Posted by John Livesey on August 28, 2009 at 6:30pm
About a week before the end of Audrey’s Officer Development School, we received a small white envelope in the mail. Inside was our invitation to the ODS graduation on 24-July-09. We had anticipated this event and I had arranged for travel for the family (Audrey’s mother and brother and myself) to Boston with a drive down to Newport.It was great to see Audrey looking so confident in her summer white uniform the evening before graduation. The class hosts a reception for friends and family attending the graduation at the Officers’ Club on base and we were able to meet some of her peers, along with the Sr. Chiefs who had provided training for the students. Vice Adm. John Mateczun (the highest ranking MD in the Navy, I think) was the guest of honor at graduation the next day and we were fortunate to be able to meet him (picture). The Executive Officer of OTCN also attended the reception and we met Cdr. Julie O’Neil as well.Graduation the next morning was held indoors due to inclement weather (unfortunate since the circumstances didn’t allow for much marching and some of the ceremony was scaled back). However, Adm. Mateczun gave a very nice speech and awards were presented to the top students in various categories. I’ll include pictures of Audrey’s company (Victor) as well as her first salute from the Sr. Chief attached to Victor Company.At the conclusion of the ceremony, students were detached from Officer Training Command Newport and ordered to report as per their individual written orders to their next duty station. For Audrey, that is Bethesda, MD and she was to report not prior to August 5, so we had about 10 days of vacation. We visited parts of New England (waved to the sub base at Groton on the way to the ferry from New London, CT to Orient Pt, NY on Long Island), and through New Jersey and Delaware and the eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia on the way to Washington, DC. We had a few days helping her get settled in her apartment (base housing at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda is nearly non-existent) before we flew home.She reported for duty 05-Aug and completed in-processing the next week. Orientation for her medical school program was last week and she completes her first week of studies in medicine today. Her courses in Anatomy & Physiology, Biochemistry, Military Studies, “Human Context”, and “Intro to Clinical Medicine” – these are foremost in her thoughts right now. She says that already the quantity of material seems just a bit overwhelming, but she’s developing strategies for coping... One week down and four years to go.She called last night to say that she was appointed a platoon sergeant for operations (the operations leadership is encompasses all military services in the class (so includes Army and Air Force in addition to the Navy), and while elsewhere a "sergeant" role would be filled by an enlisted person, the med school class is all officers, so this is a leadership position for their off-campus maneuvers). She also interviewed for a position as a platoon leader for administration for the Navy company of students.Her mother and I are adjusting to the three-hour time difference (after six years of her living away from home while in college and working as an EMT but in the same state). While she reports to class in uniform and is subject to military discipline and procedures on the base (campus), her off-duty time is her own (what little is not consumed with studying).If any of you are curious about the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the school was profiled in the recent independent film, “Fighting for Life” that was shown on PBS television stations last Spring (and might be shown again in re-runs). The film connects medical and nursing programs at the school with the work of alumni serving in combat support hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the airlift programs that bring our wounded home for convalescence.As you can discern from the length of these posts, we’re very proud of our sailor and her commitment and resolve, as I’m sure all of you here at NavyDads are of your sailors. Her path might be a bit different but no more or less valuable and rewarding. I’ll try to remember to keep you updated as the Navy parts of her trajectory play out.JL
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Posted by John Livesey on August 28, 2009 at 4:00pm
Whew! What a summer it's been (and I'm the Dad, not the Sailor!). It's time to catch you all up on the last seven weeks since my daughter, Audrey, reported for duty at Officer Development School in Newport, RI. In my last post, I said that Audrey had confidently gone off to Newport, reporting for duty on June 21.Officer Development School is different from Officer Candidate School, though for the Navy, both are located in Newport. As I understand it, OCS is longer (12 weeks? vs. 5 weeks for ODS) and is the process by which candidates from the enlisted ranks are vetted for the officer corps. In contrast, Officer Development School is where new personnel just commissioned into an officer rank in the Navy (without prior service) learn the traditions, customs and procedures of the Navy and how to be an officer. Many (most?) of the students at ODS are in professions or professional schools (for example: physicians, nurses, optometrists, pharmacists, and some advanced-degree engineers or scientists). There’s also an increased emphasis on physical training in the last few years. While ODS is shorter than boot camp at Great Lakes, newly commissioned officers are expected to achieve the same levels of physical readiness that Navy sailors achieve at