At some point, I'll want to ask for time off from work for my son's graduation. Of course, we don't know yet when that date will be. When is it parents usually get an idea when their sons and daughters might graduate? Also, do new officers usually head off to their next duty assignments right away, or is there a gap---and what happens during the gap?

Thanks for answering our questions!

Thanks Paul for the friendly welcome. It makes me feel really good and when David goes to OCS (whenever that will be) we will be anxious but very proud.

Andrew

Thank all of you for this site, i found NavyMoms too, Im becoming obsessed with learning what my recruit is doing this first work, so Im so excited to hear from others that have gone thru or is going thru the same

Paul,

Thanks for the welcome.  I hope your daughter Kat enjoyed her time on the Lincoln.  I am a plank owner of CVN-72.

Thank you very much for the "Welcome Aboard" Paul. I appreciate all the great advice you shared. I am vaguely aware of some of the rigors our son will be enduring both at RTC and once he joins the fleet. I say vaguely because I went through the same processes many many years ago (1986-1990) and my memory is a tad foggy these days. Not to mention things may have changed just a little since then. I was fortunate enough to have been assigned RTC Orlando for my boot camp experience. I thought it quite coincidental that I actually served on the same ships your son and daughter did. Both the Theodore Roosevelt and the Abraham Lincoln.  I was an AME3  assigned to VS-24 , CVW 8. We were on board the Lincoln for her initial shakedown cruise January of 1990. That was my last time at sea. I do hope your daughter is doing well and enjoying her time on the Lincoln as much as I did. 

Hey Paul - thanks so much for the kind words.  I really appreciate you pointing me in the right direction here & will be making the most of NAVYDADS, believe me!  I'm a little anxious, but that's only because there's a LOT I just don't know & a LOT to figure out ASAP...or at least that's how I feel - but I'm as proud as any Dad can be of my daughter's decision to join the USN & I know I'll benefit from the wisdom and experience of those of you who have gone before me!!

Thank you for adding me Paul . Not real familiar with this form but I will catch on well enough.  So you did some SCA fighting thats awesome may I ask were ?   

Cool funny my big interest was fighting and I learned armoring out of necessity. Been with the SCA about 24 years now. I am a knight and a Royal peer. Before that I did jousting and live steel with some other groups. It has always been a part of my life. I love the historic aspect of it all but enjoy the sport just as much. These days I do allot of teaching but fighting is still high on the priority list.

Thank you.

My daughter will be my very first "experience" with anything military and I need to learn a lot.

I know I came to the right place. :)

Paul thanks for the kind words and I hope to learn alot about the NAVY as I have a ton of questions.  I cannot wait to hear about all the great stories.

Paul,

Thank you so much for your comment and information you've provided. My daughter was very excited to join and did so a mere two weeks after high school graduation. She's at GR now and is completing her first full week. She very much wants to be stationed over seas in Europe or Japan.

Her first job choice was Mass Communications as she wants to attend Full Sail University in Orlando FL after her Navy career. She had to accept a different job, although a good one. She will go to San Diego to study being an Sonar Tech on Surface ships. The importance of what she is doing is not lost her though. Hannah is extremely aware of the need to serve her country and wants to make a contribution. She loves America and wants to help it succeed.

I have some familiarity with the Navy. I had a sister and brother-in-law both stationed in Japan. My sister got to go to Antarctica and "summered over" there and came back with some great stories. I've had other relatives on carriers (U.S.S. Saratoga) during the Vietnam war and at other times as well.

I will make good use of Navy Dads web site and intend to visit frequently.

Sincere thanks!

Wes Kanost (Navy Dad)

Hi Paul,

My son Andy was on the "Big Stick" (USS Roosevelt too!) Back then, if I am correct, he was with, here it comes, VAW-125! He is on shore duty now, teaching air crews how to survive if they have to "ditch".

Semper Fi!

Yep! I just checked the patch he gave me....VAW-125, flaming torch, crossed trident and lightning bolt in the background. About 8 years ago, I took a "Tiger cruise" with him from Mayport to Norfolk...had a blast!

Semper Fi!

Hi Paul.

I work for Burson Campaigns based in Memphis. BC is a division of Burson-Marsteller, which itself is a part of the Y&R network of communications companies. Y&R is owned by WPP, which just signed a 5-year deal to partner with the Navy for a host of new marketing efforts.

It's long and convoluted, but the bottom line is that I'm a PR guy. I find stories to pitch to the media about sailors in the hopes that we can better explain what the Navy does and why joining is important. Our ultimate goal -- what we've been hired to do -- is to help the Navy attract talented recruits (women and minorities in particular) interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.

You're precisely the kind of "influencer" we are trying to work with and reach out to. I've joined this site to learn more about what Navy dads are most concerned with, interested in, and have the most questions about.

