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NavyDads Admin (Paul)

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Profile Information:

Your Sailor's First Name (Please Do Not Post SEAL Names): Eric
What Is Or Will Be Your Sailor's Rating (Job Classification) - ex. ABE, AM, GM, etc: AM1 (Aviation Structural Mechanic First Class)
Describe A Little About Yourself (your IP address/location will be checked::: Proud single dad of two great Navy kids!! My daughter is a Navy vet and served on the USS Abraham Lincoln as an MC3 (Mass Communications Specialist). My son who is an AM1 (Aviation Structural Mechanic, Second Class) served on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, then after re-enlisting was stationed at the Marine Air Base at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii attached to the "Easy Riders" or HSM-37. He recently re-enlisted, was attached to VAW-125- the "World Famous" Tigertails, had TDY to VRC-40 the "Rawhides" and later returned to VAW-125. Currently he is an instructor at A-school in Pensacola. I've been chief chemist for a number of world-class gold, silver, and copper mines for 40 years and just recently retired. Raised in the Sierra Nevada mountains, graduated from the University of Maryland (class of '77), a confirmed Westerner and Proud Navy Dad !!!
What Brought You To This Site:: My son is currently serving
What Were Your Feelings When Your Sailor Joined The Navy:: proud as can possibly be !!!!!!!!!!!
What Is Your Relationship With Your Sailor: Dad

Comment Wall:

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Lenora

Very cool and great site for support of Navy families. I really like how it is set up, and to see some of the conversations here. Our military men and women who serve in all branches are simply the best. I agree with keeping this a private site. It's easy to navigate and very clean, easy to explore. Navy4Moms is different as noted in some posts, but serves a good purpose. I'm happy to see the internet being used for families to help each other. This is wonderful compared to the days when letters would get dumped into the ocean. Now if my sailor only had easier access to the internet for facebook...

Jul 15, 2009
Joanne

Hi my daughter is not in boot camp; she has been in the Navy for almost 1 year

Jul 21, 2009
Joanne

thank you

Jul 21, 2009
Tim Vargo

Thanks for the welcome!

Just waiting for the call that she has gotten through battle stations.

Things have certainly changes since I went through boot camp in Orlando!

Take care and God bless.

Jul 23, 2009
Pam Tucker

Paul,

Thank you for your quick response. I am looking forward to being a part of both NavyforMoms and NavyDads. I haven't received a lot information about what Alex is doing yet, but he did say something about being a drum major. This surprised me because in high school Alex played the flute. I am wondering how in the world he got drum major.

Jul 26, 2009
Bob, Andy's dad

Thanks for the news item. I certainly have been keeping up with the news. I check Navy.mil about a hundred times a day.

Jul 31, 2009
William D. Woodward

Eric, thank you for the reply. One question... I plan on flying to San Diego, picking up my grandson, then on to Hawaii for the Tiger Cruise on my son-in-laws ship when he returns from West-Pac. What all needs to be done prior to the trip? It won't be until after the first of the year...

Aug 1, 2009
steve

Hey Paul.....Things are starting to finally starting to cool down around here,with baseball finally over and the temp.starting to drop almost to normal i am finding time to pound the keyboard a bit.I just read where Kat is up north.How does she like it so far?I know that my daughter and son-in-law really liked it when they were living in Issaquah as there was so much to do in the Seattle area.I never cared for personally for the city.To many ppl. ,cars and personalities to deal with{:-)

Now is Kat stationed on Whidbey in passing or is that her regular duty station?I have never been up on the island.I had an uncle that was stationed up there with the Marines after he came back from Nam and he loved it.

If you ever get up this way you need to drop me a line and maybe we can meet for a beer.I know how to get up that way even if i don't care for certain aspects of the north end of the state.I am sure my Aunt and Uncle wouldn't mind seeing me for a bit also.They live in Arlington which isn't to far from Whidbey Island.Well time to wander a bit before I head over to the kids place to start tearing down the pump house to build a new one.Take care and we'll talk to you later.

