FIRST LETTER FROM BOOT CAMP

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Permalink Reply by Bob Fish on September 15, 2011 at 6:02pm

My son has only been there less than 24 hours and I'm feeling just like you. Crazy see-saw emotions, will he, can he? I'm wildly proud yet concerned he'll "screw the Pooch"!!!

All I can do is stand secure that God is in complete control and all will be well.

From a Really new Navy Dad.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Govoni on September 16, 2011 at 5:51am

Hang tough,Dad. You'll be amazed at the progress and change. Try to detach as much as you can. Right now he is so occupied with memorizing and doing different exercises that he has no time to even think. Just imagine if you can, all the new language he has to learn, i.e. head, deck,bulkhead,etc. Ranks, ships, general orders too, to name a few. He'll be fine, you will too.

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Permalink Reply by Russell on September 26, 2011 at 2:51pm

Our son should be PIR on 10/14, then into pre-BUDs. We were more worried about the transition from civilian to seaman, than from seaman to BUDs. Although he played D-1 Lacrosse and grew up in and around the water, he has always been a "laid-back, free spirt" type.  His general outlook has always been "I'm going to do what I want".  Life at boot camp is (I'm relatively sure-) the polar opposite of that.

 

There is info on the Navy boot camp website about their expected day-to-day, week-to-week activities. There was also info on what to/not to bring to GL.  I don't know that he had ever really written a letter, most everything had been email & texting, but we have gotten weekly letters from him since week 2.  Being 24, he's one of the older guys in his Division, and wrote that alot of the younger guys were having problems with following orders, not talking, etc.  And that's in a Div. that is primairly SF recruits.

 

My wife is not happy about his decision to try for SEALs, but knowing my son, it would be a great fit.  It's along way from PIR to the SEAL trident. One day at a time.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Croom on September 30, 2011 at 7:10pm

My son's first letters just arrived (Ship 9, division 364), and he's been at boot camp for three weeks. It does indeed get better after those first few tough days. Here's what he said at the two to three week mark, for what it's worth:

- The food is good.

- He has 64 new friends in his division, knows their names, and they all stick together like glue. As he says it, "...my shipmates are awesome. Even if boot camp were ten times worse, it's good to know that 63 guys are backing me up."

- The RDC's are tough because they want the recruits to succeed. He says, " Now that P-days are over, the RDC's are there to help us, not just yell at us, and they have our utmost respect and admiration."

 

I'll bet that your son will feel the same way once he gets past those first days, and gets into the groove of doing things the Navy way.

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by NukeDad on October 3, 2011 at 7:24pm

Heh Barry,

Glad to meet you.  My son is also in Ship 09 Div 364 PIR Nov 4 and we just, 45 min ago, got our first phone call home, abeit short but enough for now.  He says there are no clocks, watches or calenders anywhere and has taken to marking the days in the back of one of his books.  Today is in fact the 33 day of boot camp and they are half way there. He says, he and a couple other SRs  do 10 loads of laundry a night for the entire ship.  Good training for a "nuke".  I figure you got to start somewhere. Maybe see you at the PIR.

 

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Permalink Reply by Barry Croom on October 3, 2011 at 7:41pm

Howdy Russ,

Yep, we got our call today about the same time you were getting yours I'll bet. Momma was highly pleased, and now all is well with the world.

 

Sounds like they have settled in, and made it past the hard part. Funny you mention that about the clocks and calendars. Sean asked me what day it was. Funny stuff. It was good to hear his voice. He sounds a little rough from a cold he picked up, and he's been in the hospital trying to heal up from an injury, but he's still 100% on fire about being a Sailor.

 

You can tell your son that mine is one of the guys who helps keep the office in working order, whatever that means. I'll tell Sean to look up your fellow in laundry duty.

 

Hope to run into your at PIR. Best regards, DBC

 

 

 

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