Welcome to NavyDads.com John! I'm sure you'll find NavyDads as useful, educational and informative as I have. Please 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. I'm blessed to have two sailors in the family - my son Eric (AM3) was stationed on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and just re-enlisted, and my daughter Kat is a Navy vet and was stationed on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). And John this is a great place to brag as well! So join in, get active, and be sure to let us know how Theophilus 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 About This Site. 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.

As a parent of a sailor currently or soon to be at Great Lakes you'll have many questions about what your son 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.

As PIR draws closer, be sure to spend some time going through the PIR-Tips, Hints and Helps group- we’ve tried to assemble some tips and suggestions to make your sailor's PIR more enjoyable. Best Regards- Paul

Mr. John, I'm glad that you found us.  When my daughter left to bootcamp I was very sad and had no idea what she was going to do, I was in the Army but that was many..many yrs ago and I know everything has changed so much.  In NavyDads I learned everything that I need to know about the Navy ways plus I found good comfort and made some new friends that encouraged me for the following 8 weeks.  Today it has been 9 months since she left and I still miss her very much and continue to get comfort from others but at the same time, I like to give a hand to the ones that are going thru the same path that I was.  You said that you never served in the military but yes you are serving the biggest Army to man, God's Army!  I don't know if your son has ever been away from home for so long..but I learned that my daughter needed every single prayer that I could give and letters of encouragement..if you can write daily, your son will thanks you for life!  So, if you need to talk and share..feel free to sent me a line or two.  God bless you and your family!  Gil

Yes, no problem Mr. John.  One thing that I remembered from my days in basic training, the wonderful feeling after a very long and tough day of training and hear when they say "Mail call" and next thing I know my name was called with a letter from back home, it was awesome.  So, I wrote a letter to my daughter almost daily..just a few lines and she told me that those letters kept her motivated to continue pushing herself to complete bootcamp!!  Good night Sir!