Thanks for the kind words and introductory greeting Paul.  I appreciated your story about your daughter Kat who had joined the Navy in 2005.  I too have a daughter now in the Navy and it was very difficult to see her go. I have invested a great deal into my daughter and I hope her experience in the Navy is as rewarding as your daughter Kat's time.

Hi Paul, sorry I haven't been on lately massive computer problems, then got pneumonia and was in hospital, then Sailor graduated Prototype and I helped move him to Groton, Ct was there less than a week a was then shipped out to the Northern Sea to join his boat....I will try to get on the site 2morrow (1/23/15), but I heard they have had a lot of problems. What do u mean we can't chat anymore on the link? WTHeck

Paul, Thank you for the nice reception to Navy Dads. I have been looking at this site for some time looking up information. My son went to Great Lakes 2 weeks ago so I figured it was time to be a member. Thanks for all the great information and everything you do.

Thanks for the information Paul, my Son is the first to leave the nest but is home for a few days before departing for the Stennis.  Couldn't be prouder!

Thank you so much for the warm welcome, truly appreciate it!  My son left for boot camp yesterday, we received his phone call last night, and we're excited for him as well as so very proud.  Thanks again for having this resource available, it will make it easier for us to be engaged with him, one way or another.

You've already made it easier with the warm welcome, thank you!  It's such a comfort to have a resourceful and engaging community.  Here's wishing your son a safe journey and may you have a great week!

Thanks Paul, looks like a great group!  I may start posting thoughts there.

Thanks Paul.  We just received our first letter from our son yesterday and it appears he's doing well.  I've been looking at your site for some time and found it very helpful, specifically through the OCS survivors guide.  It kind of gave me an idea of what he was going through.  And especially thanks for the site instruction video.  It was very informative and will be helpful in navigating the website.  Thanks again and I look forward to viewing information over the course of his career.  

Steve

Thank you so much!  My husband is currently in his 3rd week of boot camp and I am here in El Paso, TX just trying to keep it together.  I had a million questions because this is so new to me.  The good thing is not only does the Navy website give good information, but forums and pages like this one answer the questions I need answers to that the Navy site does not provide. :)

The following is the post I left for Jim which clearly applies to you as well. I will view the video and read thru the security section as you requested. Again, thank you for providing an amazing resource for those of us uneducated in this experience our sons (and daughters) are going thru. God bless you and your sailors. . . 

Thank you, Jim, for granting me access to this amazing resource and community of dads in my position and those with experience. The morning after he left and a mere eight hours after his call from GL I found NavyDads.com and it has already helped me tremendously. It was difficult to "let" him go as Dominic is my only son and like many I am sure on this site, we had that father son bond from working on cars to athletics and everything in between. NavyDads is giving me the information needed to help me understand what he is going thru and in that bonding way we had a connection to him as if I am still being "dad". God bless.

Super helpful. Like most trials and tribulations in life I know I will get thru it. I just sealed my first letter to him awaiting his address to begin my letter campaign. I love this site as it remains up and running on my computer 24/7.

Thank you so much for this wonderful page and all of the information and support that you all are sharing here. My son left for boot camp on the 16th (two long days a go) and I miss him terribly. He was my rock for his almost 20 years of life, he was my best friend, my most amazing son. He is good big brother also and I just don't know how am I going to get thru worry about him and be able to keep going and being strong for my and my younger son. God bless you and your families

THANK YOU so much

Thanks for the info Paul.  I was in the Navy twenty five years ago, and realize very little has probably changed between then and now, kinda just like from when my dad was in compared to my time.  Just looking around, and adding myself to this new group since it will be his ship for the next four and a half years and it's on the other side of the country from where we live.  Thanks again.

no word from grand son as  of yet only second week, i have a son who was in, 11 yrs and a brother who spent 20 yrs  in service,  so i pretty much know whats happenig. to say i spent 4 yrs  in service `1965 to 1969, did time  in tonkin gulf . one of the few ships hit by v c forces, uss keppler dd765, 

Thanks so much for your email. I read through the (OPSEC) link and cannot concur with you anymore over the safety and the anonymity of all our countries FINEST. I only wish the Main Stream Media would abide by these rules as where I hear and think to myself, Why would they talk about that information and put our troops in unnecessary danger ??

Thanks so much Again.

Thanks for this warm welcome from everyone and sharing your experience with me as one among the family member. This really gives me much comfort. Thanks so much again

Thank you Paul. I definitely need to learn the lingo. all of the designations A this and C that..no clue here. I think this site is just what I need so I can speak his new language!

No problem Paul, thank you for your response

Thank you so much for the warm welcome Paul! I appreciate you!

Thank you Paul!!  Much appreciated!!!

Thank you too Paul for your post and information! As I told Jim, I can see that this community is awesome!! I have had several of my family serve in the military incl. my mom, dad and brother. I tried twice to join, once in the Air Force and once in the Tennessee Air National Guard, but due to certain medical reasons I was not accepted. I took that as God's way of telling me it's not in his plan for me lol. I am very proud of his decision and look forward to seeing him grow into a fine young man serving our great country!!

I look forward to being a part of this community!

Thanks for the welcome !!

Thanks Paul..I'll check out all the info, so I can understand the Greek in your first paragraph :-)   Congrats on all your Sailors.   My grandfather (SeeBees WW2), Dad (Reserves) and Uncle(NukeSubTech) all served in Navy, I got sucked into Information Technology and never enlisted, but my daughter has brought the fam back into the Service again and I couldn't be prouder

Thank you very much for all the information.

