Hal, 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. I hope this site benefits you and your family throughout your sons journey in the Navy. Thank Todd and your son serving in Iraq for their service for me and thanks again for joining us.
Sincerely, EG

Hal, welcome to NAVY DAD'S! I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy this group. All of your questions will surely be answered and all of your fears will be calmed. When your son finally does PIR you will be so proud of what he has accomplished. Thank you for becoming a member of this group and above all thank Todd for his choice to serve this great country of ours. Gary F.

Welcome to NavyDads Hal! 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 he 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 on the second half of a seven-month cruise on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and my daughter Kat recently returned from a seven-month cruise on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). And Hal this is a great place to brag about your sailor as well! So join in and let us know how Todd is doing!

As a parent of a sailor currently or soon to be at Great Lakes you'll have many questions about what your son is going through. Thanks to one of our members we have two excellent videos that you can access from the Video area on the NavyDads.com main page: New Bootcamp 1 of 2 and New Bootcamp 2 of 2. These videos will answer many of your questions and concerns and will give you a better understanding of how the United States Navy transforms our children into sailors!

Be sure to spend some time in the Bootcamp group- there are many questions and answers available to help you understand what your sailor is going through. And as PIR draws closer, be sure to spend some time going through the PIR-Tips, Hints and Helps group- we’ve tried to assemble some tips and suggestions to make your sailor's PIR more enjoyable. Best Regards- Paul

Hal, wisdom teeth and the NAVY do not agree, my son Nicholas had all four pulled. The first two came out on 28 Jan 09 the day before Nick turned 21. He said the only good thing about it was he got to spend his B-day in bed. They gave him happy pills. Again I wish your son the best, sore jaws an all. I will be attending PIR this Friday. Nick said he lost 17 lbs. Don't know how much of that was teeth. Keep you son in your heart, encourage him frequently and you will feel the pride I know I will on graduation day. Gary F.

Hal-- while PIR is still some time away, be sure to root through the PIR group-- lots of hints and helps there as there are in the Bootcamp group as well....

you're gonna love the PIR experience!

hi hal, my name is steve and i aws just rading where your son is div. 153 USS John F.Kennedy.That is cool.My son James is also on the USS John F. Kennedy,only Div. 148 pir is 10 April,'09.The wife,,youngest son,and i are going to pir on that date also.not sure where we are gonna stay just yet. My sister-in-law is arranging that for us as she has a friend who works somewhere in the area of G.L.Be good to see him even if just for a bit since he is grad and go.Take care and good luck to you and your family.

hi Hal,glad to chat. My sister-in-law lives in Cedar Rapids Iowa and she is going to pick us up at Midway the day before PIR.The 4 of us are planning on staying there till sunday as it stands right now.We have never been to chicago before other than passing thru O'Hare.
The family has been getting a letter a week from James.Always on Thursday.In his last letter he says he is still homesick.Just wish we could spend a little more time with him next month,but alas,just not gonna be in the cards.Oh well,such is the military.
Well you and yours have a great day and maybe i'll catch up to you all later.
Steve !!!!!!

hey hal.how are things going?Good i hope.James is doing o.k. not great,but not bad.I get the idea he doesn't care for b.c.You said that you are bringing your motorhome,you must not have along way to travel!That would be cool,but we have about 2000 miles to travel so i think we will just have to make the best of it(jk)It is gonna be fun.the wife and youngest son have never been to the midwest,so it will be an adventure for the two of them!
Are you gonna have much time to spend with todd before he heads for A school?I know our time is gonna be brief as james is grad and go.Just the same,it will be damn good to see him.I am flat out pumped for PIR.Well time to call it a day.You take care and the best to you,todd,and your family!
Steve !!!!!!!!!!

Good day Hal,glad to hear that things are good on your side of the world. It has been doing the same thing here,into the 40's during the day and then getting down around freezing at night. This has been one of the coldest winters we have had in years with more snow. Lots of people are getting pretty tired of it.Need some warmer dyer weather so the fields will dry out enough to get things plowed under to start planting.
Glad to hear about Todd adapting to military life. It is definately what you make of it. James had started settling in,but i think he has lost track of where they are in their training as far as which week they are in.
We were under the impression that he would be headed for Hueneme,california for A school,but it looks like he is headed for GulfPort Mississippi now so we just have to settle for what little time we have with him after PIR. Then we will see him in June for a bit.
Enjoy the week-end Hal and tell your family i said "hey".
Steve !!!!!!!

Good morning Hal, just wanted to drop you a shiort note. We just got a call from James yesterday afternoon and he sounded pretty good compared to three weeks ago,but the real reason i wanted to drop this line was that James was saying that his division was going to battlestations one week from this Wednesday and i was wondering if you had heard from Todd on when his Div. was headed there?
Have a good say and i'll talk later.
Steve!!!!!!!!!

Hi Hal.How are things going with you and your family? Good i hope. Things here are about the same as usual. Div. 148 had firearms quals. last week i think and right now they should be about 6 days from Battle Stations.We're getting real close!
Did you get your motorhome all squared away and ready for the trip out there? We have all of our reservations done and just waiting for the 9th to get here. Should get to Midway about 3 P.M. their time Thursday.
Well you take care,tell everyone hi and we'll talk at ya later.
Steve !!!!!

