Welcome to NavyDads Tony! 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 she 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 Tony this is a great place to brag about your sailor as well! So join in and let us know how Mara is doing!

As a parent of a sailor currently or soon to be at Great Lakes you'll have many questions about what your daughter 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.

Finally, when you get a chance please be sure to check out the Daughters and Their Dads group. It is a great place for us to brag about our girls. Best Regards- Paul

Tony, 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 your daughter for her service for me and thanks again for joining us. Sincerely, EG

Hi Tony, My name is jim and I live in Springfield. My son is currently on station in Groton, Ct. He has finished sub school will be classing up for "A" school soon before going to sea. If you have any questions about Mara being in boot just fire a message to me and I will do all I can to answer or find one.

Yes, I was. Worked all night, so my primary mission was feeding my face...........lol. I figured it was prety much a mom thing so I sat with our other daughter and let the wife be the social butterfly.

The wife mumbled something about the next meeting being at the library. If I can catch a few hours snooze time I'll try and make it.

advise- crypto stuff can be a secruity issue...be cautious about what you post in a public area. Advise to setup as Friends and private message to avoid issues in a public area

It's taken me awhile to get into the security mode of thought here as well. Because of the nature of what our children do and with the war on terror we have to watch what we say to protect our sailors. Just a word of caution to new NavyDads members! Thanks for understanding! Maybe I'm paranoid, but tis better to be safe than sorry for sure! Best Regards- Paul

Thank you, Tony, for that helpful word of advice. It had been noted!-Bob

Hi Tony. HM here and I's sorry our sailors and families didn't get to hook up.
Congratulations to Mara and her entire dividion. I thought it was an amazing ceremony.
Please wish Mara smooth sailing to Monterrey and suggest she grab her surf board, wake board, SPF 30 sun tan lotion, kayak, bicycle and an Amtrak map to the San Francisco Bay. Not only is she reporting to a highly motivated and physically beautiful location, her liberty will be indescribable.
Congratulations to all!
HM (FMF)

Tony,
He called the night he arrived. He borrowed a cell phone from his temporary roommate. We then mailed his cell phone the next day and two days later it was in his hands.

Your daughter should have a chance to call you tonight, if she can access a phone.

Congratulations on the next step!!
Bob

Tony--- Paige is our jerky expert as she makes it all the time to send to troops around the globe. Stop by the Care Packages for Our Military Group and get involved--- check with Paige as she has several tasty formulas for jerky

Hi Tony,
Thank you for the friend invite. And, congratulations to your daughter Mara on her recent PIR.

I am at work now and all my jerky recipes are at home, so I will send those to you tomorrow if that is alright. I read the "recipe posting" regarding the USO comment and I agree. I have received an overwhelming response from the Sailors and Marines that I have been sending jerky to. I started off sending it in care packages to my son and one of his bootcamp buddies who is deployed overseas. And because they shared with others, I continue to get requests for more.
I'll be in touch.

Thank you, Tony, for the congratulations for my girls. Can you tell how proud I am of them? Jessica also received a J-Com medal and her second Blue Jacket of the Quarter, before she left Denver for Norfolk (3 weeks ago). I may be a little prejudiced because I am the Mom, but I think my girls are great Sailors!