Paul: Thanks for the follow up....no more phone calls per my daughter in law....good to know and thanks again...GO NAVY

Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I was proud of my daughter when she joined the Navy but I was also very worried because of everything going on in the world. Before she left she signed me up for Navy for Moms on Facebook and they have been awesome! I grew up and live in Groton, CT from my front porch you can see General Dynamic Electric Boat Division. My father worked and retired from there so when I was little I attended quite a few boat launches. I live 2 miles from the Naval Submarine Base, 1 mile from the National Guard, and across the river is the Coast Guard Academy. At 8 am every morning I sit on my porch and listen to them play colors. I tried to join the Marines but didn't pass the physical. I wanted to serve my country so badly but couldn't, so I figured if I couldn't serve at least I could support. I am the President of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary and Chairperson for our Veterans and Family Support Program. So that is a little more about me :)

Thanks for the welcome and I was happy to see that you had a daughter who served on the USS Abraham Lincoln.  I was stationed on the CVN-72 in 1990, shortly after the commissioning, and sailed it around the horn from Virginia to the San Francisco bay.  I was on the first two West-Pacs and am glad that I had that experience. 

That's pretty cool. When I was on there the Penny Press was black and white photocopied newsletters, maybe 4 pages.  They've come a long way!  Thanks for posting that!

Paul thank you so much for the info

Thanks, Paul. I am very grateful for your kind and helpful words of welcome and look forward learning from you and the rest of the group on what it takes to be a Navy Dad.  I just heard from Michelle for the first time today since she started boot camp on 1/28 and am glad that I finally have an address for her thanks to this site...still have not received the package in the mail.

Thanks to all of you for the "Welcome Aboard". 

Because of my service as an Aerographers Mate from 1968 to 1972 on the Midway CVA-41 I had a pretty good idea of what my boy was in for. Also, because of my time in college after the service I felt my son was safer in the Navy than a "frat house". I do have to admit that today's service members seem to be even better than we were, probably due to the truely volunteer nature of today's military. thanks again.

Mike Knecht, AG2 (former)

Thanks so much for the welcome, we are so proud of our daughter. Megan is 3rd generation military, Her Grandfather is a WWII Army vet, I retired from the Army in 94. My brother retired from the Air Force, and a cousin retired from the Marines, so I guess you could say that the military is a tradition in our family

Thank you for the warm welcome, Joshua hit Chicago a half hour ago and is waiting for the bus.  He sounds excited and we are also, I look forward to visiting here on a regular basis. God bless, John.

Greetings, does anyone know what ppl stands for

Thank you very much

It is people. My 30 year old niece said it is the same as people typing lol, (laugh out loud)

Thank you for welcoming me and all the helpful information and links.

Many thanks, Paul.  You have a great website here:  I'm sure my wife and I will get a lot out of it, and hope to contribute to the discussion...Gary Zaetz, Cary, North Carolina.

Thank you all for the warm welcome!  I've been looking online for the past few days to see what I can learn before Craig's graduation.  We received his box several days ago and just mailed some letters today.  On behalf of my wife and myself, here's a big "Thank You!" to all of your for your help and support!!!! 

Thanks Paul for the welcome and advise!!

Yeah my fingers seem to be faster than my brain this morning major typo... Thanks Paul!!

Thank you for your warm welcome. My son, SR McClure, Sean M, is going into his 3rd week of boot camp. He is currently aboard Ship 2 (USS Reuben James) Division 926. At this time, we have not heard from him at all. I understand this is normal but, I'm not having much luck reassuring his mother. Again, thank you for your personal welcome and I look forward to sharing his progress in the near future.

Paul, Thanks for the welcome.  Looking forward to getting acquainted with the site & the rest of the Navy families.  Take care.

Paul - We're heading to Coronado next week for our guys' graduation.  Just want to say Thank You to you and the other admin guys that make this site possible.  It has been a great source of information.  

