Posted by sean mcaleer on December 28, 2009 at 9:24pm
My son Alex joined the Navy to be a SEAL. He enrolled in the DEP for a year and a half. He passed his PST test over and over each time raising his score. He scored 92 on his ASVAB. He got 1200 on his SAT's. He had his pick of any job in the Navy, but wanted to go SEAL. At some point during boot camp, he started getting very sick. His blood work came back that he was anemic, and he lost his SEAL contract. He was given a choice to go undesignated on a ship for a year or go to Seabee school in Gulfport. He chose Gulfport- as the lessor of the two evils. He graduated from SF division 818 even though he was very sick, losing weight, and anemic. When he got to Gulfport to begin his A school, he encountered several incompetent military doctors who misdiagnosed him for the next couple of months. He lost over 30 pounds and was told that he could soon be discharged from the Navy because he was unfit for duty. They wanted him to go to a psychologist for evaluation when finally a doctor with a brain did a simple stool test. The result was that Alex was suffering from salmonella poisoning. His medical records showed that he was not anemic prior to entering the Navy, and obviously he was poisoned while in boot camp. As a result of losing his SEAL contract and signing bonus, he is now on the ground doing hard labor at Camp Leatherneck in southern Afghanistan. Since he's been there he was stabbed in the stomach by an insurgent and found a live IED on the base where he works. (the muppets must be in charge of the base security) His redeployment was delayed by our Commander in Chief by at least two months. I support Alex with all my heart. It is his dream to apply for SEAL again and go to Coronado for BUDS training.He hasn't had the greatest experience so far in his young career in the Navy, but we are very hopeful that it will turn around soon.
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Today is a day that will always be etched into my mind. December 28,2008 was the day that “TJ” CPL Tony Gonzales gave his life for his country in Iraq. He was my son’s best friend. As I pay my respects to him today I am also aware of those that are in harms way. I am grateful to those that serve , those that have served and those that paid the price for our freedom.
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The photo i posted is my oldest son, He is a active duty Marine infantryman deploying in March, We made a trip to the memorial Sunday and watched the guard change, It was a awesome day.
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1st real letter from Ang, she is RCPA (recruit chaplan program assnt-jewish ) Passed her Swim test... EASY! said most of the ones who flunked did so because thye could float... she said it was relaxing... for her yeahhh I can see that ... her float for 5 minsand dont drown... (ang.. Can I nap and do it?) She's made a few friends in her ship .... Jessica and Kourtney, Thats good, she says if you like someone you ask thier first name.... she calls her bunkie by her last name...Says they are on holiday schedule... 10 min shower and the chance to liesurelyget dressed is cool...I can breath now a lil more...
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Posted by Billy Clawson on December 21, 2009 at 1:40pm
Our son just arrived in Bahrain. He graduated boot camp Aug.14th completed "A" school in Dec. and the Navy gave him about 3 full days at home, Sat thru Mon and he went to the Airport Tues. the 16th 6am and off to Bahrain. Does anyone know the best and cheepest way to converse back and forth with him. I'm not sure if he will be able to use his laptop, we have a web cam on the way and he has a phone he had to buy there but only was able to talk with him about 2 minutes till we find out the cost. He suggested SKYPE or something like that, If anyone out there has had a loved one in Bahrain would you please give me some info.
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Posted by Joel A. Ortiz on December 18, 2009 at 10:30pm
Ok. I am so happy for all the parents that have recieved a call or a"letter" from their SR/ son/daughter, but how long did it take ? My daughter has been out of touch since November 24 th. I began writing her the day she left and when I got the address from the recruiter. I had seven lettters to send. Still. 24 days later and no call or letter. I am not putting my disappointment into the out going letters, that's not what she needs to hear. But for my self, I am weary, so very anxious and longing for that first letter! AND. I know. We will be three crazy weeks out of sinc! I write knowing she will read the letters sent shout a week later so I don't seem to out of wack with the real week she is experiencing. I'm sort of lost at the moment. It's another Friday and I'm on my way home. HopingUPDATE! thanks for your replies to this thread! December 19th I got a letter that morning and a "CALL" later that afternoon. The lines of communication are open finally and I 'know' she is receiving all my mail; all the mail. She can only mail letters out on Sunday and she has very little time to herself to write much and generally starts a letter and adds to it little by little as the week days go by. Life there is tough; she has her up days and lots of down days. The Division isn't doing so well as I'm told (phone status). Privelages are being witheld because of that.
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Posted by don enloe on December 14, 2009 at 7:19pm
Because of the crap that our govt. is doing to the three Navy Seals, I told my son to remember DEAD MEN CAN'T TALK and dont waste my tax money (other than a 10 cent bullet to the head) on these towel headed bastards.
