After the Trident

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by tk on April 11, 2013 at 3:10pm

a. Upon completion of SO “A” School Training Pipeline which consists of: 

• SO Preparatory, 
• SO BUD/s Orientation,  
• SO BUD/s,

• SO SEAL Qualification Training (SQT), 
• Cold  Weather Training
• Navy Parachute, Static Line, 
• Navy Parachute, Free Fall,  and 
• SERE  

Enlisted personnel are awarded Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC)
5326 and designated as SO SEAL upon completion of SEAL
Qualification Training (SQT). Recruit and fleet conversions are
authorized accelerated advancement to E-4 (SO3) upon the completion
of SO “A” School.

Hooyah! and congratulations Russell

Permalink Reply by Ron P on February 21, 2014 at 11:05am

Hi guys. Hope you don't mind my commenting here. My son is a 295, Team 8. Would really appreciate having some other SEAL Dads to talk to. I'm so proud of my son, but scared at times too. I know he's had the best training available and is part of an elite group of men, but he's still my only son. 

Permalink Reply by Russell on February 21, 2014 at 11:34am

Ron P - We worried when our son decided to pursue the Trident, and now that he's in the Teams, take some comfort in knowing that the guys are looking out for each other. We balance that with the reality that they will be going out in harms way.  I'm not an overly spiritual/religous kind of person, but we burn blue candles & say a prayer for him and his mates every night.  His take on the danger was that he was at risk in high school & college, now he is trained & prepared to deal with things.  His perspective  -  he was out with his girlfriend before starting boot camp, and got jumped by 6 guys in a local bar. As bad as that was, he healed, but the reality was it could have had a tragic ending. In his mind that event could have ended everything, so every day now is a gift. His recent comment - "It's crazy I'm getting paid to do what I love".  There is no real answer - movies/books like Lone Survivor display the harsh realities.  We just take it a day at a time. 

Permalink Reply by Ron P on February 21, 2014 at 11:49am

Hi Russell. Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it. My son once said he is now trained to "do bad things to bad people." But, as you said, he is now in a position where he will routinely be going out directly in harm's way. He'll be going out on his first deployment later this year, so I guess it's kind of all hitting home for me. 

Permalink Reply by Ct Jack on February 24, 2014 at 1:29pm

Our son returned from 1st deployment this Fall. A long & sleepless six months for us.We have become close friends w/his roommates folks who live about 1 &1/2 hours from us. This was a great help! From the little I could piece together, of his Team, 2 platoons were in a combat situation for the 6 months. The rest were "training w/ other nations SO's. Of course as luck would have it, our guys were in 1 of the 2 combat platoons. Some of the other guys rotated in for brief periods to get experience.

I suggest getting together w/parents of other guys in your son's platoon, troop or team. If close proximity, dinner or cookout.If distant get online & support each other. Be prepared to spend a small fortune on care packages...some of which may actually arrive at the right destination. OBTW, Skoal long cut wintergreen tobacco is like getting a box of Kruugerands!! Good Luck! Jack

Permalink Reply by Boss on February 24, 2014 at 11:39pm

C Jack you suggest getting together with other families of the guys in our son's platoon.  I would love to know who these families are and how in the heck to contact them, but other than the night before graduation - I have had no way of meeting them.  I have had beers with my son and some of the guys, but no opportunities to meet their families. 

Permalink Reply by Ct Jack on February 25, 2014 at 11:02am

Boss, we met 1 couple during the Christmas break, which was right after phase 1 of BUD/S. They live close to us, so it was easy to get together. Certainly easy to communicate. The others we met either @ BUD/S graduation or @ Trident presentation. Swapped numbers & e-mails. Pre-deployment dinner w/ 8-10 in VB, w/ some less formal gatherings @ Bubba's or the Back Deck. July cookout in Mass. which is central for 4-5 of us. My wife was messaging w/ our friend almost daily. not much info from our 2 guys, but from other parents of guys not deployed w/ ours, we garnered some info. The predeployment days were when e-mails, etc were exchanged & promises made & bonds formed. This can be somethingof a mixed blessing, as I had my wife thinking our son was handing out shoes & food to the poor Afgani children. When @ the July cookout, one Dad began relating what our son's platoon was actually  doing & how envious the other guys, his son included, were who were not in a combat situation. Until you get those contact numbers, I guess ur stuck w/ us here on the site. Feel free to contact me @ anytime. Is your son East/West coast & when did he join his team? I ,perhaps can fill in some blanks for you.  