Wanted to share info on one of the things we're doing for family & close friends - We've been burning Navy Blue candles (3"x6" pillar) since the beginning of BUDs.  So I made arrangements to have the Class#, Grad date,  his name, and the Trident etched onto a glass holder (4x4x8"), to commemorate this milestone in our lives.  He did it, but family & friends made him who he is.  Not sure of the protocall for sharing commercial websites, but I have been impressed with these two companies - helpful, professional, no BS.   Quick Candles (Piedmont,South Carolina) www.quickcandles.com  and the engravers -  www.crystalimagesINC.com (Irving, Texas)

Quick Candles has a variety of holders & candles, but couldn't do the engraving the way I wanted it. Crystal Images sent a proof, and with a couple minor changes, they are in production.  I'll send a picture (OPSEC redacted) to you of the finished product - I think it will be a really nice thing for family to have.  Other parents may want to do something similar.

Regards R.

I did most of my work with hammer & nails (builder) but have been totally impressed with these two companies.  I ordered the candle holders (shipped to the engraver) and the candles (shipped to my office) on Wednesday, mid day, and received email confirmation that they had been shipped out on Wednesday. I received the candles today (friday), and the engravers emailed that they had just received the Holders.  They expect to shipped the holders to me on Monday.  Quick is an understatement.  I'm hopefull that the finished product will be what I'm anticipating.  R.

Thanks for welcome Paul.  My son has been in the Navy for a little over a year.  He is stationed on the USS John Stennis which is heading back from a deployment in Persian Gulf and the Arabian sea.  My father and I are also Navy veterns.  My dad on the carrier Princeton in WWII.  That ship was sunk in the Leyte Gulf conflict.  My duty was quite so tough.  4 years active of which I spent 3 years in Hawaii as a shore sailor.

Hi Paul!! Long time, no chat.  I hope you are doing well my friend.  I am not on the site much these days, but am hoping to change that.  How is Eric doing? Is he still in Hawaii?  How is Kat and her schooling coming along?  Billy is running in all directions as usual.  The Howard has been underway a lot in preparations for their upcoming deployment in Dec.  Billy had surgery in Feb. on his eyes to correct his vision.  It was a necessary procedure to do prior to submitting his package for entry into the Seals program.  He plans to submit just before they deploy and is hoping for acceptance sometime during deployment or after.  In the meantime, he's stays busy with work, training, martial arts, surfing, and piano lessons.  In all this, he still manages to find time to go out occasionally to the clubs with his friends, lol. 

I hope the world has been treating you and yours well.  Take care and I look forward to hearing from you when you have the time.

Hey Paul, thanks for the warm welcome to Navy Dads.  I'm the same as you when it comes to knowing anythng about military life.  It's been pretty quite and lonely since my son left for RTC.  He's half way through it now and I can't wait to go to his PIR next month.  His mom passed away when he was only 8 years old so it's just been me and him for the past 18 years.  It was very hard to let him go but I knew I had too.  And I know it will be the best thing for him to start his own life now.  Maybe I should start mine too....LOL 

Thank you so much for all the awesome info, Paul. My son left Jacksonville, Florida today for bootcamp. I am going to check out the navy bootcamp group you suggested. I have already learned so much from the website here and I am so appreciative! Easton will be going to nuke school in Charleston after basic training and this site has given my so much info about his chosen career. Thank you so much for your part in this website. Y'all have made a worried mama a little less worried today.

Just got back from 294 graduation.  Great trip, milestone for our family. Attached is a picture of the candle holder I had engraved (ordered 15 for family & close friends).  6 days from time of order to delivery. Bravo Zulu to Quick  Candles and Crystal Images. They turned out better than I had hoped.

Thanks - Russell

No problem Paul. I'll check in with ya next time.

PAUL,THANKS FOR THE GREETING AND INFO, MUCH APPRECIATED.

Hi Paul. Thank you for the welcome to NavyDads and for the hard work and dedication you have put in to this site for all the rest of us Navy parents!

