NAVY BOOT CAMP

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Comment by Gary T. on September 2, 2009 at 10:41am

Larry, great post. You have explained it well. Thank you for the time you have invested in your comment. Gary T.

Comment by Larry Huffman on September 2, 2009 at 10:22am

Suzanne...I got a call from my daughter on Sunday morning...she is ship 7, div 319 (PIR 9/11). They were getting ready to move into damage control training (firefighting, shoring and the dreaded gas chamber...lol) and then were moving on to Battlestations. She mentioned something about her division having earned a special phone call...which they got Sat. She got hers a day late because she was dealing with a flu. But since it was a reward call it may not be something all division got. (Last summer my son hardly got to make any phone calls...compared to what my daughter is getting this summer...but his division was always in trouble).

But...and I know you have heard this before...no news is good news right now. If there were any problems you would hear. They are very busy and whether they call or not is much more about their RDCs temperment and training techniques. By now all of the attitudes and head cases have been weeded out...all of those who cannot meet the physical standards have been set back to work on it. For the most part now, it is just them as a well oiled division cruising into the last couple of weeks of work. They are very busy...but let me tell you from my own experience, those last couple of weeks are a blast. When you realize you are in one of the senior companies on the base, you strut a little when you march around the base. If they earn their drill flag, they can sing cadences while the march around, thus drawing a lot of attention and admiration from those divisions just starting out. Early in boot camp you all want to be like those senior companies strutting around the base...when you finally earn your way there, it is a very fun time. A lot of pride and a huge sense of accompishment.

Now...something else I personally recall about these last two weeks...ramping up towards graduation. It was the time during boot camp for me when I thought of home the least. We were all so happy to be completing things...we were earning flags and passing tests right and left. We were really starting to roll like a polished unit. I think we all wrote fewer letters and thought about home a bit less...only because we were so absorbed in our accomplishments. And another aspect was that we were really feeling closer to our division. Our division was much more realistically home for us, and by this time we all had come to understand that our lives had taken us away from our parents homes and we were on our own. Don't get me wrong...we still all could not wait to see our folks, but there came a point when we all just decided we had to make the most of our current situation, and most of us found that was not at all bad. But, instead of wanting to segregate yourself and write letters home and think about the past, by this time we were more interested in having fun and spending time with our friends in the company. My mom said that my letters went from being pages and pages to being a page and half. Still just as frequent, but I had far less time to sit and write...because I was wanting to spend time with my friends. Everyone knows that just as quickly as it began, they will all be sent different directions...breaking all of those newly formed bonds. So...if letters have slowed down...not to worry...I think it is natural.

Just think...in 9 days they will have completed the toughest accomplishment of their young lives!

So will you be able to attend PIR Suzanne?

Comment by Robert D on September 2, 2009 at 4:28am

Suzanne - I am in the same 'boat' as you - haven't heard anything either - Travis is Ship 7 DIv 321......guess we'll hurry up and wait - -PIR - a week from FRI!!!!!!!

Comment by Raul Azpiazu on September 1, 2009 at 9:41pm

Three weeks to the day our son arrived at Boot Camp we received his first call today. It came at 4:30 pm Eastern time. His call was only about 5 minutes but at least we know he's doing fine. He says it is not easy but he sounded well and is happy to be there. He said they receive mail every day and that is what gets them through the tough times. Write to them as often as you can and get other friends and relatives to write as well.

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on September 1, 2009 at 8:41pm

Suzanne...you probaly won't hear anything until "The Call" after battle stations....they're pretty busy the last two weeks, but will be really tired and stoked when they make the post BS call....be ready and carry your phone!!

Comment by Edward Davis on September 1, 2009 at 5:11pm

Hello everyone well i just got my son's box of stuff from ups today. I mean everything he had on i hope he wasn't standing at attention naked lol! He got there friday morning called about 1:43am if his box came this soon i hope a letter is soon to follow. If anyone as a son or daughter that left on august 27 let me know if you get any infor please thankyou.

Comment by Suzanne on September 1, 2009 at 4:16pm

My Daughter is in Ship 07, Div. 314!..........Last letter was 2 weeks ago! Was positive, but nothing since!........Just curious right now about HELL WEEK AND BATTLESTATIONS!!!!.....PIR 11Sept.09!.......Any news? .....ANYONE????

Comment by Jack Michel on September 1, 2009 at 3:37pm

Gregg,

Glade to here you got your first letter. Glade to know your son is hanging in there and doing well. We will keep all Sailors in our prayers.

Comment by Mark on September 1, 2009 at 9:53am

We got a form letter on Friday that had his address, and a two line blurb on the end. He had to tell us about them taking blood. (he hates needles) I laughed.

He is in co 948 PIR 10/16/09 Now it's time to plan the trip! I got my niece to stay at the house, so the dogs won't need boarded! That will save enough for the whole trip.

I was excited to see him in a 900 Co. I was in 945 back in 83. It will be neat to compare and contrast 25 years worth of changes.

Comment by Greg Yee on September 1, 2009 at 9:12am

Good morning everyone, Got our first letter yesterday and was glad to finally hear from our sailor in training, he sounds homesick and says somethings are tough going but he is hanging in there, getting more excited to see him grad on 10/9/09.

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