My dtr. is to ship out to BC on Jan. 11, 2011. Through this whole process I have been great and very supportive. But now that she has a ship date, I am terrified! She would die if she knew I was saying this on the web but she is my baby. And I just don't know if I can handle her leaving. Any advice from fellow CG moms would be great. I have so many questions but I don't want to bother her recruiter or make her look stupid. Thanks for listening, Mary (pmriley6@yahoo.com)

Mom, she will be very well cared for and looked after, there should absolutely be no worries on your end. She will have all the food she needs to eat, a roof over her head and a place to sleep plus the addition of a second family to help watch over her if needed, not to mention financial security, medical and dental benefits plus so much more...she has made a great life career decision and will be just fine...she will come out of boot camp a very proud and confident young lady to which you will just beam pride and happiness for her!

Visit here often daily and lean on us for support when needed...the days will drag but the weeks will fly by and before you know it she will be graduating and on her way to being a self-sufficient young lady!

As husband pointed out she will be much better off then if attending college with all of those very bad temptations all around her…

Ask all the questions you need to us we will be happy to answer all we can and share our advice with you!

I was in your shoes in Feb. of this year. It's so easy to say 'don't worry'. But, as mom's... we worry anyway!! I worried as soon as my son got his ship date. Having that date made it seem so much more.... inevitable that he was REALLY leaving.. really going off into this big word to make his way. I baweld my eyes out that morning he left. I worried the whole 8 weeks he was gone that something was going to happen and he'd get sent home. I knew he could handle boot camp mentally, physically, academically. I just worried more that he'd get hurt or sick. Well, he did get sick, they all do, but he got over it and he graduated taller, prouder and much more confident than before he left. Like the Capt said, the days will drag but the weeks will fly. I literally prayed my son through boot camp. Before you know it, you'll be getting letters from your daughter. Then in week 5 you'll get a phone call. Then after that she'll call again during her on-base liberty. And in week 7 she'll call again during off-base liberty. You can write her as much as you want. Mail is handed out nearly every day. She'll have limited time to respond, but you should get a couple of letters, at the very least. When the time gets closer to her leaving, someone will set up a facebook page for her Company. It's a great way to get to know some of the other parents and family that have loved ones at boot camp at the same time. And beginning in week three the Company Historian will post a weekly blog every Tuesday at http://www.uscgbootcamp.com/go/doc/763/476815 . And on Sunday's the companies do their off-base runs. There is usally someone out videotaping them and then they post it on the facebook page. It's fun to play 'find your Coastie'. As far as questions go... ASK AWAY! There is always someone here to answer any questions you have. OldGuard is a riot! She was a Coast Guard wife and is now the proud mom of a Coastie. She always has great advice, and will make you laugh! I tried to hold off as much as possible asking questions to my son's recruiter. I tried not to 'micro-manage' the whole enlistment process, even though I wanted to. But, since my son didn't have a car, I was his ride to the rec. office and I was able sneak in a few Q's here and there.

With all that said... Welcome aboard, and welcome to the family. You are in for a very emotional, but fun, ride.

At the risk of embarrassing myself, I am a CS DAD and I know exactly how you feel. My son leaves for BC tomorrow. We are dropping him off at his hotel tonight and I'm a nevous wreck. I can't help it. I know that this is a good decision for him and I know he will be well taken care of. So I guess this realy isn't about him, but more about how much I will miss him. I know they gotta grow up sometime but it's quite a shock when it's staring you right in the face! Oh well. I guess I will check back here for support........

Welcome, GROMS! We are here for you. We spend all those years raising and preparing our kids just for this moment.. the moment they fly the nest and leave us standing there wondering where in the world the time went. My first son left for the CG in February, and my second son just moved out of the house last week. That's TWO in the same year. We have a 9th grader at home still. It sure is quiet around here. I'm told I'll get over it. I'm still waiting.

So, welcome aboard. We are here with answers to your many questions.

Many welcomes GROMS...lean on us we are here...