any rank (scaled by age and gender). ODS students tend to be older (mid- to late-20s or early 30s) and there is a higher percentage of women than in the Navy as a whole.Audrey’s mother and I spent the first week as many of you have – wondering how things were going. ODS students can keep more personal effects than sailors at Great Lakes, and Audrey was allowed to keep her Blackberry phone (ostensibly to use as an alarm clock, but of course, it came in handy for other things as well ). The first weekend she was allowed to call home on Saturday and we were ecstatic after that first call… she sounded subdued but grounded and fairly confident. She had expected the 4am routines and her company as a whole anticipated the rousting and got up the first morning at 3:30, made up their bunks, placed everything in military precision, and sat on the floor waiting for the wakeup… needless to say, the Sr. Chief in charge of their training was a bit surprised. (He got back at them later in the School when they weren’t expecting it, so she wasn’t deprived of the “rude-awakening” tradition!) We heard about their trip to the sand pit for “corrective” PT when two people from the company (not her) left their lockers unsecured (a rule violation).Her first PRT went well except for the 1.5 mile run… Audrey has completed half marathon races, but is not a fast runner and her speed on the runs needed improvement. By the middle of ODS, though, she had trimmed 3 minutes off her 1.5 mile run (16:30 to 13:30), coming in much better than the standard for women her age. Officers purchase their uniforms and gear, and she gradually acquired the uniforms of an Ensign over the course of the School, with the exception of her BDUs, which she has since purchased at her current duty station (more later).Classroom studies in Navy history, traditions and customs were interspersed with fire-fighting drills, abandon-ship simulations, and the ever-present PT (5am standard PT and “remedial” afternoon PT before her running time improved). She and her company were granted weekend liberty beginning in the training command the first weekend, expanding to include the officers’ club the second weekend and to off-base liberty the final weekend before graduation. Through it all, we got occasional text messages from her (not sure if that was a rule violation, but they didn’t find out) and phone calls when she was allowed to do so. She’s a pretty mature young woman in her mid-twenties, but I know this experience deepened her connection to the Navy, her fellow sailors, and to what I’ve started referring to as her “calling” – Navy medicine.More in my next post - graduation!
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Things are going good, it hasn't been as bad as evryone has made it out to be. He said if everyone could just get on the same page and be fired up things would go smoother for the whole group. He has been choosen to be one of the leaders in his drill. Pretty cool!!! They just got fitted for his Blues... and yea he says he LOOKS GOOD!!!! He said to tell everyone hi and he loves them... We are still not sure his schedule after graduation, but will keep posted. Tim
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Got our first phone call yesterday around noon from Julian. It was great to hear from him and to hear his voice. He told that he only had 90 seconds to call and wanted us to know he was ok and he sends his love. My question to him was "is it all I told you it would be?" and his response was yes. He is sending his information for graduation to his mother which should be here this week. They were on their last p day and he and his shipmates would be moving into their ship either this afternoon or by tomorrow (Tuesday). I told him to hang in there and that his time would end sooner than he thinks. Sent him my love along with everyone else in the family and we hung the phone up. Funny thing is that after going over in my mind what we had talked about I came to the conclusion that he is already sounding different, still seemed scared of the unknown but was ready to take whatever he was handed head on. Still say my prayers for my sons (yep I now have two in the military) and for the countless numbers of GI's in harms way everyday. May the good Lord grant moms and dads all over a peaceful, tranquil day.
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I wanted to take a minute to thank Paige for opening her home up to a number of Navy parents yesterday in Prescott Valley. It was a great chance to meet others with kids in the Navy and to compare stories...and to brag a little too!! I know Paige will post some photos as well but here are a couple.....
Thanks to Paige and to neighbor Brenda for all the work and hospitality! It was fun and we'll have to do it again!
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We finally got our first letter from Brandon yesterday!!!! The letter is dated the 10th??? He's doing fine and is really excited about the fact that he is really doing something with himself and can't wait till really gets going in the training program. He said to tell everyone hi.... We are so proud of him!!!
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The invitation said that it would be on Thursday Sept 3rd for ship 06 Div 942. I have not heard a word about any changes, and his letters do not indicate that he will not. But I am holding back on any reservations until I know for sure. Money is very tight these days and I will barley be able to afford the trip as it is. It really better be on time because my boss will not let me reschedule my vacation days :( . This is all so nerve racking. I really need to be there for my son and for myself.
