SHIP 02, DIVISION 904 PIR Dec 5th

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Permalink Reply by Jay Pierce on November 12, 2014 at 11:46pm

I think it will be interesting for them to get firefighting training, Doug has mentioned an interest in possibly doing that some day in the future. So this will be a small taste of it for him to see. This cold is ridiculous, even for people in South Dakota! Our temps here at night are getting down to low teens, with wind chills below zero. I'm sure the wind off of Lake Michigan is frigid.

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Permalink Reply by Mike (Noah's Dad) on November 13, 2014 at 7:04am

You're right about that...it's amazing what 8 weeks will do for these young men.  They will accomplish more in these 8 weeks than they ever thought possible and getting a taste of all these skills may truly spark a passion for them to pursue in the future.  This cold IS ridiculous and I keep writing to Noah to hang in there as he'll be able to thaw out in San Antonio in a little over two weeks. You're right about that wind too...I've been there off Lake Michigan and it can be pretty nasty. Hope the drive for you and your family isn't too bad.  I'm already dredding driving down from Wisconsin...let alone hoping they have a 4WD to rent when I get there...yikes!  It's Thursday so hopefully all of us anxious parents get a letter at least but with Veterans Day, it may be another day delayed.  Keep in touch Jay...I'm getting this letter off to Noah with a headliner telling him to say hello to SR PIERCE?  For once I'll give him a good reason to give me that confused look...ha!

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Permalink Reply by Mike (Noah's Dad) on November 13, 2014 at 6:45pm

Hi Jay.  So off goes my letter to Noah.  Wish I could see his face when he reads the first line telling him to say hello to SR PIERCE.  I believe we are at 21 days until PIR...how awesome is that eh? Just praying that this storm is gone by then...

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Permalink Reply by Jay Pierce on November 13, 2014 at 7:19pm

I'm writing to Doug as well. I think seeing the looks on their faces would be priceless! I am excited like you for the PIR, & hoping this weather straightens up. My wife had come across a photo today taken from the Great Lakes A-School, & looks like about 6" of snow on the ground, yuk! I hope that this storm isn't causing problems for people trying to get to this week's PIR.

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Permalink Reply by Mike (Noah's Dad) on November 13, 2014 at 7:33pm

No doubt Jay.  I hope there's no impact to those trying to get to their SR's PIR this week...will keep them in our Prayers for safe trips as they make their way.  Sarge has a service that sets up a service to pick folks up at the airport so I'm "might" consider taking him up on that and paying for that option.  My luck is I get to the airport and they don't have the cars needed to drive in this snow to the PIR.  It's happened to me before where folks keep cars longer due to snow conditions and it impacted my vacation plans.  Will just keep an eye on the weather and see...crossing my fingers, legs, eyes and whatever...I'll be crossing my arms and be crossed if I don't make it to PIR...ha!  I'm outta here for the night...my daughter (who was a CTI3 Petty Officer 3rd class Cryptologic Technician in the Navy) is turning 25 today so I'm on my way to celebrate her youth.  She speaks fluent French and Korean and got out of the navy after 5 years and is now back in college (on the Navy dollars...dads a happy camper on that!).  Have a great eve...told a lot of folks of our connection..very cool full circle with our sons. Cheers!

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Permalink Reply by Jay Pierce on November 13, 2014 at 7:52pm

I told my co-workers about our connection as well. Technology can sure make the world smaller. Have a great night celebrating with your daughter, and tell her happy birthday and 'thank you' for her service to our country.

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Permalink Reply by Mike (Noah's Dad) on November 13, 2014 at 11:44pm

Mahalo (thanks) Jay...will certainly pass it on to her when I see her again this weekend. Had a great dinner and visit and she was pretty impressed with how lucky we were to connect let alone how Doug referenced Noah in his letter to you and your wife.  Lord knows I was glad just to hear from another DIV 904 parent but to know our sons know each other was a bonus. Good stuff Jay and glad your wife caught the name and our conversation!  Cheers!

