when to expect first leave

[mtdiane]

Hi all, my son has just left for Japan today and I am wondering when he would be able to come back home on leave.

[PoliceWifeNavyMom]

Hi Mtdiane: Where in Japan? My daughter is on Yokosuko. The military screwed up her leave when she was in A school and she is still trying to get it straightened out, with the mistake she is not due for leave until the middle of next year, if they clear it up, she will be able to come home for Christmas.  She LOVES Japan! This was her first time away from home, except for boot camp and i was worried about her, bu the base in Yokosuko is really nice and the kids all seem to look out for one another. If your son is going to the same place maybe we can arrange for them to meet and she can show him around.

[mtdiane]

My son is headed for Sasebo

[katlanta]

Hi Mtdiane:  NONE of what I'm about to say is meant to discourage you - I just want to tell you the truth as I know it so you WON'T be discouraged.  I can't predict which sailor would be granted or not granted leave - but my assumption would be in your particular case given that your son is just now getting to Japan, that he MAY not be considered in the first round of holiday leave requests that are granted.  My son arrived in Yokosuka (as PoliceWifeNavyMom say - VERY nice base and all sailors seem to love the assignment to Japan) - he's on the G-Dub - in October 2009.  The ship was still out and he did his indoc which includes living on the "barge" and being shown around and taught some things about the culture, the train system, etc. etc.  So the ship pulls back in about a month or so later and all those sailors had already been thinking on and putting in their leave chits.  So John did not get to come home 2 mos. after he got there.  Then they stay in for awhile and go back out - no leave while they are cruising - so I did not see my son for 15 months before he got to come home.  And then you have to consider the cost - as coming home on leave is on your sailor's dime.  So that might be a consideration also.  I had the good fortune of going to Japan this past August (first trip cancelled in April due to earthquake/tsunami) and if not for that trip, another year before seeing John - but my trip over there broke it up a little.  E-mail, snail mail and care packages, and skype or video chat are your lifelines that keep you connected.  It'll be hard at first, but when your son stops in or e-mails you and tells you he loves it and Japan, it'll all be ok. :-)  hope this info helps.

[Blondie]

my first advise would be Never Expect.  it all depends on if he works on base or a ship; he will be low man so if someones been there 6 months, a year they would get their leave first, But it also depends on their job, if the ship is deployed........my daughter has been there for 17 months!  she did get 4 day off when we went over to see her last Dec.-Jan.

[PoliceWifeNavyMom]

katlanta and Blondie are totally correct in all they have said. I was SO worried about my daughter but then she called home to let us know she arrived and since she arrived in early July, I've only had one "I wanna come home" call.  She has shore duty at the moment, but because her rate is being phased out to civilians she is in the process of re-rating. She is going into Mass Communications (I think that's the title) and they told her a few weeks ago that once her college classes start in January for this rate, she'll need to obtain her warfare qualifications to be eligible and will most likely be on the G-Dub sometime next year. We're planning a trip to Japan late next spring and I just can't wait! I miss her so much and I have to say this is really the hardest thing I have ever been through as a mom... I'm getting practice for my son though, he goes into the Air Force when he graduates in 2013. 

 

The really good thing is, our kids are at least taken care of unlike the gazillion stories I am hearing about their friends who are in school piling on thousands of dollars in student loan debt and they can't find jobs... I don't want that for my kids. It's pretty sad though that the Military is the best job market for our young people these days. 

[MarianneKT's Mom]

Katie arrived in April 2009 and was able to have leave in Dec 2009 - the first time it had been offered since she arrived.  Some of the sailors don't come home because of the cost or some go other places.  In 2010, there weren't any leave periods due to the ships schedule and the BIG inspection that happend just before the Gator Cruise in 2010.  Katie was able to take a few days off after the cruise.  That December she came home at the end of Dec/Jan.  There were a few leave weeks in early summer, but then nothing again until this December.  Even though she has the seniority, she was told others were going to be allowed to go home instead of her.  On top of that there is a much smaller percentage being allowed to come home this time............Like others have said, don't expect.  Also, it is different for every ship and its needs.

[Myersboy]

When my son enlisted we were told they could come home for 30 days at a time.  My son's chit was denied this morning and I am very disappointed.  It is a very expensive flight home and now he is considering not coming for the 10 days that he was offered.

Every time he has thought about coming home they have gotten deployed which I know he has no control over.  I am trying to encourage him to take this opportunity even though it is not as long as he wanted.  Any advice on how long typical leaves are?

[Anti M]

They earn 30 days each year, but that doesn't mean the command can authorize 30 days all at once.  It depends on how many other sailors are on hand to do his job.  No one to fill in, leave gets denied.  There are other restrictions, such as deployment, inspections, and exercises, which can interfere with leave.  

Two weeks is normal.  30 days at one time is more usual for sailors who are in between duty stations.