Hello all,

I am new to this forum, but I am so glad it is available! My boyfriend left today for boot camp, he is on his way right now. His final date was delayed over and over again, and finally he is gone to Cape May. I am extremely proud and at the same time very sad.. We have been together for over 6 years now, and I'm used to seeing him everyday, so this is very tough for me. Even though he is really unsure of what is to come I would like to plan ahead for the graduation and I really wish I could know when I will be hearing from him for the 1st time, after today. Is there any information that you guys could give me? Anything that would make me feel a little better would be greatly appreciated. He said his graduation should be on January 21st, but he is not sure.

Thanks so much,

Natalie

you will probably hear from him around week 6 or so. Yes i knwo it is a long time but it gets easier. i have come to realize time goes flying by. i am finishing up 8 weeks right now at a school still hve 2 left. I spent 9 weeks before this in the gulf. My wife and kids have learned to deal with it sort of. Just remember that this is only 8 weeks when he gets back everything will be rolling along and he might be going to a land unit or a cutter so you might have to get use to the time apart from him. There is all kinds of support here on the forum for everyone

You should get a letter around the end of the 2nd week. Then you will get letters as he is able to write. The first phone call is a very, very quick call the weekend-ish of week 5 just letting you know where he will be stationed. When that call comes, don't try talking or crying or telling him how much you miss him, that is a call for listening only. He will be giving you information on his new station and there will be CC's listening to him. On the Saturday of week 6, if they have earned it, they will get liberty. He can call then and be able to talk. Week 7 will be an off base liberty and he can call then as well.

The days are going to drag past but the weeks will fly. Before you know it graduation will be here and then let the games begin. The first week or 2 are going to be tough, no one is going to argue that point. But it does start to get easier.  In the meantime, feel free to ask any questions or just join in one of our goofy conversations.  We will help you pass the time.

Welcome Natalie...lean on us we are here for you!

Thank you all so much for answering! Yesterday was definitely the toughest day.. I feel a little better today, since I'm busier. All the replies made me feel better, knowing that I don't have to wonder so much, and that I shouldn't really be waiting by the phone all day. I was able to speak to him until he was about to arrive at the Cape May center. It was relieving to know that he was very excited to start. Thanks again, everyone! I look forward to being able to speak with more of you throughout the forum.

i forgot you might get to talk to him on christmas depending on operation fireside. I dont know what week he will be in or anything like that. I will tell you i will be back in cape may that week

Actually Souhtern is correct. That will be week the end of week 4. He should be able to participate. He should be allowed to call at that time.

Wow! That's great!! I'm so glad to hear that. I did not know about Operation Fireside, that should be really nice for them. All of the new recruits are allowed to participate? This is really great news, definitely brightened my day. Thanks so much!

Operation Fireside is a program put on in cooperation with the Cape May chapter of the Red Cross. They take recruits, minimum of 3 weeks in basic, and send them to homes of local families. There they get to enjoy food, family, tv, calling home and just in general a relaxing holiday. It is an amazing program considering the amount of families they need to participate to get all the recruits to a home. There have been stories of recruits following up with their host family after graduation and staying in contact with that family for a while!

I am so anxious to find out what company he is in already! I'm hoping they were allowed to write today (Sunday).. When should we be receiving the letter in the mail regarding his graduation date and information?? It seems like he just left and at the same time it feels like an eternity has gone by already! Thanks to everyone who has replied to me, I'm so appreciative that other people can relate to how I am feeling right now and help to make me feel better. I would love to get more involved in this forum but I feel like such a newbie..

Natalie,

You should be receiving the formal letter this week. That is of course if he sends it to you and not his mom or dad. They only get one letter to send out. Didn't I tell you... the days drag by, gone for an eternity feelingl But the weeks will fly past, look 1 down already & you survived just fine!

You are a newbie... we all were at some point. Come on, jump in, join a conversation, post a joke, tell us the weather where you are... we'll chime in and talk and answer questions and before you know it graduation will be here and you'll feel like you already know quite a bit about the CG and have your own little extended family right here.

Side note... When Jim left for boot camp (my fiance at the time) I told him he had better contact me and not his mom. I should take precedence. Then 23 some odd years later when my son went to boot camp he was told "I am mom, you send to me first!" HAHAHAHA

HAHAHA! That's hilarious. I kind of told my boyfriend the same thing. He is very close to my parents and has his mail forwarded to my house, so I know it's the only address that he knows by heart. He said he would send it to me, so I'm awaiting it's arrival! I can't wait!! About the weather... I live in Miami, and surprisingly, it is 56 degrees right now! I am loving this weather. I hope it sticks around for a while. I am excited to be in the cold NJ weather for the graduation! =)

I just found a picture that he is in on the family site on facebook. He looks so sad and cold.. I'm trying not to feel like I felt when he left, again..