I served aboard the USS Long Beach back in the 1990s. Long Beach was the Navy's first nuclear-powered surface warship, having been commissioned a few month ahead of the Enterprise back in the 1960s. I was there from 1991-94, and served during the first gulf war (Desert Storm). I enlisted in 1989 and got out in 1995, using the GI Bill to go to Ole Miss. I graduated in 1998.

I had a good experience in the Navy -- it straightened my ass out and motivated me. I saw some unbelievable things and made some great friends. It wasn't all sunshine and roses but it was worth the challenge. It means a lot to me to be working with Navy again because I genuinely believe in it. 

Far as I know, I'm one of the only actual enlisted Navy veterans working on this account. 

Please feel free to contact me via email. I'll be reaching out to you again if you don't mind.

Thanks for the advice on this site. I'm nervous as heck, since this will be a major trip for us in October to go all the way to Rhode Island from New Mexico. Hope to have most of if not all of this experience figured out by the time we get up there. 

Thanks!

Hi Paul,

First of all ,thank you for responding. I do not have a comment, but I do have a concern in regard to my nephew Kyle. While Kyle was stationed in Japan, he incurred some injuries to his Head, which I believe affected his brain, and he is no longer the person he use to be. Because of his age (he's now 28) we do not know where to turn for help. he enrolled in 2009 at the age of 21. It breaks my heart to see him like this, hence the reason for me reaching out. I am hoping that you or someone can guide us, in this situation ,as to where do we go from here.We live in New york.

I anxiously look forward to your response and guidance.

thank you 

Sussan

I spent 10 years in the Navy and this has been something my son has wanted to do his entire life.

Thank you Paul! My eldest arrived at bootcamp on Wednesday. My other son is currently in the DEP. I'm pretty sure after New Year's they're going to push his date up. I've been doing my best to educate myself. This is a great place for that.

Thanks paul

Thanks ! My son joined in June 2015 and after he got out of high school June 2016 he went to basic January 3 2017 after basic he went to CTR school for 7 months and now been in San Diego for about a month he on the USS Boxer.

Thanks so much Paul,

I will be sure to study the site.  I am so grateful to have this information and place to feel a part of the experience.

thanks again!

Kathleen

Paul, thank you very much for the information, links and sharing your personal story.  I appreciate the time and energy devoted to making this site available and welcoming to those of us new to this experience!

Stan

Paul,

Thanks for the welcome information.  I have been a member of the FB page for sometime, but only learned of the website today.  The web site is loaded with great information, congratulations.  I hope to be able to spend more time on it and learning.  I do feel like a “veteran parent” as our daughter has been active duty (including training) for almost 2.5 years now and will soon complete 2 years overseas in Yokosuka and be home around the end of this month for a brief week before she moves on to her next permanent duty station.  She will be home for the first time in 27 months! So we are very excited though we did go over to Japan and had the chance to spend some time with her over there and meet the exceptional group that she works with.  Makes one incredibly proud to know that your child is working and spending time with such talented and clear thinking people.  I should note that even as. JAG officer she spent almost 5 months deployed at sea last summer, three of which were on a guided missile destroyer, so her overseas experience has truly been well rounded.  

Again, thanks for putting together a great web site.

Nick Padway

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

Thanks for the welcome, Paul.  I appreciate you sharing the OPSEC link.  With so much information to absorb, we often don't think of things that are so obvious and it's nice to be reminded.  I look forward to meeting and sharing with other Navy families here.

Drew

Thanks for the greeting and welcome.  I am a second gen. U.S. Navy, my Dad was a SeaBee station at Pt. Mugu, and my son is a sailor fix'in to start boot camp.  He had 2 Uncles in Air Force both deceased.  I'm happy as everything with him going into the Navy.

Thank you for the welcome, Paul! I work for Lockheed Martin and we do most of our work for the Navy so I am not a complete fish out of water when it comes to the Navy, but I am sure this site will help me learn many things that I am unaware of. Thanks again for the welcome.

Thank you for the welcome!

My son shipped on 8/2 and we received the initial phone call and his personal belongings. However we haven’t received any additional letters from RTC. We have terrible mail service and don’t want to miss graduation notifications or his mailing address/ ship number. Can anyone tell me at what point we should be notified of these things?  Thanks in advance!

Thank you for your email. I look forward to reading and learning more about the Navy as my daughter just got started. 

Thank you for the message and the information, it will definitely help with knowing what to expect over the next 8 weeks.

