Dave Welcome Aboard!. I found navyformoms in searching for answers to my son's future. I just knew their had to be a site for dads like n4m's but I was wrong. So I started this site so us dads would also have a place to call home. I'm new at this and I hope this site will benefit fathers that come behind us. So jump right in share concerns, join groups, share info, and show off your sailor. I'm so glad to find out their are so many proud navy dads just like myself. Thank your son for his service for me. Good luck and thanks again for joining. Sincerely, EG

Welcome to NavyDads Dave ! I'm sure you'll find the site as fun and useful as I have. Explore and make some friends, add your comments to a discussion or two, read the postings in the various groups-- even start one or two. I have! If you have any questions or concerns about your sailor and what Andrew is going through...ask! I'm sure someone here will have the answer or can point you in the right direction to find out. I'm lucky enough to have two sailors- my son Eric is a month into a seven-month deployment on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt and my daughter Kat just returned from her seven-month deployment on the carrier Abraham Lincoln. And Dave this is a great place to brag about your sailor as well! So join in and let us know how Andrew is doing!

If you have questions about boot be sure to spend some time in the Bootcamp group- there are a ton of questions and answers there. Also- as Andrew's PIR draws closer, be sure to spend some time in the PIR-Tips and Hints group-- it will give you some advice to make the experience more enjoyable and fullfilling for your familiy and Andrew. Best Regards- Paul

Note that there is a PIR 12-5 group that another member started...you may want to spend some time in the group and try to setup a meet-and-greet in Great Lakes.

Dave- as co-admin I get to read everything and noted you wished for a letter for Andrew- that will come, but be SURE to write to him often. It's a lifeline to home for the recruits! I posted a list of addresses for the various ships at Great Lakes in the Daughters and their Dads group if you are unsure about correct addresses at GL. Best Regards- Paul

I have to second Terry's comment about PIR---I've been in mining for 29 years and yeah, I'll admit it, I was probably bawling like a two-year old- especially at my daughter's PIR. Something about seeing your little girl, all grown up in uniform.....still get a little choked up about it! You'll find PIR an amazing experience Dave! regards- Paul

Dave I'm glad your wife encouraged you to join. It really is a big help in finding out about your sons future. I hope you get a letter soon. My son loved boot camp and said he would have stayed if they would have let him have his cell phone. Keep me posted on Andrew when you get word.

Dave- isn't raising kids a real adventure? I understand your discussion about issues with "the boy"...I can remember having that Bill Cosby talk with him about "I brought you into this world and I'll take you out of it"....and I was pretty darn serious when I said it! I finally decided that I had to let fate take it's fickle course...I figured I layed the foundation and to keep from overdoing it with the stress, I had to let eric make the choices to learn about life......i still get on his case, but since he's crusing the Gulf of Oman right now it's a littel tougher! Have faith my friend- Andrew is in good hands right now and perhaps he'll discover an inner strength and resolve courtesy of the US Navy! Paul

From my experience with two PIRs, I am sure you will see something in your son you haven't before...a sense of purpose and resolve. He might have gone into boot a kid, but he's gonna come out a sailor in the tradition of the Navy since 1775. Part of that comes from learning about the history of the Navy which is reinforced in all aspects of boot...in particular Battle Stations-- the final test so to speak. Each station is based on actual events- water survial and the USS Indianapolis for example. Those things really reinforce where the Navy has come from. And I think your families long Army history will forgive having a sailor in the flock...serving our Country is a noble calling and you'll be suitably impressed when you're sitting at PIR and you see your son's division march in. And three weeks is about average before he can write a letter home-- Paul

Dave- hope things are well. I've got a link here (Click It) to a discussion greg just started where he is talking about his son's PIR last week....you can read it all but the key paragraphs are the last couple where Greg is talking about the changes in his boy....I think you'll see some of the same things at your PIR and realize that you did a pretty good job after all in raising a sailor...... Paul

Dave- have you heard from Andrew recently? Hope all is going well....Tim and Jenene have both left some interesting ocmments in t he Bootcamp group about their sailors and the changes they have both noted. You may want to drop in and comment about Andrew's growth as a recruit! Paul

Welcome to the transformation dave! I gotta laugh a little to see that you are converted to a true Navy dad now! I kinda started out slow too, and though my two have been in the fleet now for awhile, I really didn't click into this groove until I found NavyDads...now look....I can't tear myself away from this place!

Anyway...get ready for PIR and I hope you get a chance to meet a bunch of the other dads out there and keep spreading the NavyDads word!

Dave, thanks for your comments, yeap I bleed Hurricane Orange and Green even though I graduated from FIU. My son is with the Delayed Entry Program. I am trying to pay for his braces, have them taken off so that he can leave for Great Lakes in February. He is supposed to then go to Pensacola, Florida to study for Aviation Electronics something?

I am glad that you enjoyed my page. I am all about my family, my country and my God. I was born in Cuba in 1961 and came over in 64. I pray for her Freedom and I am proud of my heritage but I bleed U.S. of A Red, White and Blue. I am in love with America. I am 100 Pro-Life, Conservative Republican and I listen to Rush everyday.

I am also very proud of my son's decision to join the Navy, I have to admit, he needs it also. Dave keep in touch and God Bless. Luis

P.S. Notre Dame has to get rid of the Fat Guy in order to win.

only a coupld of days left!! You know I've been through two PIRs and I get just as stoked for yours as I did for mine....this NavyDads stuff is addictive.....you'll see lower and upper balcony seating...I sat lower both times and now wish I had gone balcony...Mucho better photos from up there I would think....scope things out when you walk in the hall and take tons of pics...remeber no photos outside anytime...but you can take more in MCPON Hall after PIR...........

the cracker-jacks are the tradtional blues.....note that there are 13 buttons...history is everywhere.

Congratulations on the PIR..enjoy it to the max!