Jim,

Thanks for your warm welcome. I look forward to utilizing this awesome resource as my son moves through his training to his first deployment. He is working so hard in SQT and a lot is being demanded of him. He is doing great and I am so proud of him. Thanks for your support!

Thank you for the welcome.  I am having some trouble negotiating the site, because I am so new to all of this.  We dropped our daughter off on Sunday 1/8/17 to OCS in Newport, we still have no idea what her class number is, and wonder if e will be able to see any pictures that are posted here or on Facebook.

We are very excited and apprehensive.

Thanks for the warm welcome Jim. Our son has been serving for 2.5 years now. He just deployed to Bahrain where he will be for the next two years, much to the disappointment of his mother, but he is doing what he loves as an EM. He made EM3 his first go around and was promoted, what the AF would say, "below the board". He's carrying on the proud tradition of two grandfathers, a grandmother, and me, his father, by serving in the most powerful navy in the world! We could not be any prouder.

Thanks for the welcome! We are all very excited for our sailor- Becky L (also on here and just joined) is his girlfriend and I suggested to her to join as well. Although I have a background in the Army and still work for the DoD, I don't know as much about the Navy at all. I was so glad to find a website where I could follow what was going on with his training. 

Hello Jim and thank you very much for your kind words.  My wife, daughter and I are back in Austin, TX having spent several quality hours with my son Alex following PIR last Friday, and a few hours with him at O'Hare awaiting his flight to "A" School.  It was a major relief that we were able to give him his cell phone at the airport because he made a point of letting us know when he arrived at base, and he's able to keep us updated now a whole lot easier than during boot camp.  I've noticed a tremendous level of maturation in him since he was sworn in almost 9 weeks ago.  And I think my wife finally feels comfortable with his decision to join the Navy, knowing that he's in great company and pursuing a job and education that will benefit him for the rest of his life.

Alex is going to be spending the next 12-18 months in school for IT/ATF.  I'm nervous that he may have bitten off too much, but he scored very well on his ASVAB and he likes a challenge.  He served as RPO1 Starboard Watch in boot camp for his division, and I trust the environment he's in at "A" School will provide all the incentive he needs to excel.

I'm looking forward to visiting NavyDads often for updates and if I have any questions, I'll be sure to post them.  Thank you again . . .

Best regards,

Werner

No sir. He is at Great Lakes in boot camp. After A School, he will be in Charleston for about two more years of school.

Big thanks to you and the other admins.  PIR was terrific and we had a good few hours with our son. Too few for Mom!  Lars is now in Pensacola,starting A school shortly. He got exactly what he was hoping for: ATO. Lots of excitement ahead.  

I must say I was very impressed with all the new sailors I met at PIR or at O'Hare.  

Thank you Jim!  I'm looking forward to this adventure.

Thanks Jim for the welcome and comments.  We're extremely proud of our son and best to your son as well.

Sincerely,

John

Thanks Jim for your encouraging words.  As parents, we're so new to this.   For starters, we need to know the definitions of acronyms that are being used (i.e., PIR, ATO, etc.)  What do they mean?  We do know that this whole process is a dream come true for our son, and we're proud of him for having the desire to serve our country.  

"Thank You", my wife and I already feel good with all of your kind words and encouragements. My son has an estimated departure date for boot camp - June 22nd. Will keep everyone posted.

Thank you, we are half way through boot camp and excited to see what the future holds.

Thanks Jim.  Our son heads to Newport this weekend.  He is a determined young man.  We're counting on that seeing him through!