Hi Mary
See we are all here for you! We are all one big family. When I dropped my daughter off at the hotel I cried for hours. It reminded me of her first day in kindegarten when I took her to her classroom. I cried then too.

I've already cried and she hasn't left yet!! Lol It's going to be a looonngg 8 weeks

Pmriley,
Beleive me when I say it will be over before you know it. It seemed like it dragged on, but then all of a sudden it was over and I was bawling my eyes out while trying to see through the camera at graduation! Writing lots helped pass the time, as did the weekly blogs and fb page. I can't believe it's been 6 months since my son finished basic. Any more questions, feel free to ask.

I cried at graduation... I didn't really cry when he left. I had a tear or two, Scott said "Want breakfast?", I focused on Waffles and I was fine. I knew he was heading off to start a life he would be very proud of, while I knew I would miss him, I didn't feel the need to cry for him. I cry more now at military commercials or military home coming things on the news and know my baby is a part of that.

Me too, OldGuard. I cry at anything mentioned about the military. I live in a 'military city' and they are always having homecomings on the news. I cry the most at the men coming home to see there babies for the first time. I'm glad I'm not the only one! lol. WHile I knew my son was starting a career doing something he could be proud of, I was JUST AS PROUD to be his mom! And he just rolls his eyes at me! There she goes, cryin' again!

Hi. My son left for CG boot camp Oct 19. Can anyone tell me more about the facebook page? I don't have an address yet. I think they will be Echo but not sure what hall. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I am sure it will start to go by faster once we have an address to write, then week 5 the short phone call. Trying to decide to drive or fly to Cape May for Graduation. Appreciate any comments or suggestions.

I do not know face book but it shows here that Echo 184 is in Munro Hall... http://www.uscg.mil/hq/capemay/recruit/FAQs.asp

SR_________________________
Recruit Company E 184 / Munro Hall
USCG Training Center
1 Munro Avenue
Cape May, NJ 08204-5083

You can find their journel enties here when they post...
http://www.uscgbootcamp.com/go/doc/763/476815
http://uscgbootcamp.blogspot.com/

It will be over before you know it and you will be so proud at graduation!

Posted By captkyguy on 25 Oct 2010 11:26 PM
I do not know face book but it shows here that Echo 184 is in Munro Hall... http://www.uscg.mil/hq/capemay/recruit/FAQs.asp

SR_________________________
Recruit Company E 184 / Munro Hall
USCG Training Center
1 Munro Avenue
Cape May, NJ 08204-5083 

Yes, I think this is correct. We received a letter (official business type, not a personal one) from our son last Saturday. My wife was so excited that she called me at work to tell me about it. Our letter says Graduation is Dec 10. Can anyone else confirm this? Is it safe to go ahead and buy airplane tickets? Do most recruits come home for a bit before going to their new duty station? Does he come back with me or come home on his own? How does all this work?

So many questions................

If the letter said Dec 10, it won't be Dec 11. They tell you straight up in those letters exactly what to prepare for including graduation dates. I have said it before... I wouldn't run out and buy a plane ticket the first week he is in boot. He can sustain an injury which can hold him back a week or two, he can have some minor trip up and be reverted a week. I waited until darn near the 6th week to get my plane tickets. My ex bought his the 1st week... he had to change it twice and the changes ended up costing him more than the original tickets!!!

They do get 5 days leave after boot. Now there may be a "needs of the service" thing and he might have to report sooner but that isn't too frequent. You can wait for him to arrange his flights & then you book on the same flight home or you can book your tickets & send him the info so he books the same flight home. Recruits most certainly want to go home after boot. Sleep in their own bed, take a shower alone, see some old friends, celebrate with family that might not have been able to get to NJ & pack. Remember they leave for boot with nothing more than a few pair of socks, some undies & a terrified look on their face. They will want to gather personal belongings to take with them to their next assignment.

Ask away... that's why we are here.

From what I understand in the letter I recieved todaythey would arrange a flight or transportation to get them to their station. If you want them to come home for leave before they report we have to arrange and pay for that. Is this the way any one else interprets this? How long should we wait to get plane tickets since it is close to the holidays?

