Welcome to NavyDads.com Bill! 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 Bill 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 Matt 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

Hey Bill,

My son, Jerry, left from Brooklyn, NY.  we did not get his address yet, still anxiously waiting for it to see how he is doing.  Jerry is our oldest child, of three kids, he has done the Navy Sea Cadet program which helped us and himself get ready for this journey. The swearing in was amazing watching all the recruits taking the oath and preparing for their journeys.  It was tough for us watching him get in the van heading to the airport, but I could not be any prouder of his decision to join the NAVY

We did receive the box with all of his personnel belongings and a small note on the back of a receipt. LOL.

I will let you know once I receive his address and could you do the same if you hear from our son first.

Thanks

Jay

Bill,

we have not received anything as of yet.  my wife heard from another recruits family, that is in the same class, received the letter with the address on Saturday.  hopefully on Monday we will get the letter.

Anxiously waiting to hear from Jerry, our son.  to see how he is doing.

Jay 

Bill,

we have received the letter as well, with all of the graduation information as well.  Looking forward to the graduation and hear how he is doing and adapting to the Navy life.  it will be here quicker than we think.

we will be attending the meet and greet the night before

hopefully we can have a drink together.

Jay

Bill,

They are not together.  My son, Jerry, is in ship 02 division 929.

let me know if you will be at the meet and greet at a local bar.  I will get the information from my wife if needed.

Jay

Bill,

Have you received any personnel letters from your son yet?  We have not received anything yet?

Hope all is well.

Jay

I saw tis on another board which may explain why we haven't received letters.  (Certainly by this time in my boot camp experience I was wiring letters). . Bottom line they were unable to post letter until Saturday.

Here is the post:

"Just a heads up for division 197 they are brother divisions to 198. So they attend classes together! Both divisions are push divisions. They were both on a hold for a week. Mothers and wives of division 197 (& I'm assuming 198 *dont quote me*) my husband was not able to send his letters until today. So anticipate a letter sometime this week. Or letters I should say as my husband said he anticipated being able to send out earlier. Some of your recruits are in the wisdom teeth removal stage! My husband said he does not know when they're allocated a phone call so maybe next week? I received my call due to having to send extra information."