Hi Jim and thank you for the welcome also.  Very grateful for this site and all of the work that has obviously been put into it. :)

Thanks Jim and all, yes I am proud and a little surprised he chose this as we are not a military family either. He has to do the security/ background stuff (and renounce his British citizenship) before they will schedule a class at OCS, so it could be some time. He has the SWO board recommendation so I am told that is a good sign. I am glad to be part of NavyDads and I am sure I will learn lots too. Thanks, Andrew

Thanks so much for the admit.......am heading down to CLJ for another long weekend visit with my sailor.....I want to get in all the visits i can before he "heads out" this summer.....Again, thanks :)

Ladies & Gentlemen, Thank you for the warm welcome and the confidence you all share. My son christopher made his choice on his own and is mentally, physically and spiritually solid young man. I wish I could hear from him more often as we chatted everyday in our pre-boot camp life. The only thing I have read from him was on the form letter and it read. DAD, this place is intense. He will do well and I'm looking forward to congratulating him on May 19th as he accomplishes his first step of navy life. I know how proud he was when he left and his transformation from young Palm Beach County Florida grown, to now a US Navy Sailor will be a sweet moment for his extremely proud DAD    

Thank you all and god bless, Looking forward to keep up on the site

All the best

Patrick

Jim,

Thanks for the warm welcome.  I understand how the early days of enlistment can be stressful, I am watching my wife start to rev up the panic meter.  Luckily I have lived the sailor side of things and have been able to talk her off the ledge more than once.

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the warm welcome. And thanks to your son for his service!

Thanks, Jim.  My son's name is Eric also. :)  He was told back in March by his recruiter that he was accepted into OCS.  He was told his letter/orders would arrive within a month.  It's been two months now and nothing.  He's working out every day and trying not to be discouraged.  He's very ready to get on with his new career.  T

Hi Jim,
Thanks very much for the warm welcome! Look forward to learning from everyone's experiences and sharing my own. Thanks to your son for his service.

GO NAVY!

Rudy

Thanks for the welcome. To those who are "lurking" , my son has made it through boot camp and now is in the ET programme at Goose Creek, SC.  Week 8 or thereabouts.

Yes, I'm proud of him.  Excessively.

Background:  I'm not military; the draft expired the year I graduated college (they probably wouldn't have wanted me because my eyesight was terrible), and my father was Army Air Force (yes, that long ago) before I was born.

God bless you all.  Now, if only the .mil and .gov would update the security certificates on their sites, so that I would not need to add Firefox security exceptions...

Thank you! I'm hoping to learn a lot here. My daughter will be my only "experience" with the military.

Nothing has ever been SO new to me and I'm looking for all the "help" I can get. :)

Jim,

Thank you for your comment and warm welcome! Also, thank you to your son for his service! My daughter Hannah is just completing her first full week of RTC and I'm sure, is still getting her sea legs.

I come from a family with some military background. My Dad was in the Air Force during the Korean conflict and my older sister served in the Navy in the late seventies and early eighties in Antarctica of all places.

Hannah is very patriotic and wants to serve her country. She is also ambitious and after her Navy career will go to a school that specializes in the technological end of the entertainment industry. She has a plan. That's more than I can say when I was 18. LOL!

Thanks again and I will make full use of the NavyDads.com website as things progress.

Sincerely,

Wes Kanost

Thank you Jim!

Thank you for the warm welcome, Jim.

I have no military experience whatsoever and I am a mother so of course I'm on edge a bit:) My daughter just went to RTC a week ago. I received her belongings package already but I do not know anything about her address - ship and division. Do you have any idea when will I get this info? I already wrote her a letter but I need an address.

Thank you again and thank your son for his serving!

M&M

Thank you Jim! Thank you for your son's service!!

It has been a definite roller coaster ride with the unknowns.

My son's best friend went into the Navy also and left a week before July 20th and my son left July 27th so it is like we had two that left but at different times. My son's friend's Dad already got his grad date letter and a letter from his son a week ago and we are still waiting for the letter telling us his grad date and mailing address so we can hurry and get letters off to him soon here. We did receive his box of belongings already.  

Thank you again for the invite and also for this site to talk to others and hear what everyone have experienced.  

Thank you!!

