My daughter Kellie MacDonald arrived at Great Lakes yesterday, we got her call at about 8 pm last night.
She sounded very tired, yet relieved and excited to get started with basic training, wish my future Corpsman good luck!
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My son Jonathan Catchings started boot camp on 04/30/2012 and is with Ship11 Div197. He goes by his middle name Hunter, does anyone else have someone that is part of Ship11 Div197, and if so have you heard anything from them. I know its only been a week but i'm just excited for them.
It’s kind of a cool overcast day here in Wisconsin. The sun won’t shine but at least its not raining. The weather really does fit the mood here in small town Wisconsin. Today they brought home Benjamin Neal’s body. Benjamin Neal of Orfordville Wisconsin died April 25 in Afghanistan while on his second tour of duty. He was survived be his mother and father, five siblings and a wife.
Ben grew up on his families dairy about 10 miles from our house. He graduated from Parkview High School in 2009, I remember him from wrestling matches when our two small towns would meet. Corporal Neal was only 21-years-old. He joined the Army shortly after graduating from High School.
Someone, I think Ben’s uncle started a Lighting the Way to Bring Ben Home is a campaign to support the family. Last I heard over 26,000 porch lights were turned on, night and day, to light the way. Ours is still on, I’m not quite ready to turn it off yet.
A man form Illinois brought 1000 American flags. They lined both side of the highway all the way from one end of town to the other. Fire departments form all around brought in equipment. They used aerial ladder trucks to form two arches over the roadway each with a huge American flag draped between the ladders. Other trucks were used to block off side streets. I’m not sure how many different police departments were they, at least six very likely more. All the front yards were mowed, everything was neat and in order and there were signs all over town thanking Ben for his service.
People lined up this morning along the roadway to welcome Ben home. It would be hard to put a number to it, I heard they were spread out the whole way from the Rock County Air Port to Orfordville; about 10 miles give or take.
The Orfordville American Legion acted as Color Guard for Ben at the airport then the Patriot Guard escorted Ben and his family to Orfordville. The Sheriff"s Department shut down traffic and then lead the procession. They were followed be the Village police and other municipal vehicles. Next there were maybe 100 of the Patriot Guards on their motorcycles. Then came the Hearst, pallbearers and the family. Were I stood the crowd was silent when the family passed.
This is the sort of thing that happens “somewhere else” not right next door. I’m not sure how I feel about the whole thing, grateful, humbled, sad, perhaps all of those along with a few others mixed in.
My son’s squadron VFA-34 started painting the names of service members that have died in Iraq and Afghanistan a little while ago. It was something they decided they could do to honor those service member and their sacrifice. My son called today to tell me that SPC Neal’s would be painted on one of the jets and a flag would be carried on a mission and sent home to the Neal family.
Dads of Sailors and Marines needed at Fleet Week BBQ in Staten Island, NY, May 28th, 2012.
Every Memorial Day I host a BBQ for 100 of the Sailors and Marines that arrive in NY, I have a few Navy moms, dads, sisters, brothers and friends come to help set up, cook, serve and clean up afterwards. Could use a few more hands, anyone interested? Check out my page to see last years pictures
FYI Warning for on anyone coming to Chicago for PIR 5/18 or 5/25 that the NATO summit will be in Chicago the 20th and 21st, security will be tight everywhere, airports, streets and possible site seeing of buildings and attractions. Make sure to plan your routes around the city, they will turn you away at these road blocks.
my son just started a school i am un sure of the whole thing . i know hes doin a good thing,justnot sure its the right thing. thow i am so very proud of him.
Just checking for anyone else that has someone there.
My son is on the USS PORTER and called and told me a little about the tiger program, then told me to research it, lol (knowing my need for information). So does anyone have any info they can share?
PIR Date 1/6/12 any one else same.
my son Nicholas left March 18th and PIR is 5.11 and looking for anyone else with someone in this ship and div if you do would love to hear from you and see if you have hear from your loved one looking for update from anyone havent hear from my son yet has anyone yet???
Looking for anyone with a recruit in the same Ship and Division. Graduates April 27, 2012
In Medieval days up till the early 1800's there were no engines and no Snipes. Along about 1812 the Navy obtained their first paddle wheel steamer named the USS Fulton. To run the boiler and engine, men of steam were also acquired. They were not sailors but engineers from early land based steam engines.
From the beginning the sailors did not like or appreciate these landsmen and their foul smoky plants. They were treated with contempt and pretty much given the short end of the stick.
