NAVY BOOT CAMP

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Comment by Edward Davis on September 5, 2009 at 11:03pm

Larry he did it again called his girlfriend but this time he had permission. "I knew it" something told me he was sneaking to call her, i just bit my lip and shook my head. The good thing is he's ok the bad thing is he didn't call his mother who is, sorry was worried about him. But like you said 19yr who would i call so he'll learn. She'll probably be so scared if he calls again and hang up lol! Because my wife sarcasticly told her to please call if she hear anything else since she knows more than her.

Comment by Garry Felker on September 4, 2009 at 7:30pm

Thanks. I appreciate the input. I can tell I am not alone.

Comment by Wirt Epling on September 4, 2009 at 6:58pm

Hi Garry, my son got to RTC just a few days before yours and I think it was just over a week before we got our form letter. Hang in there - it should be in any day. If you have/had a good relationship w/ your son's recruiter, you may be able to get it through them.

Comment by E.G. - ND's Creator/Admin on September 4, 2009 at 6:54pm

Garry,
Call your sons recruiter. He already has the ship and division #. Once you have them the address's are in the link above titled contact your sailor.

Comment by Garry Felker on September 4, 2009 at 6:31pm

Hi. My son arrived at Boot Camp Aug 24. A couple of days ago I received a box of his things. It has been 8 days and I do not have the form letter that tells me his ship# and address. I keep reading how important it is to write them but apparently no one will provide a mailing address due to privacy concerns. I guess I just have to wait. How long does the form letter usually take?
Thanks,

Comment by Kirk Brooks on September 4, 2009 at 6:24pm

Hi Larry, that was probably me. Here's how that broke down so the other dad's will be aware of the possibilities of what might happen. A few weeks prior to graduation Holly informed us that she was G&G but would have several hours of Liberty on base to visit. About a week or so out that was changed to 1 hour of Liberty. 2 or 3 days out we were informed that they were shipping immediately (Chartered flight) and we would have 5 minutes in the visitor center. On the day of graduation, which went a little long, we got to give her a quick hug in the hall and then she collected her stuff and met us in the visitor center. We all got one more hug before she says "Holy cats I gotta make the bus"! Her mom managed to get her cell to her via the driver and they were gone. Since it was a chartered flight there was no visiting time at the airport. A few hours later Holly was calling us from Pensacola. It was a lot of travel and a lot of "Hurry up and wait" moments for what was realistically less than 5 minutes of actual face time with Holly. What is it disappointing? You bet. Would I have missed those few minutes? No way, no how!!! When Admin says "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best", he is dead on. At least we had some notice. Some recruits find out literally, the day of graduation. Their family found out minutes before they left. Anyway, congrats to the latest group of sailors heading out to their first assignments and good luck to those still in boot.

Comment by Larry Huffman on September 4, 2009 at 5:06pm

Speaking of being flexible...there is one more possibility that should be mentioned. The dreaded grad-n-go. It is best that everyone know this is a possibility ahead of time, because it can ruin people's whole weekends.

When a recruit graduates, they are then sent on to their A school. Their sign-up date (when the leave for boot camp) is usually planned out so that there is ample time for them to get to school from boot camp with some time in between. But...occasionally, the Navy will have to get your Sailor moving immediately to their school in order for them to make the beginning of their class. When this happens, you will get to see them graduate and have a short time with them, but then they are off to the airport and on to A school. Essentially ruining all of your weekend plans.

There is no real way around it. The orders are cut and the sailor has to go. I know a couple of months ago on here, there was a dad who travelled to see his daughter graduate, and she was a grad-n-go...they got 15 minutes with her.

So that is the ultimate in being flexible...spending a weekend in Chicago without your Sailor. It would really suck...and I think I would grumble about it if it happened to me, even though I completely understand the need. But, the other side of the coin is...you still were there to graduate and to see them...and that is where they needed you to be. Que sera :)

(If your sailor is a grad-n-go and they are attending school in Great Lakes, that is different. They will be moved over to the other base, and then able to go on liberty with you.)

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on September 4, 2009 at 11:03am

These discussions reinforce the importance of what has been said before.....go to Great Lakes for PIR but prepare to BE FLEXIBLE....things can change at a moments notice. Thanks to Gary and Larry.

Comment by Larry Huffman on September 4, 2009 at 10:55am

Yes...Gary makes a very good point. If your recruit is transferred immediately to their A school...if they are staying in Great Lakes for their school...they will fall under that school's liberty regulations.

Some schools relax the liberty regulations, but some do not. In fact, when my son went to Pensacola later the following week, his phase 1 time in school was spent on pretty much the same liberty schedule as boot camp. So when and how long they get liberty depends on their command. Each school is different...some will be more relaxed...some exactly like what the boot camp libertry schedule is. Your sailor will be given detailed instructions when they make the trasfer.

My son had a friend who was going to go to dinner with us since his family was not there...he was transferred to his Great Lakes school (I think he was a hull tech) and put into a duty section that was on duty all day Saturday so he lost a full day by being transferred...hehe...and he learned the lesson that duty is just like death and taxes while in the military...unavoidable. :-)

My comments in the previous post were strictly about the recruits who will remain attached to the boot company over the weekend, which will be most. But your sailors will have their individual instructions when you see them Friday after graduation and will be able to let you know what kind of time off and limits they have.

Comment by Sam's (07/321) Dad on September 4, 2009 at 10:34am

Without giving any names, I know of a recruit that called his girlfriend in the early weeks of boot camp and was whispering during the short phone call. Later he was asked if he got in trouble for making the call and his answer was "Yes I did, and Yes it was worth it!".

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