When you call to tell your parents about where you will be stationed do you get just 1 phone call, since mine are divorced will they allow 2 calls?

Natalie, I'm sure he does look sad & cold... but keep in mind, that is one picture, it is a few days old. By the time you see it his emotions have gone from sad & cold to happy & warm to lonely to exuberant... boot camp is all about emotional and physical roller coaster. Keep that in mind when you start getting letters, by the time you receive them, emotions and experiences are almost a week old already! The ebb & flow of emotions are amazing... Just keep yourself and your letters upbeat, positive, happy and it will give him something of a boost. Mention you saw his picture, tell him a smile wouldn't kill him! But then follow up with something like but it could get you a few more push ups! They are supposed to look like that. LOL

Falcon, Nope, one call. My son called me, his dad & I are divorced and his dad is a Commander in the CG. Holds no bearing... one call to a customer. My first phone call after I hung up with Colin was immediately to my ex. I know he knew that was right about the time orders would be coming out so he was waiting patiently for an answer too. He didn't care the call came from me, he was just happy to hear the location. So just tell whomever you are going to call to be sure to call the other parent. I won't assume which parent you would call.

Thank you! You know exactly what to say to make me feel better about all this.. I smiled when I read your reply.. It's true.. Perhaps they snapped the picture when he happened to be looking down at his shoes, it's obvious they did not know that they were being photographed. It did bring me joy to see him, it's great that these families post pictures for other families. I will make sure to write happy and positive thoughts for him in my letters. Thank you, again, for being patient and replying.

My parents just called me that we recieved an envelope from the traning center in my name!! I'm guessing its the graduation information, etc.. That was quicker than I thought! I'm so excited to get home now and open it!! Wow... This process IS a roller coaster for both him AND me! lol..!

It will only get better. Just thing you will be going up there soon. I am ready to graduate i have 11 more days then i get to go see my family

How was the letter Natalie? Probably the form letter but to even just see his handwriting!!! I know it made me happy when I saw Colin's.

Today is the anniversary of Pearl Harbor... While we talk about lack of communication and letters home, let's remember the soldiers, sailors & airmen that went before us and the wives & girls that stayed at home... Imagine how they must have felt when letters showed up. I can only imagine the elation and joy in their hearts just to get a glimpse of his penmanship while in Europe or the South Pacific.

See, we've all been there, at one point or another in one situation or another. We aren't the first to endure, we won't be the last. But at least things do get a little easier with time. Be sure to thank a WWII vet, especially on todays day of days.  Or any vet, at any time.

It was really great to receive it! It was just the informative form, but like you said it was great just seeing his handwriting! =) I'm hoping that he was able to write this past Sunday and that I will receive a real letter soon. He is in India- 184.

India - 184 but close enough. LOL

OOOPS! lol.. Sorry! Thanks!

LIke I said before, we were all new once and we all made the same sort of mistakes. No worries at all. I just wanted you to be sure to address the letters right. Not that it would really matter, he would still get it but right is always good.

I corrected it in my original post! lol.. I seem to have clicked submit twice on the previous one. How can we delete posts? Are we able to do so? I found the facebook page for his company! How exciting!! I created a topic in the graduation section, I'm hoping to get some replies!

Also, I messed up on the date in the graduation topic post. I put 2010, force of habit... =( Is there anyway to fix that or delete it?

>_>

<_<

I really hope my fiancée is as excited to get stuff from me as Natalie is when I go. I'm gonna make sure to do whatever I can to get her letters and such. For some weird reason she likes my handwriting.

We are all that crazy excited to get letters, honest... moms, dads, grandmas, girlfriends, probably even Fido & Fluffy would be happy to see a letter addressed to them. However, please, please, please don't focus too much on sending letters. Polish your boots, study your books, learn to tie your knots, go to mass to have a peaceful, calming hour... You send a letter and forget to do other things, she'll be getting extra letters when you are there for 9 or 10 weeks instead of 8. I'm just sayin... letters to family are secondary in a big way!

Eoghan Roe,

She will be! Believe me. From the moment my boyfriend got on that bus I was desperate to hear anything! He was able to call me until the final bus pulled into the training center at Cape May, so you will probably be able to do the same and let her and your family know that you arrived safely. After that final phone call, I was counting the days, even the minutes until I would receive something from him in the mail. When will you be leaving?

I'm shipping May 24th. Heh, told my recruiter I wanted to wait till after the wedding (April 22).

And I know Old Guard, I'm pretty well determined to get through it as quickly and cleanly as possible. But anything that makes it easier on her is a good thing.