Thank you. We are pretty much a military family for the most part I guess you could say.My Grandfather fought in World War II. He was wounded twice shot once and tripped on a trip wire. We look forward to seeing our son in RI. And hope to get the most of this experience since we are not from the area. Any and all advice to make the trip the most fun for class 01-18 Charlie.

Thank you, Jim. A very impressive website. I look forward to the opportunity of exploring it and being a helpful contributor to the group. Thanks again!

Thank-you, Jim!!  Can't wait to look around.

Thanks Jim, I have no idea what to expect. I don't know his motivation for joining or wanting to become a SEAL other than he's always challenging himself.

Thank you Jim!

Thanks Jim! I joined the Facebook page. Which one would be more preferable, the web site or the Facebook page?

Thank you very much

I agree with you, Jim.  The decision of my Son to enlist was well researched and thought out.  The most mature decision he has made.  I am confident he will do well.

Thanks Jim,

my son leaves this week for OCS.  Due to this site and the OCS official webpage, we feel much better prepared.

thanks so much!

Thank you for sharing. My son will be honored on the last deployment of the vessel he was assigned to. I had the heart to heart that he MAY be called to the supreme sacrifice, but he assured me he understood. We both know he will see the Lord if that happens. WOW, what a great young man has emerged - GO NAVY!

Hi,Jim!

Being a Vet, I knew my Son made the best decision. He didn't want to tell me he went Navy, fearing I would be unhappy since he didn't go Army like me. I didn't ( and don't )  care which branch he chose, I just wanted the best for him. The amount of growth I've seen in his letters is a Blessing. I hope your Son is doing well... I understand the shock of not realizing his plans can be overwhelming , but GOD does have his hand in all our kids do. I am dismayed they only give him the day for Liberty - I got the weekend when I finished Basic Training, and I didn't even think to check if things had changed since 1979.

OOOPS!

GOD bless you for your service to Navy Dads... and thank you for your quick response!!

Jim, thank you for your welcome note and for making yourself available to those of us new to this experience.  Like you I have been impressed by my son's mature decision making and the commitment he's shown in joining and participating in DEP.  I look forward to the journey.

Thank you again!

Stan

Thank you Paul and Jim for accepting me to the group and for the encouraging words.  Im very proud of Ethan for his courage to serve his country.  I have a lot to learn before he graduates so I'll take all the advice i can get.  Thanks again.

Thanks for the welcoming message. Even though I am an Army veteran, I am very proud that my grandson made a very mature decision to become a naval officer. He is doing great and my wife and I look forward to his graduation ceremony. 

Thank you,I am sure this site will be a great tool ,very informative,thanks again god bless

Oh wow, thank you guys for the warm welcome! My son has just enlisted. This is a whole new adventure for us as a family and we are so proud of him. I'm sure I'm going to use all the wrong vocabulary words for what I try to say. And, oh boy, what about those acronyms?  I'll try not to ask too many stupid questions as I work to catch up!

Jim,

Thanks to you and Paul for a great web site and all that you do on FB as well.  While both my dad and my wife's father served in WWII, neither of us or our siblings served in the military.  When our daughter went off to law school the Navy was not a part of her plans.  However, while in law school she met some great folks who attended the Naval Academy, served their initial commitment and then took a break from service to attend law school before going back active in the JAG Corps.  The rest is history as it was a great decision and she has loved every bit of her service as a Navy JAG officer.  

Thanks again, great web site.

Nick

Hi Jim,

I thought it was odd she asked for my address. She probably meant email but either way. Thanks for following up. 

Robert

Thank you both for the quick acceptance and insight you've offered.  I wish I would have found this site prior to my son's PIR.  He's just bagan A school and I think I'm more excited than he is.  I did review the OPSEC link, I get it.  I too am very proud of my son.  He is the first in my immediate family to serve our country.  Thanks agin guys............KEV

Thank you Jim.  My Step Son just reported to Great Lakes on April 17th.  Looking forward to see the information available on this page.