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Something for your son to consider is whether he wants to try getting into OCS (officer candidate's school). If he gets a high score on his military entrance exam his recruiter should check into that for him. Would make a huge difference in his paychecks for one thing, and possibly put him on a path to finding a better job once he gets out.
When reporting to my division at my first duty station after schooling was complete, the secretary to my division officer commented I had some of the highest scores he'd ever seen on the entrance exam. Said he had been a recruiter for 13 years and if he had been my recruiter I "would be in OCS right now". Would have put me on a much better path had my recruiter done his job properly.
And as others have said not everyone goes out to sea. I was a Cryptologist and during my short six years in the Navy I was always on land. Closest thing I came to being on a ship was the U.S.S. Recruit in Orlando, Florida during basic training (during the 1980's). It was on land and used for training purposes.
Your son should definitely take care of whatever needs to be taken care of before basic training. I joined straight out of high school and made the mistake of not packing up my belongings that were in my room. My sister and her boyfriend ended up doing that so she could have the bigger room, and many of belongings kind of 'walked away'. Yes, I should have taken care of it before I left, guess I was thinking I'd take care of it when I came home on leave after schooling was over and before I went overseas.
I suppose because I joined at 18 it has always seemed like a clearly defined break from my childhood and making a new life for myself as an adult. It's hard to explain, just felt once I left and made it through basic training and my schooling, I was always looked at differently by family and friends, like I belonged to something else or a different world. Even after my service and came back home I felt like an outsider in my own family. They had gotten used to me being gone. Best thing your family can do is make sure your son doesn't feel that way when he comes home. Other vets I know of had the same experience I did in that regard. I'm sure many didn't, it's just what I experienced.
As for what a recruit can take to basic training these days I haven't a clue. When I joined they told us what we could bring, which was pretty much nothing. Maybe a change of clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste, that sort of thing. When we arrived our company didn't have enough recruits to fill out a company yet so we had to wait a day or two basically as a holding company wearing our street clothes. Your son's recruiter will fill him in on what to expect and what he can bring and what he can't.
Hope everything works out for him, and that he ends up in a rating (job field) that relates to a job field in the civilian world. He'll want to get experience in something he can also find work in once he gets out.
Spend any time at Sugar Grove? Sweet duty station, so I've heard.
No, but I had two of the sweetest duty stations you could imagine, RAF Edzell, Scotland & Bad Aibling Station, W. Germany. Bad Aibling is in southern Germany in Bavaria. One of my friends in Scotland had been stationed in Sugar Grove and liked it quite a bit, but not as much as Scotland.
Congrats to your son. What rating is he interested in?
He said he wants to work in the Nuclear field, to be a NUKE. I don't think he is the type to study hard enough to get into that field. He is setting his goals high. And in my eyes, unrealistic.
He said he wants to work in the Nuclear field, to be a NUKE. I don't think he is the type to study hard enough to get into that field. He is setting his goals high. And in my eyes, unrealistic.
I'll presume he's discussed that with his recruiter - do you know what they've had to say to him about his chances?
Congratulations to your son and to you for raising a young man who does not want to lead an aimless life...hopefully this will be the positive experience he anticipates...
One thing is for certain--after this he will be a different person in many ways. Hopefully he will be open to learning/using discipline, patience and team work, and humility. I know it seems like most young people already spend so much time in school activities or sports that they would already have them, but as a teacher I have seen many students who use groups as either a crutch or a foil...not to say your son does. But this time will be a testing period for him--and maybe that is something he is looking for as well.
Suggestions---your son is an adult. Discuss with him making a power of attorney with yourself or his father named, a medical directive, and a will. Not to wish bad luck--but because young people think they are immortal.
Probably you discussed how he will take care of his mail and his bills.
Googled to see any specifics that other people might have mentioned and found website called beforejoiningthemilitary.com
Seems like it has some fairly insightful commentary from someone who has been in the Navy...
Might want to check it out and see if your son would benefit from reading it...
One of the topics is about recruiters and their salesmanship, another about the post 9/11 GI bill Basics for incoming recruits, how to adapt to the experience in general, lure of tattoos...
Thought parts I read were interesting...
Thank you. That is a good idea, I will bring up that topic to my son. His father has already helped him get his bills in order.
I believe he is using running as a crutch. A way to vent or hide something going on deeper. He runs all the time. At least I know he will be able to pass that part of the physical fitness test. I made him some flash cards to study the ranks and the 11 rules of a sentry (or what ever they are called.. "I will not leave my post..") and to help him learn some of the terms and stuff, to help him have a little head start.
Something for your son to consider is whether he wants to try getting into OCS (officer candidate's school). If he gets a high score on his military entrance exam his recruiter should check into that for him. Would make a huge difference in his paychecks for one thing, and possibly put him on a path to finding a better job once he gets out.
When reporting to my division at my first duty station after schooling was complete, the secretary to my division officer commented I had some of the highest scores he'd ever seen on the entrance exam. Said he had been a recruiter for 13 years and if he had been my recruiter I "would be in OCS right now". Would have put me on a much better path had my recruiter done his job properly.
And as others have said not everyone goes out to sea. I was a Cryptologist and during my short six years in the Navy I was always on land. Closest thing I came to being on a ship was the U.S.S. Recruit in Orlando, Florida during basic training (during the 1980's). It was on land and used for training purposes.
Your son should definitely take care of whatever needs to be taken care of before basic training. I joined straight out of high school and made the mistake of not packing up my belongings that were in my room. My sister and her boyfriend ended up doing that so she could have the bigger room, and many of belongings kind of 'walked away'. Yes, I should have taken care of it before I left, guess I was thinking I'd take care of it when I came home on leave after schooling was over and before I went overseas.
I suppose because I joined at 18 it has always seemed like a clearly defined break from my childhood and making a new life for myself as an adult. It's hard to explain, just felt once I left and made it through basic training and my schooling, I was always looked at differently by family and friends, like I belonged to something else or a different world. Even after my service and came back home I felt like an outsider in my own family. They had gotten used to me being gone. Best thing your family can do is make sure your son doesn't feel that way when he comes home. Other vets I know of had the same experience I did in that regard. I'm sure many didn't, it's just what I experienced.
As for what a recruit can take to basic training these days I haven't a clue. When I joined they told us what we could bring, which was pretty much nothing. Maybe a change of clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste, that sort of thing. When we arrived our company didn't have enough recruits to fill out a company yet so we had to wait a day or two basically as a holding company wearing our street clothes. Your son's recruiter will fill him in on what to expect and what he can bring and what he can't.
Hope everything works out for him, and that he ends up in a rating (job field) that relates to a job field in the civilian world. He'll want to get experience in something he can also find work in once he gets out.
My son said, "I will have an advantage over everybody else, I didn't join right out of high school and I know how to do my own laundry"
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