Facebook & Navy should recognize Navy Dads by Frank D Coon
As soon as I got the email re: NavyDads having a group on Facebook I went onto my page there and joined the group - it showed 2 groups there for whatever reason, so I joined both. Simple enough decision.
On another issue - I would like to encourage every member here at NavyDads to send their Congressmen and Senators, local VA offices, local recruiting offices and whatever or whoever else you can think of letters, emails, personal visits, whatever, requesting that the Navy acknowledge NavyDads in the same manner the Navy recognizes Navy for Moms.
As I mentioned to Navydads Creator, the recognition and promotion we are now getting for this website, which I believe is an invaluable asset for a Navy Dad or Family, should be stepped up by the Navy. The Navy knows we are here, so why not help their families by making them aware of us ??? For the Navy to not do so, in my opinion, is what a lot of people would call "typical military" or "typical government", right?? So why not save themselves the embarrassment and get our info out to those who can benefit from it ???
A true analogy - When I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 01/02 I asked my oncologist if he knew of any support groups where I might find some advice and all that goes with a support group. He indicated that he really didn't know of any - yet he sat on the Board of The Wellness Community - one of the foremost charitable non-profits created for the benefit of cancer "survivors", as TWC refers to cancer patients !!
I discovered this agency by accident close to the end of my treatments, and was able to take advantage of their support as I was recovering from the long lasting side effects from the particular chemo treatments I had to have to survive. Fortunately, it was a curable form of cancer and I am now considered as cured.
My point is that he we are, offering all kinds of support and information for not only Navy Dads, but for Navy families as well. It seems as though it should be a relatively simple thing for the Navy to include at least a mention of NavyDads, as it does Navy for Moms, in some of its recruitment information and in the initial info packs given to new recruits and their families.
The reasons for why this has not been done yet is a bunch of old bilge, in Navy terms. Our new Navy families need our support and they need it now.
Just recall how you felt when your kid joined the Navy, and if that doesn't get you, then think of how you felt the first time your kid was being deployed into a combat zone, and the lack of information you had available to you.
I recall that when my son was on the T. Roosevelt and was sent out on Enduring Freedom as part of the 1st strike force there, how little we both knew about what sort of communications we would have available to us. Had I known that before he left, I would have been much more at ease about it. Even though I knew that he was probably in a safer place than the rest of us, a parent still worries.
So let's all do our part to help other Navy families and be a really squeaky wheel in the ears of our elected officials in D.C. so that something happens with this.
Thank you all in advance for all your efforts.
A Proud Navy Dad - Frank Coon, Jr. - father of Lt. Frank Coon III
I wanted to bring this to the forefront for all members to see. I do believe if we become more pro active in getting the Navy to recognize us it will greatly help our site grow. I want to thank Frank for his support and please check out his original blog about this discussion.
On another issue - I would like to encourage every member here at NavyDads to send their Congressmen and Senators, local VA offices, local recruiting offices and whatever or whoever else you can think of letters, emails, personal visits, whatever, requesting that the Navy acknowledge NavyDads in the same manner the Navy recognizes Navy for Moms.
As I mentioned to Navydads Creator, the recognition and promotion we are now getting for this website, which I believe is an invaluable asset for a Navy Dad or Family, should be stepped up by the Navy. The Navy knows we are here, so why not help their families by making them aware of us ??? For the Navy to not do so, in my opinion, is what a lot of people would call "typical military" or "typical government", right?? So why not save themselves the embarrassment and get our info out to those who can benefit from it ???
A true analogy - When I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 01/02 I asked my oncologist if he knew of any support groups where I might find some advice and all that goes with a support group. He indicated that he really didn't know of any - yet he sat on the Board of The Wellness Community - one of the foremost charitable non-profits created for the benefit of cancer "survivors", as TWC refers to cancer patients !!
I discovered this agency by accident close to the end of my treatments, and was able to take advantage of their support as I was recovering from the long lasting side effects from the particular chemo treatments I had to have to survive. Fortunately, it was a curable form of cancer and I am now considered as cured.
My point is that he we are, offering all kinds of support and information for not only Navy Dads, but for Navy families as well. It seems as though it should be a relatively simple thing for the Navy to include at least a mention of NavyDads, as it does Navy for Moms, in some of its recruitment information and in the initial info packs given to new recruits and their families.
The reasons for why this has not been done yet is a bunch of old bilge, in Navy terms. Our new Navy families need our support and they need it now.
Just recall how you felt when your kid joined the Navy, and if that doesn't get you, then think of how you felt the first time your kid was being deployed into a combat zone, and the lack of information you had available to you.
I recall that when my son was on the T. Roosevelt and was sent out on Enduring Freedom as part of the 1st strike force there, how little we both knew about what sort of communications we would have available to us. Had I known that before he left, I would have been much more at ease about it. Even though I knew that he was probably in a safer place than the rest of us, a parent still worries.