From what I understand in the letter I recieved todaythey would arrange a flight or transportation to get them to their station. If you want them to come home for leave before they report we have to arrange and pay for that. Is this the way any one else interprets this? How long should we wait to get plane tickets since it is close to the holidays?

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=nf#!/gr...7119268305

I waited until week 6 to book flights, and then booked with SWA because tickets can be easily changed to another date. All they ask is that you pay the difference in cost at the time yo change them. As for the recruit's flight home, I booked my son's flight home to San Diego, then told him the flt number during his on-base liberty, as well as in a letter. He ended up being reimbursed for the flight from San Diego to Kodiak, AK (his first station), on a later paycheck. The only part he was responsible for was the flight from NJ to San Diego, which ended up only $100 and well worth it! After not seeing him for 8 weeks, there was no way I was going to let him fly home on a different flight. Booking his flight for him was the only way I knew for sure that he would be on OUR flight.

Just my 2 cents

We are in Michigan, no direct flights. Maybe Detroit but that is 1 hour away. Not too bad but still very expensive. My husband also has health problems so not sure I want to drive. I can't wait to see him and I would most definately want him to come home with us!

The thing that got me through the boot camp experience was a facebook page that was created by one of the parents. We shared stories, mail, pictures etc by the time graduation came we felt like we really knew each other and our kids. We met for dinner the night before graduation and even had special tee shirts made up that we the families wore to the graduation. Since then almost every class has had this type of page although our was probably one of the most active. We had passed the word on to our kids through letters to spread the word to other recruits and we ended up with several hundred "friends'. The pages now also include film clips filmed by local hotels that want you to stay there for graduation-of the recruits off base runs. Better then 90% of your questions can be answered there. The page is usually set up by a parent from the previous class or a woman named Julie Love when the recruits report to boot camp. I am going to try and put a link to a general CG facebook page and the one from my sons group so you can see. The kids all did fine and the parents survived with each other to lean on...but let me tell you Ihave only seen my son about 20 days this whole year. He was in boot in Jan and at his duty station since graduation in March-hoping for some leave time before the New Year.

Here are he links for you http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.ph...0455634868 and the other is http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=457318260542

Hi, I apologize I have like 2 replies already,  as far as it goes for buying tickets I wouldnt do it too soon unless you have the confidence that your child will not get in trouble whatsoever and that he/she will not get hurt and will pass all of the physical and mental aspects of bootcamp.  There is the possibility of any of them to get reverted(sent back a week or more) and not graduating with their company in which you will be informed so make sure if you purchase tickets they are refundable.

Deep down I know she will be safe. It's a mom thing!! I am very proud of her decision to join CG. I'm just not looking forward to bootcamp and going for so many weeks without hearing from her. She's my first one to leave home. Thank God I found this forum. Everyone is so encouraging!!

Ok everyone, it's me, the overwhelmed CG Dad. You said I could lean on you so I'm leaning! lol

We have recieved several letters from our son in Echo-184. We also recieved (last Friday) a five minute call from him. While it was awesome to talk to him, he sounded distraught and weary. He said the physical part was no problem but the mental stress was really getting to him. I know he's tired of boot camp but he just sounded so sad. I held it together while I was on the phone with him because I wanted him to be encouraged. When we hung up though....

As a parent you just wanna fix everything when your kids are hurting, you know? Another thing that is frustrating is the fact that the mail he is receiving is about 2 weeks behind. So even though I immediately wrote him an encouraging letter, he won't get it for 2 weeks. Anyone else have any of these issues?

Thanks for letting me vent! 18 days until graduation!

GROMS,

Things will get better as his time in Cape May winds down. Keep in mind he's being prepared for the tremendous amount of stress he'll be under in the fleet. Has he gotten orders yet?

Generally speaking, the final 2 weeks before graduation things get a bunch better for the recruits...the CC's begin to back off as the company "comes together"...the final week is frosting on the cake. Hang in there, it's a process.