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Like millions of parents before us we are seeing our son off to enlistment into the military today.While we feel proud we also are worried at the same time as our country is at war. My son has answered the call to serve his country for that I am proud.
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We got the form letter from Mark on Friday and it was amazing how much better things felt. Just getting the fews lines in his scribble made things a little easier. He is doing fine and said it is "pretty fun" so far. I am glad now that we had him in the JROTC program because he has experienced a lot of the military stuff before.As my wife and I walked through the grocery store this week, we kept finding ourselves looking at stuff Mark would like...only to remind ourselves that he is gone, only to return on occasion to visit "the folks" . His life journey has now begun and we have to learn to deal with it.So now the count-down has begun. It has been 2 weeks since he left and he is almost 25% done!
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0030 in the morn, wife and son are asleep, the only sounds are house sounds and the dog snoring.... By now Id usually have hollered at my daughter for not shuttin down the computer, she'd angrily stomp down stairs and plugged in the computer to recharge overnight, we'd have a conversation on some book or stupid cartoon one or both of us would seen, comic book conventions coming up....Its wasnt a healthy pattern, conversations of grades school and life in general devolved in to donny brooks.... But now I sorta understand what people mean when thier wives die or divorce them..... I still try to have conversations with her, I 'll knock on her door and as my knuckles are hitting the door remember... she's in boot...... the house is quiet.... sounds are missing...
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It has been a rough week with out my son around. Even the cats are acting weird. Being a Navy vet myself, I know from an intellectual point of view that this is a great thing for him. Emotionally, it has kicked my butt. Watching your 18 year old kid get on the bus and you know he just "left home" is very tough.Thank God for Navydads and N4M. These websites are a godsend for parents. You realize you aren't the only ones having those feelings. Now were are waiting for the form letter. We made it through the box arrival.
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sad that we cant write Ang yet..... Hopefully she hasnt done too many push ups by now.. She has her dads view on life convince them to follow you or beat them senseless and drag them along... but unlike the Marines who have Im told great disipline tactics 50 - 100 push ups at a time, the Navy uses 4 or 5 pushups they make you count off and may just stop you in mid count to .walk over to talk to someone else for 4 or 5 minutes in mid pushup.... I hear it cleans the wax from your ears really quickily....Everyone here is holding up well... we just want to write here and hear about her experiences...
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Just witnessed my son swear active and he is currently at the airport waiting to fly to Great Lakes. His mos is Corpsman. All the best to him. His older brother is a Marine in the 1/2 weapons.
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Posted by Joel A. Ortiz on December 1, 2009 at 4:00pm
That's been a persistent 'bad' quality in my way of not dealing with things this important! Suffice it to say I had a rude awakening the day my daughter actually left for RTC Great Lakes. ~I could have done more!~ Regret such as this, leaves a terrible mark; on both of us.Though I was fortunate to have my eyes peeled back the night before we drove to MEPs Sacramento, I could have done more for my daughter. I suppose its never to late to confess truths, and bear ones soul; to ask for Forgiveness!The huge hugs she gave me, was indication she would give me a second chance to 'be there' for her now, and forever :); emotionally and with an open mind for the critical, most crucial choice she has made for herself; a life in the US Navy.I'm eager to find out more about Navy life and carreer oporotunities, enlisted ranks, and progressive promotions; I want to be on the same page as she is, so she knows I am paying attention 'now' that she is really there.No, this is not a woe is me blog/post, though if anyone can relate, perhaps you know what it means when the nest is truly empty and you feel you could have shared so much more with them before they left? For all you splendid fathers that worked with your daughters to prepare before they left for boot, I am envious; you did GOOD!~.My daughter Allison, left her precious little Boston Terrier with me, and now I'm a converted non dog fancier, to being that of loving the pup, and giving Allison the heartfelt relief that her dog is being taken care of with no reservations that it will be with love and genuine acceptance, want. I want to do this for her.Although there undoubtedly will be several homecomings and joyous days of liberty/leave, I don't rightly know if Allison will ever reside with me again; perhaps this is that last time. At age 19 I thought we had more time; college, home again, graduation, job hunting and "someday" (not today) not eight days ago, she would leave home and find a home for herself. Alas....Home, the Navy is her home now. I've got to wrap my mind around that one and come to grips with the fact she is on the precipace of life and rebirth as a Sailor, as a woman. My daughter,....Allison, I am so Proud Of Her. So very proud she is serving her country, answering the call.Dadps. Divorced; no attachments, one daughter came home to 'regroup' and get a handle on her finances; we're doing good.
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Sitting in the parking lot waiting for the recruites to get there wasnt so bad.... Walking her up to the recruiter to turn her over was bad, daughter laughed at me, recruiters asked if they were really that ugly.... I wanted my kids life to be easier not harder.... Sitting at my desk at work andI cant get shit done..... Calm seas, good hunting dad
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