Thank you for this site, I have been a proud navy spouse for over 10 yrs now, I love my salty seadog and would follow him anywhere(in fact I have). Again thanks for this site I has a personal touch.....

Thanks for the welcome. I guess Evan is an STS, or heading that way. He graduates BESS a week from tomorrow, so my wife and I are heading to Groton Thursday for a long weekend, though to short.  Again, Thanks 

Thanks for the warm welcome! GO Navy!

Hey thanks Paul.  I sure appreciate your support.  I can't believe all the people who have contacted me so far.  Thanks again. God Bless Our Sailors.  Hooyah!!

Hi Paul. Thank you for the welcome and the support. Your site is a big help. I should have known the site before my son left for booth camp so we were able to prepare him. Anyway he is doing well. His PIR date is on July 3, 2013. To bad our family were denied with our visa in US embassy manila. So as of now nobody can be with my son on PIR day. I'm almost here at our site everyday trying to read everything about our SR and the Navy. Thank you for all the information. More Power to all you guys!

At 4:30am on June 30, 2013, Edwin Sipin said…

Paul, thanks so much for your help. The website is exciting, but a bit intimidating. Thanks for helping me get started. My best to your son and daughter and bless them for their service.

Thanks,

Steve

Paul, thank you for welcoming me to NavyDads. This site is very helpful and a definite stress and depression reliever. Hearing all the stories from various parents is helping me cope BIG time. I am very grateful to be a part of this. Thank you again.

thank you for the welcome to the page . i'm sure i will be hitting you up with questions

Tell your son that I hope he enjoys his time in Kanehoe. My daughter spent some time in HSL-37 (go Easy Riders) while she was pregnant. And the majority of her enlistment with VP-4, the Skinny Dragons. Thank him for his service from an old Airdaile (AQ-2).

Dear Admins, thanks for the warm and informative welcome aboard!  I let my Daughter know I joined NavyDads and passed along the many thanks you expressed.

If any parents out there have any questions about experiences with children in NROTC, please let me know.

I am very glad to be a part of this community.
Go Navy!

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'll be sure to poke around for info, ask question that I need to and help out where I can.

Paul, thanks for one of the warmest welcomes to ANY group, online or in real time.  The wealth of information is staggering (swaggering? ) Do sailors still swagger?   Thanks so much.  Tom is in Japan; Kamakura? I believe and is a Hospital Corpman/ Lab Tech.   At the moment I haven't found an area for these guys, but I'll keep looking.  Thanks,   Donna (Tom's mom)

Thank you Paul. It is great to be a member. I look forward to all the information and interactions on NavyDads.com

Thanks, Paul, for the immensely valuable and precious time you volunteer to the operation of this superior site.

Thanks for the welcome, Paul. There are too many conflicting emotions filling my heart right for me to say anythings else but, "Thank you!" I usually quite good at compartmentalizing, but the door to my heart is bulging to the breaking point from the stress of pent up feelings.  She's my babygirl, the youngest, the most challenging one growing up...I so proud of her!

So, her mom and I survived induction and watched her broad bright smile throughout the whole affair.  She received her travel papers and gently (VERY gently) suggested that we could go home.  She dutifully called us pre-flight, post-flight and finally, just before she shut it all down and put the phone in 'the BOX'.  That last call was quite different from the previous two...she shifted from chatty to quietly efficient.  One of you kind souls on the site used the term 'separation anxiety'...couldn't be closer to the truth. She's been away from home before, but never more than a phone call or an hour's drive from us....guess it's time for dad to grow up!

I'm grateful I've got work to keep my mind busy - I know she's in good hands and I know she'll thrive - this is exactly the kind of experience she needs; an emphasis on honor, commitment, discipline...and above all, character.  As I read through the comments here, it's obvious that these are qualities and virtues shared by those in and associated with the US Navy.  Once again, thank you!