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Permalink Reply by Mike (Noah's Dad) on November 14, 2014 at 6:59pm

Hey there Jay...give me some insight on your son's faves (like favorite football team or basketball team)...something like that.  I'll send him a letter with some newspaper clippings (if he's into some sport team).  By the time Noah and Doug connect the dots of how we've connected on NavyDads, he'll get a second surprise by getting a letter from me...ha!  Just thought to send words of encouragement and appreciation and if he has a fave team in sports or anything, I'll send a snippet from a newspaper or magazine.  I've been sending Noah clips of newspapers of his favorite team (Rams)...not sure why the Rams...but he's a hardcore Rams...so yes, he celebrated the Rams win over the Seahawks!

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Permalink Reply by Jay Pierce on November 14, 2014 at 7:46pm

Good evening Mike,
It is nice of you to offer to write to Doug. I'm sure he would enjoy getting some extra support and some info from the outside world. He likes the St. Louis Cardinals & Minnesota Twins baseball teams as far as sports goes. He was big into marching percussion (snare drum) in high school, and also enjoyed playing frisbee golf. That is a neat idea to send newspaper or magazine clippings. My apologies that you have to put up with your son rooting for the Rams of all teams against your Seahawks! I guess our kids have to have a mind of their own sometimes, but there are some things they should just listen to their elders on. Yeah, right!

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Permalink Reply by Mike (Noah's Dad) on November 14, 2014 at 8:23pm

Right on Jay.  Yes, I've been sending Noah clips (even against my will when the Rams beat the Seahawks). I try to send "stuff" that keeps his mind on light subjects as I know he's been studying a lot.  I even send him the comics from the newspaper and I know he's never spent time reading those.  Some local news of his highschool buddies (football, soccer, volleyball games) keeps him in touch with how his alma matre is doing...as much as I know he's moving on in his life, he's transitioning out and away from a lot of good friends. Just a few ideas of what "stuff" I've been sending...Doug's got good taste in baseball teams...he and Noah can chat about that for a bit...Noah played in the Cal Ripken League for awhile...maybe at A-school they can dust their gloves off and just have a good time throwing.  At almost 50, I still enjoy doing that with Noah and my brother...

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Permalink Reply by Jay Pierce on November 14, 2014 at 9:07pm

Good idea about playing catch at school if they get a chance, & they are lucky enough to be somewhere warm enough to do it when they get there! Doug played baseball up until he got to high school. I find that throwing a baseball, football, shooting baskets, playing tennis, etc. even for an old guy like me is a good stress reliever. There's nothing better in my opinion than playing catch with my sons. I'm sure Doug is missing his old buddies from back home also. Like you said, they're transitioning away from a lot of good friends back home. I know my wife was just asked by one of his friends from band for his address so a bunch of them could write letters. That is nice of them to do that, I'm know he will be excited to hear from them about what is going on around back at home. I am sure the letters are encouraging, especially when they've had long, hard days of training. Hopefully they are starting to be able to see their work paying off & their division working well as a team as they start the last few weeks of boot camp. Hard to believe we will be at their BC graduation in 3 weeks! I'm looking forward to that, & I'm also very excited to meet you & your son.

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Permalink Reply by Mike (Noah's Dad) on November 14, 2014 at 9:30pm

Right on Jay...same here. My son has a Facebook account so I had his mom add his address to it so his friends could write to him. I also sent out a mass text to my neighbors (really close neighborhood) and family and friends.  I also printed up address labels, put them on envelopes with stamps and put it in a Ziploc envelope and magnetic stripped it to my front door.  A lot of the kids want to write but it's a hassle to get envelopes let alone stamps so I told them that anytime they wanted to write or send a picture or whaterver...to just grab an envelope from my front door!  Even the 5 year old boy next door came by to get one with his dad...too cool. The kids in our "hood" really look up to Noah so it's been great to see them taking time to write. Hope Doug's friends from band send him the "what's up" letters...I'm sure the boys spirits raise even just a bit when their names are called at Mail Call.  I just ran into a friend of Noah's from school and she was asking about him and she mentioned writing to him...so I went to my car and gave her an envelope already set to go that I was going to use but thought he'd get much more of a spirits raised hearing from his good friend. So...I guess after reading this myself, I am still looking out for my "boy"...ha! I'll consider it all a part of our the transition...as the dad (aka separation anxiety...ha!).

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