn't tell me anything about the parent-end of the whole thing.. I know and hope my daughter is doing ok.. no news is good news I guess!!! Her ship is:11 and Division is 363, she's going to be a corpsman..glad to know i'm not alone!!!

[lemonelephant]

Yes, you are right, "No news is good news!"  Here are some things that you do know:  she is safe; she is physically fit or getting there; she is learning new things that will help her throughout her life; she is being fed well; she has any medical and dental needs taken care of; she is making friends, and you know where she is since she is at the RTC.  If there was a problem, you would be called and that is not a call you want to receive.

Double-check the address the recruiter gave you against those at http://bootcamp.navy.mil/contact_recruit.asp. Recruiters sometimes give a generic address for the RTC and if the street address is not correct, then mail can be delayed for up to 3 weeks.

I see you have joined Boot Camp Mom's; be sure to check out the other groups I mentioned earlier.  You will find a lot of support and information in those groups.  Some other groups to check out are Women in the Navy, Mom's of Navy Daughters, and Mom's of Daughters 2.

Know that Divisions 363 and 364 are brother divisions and train together and will have Battle Stations-21 together, so look for others with loved ones in either division.

There are a lot of groups for HM; sometime between now and the end of BC, you will want to join HM (Hospital Corpsman) A School in San Antonio.

(Group names within this reply are clickable links.)

[pollyann (ship 11 div 363)]

I feel like I can start breathing now ... 

I am relieved to hear from other moms w/ kids that left the same day. 

She is the first bird to leave the nest, and I am a MESS.  

Should we be expecting letters soon since tomorrow is Sunday --- and they are able to write home on Sunday's? 

I do realize no news is good news - that is comforting. But my mind is thinking -- how did she handle all the immunizations? did they take her wisdom teeth out? is she getting enough to eat?  she eats like a bird --- a 6 foot bird anyway. 

And I don't dare clean her room - I did however, take her t shirt and put it on my nightstand. Is that strange? Don't answer please.  I can't write yet - not until I know I can put a stamp on it and send it right AWAY. I do plan on writing twice a day ... she didnt like that idea too much cause she was afraid other people would laugh at her! 

Her recruiter told her he thought she would be going to San Antonio for A school - but I hear a lot of people on here saying San Diego...? Anyone know anything about that?

I'm so glad you're all here. YAY HM!!

[lemonelephant]

No, you most likey will not receive a "real" letter this week, but you might receive the form letter.  Your SR does write only on Sundays at first, but not until the first Sunday after she is in her ship, which is often not until the second or third Sunday.

If there was a problem, you would have heard, so she did fine.  If she needs 1 or more wisdom teeth removed, it/they will be removed at some point, not usually during P-days though; some don't need them removed--my Sailor still has his 4 years later.  Any dental work will be scheduled so that it is not very disruptive to her training. 

She'll learn to eat fast.

If having her T-shirt there comforts you, then that is the right thing for you.

Once you have the form letter with her address, write often and encourage others to as well.  Mail means so much to them.  My son had asked me to only write once a week when I told him I was going to write every day and I believed him and later he told me he wished he never told me that.  I gave out cards that were addressed to him and stamped to his friends so he did get something during most Mail Calls.

"A" School for HM's is in San Antonio, so you will want to join the group I mentioned above some time between now and PIR.  Some go to other locations for additional training after "A" School.

[stamp6789(Ship03 Div017)]

My son also left 9/11 from Minnesota. I received the box on Friday. Hoping to get the letter this week.

He is also my first bird to leave the nest. And I feel your pain! I allowed my son a lot of freedom as a teen, and thought this would be easier since I only saw him a handful of times a week, due to both our busy schedules. And I was just fine UNTIL the day he left. Tears still come and go. He cried too during the final hours as we said our goodbyes (even though he said he wouldn't). Not sure if that made me feel better, or worse about it all. I just wish I knew how he is holding up about it all, and I could be there to support him, if he needs it. This no communication really bites, but I do understand why.

I haven't started cleaning his room yet...it will be a huge project. He did pack up the things he wants sent to him in A School the day before he left, so there are boxes stacked up and PILES of things I need to go through and get rid of. My poor baby hasn't been much of a cleaner or organized person; so I am really curious as to how he will deal with that aspect of BC.

[williby]

We are from Michigan and still no box or letter, can`t wait to get his div and ship, I need to at least know that, don`t remember it taking this long with first Sailor, hopefully tomorrow something will come..miss my boy :(

[pollyann (ship 11 div 363)]

still no word today. I keep telling myself if she wasn't fine - I would hear from her. 

if anyone gets their letter, please let us know! I expect it Wednesday - if i'ts not here by then, I give myself permission to cry. 

my heart hurts from missing her .... but the Navy pride has started to swell. 

I AM SO PROUD of her! I fought this so hard - but she was right, she knew what she was doing.  I cannot wait to tell her so...

[Kimphillips (SHIP 11 DIV 364 )]

I got my box today! Now I can't wait for His letter so i can send the letters!

[williby]

I got his box today as well, one week down!

 

[kroberts73]

My son arrived on September 6th,  Just 5 days difference, and my heart hurts so bad some days.  I'm very proud of him, but miss him so much!!  I got a call from him 8 days after he arrived down there because of security clearance information that he needed, he sounded so tired and down.  I wanted to go get him and bring him home, but I know after the first 2 to 3 weeks, he will sound much better!  I can't wait to get a hand written letter from him,  i've already sent out 5, one every day since I got his box and letter!

[pollyann (ship 11 div 363)]

hang in there mammas! I just got the form letter today!

division 363 ship 11

 

::happy dance::

 

Heidi - they are in the same division! yay!