Paul,

Thank you for your response. Interesting to hear that your son Eric will be an instructor in P’Cola. I was raised there. My son shipped out yesterday for Great Lakes, and it was very emotional for his mother and myself. I look forward to his journey and the sailor he will become. My father was a recruit at Great Lakes in 57’, from there it was off to N.A.T.T.C school Norman, OK. and Memphis, TN. (AMH2). After that he was assigned to squadron VFP-62 @ NAS Jacksonville, and NAS Cecil Field. He was then assigned to squadron VT-3 Red Knights @ NAS South Whiting Field. From there he was assigned to “Westpac/ Vietnam deployment” 1964 with VF-151 aboard the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) . When VF-151 returned from deployment they joined USS Constellation (CV-64) 1966 and returned to South East Asia theater. He finished his service at NAS Miramar. I am very privileged that father will join me for PIR @ RTC late DEC, or early JAN (TBD).

Thanks for the warm welcome Paul. We live in Mesa in the Phoenix area. Just starting to explore the site and will definitely reach out to y'all if we have any questions.

Thanks for the welcome, Paul!

Tyler just went back to Newport R.I. for a couple more months at Officer Candidate School (OCS). He recently graduated from UCSC with a degree in Electrical Engineering and has been in the Nuclear Propulsion Officer program.

His OCS class had a break for the Holiday's.  My wife and I will be fly out from California for graduation on March 1st.

I look forward to exploring this site and getting to know some folks!

Best,

Dennis

Ahoy there! Grew up constantly hearing nautical terms; Mom - Navy Brat; Dad - Marine. Uncles all military pilots.  Heavy weather here in DC area.  Battening down the hatches. Storm warnings..... Time to weigh anchor and shove off.  God speed....  Peter S. ADAM

Or, better yet:  Any port in a storm....

Thank you for your introduction, history and warm welcome Paul. You provided some great tips and links to help us navigate, learn and understand my son's and our journey. He is graduating this Friday, letters have been flowing frequently between us and he is PUMPED! All the best, Bob

Thanks, Paul for the Welcome Back,

I discovered Navy Dad's back in about 2012.  At the time I too was trying to learn as much as possible about the Navy.  My son went right from Waukegan straight to sub school in Grotton. My wife and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at the Groton Townhouse with our son as it was his graduation from sub school.  

My wife and I had a pretty elaborate vacation planned, but we both decided his graduation from sub school was such a milestone, we felt it more important.

My son has been through quite a bit.  A lot he does not talk about because he holds true to his requirement for secrecy, but I do know he has lost 3 shipmates and had a bunkmate attempt suicide.  

So, After 3 funerals and the bunkmate incident, I was actually surprised that he re-upped again.  In these incidents the Navy seemed to do a good job of making sure everyone got the support they needed, contrary to some of the things you see and read in the news. 

We had a long talk and he simply told me that he loves the Navy, so he re-upped and has changed to the surface fleet and he seems to be liking it a lot.

I'm proud of my son; both of them, his brother served in the Marine Corp and after 4 years used his veterans benefits to become an electrician.

Anyway, I could write a book on my son's journey as well as my Marine son, but for now, I will simply say: "Thanks for the welcome back".

Thom

Wow...Thanks Paul! I've got a lot to digest. Thanks AGAIN.

Thanks for your comments Paul..i appreciate them. My son as been ordered to serve on the USS Paul Ignatius. I was wondering how i could get in touch qith any other parents who's son's and daughters are alos going to be on there. Also, the commissioning ceremony is said to be during the week of July 21-28. How can i find out when the date of the actual commissioning is. My son doesn't seen to know bit he's not exactly someone that will go and ask questions. 

Thanks Paul I appreciate it. We'll be heading down to Ft Lauderdale in July for the commissioning..should be exciting

Thank you Paul, your comments are encouraging. I am looking into the resources you provided. We watched the documentary few weeks back when we learned he was going to boot camp. I finally got the his last phone call before starting boot camp. Fell asleep watching the documentary again after his phone call. 

Thanks for the info, Paul. Tommy PIR is April 12. So, this is all getting very real. 

Thanks for the welcome, Paul. I look forward to the resources here to get a better idea what he is going through during boot camp.

Thank you, Paul.  I'll check through both of your suggested links.

Thanks Paul, for the web links. It provides great informations that help me understand what he will be doing and going through at OCS. The comments from like minded NavyDads and others were very encouraging and educative. The documentary videos I navigated were great. I thank you and your team for the info. Keep on the good work.

Paul. Thank you so much for the fantastic welcome to your page. I am glad to be here as I know so little about the Navy, Ships and overall hiw the Navy works as my son will be there for years to come. Not really used to not seeing him and that is rough. Or not getting a text for 2 weeks is kind of weird for me. I’m excited for him and his learning and new friends he will get over time. My son is protecting our great country and I love it!!! Looking forward to being a Navy Dad the rest of my life!!