Permalink Reply by Boss on February 25, 2014 at 11:55am

CT Jack - he is east coast.  Not sure how much info I should or want to give on this public site, but he has only been assigned to a team for a few months.  Sounds like a lot more family time to be had during pre-deployment time.  We get a chance to meet some of the guys now and again, but I'd feel funny asking them for their parents contact info. My wife and I feel like we have been left on an island with no one to talk to!  

Permalink Reply by ron on February 25, 2014 at 12:57pm

Hi RonP

We Seem to have the same concerns . Our son is 293 in team in Little Creek and preparing for first deployment . Its been along hall to get here .He started in 292 went thru hell week and had medical roll back and had to wait for next class and made us proud. I meet with a lot of my sons team and I have to tell you , I was so humbled to meet these warriors and just the positive attitude they project is something I have never experienced. I had told my son that from his first breath as a baby to now , I was the only one (and his Mom) in the world that would   jump in front of a bus for and now after meeting the guys , they would be there to do the same for you as you would for them. With that , I feel more at ease, to a point, the worry is allways there . Try to meet some of his team and see what great dedicated guys they are ,I feel they are all my sons now.
 
Ron P said:

Hi guys. Hope you don't mind my commenting here. My son is a 295, Team 8. Would really appreciate having some other SEAL Dads to talk to. I'm so proud of my son, but scared at times too. I know he's had the best training available and is part of an elite group of men, but he's still my only son. 

Permalink Reply by Ct Jack on February 25, 2014 at 2:01pm

After the guys do their individual schools, there seems to be a predeployment work up of about 1 year.Boss, it sounds as if your son is close to the schedule mine was on after receiving his trident in Nov. 2011[class 286]. I think he reported to his team Jan/Feb of 2012 after language school. Finished his last school easter weekend & then the work-up began. Maybe you can find out when other guy's folks are going to VB, & try to meet up. For us its a 9-10 hour drive ,other parents drove from Michigan,etc.

JP- I concur wholeheartedly with your assessment of the men in the teams! An extraordinary experience  to hang out w/ them as often as we have. We've been to Vb @ almost every opportunity & it has paid off for us in knowing the guys & their dedication to one another.

Permalink Reply by Ron P on April 10, 2014 at 10:43am

Boss, I feel exactly the same way. No contact with anyone. I'm in San Antonio, so visiting VA Beach is a bit of a stretch. 

Boss said:

CT Jack - he is east coast.  Not sure how much info I should or want to give on this public site, but he has only been assigned to a team for a few months.  Sounds like a lot more family time to be had during pre-deployment time.  We get a chance to meet some of the guys now and again, but I'd feel funny asking them for their parents contact info. My wife and I feel like we have been left on an island with no one to talk to!  

Permalink Reply by Ron P on April 10, 2014 at 10:47am

Hi Ron. My son's team is deploying soon. He's in some sort of special training right now. I wish I could meet some of his teammates, but haven't really had that chance. I am friends with a young man that went through Basic with him and who graduated BUDS a class or two behind him. He's about the only one I know. 

ron said:

Hi RonP

We Seem to have the same concerns . Our son is 293 in team in Little Creek and preparing for first deployment . Its been along hall to get here .He started in 292 went thru hell week and had medical roll back and had to wait for next class and made us proud. I meet with a lot of my sons team and I have to tell you , I was so humbled to meet these warriors and just the positive attitude they project is something I have never experienced. I had told my son that from his first breath as a baby to now , I was the only one (and his Mom) in the world that would   jump in front of a bus for and now after meeting the guys , they would be there to do the same for you as you would for them. With that , I feel more at ease, to a point, the worry is allways there . Try to meet some of his team and see what great dedicated guys they are ,I feel they are all my sons now.
 
Ron P said:

Hi guys. Hope you don't mind my commenting here. My son is a 295, Team 8. Would really appreciate having some other SEAL Dads to talk to. I'm so proud of my son, but scared at times too. I know he's had the best training available and is part of an elite group of men, but he's still my only son. 

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