Commissioning & Reporting for Duty

So, we're no longer "In Between" (the title of my last post). After a whirlwind 10 days or so, my daughter reported for duty at Officer Development School in Newport, RI this morning... I couldn't be more proud of her on this Father's Day.

I posted before about Audrey's path to a military medical career, and hope you'll let me describe the events in her fledgling Navy experience as they unfold.

After what seemed to be interminable waiting, her orders and commissioning paperwork finally arrived almost at the same time. She had asked a colleague of her mother's (who is a psychologist and Navy Captain, recently retired) to do her commissioning, but since he was leaving the country on business on the 12th and the commissioning paperwork specified the Oath could be done "not earlier than" 15-June, we actually had two oaths - the first ceremonial and the second official. Capt. Sammons met Audrey, her parents and a few other family at the USS Hornet museum in Alameda, CA on the 11th. In a stiff breeze on the Hornet flight deck, with a yellow T28B Trainer aircraft and our nation's flag as a backdrop, she raised her hand and swore the oath of office, "to support and defend the Constitution..." Since this was before the "N.E.T." date, we arranged with Marine Major Brian Coyne here in Stockton to do the official oath this past Tuesday, the 16th. This time at the local recruiting station with a small contingent of Marine and Navy personnel observing (along with her parents), she took the oath and signed her commission, along with her commitment to serve for what will likely be 11+ years in the Navy.

The rest of the week seemed to fly by, with a few days of her visit here in Stockton (she's lived for five years in San Luis Obispo, CA while going to college and for a year after graduation). Since her PCS (permanent change of station) specifies Bethesda, MD where USUHS is located and the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda base does not have adequate housing, she'll be living off-base. So, apartments to lease, goods (and car) to ship, and all of that complicated by being incommunicado for the five weeks of Officer Development School. She's been ramping up her physical training over the last two months, so hopefully that part will go smoothly.

She got on a plane to Newport yesterday morning, with orders to report NLT 1100 today. I'm quite sure we'll next hear from her in 3 - 4 weeks. We're planning on a trip out East for her graduation from ODS at the end of July... I'll post more about that late in July...

For me, this is a particularly poignant Father's Day, with concern, pride, and confidence in her abilities all jumbled up... I also want to wish all you Dads out there a truly blessed day.