Hello everyone

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Hello everyone my name is Debi I joined this forum yesterday and found it very very helpful and comforting...

My 17 yr old son just left for boot camp on Tuesday well he left Sunday afternoon and didn't get to basic till Tuesday morning there was no flight to GL on Monday for them so that just made it harder having to wait one more day and on top of that he twisted his ankle when they got back to the hotel Monday night so me being a mom was worried about that he did call and leave a message Tuesday from boot camp so I'm thinking the ankle is ok...I know last night for him was a tough one because they said before he even left that he would be awake for 36 hours....(is this true and why?) I don't have his address yet and wondering when do they call with that info? I have already started writing to him just need the address and his info. And how soon will he be able to make that call home and actually have a conversation?

[AlexRiot]

your gonna get a letter with his adress and information and i dont know because i havent been to boot yet but i read that you only get 3 calls home the entire time so dont hold your breathe wait for a phone call cause its not likely to happen anytime soon. i hope your son does well :) keep us posted when you do hear from him ..

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

so basically you don't know when they will call I hate for him to call and me not be here that would really be horrible I'd probably would cry for hours if that happened I feel bad enough that I missed the call yesterday because I was at work.

I have another question maybe you or someone else might know the answer to when he did his paper work or whatever he had to do at meps on Monday they re-did his contract saying it was wrong or something and added 12 more months to it saying it should be 6 years not 5?
Why is that...was it an error or just making him do another year? I don't get it

[KYmom]

Welcome..

You should get the I am here call when he arrived at GL.

You will get a form letter about day 5 or 6 with his address.... about day 13 or less you will get the box with all his belongings in it.
They have to earn phone calls, first real one will be about week 3.. Keep your phone with you at all times.
There is non rhyme or reason to the timing of the calls.

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Thank you

I did get the I made it call but unfortunately it was on my answering machine =( he did say something about won't be able to call for 3-6 weeks =(

unfortunately I am not allowed to talk on my phone while working but I did say something to my boss about the I made it there call and was hoping my son would of called my cell instead of home he said for me to keep my phone on and with me so not sure if that was permission to answer it while working or not but anyways if he calls my cell I will answer it he is more important than that job or any job...my boss and co-workers are being very supportive and helping me through copping with this.

I'm wondering if I should change shifts and work 3rds/midnights for the next couple of weeks...but then again it may and may not be a good idea sitting home all day waiting on a phone call may do me more harm then good

[Retired Navy Chief]

I love Navy Moms !!!

No need to swap shifts or lose your job over this .... your son is in VERY good hands. And to be honest, even though he may want to tell you everything thats going on in his new life, but he is so ungodly busy right now that he probably wouldnt be able to finish a sentence .... hahahaha.

Best thing to do, even though it breaks your heart to not be able to do it .... is to let him make the first contact by letter. When you get that first letter ... start FLOODING him with letters from you, family and friends !!!

His letters and calls may sound down or disgruntled ... this is completely normal and while you don't want to dismiss them for feeling this way, you don't want to MOTHER them either.

Find the happy medium, let them know that this is only a temporary thing and that it is all part of learning.

Keep all of your letters and phone calls upbeat and supportive. Bootcamp is NOT the time to find out that "Petey the family dog was in a horrific accident with a passing ice-cream truck and died" or that 3 young ladies have shown up saying he is the daddy !!

Let your sailor do what they need to do and move forward in their training.

Cheers,
PISTOL

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Thanks I am starting to realize that I need to let him do this...it was his choice and I need to relax or I will make myself go crazy and it is getting better for me to handle as the days are passing I'm just trying to keep busy everyone tells me to live like we are 18 again with no more kids at home...easier said then done...they will realize once there last one leaves the nest...I am learning bootcamp is the hardest and its only for about 8 weeks (as long as they pass) which really isn't that long off and 3 days have already pasted since he's been there, 5 since he actually first left

so I'm gonna keep counting down the days and hope they get to 1-1 soon, then I'm sure it will fly right by before we know it and we will be at graduation and hope that he is not a grad-n-go that would be horrible to drive 9 hours to see him for an hour

[MacSteve]

if it will put you at ease, Navy bootcamp is a joke. In fact, I had A BLAST during bootcamp.. sure there were always those times when you'd almost get into a fight with another guy in your division, but for the most part I had fun in bootcamp..

[KYmom]

Look at the bright side of things...
You know exactly where he is and who he is with... He is not out in a car somewhere... You don't have to listen for the car to pull in the driveway or wonder what time he's coming in or who he is with. This will be the only 8 weeks that you will have complete satisfication in knowing where he is at and what he is doing.

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

if it will put you at ease, Navy bootcamp is a joke. In fact, I had A BLAST during bootcamp.. sure there were always those times when you'd almost get into a fight with another guy in your division, but for the most part I had fun in bootcamp..

