Mark, Welcome Aboard! My son is an ABE aboard the USS Ronald Reagan in San Diego, Ca. and my family and I couldn't be prouder of him. When he first enlisted 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 daughters journey in the Navy. Thank Karen for her service for me and thanks again for joining us.
Sincerely, EG

Welcome to NavyDads Mark! 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 just returned from a seven-month cruise on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and my daughter Kat returned last fall from a seven-month cruise on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). And Mark this is a great place to brag about your sailor as well! So join in and let us know how Karen 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

Hi Mark, As Karen's Aunt Laurie, I am very proud, and also a bit anxious. I love this sight and WOW look at that little Sailor !!!! Who would of known that little "TOT" would have became a real sailor !!! So Cool !....I will continue to follow this blog and keep our girl Karen and the ALL others in our Prayers !!!

Mark, the picture are priceless!!! You guys are in our prayers daily!!! Trying to find my way around this site keep us posted.

April

Mark as you have seen my daughter is also going to be a CTR, she hasn't given me a lot fo soecifics other than she past all the physical and swim tests and got 100'sn the written exams and 1 gig on her inspection that she was so worried about, something about a rat hole in her blanket, whatever that is. I'll try to let you know what to expect, you should be receiving the phone call where she can talk for an hour pretty soon. Good Luck.

Mark, when is Karens PIR, sounds like Molly and her are right near each other in time served.

Thank you for your comments. I know the waiting for them to get through boot camp is stressing us all. I am proud of my daughter (third generation Navy :)).

Boy has boot camp changed since I went through in the 70's!

Thanks Mark!

I we will know Weds morning or sooner.

Take care

Hi Mark, Molly got to P-Cola yesterday and has been assigned a private room that adjoins to another one with which she shares a head. These room are on a ling wait list but apparently the other room were being remodeled and this was all they had left. She was quite lucky. Her class is scheduled for August 10th but she thinks class may not start for a long time, there are people there that have been waiting 2 months. She said they have Army, airforce and Marines also there and one of the people waiting is a Petty Officer who is changing rates. As always hurry up and wait with the military. Not a bad place to be stuck although they did have to muster at 04:45 this morning for PT, I'm not sure how many days a week that will happen, she hopes to have her address by tomorrow so I can send her computer and cell phone. Good luck this weekend, are you goingn to graduation?

gee mark.......are you a little proud of Karen or what?!?! Pretty hard to describe PIR unless you've been there isn't it! HooYah! And now on to A-school......

congrats to you and you family. my son graduates sept 11. do have any ideas on where to stay for graduation that is nice but won't break the bank

Thank you very much for the information. It has been pretty rough but we did get a letter from him today which made me feel better. I love this site you meet a lot of nice people here. Congrats to yours and will talk later.

Mark, how is Karen doing, Molly is waiting to class up, only a month now. We are leaving first thing in the morning to take her car to her. I wonder if they have met yet?

By the way Mark, Molly and her whole group were transfered out of the single room barracks about 4 days after they got there, they are all together now with the rest of the division.

Molly was to class up 9/18 but called today to say she started yesterday becasue someone that was scheduled for a rate change did not show up. Her hours are crazy especially due to the holiday weekend, but she is use to it from working at quick trip while going to school. Sort of a mid day to night or evening to 03:00 with special study times as none of the material can leave the compund since it is all either secret or top secret.