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my son left for bootcamp august 12,2009 out of california. he arrived late that night. would his first day be 8/13? today is his 6th day there, he is wanting to become a hospital corpsman. can anyone tell me what my son will go through for the next year? which schools will he most likely go to? he does not want to go out into combat with the marines. instead he would like to work in a Naval hospital in the US. is that possible? thank you for helping me if you can..God Bless. Go NAVY
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HooYah!
We are about to reach a huge milestone on Navy Dads. Our next member to join will be our 1000th member on the site. I want to thank everyone for making this site what it is today. Without our great members spreading the word about us this number would not be possible. Between emailing friends, adding beneficial information for others to find, to placing NavyDads cards on cars in parking lots. It has all helped in letting others know about the resource available to Navy families like ourselves here on Navy Dads.
Let's keep it going! I encourage everyone to keep spreading the word about NavyDads.com, so that we may grow to 2000 faster than we did 1000.
Thanks again for every one's support.
Go Navy!
Sincerely, EG
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Well Zach was sent home from MEPS because his recruiter thought a copy of his Social Security card was good enough. Now he ships out on Wednesday.Talk about an emotional roller coaster for both him and the wife.
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Thus far we've had only one call from Ryan and no letters. The letters are expected to arrive any day. If Mama can hold out until one arrives, it'll be a miracle. The phone call came on 8-15, five days after he left home. It lasted a whole one minute forty three seconds thanks to one of the other fellows angering the sarge. Ryan didn't say whether or not it was he who did the angering. Ha. They were all promised a ten minute call initially.He said that for the first couple days he wondered what he'd gotten himself into. How many times have you heard that? When I asked him if he had regretted his choice to join, he said emphatically that he loved it!
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My son is in A School right now and I am loving it that he can call me all of the time. The question that keeps nagging at me is why he wants to volunteer for deployments. I know that it is why he joined but it scares the life out of me. He called last night and said mom I am getting a medal for making expert on shooting the 9mm. Before I could tell him how proud I was he finished the sentence with "and just wanted you to know that if I can I am going t o volunteer for Byrain"(not sure how to spell it". I thought that my heart was going to burst right out of my chest at that very moment. Now, I know that it is what he signed to do but I can't get it out of my head how quick he said it and said it like it was just another honor that he was getting with the medal. I just sat there thinking is he crazy or am I living in some dream world thinking that he would sign up, come home, meet a great girl,get married and raise a family. I support everything that he does and if he goes,I will support him with that too. Although, I will be worried sick. I want to commend all of you parents that have been through this. I would just like to know how to handle the tough things like this that have come your way. Its not like them saying that they are going to go to the mall. Someone told me that a parent that has a child in the service prays more. I am not saying that it is exactly true, but I can honestly say that since he has joined I have prayed more. I also pray for my fellow service parents and their children.
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My daughter just graduated from GL on 8/9. She had struggled with a sore throat and cold for about two weeks. She did graduate and was supposed to go to Pensacola for AW school. Instead they said her white cell count was off a little and placed her on a medical hold. What can she expect next?
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Hey Everyone!I know that it has been a while since I have written. I went to graduation and had a great weekend Coty. My mom and sisters went with me and we all had the best time. I have never had so much pride in my heart when I saw my son standing in formation. I was told that there was no way that I could pick him out of all of those recruits. I picked him out just as soon as he came in. I had my eye on him the whole time. I didn't even care about the secretary of defense walking around them. All I cared about was watching my boy. I will have to update and put in some new pictures of him. Just to give you an update, he is now in San Antonio and is doing very well. He made expert on the 9mm and is hoping that he will do the same with the others. He said that the OC spray was just horrible and he hopes that he doesn't have to do it again. The took a picture of him right after the OC spray and he sent it to my phone. He looked awful but he says that it is what he wants and he wants it more than anything right now.I am a very proud mom.Christy
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At present I have nothing more to say than how proud I am of my son and your sons. Drew ( Charles, named after his grandfather, a navy vet., ) is on his second deployment, and the last I heard, he was in Japan. His first trip was to the gulf, which I only found out about upon his return.
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Navy Moms would like to invite Navy Dads for PIR of 8/28/09 for a meet and greet on Thursday 8/27 at Flanigans from 7:00-10:00Do you think this is something you all would be interested in participating.Please let me knowThanksGia
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In the ceremony pictures, Karen is on the front left corner (from her view) of her Division (our right), holding their Division flag. Her best friend from BC is right behind her. Her friend went with us on the train to Chicago on Sunday, which made it even more enjoyable.
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