Steve !!!!

Aug 1, 2009
Steve

Thanks for the Welcome Paul. I look forward to meeting other Dads of our brave sailors. I'll be sure to 'brag' about my boy, in fact I'll start now, he called this morning to tell me he's been promoted to E2 with two weeks to go in boot camp.
Congratulations to all the parents and GodSpeed to our kids!!

Aug 1, 2009
John Guminiak

WOW. 2 sailors in the family. You have to be the proudest Dad. My son has his PIR in 6 days on 8/7 and I cannot wait to see him standing tall. I am not sure I will be able to keep away the tears. I am so proud of him for choosing to serve this great nation.

I love this site and am sure it will become a part of my daily life, getting a chance to hear about all of our sailors and the great things they are doing to keep us safe.

Thank you for making me feel welcome.

Aug 1, 2009
Jerry M

Thanks for the welcome. And for the info re: the SEAL Dads group (I've already visited their site, read the security info, and joined their group). I look forward to familiarizing myself with navydads.com.

Aug 3, 2009
Luis

Hey Paul, hope that all is well. Paul, my Sailor started his second phase of school and he thinks that he will then have C School. Quick question, he has been hearing the kids around him say that they have 3 years of reserve duty after they have done their 4 years. Is this true or does a Sailor or any military person just serve the period that is on his/her contract? From your experience what usually happens to the ATO's once they finish C School. You take good care and God Bless. Luis-Navy Dad & DAMN Proud!

Aug 3, 2009
Mark Evett

Very proud!!

Aug 3, 2009
Grandpa

Thanks you Paul for the warm welcome. My sailor is graduating boot camp on 8/14/09. I will be there with bells on....He is scheduled for pre-buds? training the following week. Thanks again and I am sure I will have questions down the road.

Aug 4, 2009
John G. White

Thank You Paul for the note of welcome. My son is at pre meps stay tonight. What a tough day. USS Enterprise here CVN 65 86-90. I could not be prouder, and am hoping his experience is everything he is expecting. He is such a good young man.

Aug 9, 2009
John G. White

I appreciate the support and having someone to message with. It was tougher than I thought when he left. What "box" are you talking about??
9 weeks to go... ha ha

Aug 10, 2009
William M. Farmer

Thank you for leaving a comment recently. Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner but it took a little while to sort out Mike’s upcoming duty assignment. He spent last week and part of this week carrier qualifying out of NAS Oceana.

We now know that he is going to an expeditionary Prowler Squadron stationed at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. He will be leaving shortly after Labor Day.
Do you know if there is a forum or group for Expeditionary Squadron families?

Aug 13, 2009
Raul Azpiazu

The time has finally come and my son is in Great Lakes becoming a sailor. I can't thank you guys enough for putting this site together. It is overwhelming but a great tool to have your questions answered. I am sure i will have plenty. Thanks again!

Aug 13, 2009
Keith D. Shields

Hello Paul and others who recently welcomed me to NavyDads,
My son, recruit Eric Shields just started Great lakes boot camp August 13. We had all been so positive about the expected changes in his life as he transformed into a USN sailor, we were all caught a little offguard when the emotional bucket opened up the evening we dropped him off. We certainly miss him and wonder daily (ok, more like hourly!) what he is doing. Thanks for this site as it is a great source of solace and comfort as well as being extremely informative. The two videos on bootcamp are outstanding and go a long way in easing our anxiety. God bless.

Aug 16, 2009
Luis

Good morning everyone, I started the Fantasy Football again this year with Yahoo. See the information below for instructions on how to be part of the league. It is free and a lot of fun.
Luis-Navy Dad & DAMN Proud

Hey there Navy friends,
You have been invited to join luisdocampo@yahoo.com's custom league in Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football, United States Navy & Proud.

