Replies

  • Marco Mattucci March 2, 2014 at 6:46pm

    Sounds good…will definitely do that.  Thanks

  • Joseph Cavallo March 2, 2014 at 6:21pm
    Marco, we flew from Philadelphia but only because the weather was so unpredictable in early February. Had we driven it would have been through a major snow storm. Look on this site for tips, they are VERY helpful in navigating the area, places to stay, travel to PIR etc. I also recommend that you watch it in advance, every Friday they stream the PIR for that week live. I watched a couple and it helped a lot. Even without your child there, it's amazing and emotional. Also depending on where they are going for A-school, you'll have time with them. I was lucky in spending the day after PIR and much of the next day in the airport before he flew out.
  • Marco Mattucci March 2, 2014 at 6:05pm

    That's what we figured too.  From where we are in Maryland, estimate is about 12 hours.  I think I am going to do the same.  Of course we are still waiting for our letter and information on the grad date.  Hopefully if we're guessing right it should be in late April.  Fingers crossed, we will get some news this week…Thanks for your reply…Mark 

  • Michael Burrow March 2, 2014 at 5:35pm

    Marco, we'll be driving from Eastern CT. We looked a flying but 2 tickets is still a lot more than the gas from the trip. It's 15 hours to the hotel from here. We're planning on arriving with time to rest in the hotel for a few hours prior to attending Sarge's Meet and Greet in Thursday Evening.

  • Michael Burrow March 2, 2014 at 5:29pm

    My wife and I are planning on attending Sarge's Meet and Greet.

  • Marco Mattucci March 2, 2014 at 2:11pm

    Thank you Joseph.  That means a lot.  We were at mass this morning and we felt better after.  I know this will be a few more hard weeks, but like you said, it will pass on to something great...

    How did you travel to Great Lakes for the graduation?  My wife and I are looking in to a couple of options including driving up there.  We are in northern MD and it does not seem too bad considering other options.

    Thanks

  • Joseph Cavallo March 2, 2014 at 1:38pm
    Marco, tell your wife to be patient and if she is a praying person, pray for God to watch over him and for your family during this time apart. My son completed boot camp a few weeks back and is in A-school in San Antonio for Medical Corpsman. The 8 to 9 weeks of boot taught all of us valuable lessons. We had the added experience of not having him home or even talking to him on Christmas and New Years. To say it was painful is an understatement. But we learned through this and through the support on this site that boot camp is to prepare us as well. There will be times without him, times when he is deployed and we can't talk, times when he can't share things with us and has to be vague. But just seeing his transformation after boot camp, hearing his stories of endurance and perseverance made us extremely proud of him as I know you are and will be of your son as well.

    This is a huge step for these kids not matter their background. Like you I've met some amazing young men and women recently. Some completed college, some a little college, others enlisted out of high school as a career choice and yet others had a troubled youth. All, and it mean all, were transformed in boot camp to amazing, respectful sailors.

    Good luck to you and your family. Feel free to ask any questions, we are just a few steps ahead of you in this journey.
  • Marco Mattucci March 2, 2014 at 9:32am

    Thanks for that reply.  I know the waiting is the hardest part, but it is reassuring that so many other families have gone - are going - or will go through the same thing.  We're not alone in our feelings and hopes.  I know the sacrifice for us is a lot,  but so worth the reward.  I had the pleasure of meeting 2 young men (late 20's and early 30's) over the weekend that both went through boot camp several years back…one is still active and a CPO Third Class, the other retired after 2 re-enlistments.  The first is now living in the greater Washington area doing his "dream job" with the Department of the Navy in DC, and the other became a doctor (through his education during and after the Navy).  Both were in Sub-school, and (I have to say) a couple of the finest young men I have ever met...Firm handshake, clear and detailed conversations, and both credit the Navy for their successes through life.

    Thanks for your insight on this tough time, and I hope the time to graduation goes quickly for you too...    

  • Joseph Cavallo March 2, 2014 at 6:25am
    Marco, for us, the box arrived about 10 days after he arrived at boot and the letter came in the mail a few days after that. The waiting is tough for what little information you receive. The Letter will show his mailing address and PIR date so we wrote letters and as soon as the letter arrived we turned it around and mailed them out. We also immediately set up our travel for PIR.

    We did receive a few calls during bootcamp. The first was 90 seconds, very short and my son sounded tired and drained up just to hear his voice was a blessing. I am told this is quite normal. But if you don't already, answer every call even if you don't recognize the incoming number. You never know.

    Good luck.
  • Marco Mattucci March 1, 2014 at 10:15pm

    My son arrived at RTC on Tuesday.  We got the phone call that night, but nothing else so far.  My wife is waiting for the box of stuff.  I don't know if that form letter comes with that or not.  Either way, we're just patiently waiting for some news.  Thank you to all you guys for the replies, advice, and being good fathers to have raised such great sons and daughters!!!

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