Larry, 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 sons journey in the Navy. Thank Kristopher for his service for me and thanks again for joining us.

Sincerely, EG

Welcome to NavyDads Mr. Fleetwood! I'm sure you'll find the site as fun, useful, and educational as I have. Explore the site 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 certainly 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 in the family - my son Eric (AM3) returned spring '09 from a seven-month cruise on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and my daughter Kat (MC3) returned fall '08 from a seven-month cruise on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). And Mr. Fleetwood this is a great place to brag about your sailor as well! So join in and let us know how Kristopher is doing! We do ask that you remember that we talk about the Navy here and we must keep the security and safety of our sailors in mind at all times. On the right side of every NavyDads page is an area we call About This Site. Please take a minute and read through the Operations Security (OPSEC) link and the NavyDads Guidelines link.

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. In the Navy Bootcamp group is a discussion called A MUST READ for all New Navy Parents. Take a few minutes to read through this post as it will do a lot to give you some understanding about what your sailor is learning and why. And be sure to check out the videos as they address many of your questions and concerns.

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

I also joined for moms first, then found this site. I have enjoyed what I have discovered this far. My son is in boot camp and is due to grad. Feb. 26th. in Ill. I have never flown, but I guess there is a first for everything. I have no idea what I am about to do, so if anyone has any pointers... I am all ears!!!

welcome to the journey! Spend tons of time rooting through old posts in the Bootcamp group....tons of "been-there-and-done-that" experiences and suggestions! Also lots of time in the PIR-Tips and Hints group...might as well start to prepare for PIR and the experience. Both easy to find....go to Groups tab on the top of the page...you'll see both of those groups featured. If you have questions or concerns...be sure to post them!!

Thank you, that was exactly what I needed.

Brand new project I started today...you had the very first post (needed someone to test on!!!!) Glad it provided what I hoped it would!! HooYah....go Navy!!

Way to go "Gramps"!!!!!

Thanks, I am getting packed to see my song graduate on the 26th... I have never flown before so i am nervous as crap!

Mr. Fleetwood,

I'm not 100% sure of this but I believe he can only leave if it is immediate family mom, dad, brother or sister if he is in boot camp. I think the only exception to grandparents is if your Sailor lived with them at one point or another. What stage is he in? The Red Cross is who you contact in this situation, they are the ones that get your Sailor home. You should contact them to see if they can get him home. I'm sorry for your lose and hope your Sailor is able to come home to be with the family.

Mr. fleetwood, EG is correct in the contact. you need to cntact the local redcross an havyour sailors Soial security number when you call. The redcross wi inturn ask you some questions about the situation and make a call to the Dr. to verfy the information about the grandmother. when this information is attained they will then get ahold of your sailor's C.O. and alert them to the situation. The only downfall to this is that until the situation worsens the recross won't be able to get your salor home. The redcross will give you a case number en you get ahold of them, keep this case number handy as you will have to hav it if the sitation takes a turn for the worse after the initial contact with them. This case number will speed up the process for the next call to te recross.
My mother-in-law passed away a few weeks ago and it took us a week to get my son in town. He was on deployment and was half wy around the world so it did take time fr the flights.

Your family is my prayers during this difficult time. As EG and Tim have noted, you must call the Red Cross. When my mom passed way the Red Cross contacted Kat and she was able to arange for leave so she could be with me and help with arrangements. They went out of their way to deal with a difficult situation.

He is finished with bootcamp and is in the process of going to Florida, and yes he did live with her. We moved in with them after my divorce, me and my four boys, they are very close.

Let me say how sorry I am for your loss...having your son arrive in time for services must have been a great comfort....my daughter did the same (flew home from A-school) when my mom passed away and she was a great aid during those difficult times.

Mr. Fleetwood,

 

Naval Support Activity Bahrain (or NSA Bahrain) is a United States Navy base, situated in the Kingdom of Bahrain and is the home of the U.S. Naval Force Central Command and United States Fifth Fleet. It is the primary base in the region for the naval and marine activities in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

 

If you son is being deployed overseas, he'll first report to Bahrain and then to his fleet or foreign land. For example this base acts like MEPS, this is where your Sailor will fly in to report for duty. He will be processed there and then shipped to his duty. Just as when your son left for boot camp he went to MEPS first for his paper work and then they flew him to Chicago. Bahrain is where he will give his paperwork and then be processed to his final destination.

 

When my son flew to Bahrain to catch up with his fleet, he stayed there about a week there then they flew him to and landed him aboard the USS Ronald Reagan which was at sea. I'm not sure of your son's rating but this is probably the case unless he is to work there on Bahrain's base. So if he is catching his fleet, going to Afghanistan or Iraq, Bahrain will be his first stop to check in before going farther.

 

Hope this helps a little,

Bahrain is the HQ of the 5th Fleet, and there is a large Naval presence there in support of the military missions to the middle east.