In order to join the league, follow the link above or go to game front page, click the "Sign Up Now" or "Get Another Team" button and follow the links to "Join a Custom League". When prompted, enter the League ID# and password below.

League ID#: 682535
Password: GoNavy

We will send you a confirmation with further details once you have completed the registration process.

Aug 22, 2009
Chuck

Just checkin' in. How are your two?

Aug 24, 2009
Cindy Steward-Brown

Thanks for the Welcome

Aug 24, 2009
Joel

Thank you for the warm welcome. I'm looking forward to bein an active member on the site.

Aug 26, 2009
Joel

It is great to see a group dedicated to Arizona sailors! My son is a native Phoenician but he finished high school in Las Vegas. He's looking forward to going to GL but Arizona will always be home.

Aug 26, 2009
Tom Blansett

Thanks for the welcome and I think it is great that there are sites like this available for parents to share in their support of the armed forces. My son, Chris is doing well in boot camp judging from the letters and the phone call we received. It is a different experience than what I went through but still designed to turn out the best sailors for the strongest Navy in the world. Looking forward to the graduation that will soon be here.

Aug 27, 2009
Mari G

thankyou...when or how do u recieve ticket or pass or whatever it is that i would need o get in.. I have not recieved a phone call in about 4 or 5 weeks and i have not recieved a letter with that information yet

Aug 27, 2009
Jason Freeman

Thanks for the welcome aboard.We are very proud of our son.Our PIR is 9/3 and we can`t wait to see him.I am proud to be a member of Navy For Dads.Our son is the first child/grandchild on either side of the family to join the military,so we did not know what to expect.It has been a long road,but N4M has helped us through.I wish I would have thought to look for this site earlier.Well I found it and am grateful for the welcome.

Aug 29, 2009
Mari G

what happens if they dont call? his mother and i have not recieved a phone call recently. i only recieved one since he has been there and grad is in a few days. we have no letter what the access code for the gate pass and we plan to drive 16 hours up there, and we have no information

Aug 29, 2009
Chuck

HEY good to hear from you!
Sounds like Kat is ready for a transition to civilian. She has herself organized and is ready for school. Eric has a new challenge with the nights and the security issues. Like you say some good changes.
Andrew is at the Marine Base in Hawaii. and has been there for a while. He is in a squadron and working in his rating. He is also work the midnight shift in the hanger.
He is due to take the E-4 exam in the next couple of weeks. He has begun to work on the Air Warfare Pin.
They Navy saw fit to move him into a different barracks a couple of weeks ago.. He tells us that he got a good roommate.
He has made some friends and is involved in the chapel activities.

Sep 4, 2009
Chuck

No problem! When I joined about a year ago I think there were less than 400 members. It is nearly three times that now! I am amazed that you Terry and E.G. are not perpetually confused. Thanks again for all you do.
I did get Andrew's brother Adam to the Coast Guard Recruiter a couple of weeks ago. Not all good news. No one seems to be getting out of the USCG. The number of recruits is down to about 50% of what it normally is. Adam must score high on the ASVAB and get a good physical before the recruiters will talk to him any more.

Sep 5, 2009
Dan Blodgett

Paul, thanks so much. I look forward to this site. You by the way never lived in North Western Washington state did you? My son knew a Kat in school and that is an unusual name.

Sep 5, 2009
Craig

Yes..I am still alive...barely! With the new VW manufacturing facility being built here in Chattanooga I have been recruited by a local security firm to help with operations. Needless to say...I am slammed most of the time. Kids are great and Meagan has found out she can re-enlist with a waiver...she'll wait until Jeremy decides what he'll do but in meantime she's cramming for her BA and has a OCS recruiter in her back pocket...check this out and post on site if not already there, son in law is on color guard. I'll be around more often as my schedule has somewhat settled..Take Care Paul..watch.htm

Sep 21, 2009
Nick Kokenzie

I would like to thank you for welcoming to the site, My son, Nicholas has his PIR
this Friday September 25th and he is a Grad and Go.Unfortunately I will only get a short time with him but it will be well worth it. Does anyone else have a family member that has their PIR at the same time?