In spite of all this the steam engine prevailed. There were still two crews however. The Engineers and the Deck crew. Soon an Engineer Officer was appointed to each ship. He was the Engineer master and all the Engineers reported to him. The Deck sailors reported to the ships master. Curiously, the two masters were on equal footing and neither was over the other. The Deck Master though was in the best position. He controlled the quarters and rations. The Engineers were still at the mercy of the deck gang. By the height of the civil war, as steam was taking over and sails were disappearing the old Admirals that controlled the Navy were in a quandary what to do about the situation.
They accomplished a couple of things. First, they managed to make the senior Master a Captain. As Captain he was in overall command of the ship and the Engineering officer reported to him. Beings as how there were occasions that the Engineer master outranked the ships master something had to be done to keep the Engineer from becoming "Captain". To solve this problem they developed two separate Officer branches. Staff and Line. Only Line Officers could succeed to command. Staff Officers would always be subservient to Line Officers at sea. Staff Officers consisted of Surgeons, Supply and yes, Engineering officers. To this day that is still true. The second change was to make all engineers's Navy men, however they were also made junior to all deck sailors. A petty officer machinist was junior to a deck seaman third. All this went to make the life of the engineers even more miserable. They could now be flogged and harassed at will by the Deck crew.
Along about this time came an Engineer Officer by the name of John Snipes. I cannot find the name of the ship he first appeared on, but he was a different cut from the others. He demanded sleeping accommodations, and food equal to the Deck gang. He also declared that there would be no more harassment for his gang. When the ships Captain laughed at him Snipes simply had his men put out the fires in the boiler. To make a long story short, Snipes brought about the changes in the system. In time these changes extended to the entire Naval fleet. The Engineers became strictly "hands off" for the Deck gang. They became known as Snipe's men and over the years as just Snipes.
My son Andrew is currently on the USS Enterprise CVN-65's 22nd and Final Deployment. He is a "Snipe"
Hi all... Just wanted to let you all know about a great program for Recruits. CallsforRecruits.org has FREE phone cards for recruits in bootcamp. If you or someone you know is leaving soon for bootcamp, go to the website and get some phone cards for them to use while they are at BC. They can use them at A school or anytime if they need them, although most people have cell phones these days LOL. Just thought I would pass along the info....
Looking for dads with sons/daughters in this Division. PIR 5/11/2012.
PLEASE KEEP THESE IN MEMORY OF SAILORS WHO DID THEIR BEST,
UPDATED 01/12/12 8:56 a.m.
NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES, Ill. (CBS) — A 19-year-old U.S. Navy recruit has died during boot camp training at the Great Lakes Naval base.
Seaman Recruit Christopher Walker, 19, of Kittaning, Pa., died Wednesday morning at Recruit Training Command at Great Lakes, according to a release from the Naval Service Training Command.
Walker was participating in a standard physical fitness assessment, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2ND Recruit dies at Great Lakes RTC
A naval recruit who aspired to be a military police officer died Friday of causes related topneumonia, marking the second recruit death in a month at Naval Station Great Lakes.
Navy officials said it is not clear when Elizabeth Richardson, 19, of Zimmerman, Minn., contracted her illness, but that there was no sign others in her battalion had been stricken.
Richardson arrived at the base Jan. 30, and 10 days later went to the nearby Lovell Federal Health Care Center with a fever and a rapid heartbeat, said Navy spokesman Mike Miller. She died the next day, the first time in memory that a recruit had died of pneumonia, Miller said.
I got back to NY two weeks ago from my Tiger Cruise aboard the USS Dewey, we were part of the Stennis Carrier Group. For anyone thinking about going on a Tiger Cruise do it! It is a once and a lifetime experience. The seas were a little ruff at times, but I think all of the 69 Tigers on board enjoyed themselves. The ship and crew members were fantastic. The experience gave me a small snapshot of what these brave men and women do on their deployments. As a proud Navy Dad the trip let me see my sailor Jessica in her working environment as a member in the air department. (HSM-71). In closing anyone who has an opportunity to join their sailor on a Tiger Cruise should go for it! You will not be dissapointed, I know I wasn't.
My sailor sent me two different addresses which is correct titile .. ABE 3 AIRMAN WHATS THE PROPER ADDRESS
To all you Navy Dads that prayed for me today, there is strength in numbers-thank you to all for the guidance, support, and help- oh and the long talks too! Warm Regards and great friendship-Simone
My son is leaving this Tuesday for bootcamp. I am both nervous and proud of my boy. Anyone else have a child leaving on this Tuesday?
You all rock!!!!