It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Hey Hal, sounds like a plan. I'll let ya know where we will be staying when i get a chance to go check. Also i will send you my cell # if you want. Right now i am gonna go hit the links and knock the little white ball around! {:-) Catch ya later.
Steve !!!!
It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Hey Hal,something just clicked. Old age catchin up to me. Just curious,what is your other sons mos? Just kinda a question that popped into my head a bit ago{:-) Where is he stationed at now and how long has he been in? Tell i said keep his arse down and his powder dry! Later!
Steve !!!!!!!!

Good day Hal, Tell him good luck on 11B1P. "Airborne All The Way". He'll love it if he is any kind of adrenalin junkie like i was when i was a bit younger!
Now that he has re-upped will he re-train then go back to the sand box for another round? Sounds like he enjoys the military life ! Good for him! It's a tough job,but i had a ball in the infantry.I loved living in the brush,just like home.
Well we're getting closer to the boys big day . Almost wish i could be there with James,but i guess i'll just have to wait for the 10th.
Time to go for now. talk to ya later!
Steve !!!!!!!

It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Hey Hal,how's life? Got a call from James this afternoon.Sounded pretty good even with a 100 degree temp.Sounded almost stoked(no pun intended). He said they are definately going to Battle Stations Wednesday eve.Not much on praying(just bothers my daughter to no end,she's a pastor)but gonna be sending a word or two the kids way. Hopefully Todd will be callin you about the same time as James come Thursday. Bye for now!
Steve !!!!!!!!!!
It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Hia Hal. Yea,i think you are like me,no matter how, we are gonna be there..Just wish James wasn't grad and go.Oh well,can't dwell on that. Once he finishes A school he will be home for 2 weeks so i guess we will just have to wait for then.Gulf Port is to far away to see him while at A school.I guess he passed live fire 9mm with a 202 which surprised both of us.. He stinks at shooting a pistol almost as bad as i do..long rifle is the way to go!!!!! gimme 2000yds. not 25.. hehehe.. well time to go.. Dinner at the folks.Take care and i'll be in touch.
Steve !!!!!!!!!!
It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Hi Hal.. I think we are staying at the court yard by marriot,but not 100 percent sure. My wife has been taking care of that and she has not left a trail for me to follow!
Tell Todd not to worry about scores as long as he passed.That is the main thing. I think James just kinda lucked out because we do a lot of shooting out here and he has never shot a pistol even close to what his score was. It will be fun to see what his rifle scores will be when he gets to his combat training for seabees ! Then i just might,and i say MIGHT get to pitch my buddy some woo. I love to shoot rifles,but i stink at pistols...... lol..
You said Todd was going to Gulf Port i think. What is his job? I don't think you ever said! James is headed there,but he is grad and go,last we heard. Well time to call it a night. Talk to you later..
Steve!!!!!!!!
It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

hi Hal.. How's it going? You heard anything from Todd lately? Div. 148 went thru Battle Stations last night and they made it. whew!! Took one heck of a load off of our mind. Let me know when you find out.
Steve!!!!!!!!
It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Hi Hal, James didn't have anything bad to say about Battle Stations,but then he didn't have anything good to say either. I think it is just a big relief just to be about done. I don't think he cares for the weather back there.
If you get to talk to Todd before Battle Stations give him my best and tell him to give 'er hell !
We got some letters from James Yesterday and i know he is looking forward to getting A school done so he can come home, jump on the scooter and ride. Guess i better start cleaning mine up so we can spend some time together on the road. Maybe try to plan a short trip somewhere for a couple of days.
Well i think this has been longwinded enough. You take care and we'll look for you here in about 6 days !
Steve !!!!!!
It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Good day Hal. Yes i am a biker. Got my first street bike at 17 and rode for years.Got out of it while raising the family,but got back into it a few years ago.I bought my dream bike,an old school chopper.The chopper in the circus scenes of ghost rider is a spitting image of my ride,minus the exhaust system.James bought an old honda shaft drive for his learner bike. He's just about wore it out.
Let me know when you here from Todd. James called Saturday,and he was sounding pretty good.I guess they have been going over to ricky heaven and indulging themselves with Red Bull and Twix candy bars. We should be getting to Great Lakes about 5 O'clock Thursday eve. You get all settled in give me a call @ 360-269-3796 that is my cell # and we can arrange a meet if you wish. I think we will be leaving Sunday at 6A.M. Gonna do the tourist thing since James is grad and go.
Well,I'll talk to you a bit later. Keep your fingers crossed and we'll say a prayer for Todd.
Steve !!!!!

It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Congrats to Todd and you and the family Hal...
Sounds like you can just take it nice and easy heading west tomorrow. We will be up and headed to the airport at 2:30 A.M. Thursday morning and that will put us into Midway at about 3 that afternoon. courtyard at the marriot i think by 5. Gonna be a good time,we get to see our new sailors !
Looking forward to seeing you all there !
Steve !!!!!!

It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"

Hey Hal.... where are you at? hehehe.........
Steve !!!!!!

It's not a sin to get knocked down;It's a sin to stay down
"Master Chief Boatswains Mate Carl Brashear"