Sep 23, 2009
Chuck

Just an update on the second son. Adam is taking his ASVAB right for the coast guard. If he scores high enough he will be scheduled for MEPS to get his physical.
I see lot of comments about waiting for A school. According to Adam's USCG recruiter they have about cut in half the yearly number of recruits for the fiscal year 2009. Adam was told that he could not expect to be sent to boot camp prior to October 2010.

Oct 1, 2009
Chuck

I will pray for 2 Chronicles 7:14 to become a reality.

Oct 1, 2009
Chuck

How goes the security detail for the TR and is Kat getting her classes setup?

Oct 2, 2009
Kevin Ballenger

Thanks, Paul
I made it thru the first 3 weeks and all is well. Not hearing from him probably was the toughest, not only for me but especially for his Mom. Alex has also made it through and has managed to make Training PO for the division and is settling in to a routine. He gets to play firearms starting 3-1. He's excited about that. I look forward to seeing him on 10-30.. :-)

Oct 4, 2009
Brett T. Lacey

Thank you for the kind words. My wife and I look forward to seeing what this site has to offer and sharing stories of our sailors.

Brett

Oct 5, 2009
E.G. - ND's Creator/Admin

Thanks for holding down the fort lately. This renovation thing has been killing me. I have a deadline of two weeks to get it to the deer camp. The major work is done, so just a lot of small jobs left. I'll get some pics tomorrow and send them your way to see what ya think. I promise I'll be back in full force in a couple of weeks. Also, I'll give you a ring this week just to catch up. Evan will be home soon, so we have that going on too. Talk to you later and thanks for catching my slack lately.

Oct 11, 2009
E.G. - ND's Creator/Admin

Bambi my ass! I'm going for his DADDY!

Oct 11, 2009
E.G. - ND's Creator/Admin

Us Easterners have a saying here in the South. "Put a Buck in the truck" that's all that matters. Bow season has already started but my trailer is keeping me out of the woods until gun season. So I'll have some catching up to do to catch up with these redneck's around here. LOL

Oct 11, 2009
Michele

Thank you Paul :) I have felt like part of the family but now stuggling with a disconnect because I have nothing more to share. . .Wes was in shock the morning this all took place and slipped into depression once he got home. It is all confusing and devastating, and I can understand Wes' sadness. The Navy pretty much left him high and dry . . . striped him of his ribbons, uniforms, and even kept his pay :(. All this without a reason to why... I still support the military but have a chip on my shoulder for the Navy now. He was given an 'other than honorable' discharge . . which is also confusing - they broke the contract not Wes. Well the journey is over and my focus now is to pick up the pieces and help him to move on to still do great things elsewhere :). I wish all of you great success with the site!!! God Bless, Michele

Oct 22, 2009
Ricky Wong

Thx for all the info, Paul. I am sure Navy 4 Dad will provide me with lots of supports.

Oct 23, 2009
Shane Snyder

Thank you very much, my son leaves in the morning we have been very close and I am going to miss him very much.

Oct 26, 2009
P C

Thank you so very much for the advice and input

Oct 31, 2009
Carla Lee

Great site! Thank you for the welcome and comments which brought tears to my eyes...but then everything seems to do that to me right now....

Nov 5, 2009
Terry Beals

That was a great tip to go to the PIR, tips and helps. I'll definitely be checking it out more as we get close to 12/4 PIR.

terry

Nov 7, 2009
Eddie Gamboa

Wow, very interesting. His A school will be at Great Lakes right after basic. Do you know if he will get a short time off after basic? I heard that he should get 2 weeks leave.

Nov 16, 2009
DVT

Thank You

Nov 18, 2009
Eddie Gamboa

Thanks again. Thank you, thank you, thank you....................

Nov 18, 2009

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