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My best greeting to all navy people in service and retired , I was in the Colombian navy on 1964 and visited Norfolk and Baltimore in a destroyer overhaul in a Bethleem steel shibuilding division,and like me stablish interchange via e mail with veteran of these times.
Please dont hesitate to reply
Afectly
Josè Antonio Mogrovejo
calle 11N No 17-E-44 Alcala
Cùcuta-Colombia
e.mails: mogrovejo1744@yahoo.es
mogrovejo1744@hotmail.com
We both saw the amazing transformation he made in his 8 weeks of boot camp. We were astonished by the magnitude of information he absorbed, the recollection he had of what seemed like minut details - and the recall of Navy history that he so proudly shared with us.
He recognized that his limitations are far beyond what he experienced thus far, and that really charged him up. He not only has potential, he has extraordinary capacity that he hasn't even realized, yet. AND, he did this...no help from Mom, Dad or Step Dad. This was HIS accomplishment - shared by his shipmates, of course - but he owns it...all the way.
So on Monday morning when the workweek started and we tried to re-enter our routine as if nothing had happened, it was impossible. Still is. Impossible because our world is different now. This man-child whom we wondered at times would ever get a grip on reality and ease into manhood was catapulted into it and was on his way towards carving out an incredible experience in our U.S. Navy. He began a career...not a job...a LIFE in the Navy. Big difference.
Ironically, it was our 8 year old, his youngest brother, who wiped away his mother's tears and said, "Don't worry Mom, Lynch will always be with you here (pointing to his heart)...and I will NEVER leave you." He was right...on one count - and all we could do was smile at the second point - like the others, he WILL leave...physically, one day. But he'll still be 'with us'.
Bravo Zulu, Lynch! Carry on, Sailor. Mom will recover...with each passing phase - as will I.
Please pray for us, we're worried that we might not be able to make it to our son's PIR. Tim has a PIR date of September 10th. Well, my wife had to leave her job due to some health issues and we just had to have a car repaired. So, the budget is getting really, really tight. I know this is a very important date for Tim and don't want to miss it if at all possible to go.
Prior to observing PIR in person, one can only imagine what it's like to watch their son march past in dress whites...a US Sailor...but, in fact - what we imagined is but a fraction of reality. One of the proudest moments in our lives. Incredibly proud of our son, Lynch.
Hi Jonnie D. Pough
We are staying in Spring Hill Suites in Waukegan. We are coming to Midway Airport by South West Airlines on Thursday morning and driving to the hotel. Phil is also a grad & go so we don't know how much time we will
have with him. we are going to the meet & Greet on Thursday night. They changed it from the Ramada Inn to Anastasis's Resturant & Sports bar, 3880 Northpoint Boulevard, Waukegan (phone# 847-688-1317). It starts at
6pm and goes to 10pm. If you go just inform the hostess that you are with the Navy Families of PIR 8-13 and they will direct you to the private room. You can make reservations on line throught Navy moms.com. Go to
PIR 8-13-10.
Vic DeCapua
Our son Phil called us late Friday afternoon to tell us he is a sailor now. Battle stations are over and all the fears of those horrid tales of what to expect at Battle Stations are a thing of the past. He enjoyed it and is very proud of his division for the great job that was done. ( Division 274) It was so good to talk to him on the phone and not be so worried about the time allotment. This has been the longest seven weeks we have spent. One more to go and we can see him, if only for a short time before he ships out to A school. I cannot remember writing so many letters since I was in boot camp at Great Lakes. All of these hurdels that we all go through from the day he came home and said " I'm joining the Navy " till today has made us all a closer family. I'll be happy to meet all of you at the meet & greet on Thursday night or at the PIR Friday.
Vic DeCapua
East Windsor,Ct.
Our son Phil is also in Div 274 and we can't wait to see him. He said all he wants to do is go back to the hotel room and chill out. Sounds great to me. We also want to meet his shipmates parents & friends at the open house on 8-12. See you all there.
Vic & Susan DeCapua
East Windsor,Ct.
Yesterday was one of my proudest moments to this date.. My daughter left for Great Lakes. I was there for the final swearing in and was able to spend pretty much the whole day with her untill her flight took her away. I must thank the volunteers with the USO for making my day much more enjoyable. They made me feel even more proud of my daughter than I already was.. Just a simple "Thank You for serving our country" kinda hit home. And put it all in perspective. I have not flown commercialy since 9/11 but have heard about all the changes, and assumed that I would be pretty much leaving my daughter at the door, and going back to the car and waiting for her call. I am pleased to say that, that is not at all how it happened.. Long story short, The Gentlemen with the USO were able to get my wife and I passes so we could sit with her at the boarding gate, just like the old days... This gave us nearly 2 more hours to spend with her before she left. Shortly after her plane pulled away from the gate, there was a lady there who started asking questions as to why we were there and not on the plane and such.. My wife and I proceeded to explain that our daughter just left for boot camp. She then started asking more questions as to how it all came to be that she wanted to join the Navy. And as we told the story, it kinda made me think about the past few months in a different way. And when this lady thanked us for being supportive, and told us to be sure and thank her for serving our country, I once again got that sense of pride that I think only a parent can have.
The phone call was short and sweet just as I expected. but it was nice to hear her voice and to know that all was well. She left me a list of things to do after she left, ie. suspend cell phone plan untill she has access to her phone again, let her friends and family know her address when I get it,,, just things like that.. She also said that I should be getting a phone call from her in about 3 weeks.. I will have to say I am going to be looking forward to that day...
I've never really been considered a "big deal" in my family. I took auto tech to try to do something different from everyone else, and I ended up falling in love with it. I took it for 3 years and ended up graduating at the top of my class. My mothers little China doll (as she calls me b/c I'm "small, fragile, and beautiful") graduated and did better than all the boys! Haha. I was even the only one in my class to have the opertunity to go to the Ford AAA contest. I was the VP for SkillsUSA. Let's just say, my family would have never expected me to be the person I am today. Haha!
Before I considered joining the Navy, I knew I wanted to be a turbine mechanic for jets. As I started doing personal research on this, I started discovering how perfect the Navy would be for me. So, I talked to a recruiter, went to MEPS, and ended up getting the rate GSM. Even though I won't be working on turbines for aircraft, I'll be doing it for ships, which is just as cool to me and I absolutely cannot wait!
I guess the point of this blog is to admit to somebody that I am also very scared. I know it's taking a toll on my mom and dad especially. Neither one of them want to let go of their baby. All of my siblings still live in Ohio around the same small town we all grew up in. I am determined to make a difference. I am determined to make my family proud. To put my family name out there. To give my family something to brag about. But I am also doing it for myself. I feel like this is my destiny. I need to live a life of adventure before I become old. When people ask me why I decided to join the Navy, I always tell them "I don't really want to just exist in life".
At first it started out to be about the money and the college oppertunity. But the more I look into it, the more and more I become patriotic about it. I'm hoping that my family is just as excited as I am. Please, look out for my parents while I cannot. I believe my dad is going to make an account because I was highly reccommending it to him. haha!
Good luck to you and all of your family's and God Bless! :]]
