Comments

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  NavyDads Admin, Tim November 9, 2011 at 4:42pm

  Yes john you are correct, as you stated I am from Shawnee, Ok. I have lived in the Shawnee area since 1975 when my family moved here from midwest city. I actually went to school and lived in Bethel until 1988 when I got married and moved to town with my wife.
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  NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary November 8, 2011 at 10:50pm

  John, I believe the emotional side in all of us is mutually shared. This is a journey we all must persevere. Keep the faith for the sake of our children and our own sanity for that matter...

   

  Take care,

  Gary
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  Gil November 8, 2011 at 6:40pm

  Hi John, I was reading your posts and I really understand the feeling.  My daughter is the youngest of three and my only girl.  I was in shock when one day in an airshow she told me "Papi, I want to join the Navy", she was 17 at the time but only a few months away from turning 18.  John, I saw in her eyes that she really meant business, I didn't know how to reply to her.  Anyways, Oct 25, 2010 she left for bootcamp.  I was so proud of her but inside I was destroy knowing that my only daughter and my friend, the one that I enjoyed every single conversations of her and her smile and so many other good things, was leaving home for good!!  God knows that I cried a lot (like a baby).  Today after a year, I still miss her the same way but I have learn to deal with my feelings.  This site has become an oasis for my heart, I know that I'm not alone and the are many other good fathers (like you) that love and miss their children.  So, my friend...we are here for you.  One thing that also have helped me is becoming her number one fan..I brag about her like crazy..you have no idea..lol  John, trust me in a few months, you will be writing a msg like this one to another father in our position and you will help others to be strong in moments like this one.  God bless you and you family and Bravo Zulu to Seth!!!  HOOYAH!  Gil
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  NavyDads Co-Admin, Calvin November 7, 2011 at 9:43pm

  John, be sure to check out our Groups. We have several Groups for PIR and Boot Camp, plus Groups for the different Rates like Navy Nukes, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Master at Arms. Check to see if your State or area has a Group already formed to locate others in your area. There are general interest Groups like: Care Packages,
  A School for Dads, NASCAR for NavyDads and the book of acronyms and ranks. We’ve also added a Spanish language Group.
  
  If you have problems or questions about the Groups, discussions or navigating our site please let me know. I’ll be happy to help or find someone more knowledgeable about your isssue.
  
  Again Welcome to NavyDads.
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  NavyDads Co-Admin, Calvin November 7, 2011 at 9:42pm

  John, Welcome to NavyDads. My Grandson joined the Navy and went to Boot Camp in February, 2008. When I joined this site I knew nothing about the Military. It’s really helped me understand what to expect and has relieved some of my worries. Please go to the Groups Page and check out all the various offerings. Join in to learn more about what your Guy or Gal will be learning and doing. We are a big family here and you can find answers to most any question or concern regarding what’s in store for your recruit. You will find members that are new to the Navy along with those who have Loved Ones who’ve made the Navy a career. We like to hear about your recruit; the good times, the concerns, and welcome questions. I think you will find our members are a big family and everyone wants to help others understand what to expect and hear about the progress of your recruit.
  
  Please feel free to ask questions.
  
  I would also like to Thank You for your Service.
  
  Again Welcome and keep us updated on your recruit.
  
  HooYah US Navy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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  NavyDads Admin, Tim November 7, 2011 at 9:38pm

  Welcome aboard John.
  I would like to take this time to point you in some of the right directions. For starters if you haven't had the time take a look at the right side of any page you click on. There you will find some useful information for you. The links under the about this site will help you with how this site got started, navigation, PIR, About us, community guidelines and some links to some of the groups that beginners with a lot of questions will find very useful. There is also a link called Navy Enlisted Ratings, this link will take you to a brief description of the rates (jobs) in the Navy that you can find your sailors rate and find out some information about the rate that they are in.
  First and foremost though we are all here for the same reason. We are curious about what our young sailors are getting into and for more information about the rate or job that they will be doing for the next 4-6 yrs of their lives. I know when I first got here I had lots of questions and there was not a lot of people on this site but they all were either going through the same thing or had been through it and had sailors out in the fleet. Now this site has grown to over 4000 members, Dads, Moms, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, sisters, brothers, girlfriends and boyfriends. Don't be afraid to ask questions of members in here because somewhere along the way we have all had the same questions and asked. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this site with various years of experience in the NAVY either on their own account or through their Sailors.
  Again welcome aboard and BRAVO ZULU to you and your son Seth on his enlistment and please thank him for me for making the choice to defend the freedoms that my family, this country and I have and enjoy.
  Navy dads Co-admin Tim
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  NavyDads Admin (Paul) November 7, 2011 at 9:28pm

  Welcome to NavyDads.com John! When my daughter enlisted in 2005 and left for RTC, I had virtually no knowledge of Navy life or how the Navy did things. By the time her PIR rolled around, I was starting to get the hang of things and understand some of the language and abbreviations, but still felt like a fish out of water when dealing with most topics concerning the US Navy. When my son enlisted and left for Great Lakes in 2007, I got serious about trying to learn as much as possible about the Navy. Now, several years into my journey, I’m blessed to say I have two sailors in the family - my son Eric (AM3) was on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and just reported to Helicopter Squadron Light-37 (HSL-37) in Hawaii after re-enlisting earlier this year. My daughter Kat is now a Navy veteran and was stationed on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) as a Mass Communications Specialist and is currently using her GI benefits to go to school. If NavyDads.com were around in those days, it would have made my journey as a Navy parent much easier!
  
  I'm sure you'll find NavyDads.com as useful, educational and informative as I have over the past few years. I hope you take the time to explore the site and make some new friends. Read the discussions and add your comments. Browse through the postings in the various groups or start a new one. If you have any comments, questions or concerns about your sailor and what he is going through...be sure to post them! In my experience someone here can answer your questions or concerns or can point you in the direction to find out. And John this is a great place to brag as well! So join in, get active, and be sure to let us know how Seth is doing! Please remember that we talk about the Navy here and we must keep the security and safety of our sailors and the fleet in mind. On the right or starboard side of every NavyDads page is an area we call About This Site. Please take a minute and read through the Operations Security (OPSEC) link for some guidelines as to what we should not talk about in a public forum like NavyDads.com.
  
  Play the following video for a brief introduction to NavyDads.com. We've made some cosmetic changes to the site since this video was made, but navigation remains the same.
  
  
  Best Regards- Paul
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  NavyDads Co-Admin, Gary November 7, 2011 at 9:14pm

  Greetings John! My son recently joined the Navy and I really had no idea or a clue on what he’s about to partake in besides what I’ve seen on tv and some stories told by friends and relatives. I am honored and very proud of his decision to serve our country.

   

  I’ve perused recruiter literature from DEP and beyond but I felt that I needed more information to keep me from worrying too much. I also wanted to hear from real folks on what their experiences were like and what they've gone through. That's when I found this website while searching for answers.

   

  I hope you too will find NavyDads.Com useful with lots of real shared information. Our family extends our warmest thanks to you and your son Seth for your service.

   

  Welcome aboard...