That does put me at ease...but then I hear stories of how some had a hard time and hated it but my thought on that is they must of been one of the ones not getting it right so to speak and getting the division in trouble...my son has told us and everyone at his dep meetings that his plan was for them to not know his name and I believe that...he has never got into any kind of trouble so I know it will work for him and for the most part make is fun and easy for him.

[MacSteve]

that's everybody's plan. it never works lol. everybody gets in some sort of trouble in bootcamp. Everybody gets dropped (not beat up. pushups, 8 counts, sit ups.. etc etc) for doing something stupid, its bootcamp, it happens. but like I said previously, its a lot of fun :D

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Look at the bright side of things...
You know exactly where he is and who he is with... He is not out in a car somewhere... You don't have to listen for the car to pull in the driveway or wonder what time he's coming in or who he is with. This will be the only 8 weeks that you will have complete satisfaction in knowing where he is at and what he is doing.

That is so true I didn't think of that...thanks KYmom

I would just like to say thank you everyone you have been a really great comfort through this and I will be here for a long time...I'm sure one day I will be one of the mom's giving advise to the next new mom/girlfriend/fiance :smile:

I will keep you all posted on when that mysterious form letter comes hoping it might be today or tomorrow but I'm sure it won't be till next week sometime along with his first letter if they get to write this sunday so looking forward to it

P.S. to Retired Navy Chief I did change my first letter I have written for him to positive and more upbeat then emotional and mothering what I had

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

that's everybody's plan. it never works lol. everybody gets in some sort of trouble in bootcamp. Everybody gets dropped (not beat up. pushups, 8 counts, sit ups.. etc etc) for doing something stupid, its bootcamp, it happens. but like I said previously, its a lot of fun :D

true I know his weaknesses and I know it will take him getting yelled at a few times to get it right...it will be his inspection that will get him...and probably happens to the best of them...but I'm sure after getting yelled at or having to drop a few times you get it right so you don't have it happen again

[MacSteve]

pretty much. the hardest part about inspections is standing still. A LOT of people freeze up and dont remember the questions they ask etc etc.. but my chief always put it as "just remember they put their pants on the same way we do" blah blah blah, I never had an issue.

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Got the Form letter today woohoo...and a small comment he said the food is better then he thought and it has been a good experience so far...graduation is set for Aug 7th time to start counting down the days

[Retired Navy Chief]

That's good news !!!

Cheers,
PISTOL

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

yep I am happy... I just got the box with his stuff about 20 minutes ago...and his new contract I think he may have been confused when he said he had to sign for 12 more months making it 6 years but the contract said 4 plus 12 more months so it is still the 5 years we originally thought I'm happy about that by then I'm sure he will be decided if he will stay longer or not

[poddoc]

Welcome to the site. This is a great place to come for encouragement and answers. My husband got a few calls while a boot camp (they were rewarded for doing good), I think one was even an hour and a half long! Just write him everyday and send news in your letters (sports teams, etc). I even sent pictures with every letter (I went to Wal Mart and made wallet sized photos so that they wouldn't take up much room. Good luck!

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Thanks for the welcome

Still waiting for that first letter from him or call...and that is a great idea about sending the pics in wallet size I think I will do that...and I can do it all on my computer just need to get some photo paper

[KYmom]

COngrats on that form letter and the box.... Tell him if he is saving his letters that who will send him a pre-stamped / pre addressed (to your add) manila envelope so he can send his cards and letters home about half way through.
They don't have much room to keep stuff like that.

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Thanks on the congrats...Yeah I had wrote that in my letter I sent to him about sending them back home in the manila envelope I had read it somewhere on here that someone suggested and its a great idea to save the memories from when he was there

[AlexRiot]

im so glad you heard from him you must be thrilled :) i cant wait till i get to boot lol

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

Yes I was very happy to get that form letter even happier when I got a letter from him yesterday...

He said he is doing good and really likes it there but asked me to send him a voided check cause something messed up with his bank account I hope he will still get paid...

They are all pretty mad right now cause they are on standby training because someone might have a cell phone I feel sorry for the guy who does have it if someone does have one...and how would they find it do a shake down like they do in prisons? If the person does have a cell phone will they kick him out? or just make everyone else pay for it which they are now I'd hate to have a bunch of people p/o'd at me in closed quarters

P.S. thanks for the pic comment alexriot =)

[AlexRiot]

lol your welcome.. i speak the truth..

thats sucks man id be super pissed at the cell phone having person.. just saying yeah i dont hink id want that many people pissed off at me in such close quarters either that sounds like bad news for that kid.... :(

[MacSteve]

they will search up and down for that persons cell phone. he wont get kicked out, but he WILL regret it.

[ProudNavyMom/TN]

actually I think the cell phone thing might of been a mind trick thing cause my step son told me they said the same thing to him at army bootcamp and my son actually called yesterday woohoo he's doing good said it is boring right now they are in class doing the learning stuff he did say something about they are in the push group not sure what that means...but other than that its been 3 weeks already