Welcome to Navy Dads Chris. You have found the right place for all kinds of information that you will need as you begin this journey into Navy life. Explore and ask anything that you need!

Welcome to NavyDads.com Chris! When my daughter enlisted in 2005 and left for RTC, I had virtually no knowledge of Navy life or how the Navy did things. By the time her PIR rolled around, I was starting to get the hang of things and understand some of the language and abbreviations, but still felt like a fish out of water when dealing with most topics concerning the US Navy. When my son enlisted and left for Great Lakes in 2007, I got serious about trying to learn as much as possible about the Navy. Now, several years into my journey, I’m blessed to say I have two sailors in the family - my son Eric (AM2) was on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), was attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 (HSM-37) in Hawaii, and is attached to VAW-125, and back on the USS Theodore Roosevelt. My daughter Kat is now a Navy veteran and was stationed on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) as a Mass Communications Specialist(MC3). If NavyDads.com were around in those early days, it would have made my first days as a Navy parent much easier!

I'm sure you'll find NavyDads.com as useful, educational and informative as I have over the past few years. Click How To Get Started for a guide on getting going in your NavyDads.com experience! I hope you take the time to explore the site and make some new friends. Read the discussions and add your comments. Browse through the postings in the various groups or start a new one. If you have any comments, questions or concerns about your sailor and what he is going through...be sure to post them! In my experience someone here can answer your questions or concerns or can point you in the direction to find out. And Chris this is a great place to brag as well! So join in, get active, and be sure to let us know how your son is doing! Please remember that we talk about the Navy here and we must keep the security and safety of our sailors and the fleet in mind. On the right or starboard side of every NavyDads page is an area we call Key Information. Please take a minute and read through the Operations Security (OPSEC) link for some guidelines as to what we should not talk about in a public forum like NavyDads.com.

As a parent of a sailor currently or soon to be at Great Lakes you'll have many questions about what Austin is going through. In the Navy Bootcamp group is a discussion called A MUST READ for all New Navy Parents. 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 available in the Bootcamp Group as well and as PIR nears be sure to spend time in the PIR group for hints and helps!

Best Regards- Paul

Chris.....MWD (Military Working Dogs) is difficult to get into after A School as there are only a handful of slots. Tell Austin to do his best as orders are usually chosen by class rank. There is an interview process to get into MWD. Orders may be in the States or overseas. Please join our MA Group as there are several dads who have Sailors in the MWD program who would be happy to share their expertise.....I wish Austin luck!

Here is the link to get you there...

http://www.navydads.com/group/masteratarms

He is under no obligation until he takes his oath....He can rotate through MEPS until he gets what he wants. Have him contact his Recruiter!

What kind of degree? That in itself could open up a different path.....

The 2 year doesn't help as much as a Bachelor's, but it certainly doesn't hurt. He needs to push the Recruiter to get him into IT.....don't settle for something he doesn't want...

Chris...He can do it now.....or the Navy will do it for him! Either way....it will get done. He's got plenty of time if he gets it done now (and you have Dental insurance)! I think that he just needs to report the procedure to his Recruiter....