Thank you Paul for the welcome and information. I served myself and have an idea of some of what my daughter will go through, but I served in the Marines and 20 plus years ago at that. I know things have changed; I appreciate any & all good advice and direction! 

Thanks for the add & welcome. My daughter joined the Army in 2000 and left in 2002 on a med discharge, only to enlist in the Navy a couple years later. She made Chief in 2011 after being in only 7 years. While that is not a record, it is rapid and commendable. Currently stationed on the Michael Murphy, she started on the McFaul so she is used to being on a destroyer. At this moment I am puppy sitting her three dogs at her house on Oahu (it's a tough job, but someone has to do it) while she is in a 3 week training program state side. Sam (my kid) is the first one but not the last one of her family generation to be in the Navy. I have a nephew in Norfolk as well.

My history... having graduated an all boys Catholic School in 1976, only one member of my class joined the military. He went into the USMC like his father, his g'father, and all the males in his family throughout time. If you can recall, 1976 was a time of major upheaval in the military. The Viet Nam war had just ended, my age group does not have draft numbers, and Pres Ford started the all volunteer military. They were trying to get rid of their over abundance of personnel at that time. I went to college and afterwards became  a Deputy Sheriff in SW Florida, where I still live with my wife of 27 years. I am retired with 29 years of service and currently work as a driver for a private ambulance company. Cheers

Thanks for the welcome, Paul.  I'll surely learn as much as I can at navydads.com

Thank you Paul, WoW! Did you put this sight together? I could spend hours browsing through all this information.  Thank you for dedicating your time and effort; as they say in the Navy, "Job well done!"

Dean P. 

Thank You for helping us with getting a better understanding. We believe this is a great time in our sons life and could not be more proud of him. I would like to share how Sean decided to join. We were at the gym when Sean found a pamphlet for a Air Rescue Swimmer position in the Navy. He expressed interest and we decided to go and look into it. The Recruiter asked him why he wanted to be a Rescue Swimmer and his reply was a simple "to save people"

Wasn't long afterwards that Sean had a contract and was signed up on the DEP.  considering our son is an Eagle Scout and has went to districts on our high school swim team I think he made a good choice. He just left for Basic on the 2nd so we are still trying to wrap our minds around it finally happening.

Again Thank You for the welcome. It is appreciated.

Thanks very much for the warm welcome! My son will have PIR on 9/11 with Div 818 but unfortunately, I will not be able to attend but will be viewing the streaming broadcast. This site has been very helpful for me to understand many of the aspects about Navy life in general and the specifics regarding what he has been enduring while in Navy Boot Camp. I couldn't me more proud of him!

Thank you Paul for the welcoming e-mail.  I wish I could had found this site earlier before my daughter left for Class 03-16.  My husband and I are Army vets, but never thought our children would continue the military tradition. Okay, maybe a little!  It started with our youngest daughter joining the Army, then my son, and now our oldest daughter is Navy.  When she joined the Navy she told us, 'I won't be the only one without military service in this family!"  I smiled.  She made me very proud!  She was captain of her cross country and track team, and played field hockey in college, and when she started running back again this summer, it was like riding a bike.

Thanks again for having this site!  

Hilda

Thanks Paul for the welcome and advise. My son Matt is scheduled to leave in March (2016) which gives him plenty of time to prepare mentally and physically. Fortunately my son is the smartest teenager on the planet - He has to be because he knows everything. Come to think of it almost all our other kids were the smartest kids on the planet. I say that because he and they knew everything. HAHAHA. I spent three years as an Army MP. When I enlisted my older brother, by 15 years, was a Infantry Major at the time and had entered the Army as an enlisted MP in the 82 Airborne in 1963. He taught me how to be a "Troop" before I went in. Advise I followed and which paid off. Matt is in good physical shape playing high school soccer and had earned his Eagle in Scouting which allowed him to start out as an E-3. But my biggest frustration is his "dad, I know that stuff" attitude. Oh well, he has always been the one who learns things the hard way. Example, he made Life Scout at 15 and didn't complete his Eagle until the day before this 18th B-day. I believe that was because I told him the pay difference between an E-1 and and E-3, although isn't much, my it must have been to him. Since he's a "man" now, this mom and I backed off and letting him march on. The military is certainly the right move for Matt. Please don't don't get me wrong, he's a good young man and is simply learning to be a man. Go Navy, best regards, Bill

Thank you Paul for the welcome and info!  I'm new to this Navy Dad stuff, but looking forward to the adventure (vicariously through my son) I also look forward sharing questions and stories.  Hooyah!

Paul, Thanks for the warm welcome. Also thanks to whoever did all of the work to get this up and running. I'm glad this website exists. I made my first post this morning. Best regards,  David Keith

Thank you so much for the welcome and the info. I'm having a hard time doing my work because I want to just sit and read up on all that this site has to offer. Even though I'm a female, I've had to be both Mom & Dad to my son. So thank you for letting me join this site. Hooyah!! :)

Thanks for the welcome Paul. I am looking forward to exploring the site and I appreciate all the admin effort that goes into keeping a site like this current and operational.

Tracey

Thank you for the information Paul. My son has been in Sasebo for almost a year now and we are planning a trip to visit him in the spring. I'm sure that I will find plenty of useful info in the posts.

Thanks much for the comments. My sons PIR is 11/6 and we cannot wait to see him. He reports he is doing great and loving it!! We are so proud of him.