All Blog Posts (898)

18 November 2011 Graduation Day (a.k.a. PIR) - We shuttled in and arrived at the main gate drop-off area roughly around 0700. As we made our way to entering the base, we were warmly greeted by courteous heavily armed MAs who checked our photo IDs. From there we walked a short distance to the graduation hall and at the door we were handed the graduation programs. They asked for our names, our sailor’s name and division number.



Our names were validated and checked off of the access…

It’s been almost eight weeks since our son entered the doors of the U.S. Navy RTC. Since day one, I’ve done nothing short of worrying non-stop about him all the time…



I just wanted to express my gratitude to his recruiter S. Sargent from the Navy Recruiting Station, Fairfield, CA and the entire team at RTC for giving him the opportunity to serve our country in the most awesome Navy in the world.



Bravo Zulu to all of the Sailors for a job well done Hoo-Yah!…

The Boyfriend of a Girlfriend in the Navy:  PIR, Getting Through 67 Hours of Emotion on 6 Hours of Sleep.

*Spoiler alert! If you read all the way to the end you will find a happy ending.

Wednsday

0430 Woke up for work

1130 Get the sailor call. Nice to talk to Sailorette, but we all knew she would make it, no surprise there.

1730 Left work early to head to airport. There are only 2 Nathans hot dogs in Phoenix. I’m so looking forward to a Philly and lemonade…

Posted in the Navy Times.....

Seabee killed checking road in Afghanistan

A Seabee working with a provincial reconstruction team in Paktika province, Afghanistan, was killed Wednesday while assessing a route, according to a Defense Department release.

Chief Builder (SCW) Raymond J. Border, 31, of West Lafayette, Ohio, was assigned Navy Mobile…

I’m happy to have received yet another letter from my son. As we all know with boot camp schedules, there’s no telling when you’ll get a letter or a phone call from your SR.



He is doing well and continues to focus and work hard to remain in the top ten percent. At this stage the “welcome to boot camp” culture shock is pretty much over. He’s passed the PFAs required to-date and told me that they were awarded the Athletic Flag. Though I really have no idea what this means, I do know…

We’ve all read the bumper sticker, “If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read it in English thank a soldier.” This idea and common belief probably deserves a closer look.

What do soldiers protect? A language? Religion? “Freedom?” Oil? The list goes on and on. This statement speaks to a popular form of “American values.” And, is probably worthy of further thought.

Preserving culture and language is an interesting discussion. Arguments could be made…

With exactly three weeks left to go and a day for PIR, I’m feeling ever so anxious. I’m so anxious that I haven’t slept straight for weeks ever since my son left for boot camp.

I’d wake up in the middle of the night wondering how he’s doing, how he’s feeling and I still constantly worry but I always just hope for the best. I wish I had a Time Machine... Usually, I’ll have one of my “If I can only turn back time” moments, but in this case I wanna go full-throttle at warp speed…

Sailorette called Things are going well. The service isnt what she expected and she maintains a couple weeks could be shaved off of boot camp. She says there is ample "study time" I think that means time with nothing to do. 

She said getting lots of letters is awesome. Some people get a fistful every day. Some get little to none. One girl has gotten 1 letter from her boyfriend in 5 weeks (I think we know where this is going). Sailorettes grandmother and myself are the only…

Thanks for the kind welcome. My daughter is in 7/371 with a PIR of 11/10/11. We have gotten 3 letters so far. It seems we get them on every Tuesday. I have 2 questions; Has anyone tried to bring any additional people to graduation beside the allowed 4 people, and did they get in? and, In "A" school, how much down time do they have? and, do they have access/privileges to phones and computers?Any info you can provide would be great. Thank you

i can only speak for me but the sight of a flag draped coffin as dad that just sent his son off to boot camp is a far to real reminder of what could be the outcome most of us are already on edge not that you did anything wrong i have talked to you i think you are a good guy something like that is just to soon for some of us

The night before the burial of her husband 2nd Lt. James Cathey of the United States Marine Corps, killed in Iraq, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer…

Yay! I got another letter today. what a treat, I wasnt expecting it. Sailorette is doing well. There were complications when they pulled her teeth but she says its no big deal because the pharmacy is like a Pez dispenser.

I cant wait till PIR. I am going to carry her around and cover her with hickeys!. I cant wait!

I am not new to how the Navy dose things. With my nephew in it makes him the 5th generation in the Navy I think. Things can and will be hard for everyone, our seamen will be home sick and we will miss them but stay strong and have open comunications.

I received a second letter from my son. I was pretty bummed out about missing his phone call the other day but hearing from him again via letter I feel much better now.

I'm happy to hear that he's doing well in boot camp. I'm a worry wart by nature and most of the time I am my worst enemy. I've always try to set the bar higher for myself in life. My son has taken this to heart.

He's pushing to do his best and his commitment and dedication is unquestionable at…

                  i have worked for myself all my adult life so was able to take my son with me i think he was on my jobs from the time he was 2 so he watched me run men and crews the whole time he was growing up i have never asked one of my men yo do anything i was not willing to do myself and rite along side them i never talked down to the men and did not run around yelling at them i learned early on if you treat a man like a man you get there respect and they want to work for you my son…

This afternoon my son called and I missed his call by seconds. By the time I picked up, I was too late. I feel horrible! Today I'd say is one of the crappiest days of my life. I can't help but to blame myself.

He did get a hold of his mother and from what she tells me he's a bit emotional from being away from home cause he misses us all. Otherwise, he's doing fine in boot camp. That made me feel happy and sad all at once.

So for all you folks out there who are…

    I found no one online in my situation. I wrote the first handful of blogs and posted them on my own web site. I emailed someone I know that served a full career in the Army. His response was “keep writing.” So I did. I found this site and thought people here would have some knowledge and input into these thoughts, and feelings.  I figured it would be therapeutic and the advice would be helpful. I am reasonably good at picking out advice even if its not right on the…

I realize my point of view may not be common among this community. Do I think I am in the right place? Yes. I am no different than many others on the edge of becoming part of the military family. New members are filled with questions. I have asked many of the same questions in the context of my own point of view. I know other people have the same concerns and we need a place to go to get answers from people that have been through it.

In my situation, the answers I…

I am finding some people confuse honesty with selfishness. When I say this I am not solely speaking about the reader.  The author is culpable in the same sense. Through much thought I have learned not all are cut from military cloth. Discerning this is the core function of boot camp. True these men and women are learning to become soldiers. The challenges they face test physical and mental capability, but those are not as important as the quality they truly test. They are…

A bulletin popped up on Navy facebook from TSC Great Lakes stating in so many words that Dec. 16 until Jan 2 will be Holiday Leave.  My son will be graduating PIR this Friday, the 14th and attending the TSC Great Lakes.  I'm cautiously optimistic at this time.  Should I plan on this or should I standby? (My Navy dad had many stories of his Navy days and superiors changing plans on many occasions. The South Pacific during WWII may have been a little different, however)

2nd - My son…