NavyDads Admin (Paul)'s Comments

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

Thanks!

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. 

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.

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,

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!

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)

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.

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. :)

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 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 ?   

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 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. 

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 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

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

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!