Navy Dads

First, thanks for approving me and I look forward to spending a lot of time on this site! My son will leave for Great Lakes on Tuesday April 12th. We are all starting to get a little nervous and excited all at the same time. We thought that there may be some time to support our son and spend some extra time together on the 12th but he has stated not much goes on for parents and he will be busy. He has requested we drop him off at the hotel in San Diego the night of the 11th and say out good-buys there. I am not sure if we should push a little to be there on the 12th, if the other young people will be surrounded by loved ones or if we should honor his wishes and wrap it up on the 11th. I realize he is becoming a man and I want to honor his wishes but I don't want him to be the only one standing around alone. Anyone that has been thru this and has any advice we would really appreciate! Thanks Again! 

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LOL, don't look for me on the 12th. My son (David) is shipping from Jacksonville Florida, and San Diego is just a little bit too far to go just for a cold beer. I was referring to the boys PIR to celebrate their graduation from boot camp ... I'm just assuming you will be making that trip to Great Lakes.

Dan,

Sorry I missed that. I agree, LOL. I will not look for you in San Diego but we can celebrate in Illinois!

Great News! We are going on Tuesday and he is good with that! We take him to the hotel tonight in San Diego and then we are going to join him Tuesday at MEPS until they put him on the bus for the airport. I know they leave early for MEPS and have some paperwork to complete. I am not sure when the family should arrive but we were thinking around 8 AM. I don't want to miss the swearing in, should we go earlier???

Have him call you this evening.  He'll probably have a good idea of his movements by then.  I know my son had to have his final medical exam that morning - sign his contract - THEN swear in.  and all in all it was about a 6 hour day for him at MEPS.  we arrived at 8? and saw him as I said in my other post, after his medical & contract and before his swearing in.  then for lunch afterwards... until he left.

well the deed is done ...

David swore into the Navy yesterday and is now enjoying the friendly confines of beautiful Great Lakes Ill.

A big Bravo Zulu has to go out to the Jacksonville MEPS center, great facility, efficient process, and wonderful people made it a pleasant event for both new recruits and their guests. Hopefully all the parents who can in anyway attend their recruits "send off" will.

Brett, did your son make it out OK, did you get to attend? He and David could very well be sitting together and admiring their "new hair styles" as we speak. LOL

Yes, we are also done.

 

I am so glad I asked the question on this board and went to MEPS. The ceremony was great and something we will watch with family. There was one girl with no family their and she asked someone to take a picture and I felt bad for her not having any support there.

 

For those who read this in the future:

 

Monday we did a family day together in San Diego and got my son to his hotel by 7 PM. We said some long goodbyes and left to go to another local hotel. We didn't know the military had overbooked that hotel and later our son was bused to a different hotel. He got to bed late and they got him up at 3 AM as he had to be brought back to the first hotel for breakfast and to ride the bus over to MEPS with everyone else.

 

We got to MEPS around 8:30 AM and got to sit with him in the family area. He would get called into different areas for a long time. We finally went to swearing-in and they do a good job and even let me come up front to video. My son was really tired but they would not let any of the boys sleep. After that they gave him a box lunch and we sat with him as he ate. They then announced he would not fly out for GL until the next morning. It worked out better as this gave him a chance to go back to the hotel and sleep. We could have stayed as he could go out with us after he was returned to the hotel as long as he was back by 10 PM. He just wanted to rest and we had to get back home for work the next day. He called us later and we all got to talk with him but pushed him to turn in early.

 

This morning he sent me a text from the airport to let me know he was flying out had gotten a great night of sleep. He called again in Chicago and was getting some pizza before jumping on the bus for GL. We just got the call that he was safe, and would write to us in a couple weeks. It has begun!

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