So let's all do our part to help other Navy families and be a really squeaky wheel in the ears of our elected officials in D.C. so that something happens with this.
Thank you all in advance for all your efforts.
A Proud Navy Dad - Frank Coon, Jr. - father of Lt. Frank Coon III
I wanted to bring this to the forefront for all members to see. I do believe if we become more pro active in getting the Navy to recognize us it will greatly help our site grow. I want to thank Frank for his support and please check out his original blog about this discussion.
Tags: blog, frank d coon, navy, navy dads facebook, navy for moms, united states navy
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cora on -
Thank you for this information and advice you have given all of us here on Navydads as well as your personal experience in searching out and finding support groups for yourself at a time in your life when you should not have had to. I 100% agree with you to be a doctor and on a Board of Wellness Community he should have had knowledge of such support groups however, I myself have found throughout my life that people seeem to be more pro active about themselves personally, or seem to be fearful of committment if they have to do something that requires helping others than being pro active in getting the word out to help others in such circumstances. It has improved through the years a bit however I am still finding myself in the same boat and having to search out for myself to find what I need or what someone else needs that I can help them with. You really hit the nail on the board here Frank! Good Job! This is what being an American is, helping one another!
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Permalink Reply by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on -
Well said John...I too like the freedom to say what I want (within reason of course) without fear of "big brother" breathing our neck. Considering this website is a result of dedicated work of EG, Terry and many others, I think we've done a remarkable job at informing Navy parents and providing the support that we neglected dads need and deserve. It's only through the continued use of the site by proud Navy parents such as yourself that we continue to grow.
JohnM said:Request that the Navy acknowledge Navy Dads in the same manner the Navy recognizes Navy for Moms?
I really can't see the US Navy endorsing a website that they have no control over. Are you aware that Navy For Moms is owned by the US Navy and that the US Navy exercises full editorial control? The administrators of Navy For Moms are a third party media outfit that is neither Navy nor Moms. They are just in it for the money. Are you really asking that the US Navy take control of Navy Dads and farm out its operation to salaried non-Navy dads? And there is control: I've seen too many threads disappear on Navy For Moms without any explaination.
Be careful. You might not like what you are asking for. I kinda like Navy Dads being a site for Navy dads run by Navy dads.
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Permalink Reply by John B.Walsh on -
Good discussion gentlemen - I'm persuaded by the "free and independent" model. I only know enough to be dangerous but I know that the ranking on a Google search rises the more the more people hit our website ,and that there are ways to optimize the site for search engines. I have no idea how to do that but it has something to do with keywords etc.
I'd say let's keep using the site and recommending to all our family and friends. It's been an extremely helpful ( and consoling) tool for me.
Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Michele on -
This may seem conforment but I agree on both points. I do feel our site here is one of absolute value to new Navy families and sailors, that not getting the word out to them in the very first steps of their journeys can cause undue worry. I know this site started with a father from my son's division so I didn't have the support needed from the start, but I can say from bootcamp graduation on the information here has been very valuable to my sanity :). If there is a way to get contact with new recruit families without the Navy taking away the freedom of our site I am all for that! I know some local recruiting offices or even the high schools may agree to let a flyer be distributed to prospective candidates. . . also an idea could be to put a non-profit ad in local newspapers, sometimes these are free of charge.
All I know is that I don't agree with how the government runs somethings and I would hate for our site to be dismantled in the name of getting a few more hits. Just my two cents.
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Reynolds Northern on
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Michele said:This may seem conforment but I agree on both points. I do feel our site here is one of absolute value to new Navy families and sailors, that not getting the word out to them in the very first steps of their journeys can cause undue worry. I know this site started with a father from my son's division so I didn't have the support needed from the start, but I can say from bootcamp graduation on the information here has been very valuable to my sanity :). If there is a way to get contact with new recruit families without the Navy taking away the freedom of our site I am all for that! I know some local recruiting offices or even the high schools may agree to let a flyer be distributed to prospective candidates. . . also an idea could be to put a non-profit ad in local newspapers, sometimes these are free of charge.
All I know is that I don't agree with how the government runs somethings and I would hate for our site to be dismantled in the name of getting a few more hits. Just my two cents.
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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Reynolds Northern on
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Be very, very careful what you wish for. Please see my page. There are more reasons to stay private than to not. Wish I could say different, since we are all here to support each other. Maybe it's just enough to go by word of mouth.
God Bless us all!
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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on -
I think it should remain private without ownship by a third party's influence. One has to really wonder what agency is paying for all that Navy 4 Moms advertising on national television and magazine ads??? And why are they even spending money on TV ads??? Who is making money off of the N4Moms site???
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Permalink Reply by Mark Zimmerman on
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By the way...the Navy Dads site has improved 1000% since it started last year. The Navy Dads Creator has developed this into one great venue for us to network with each other!!!
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Permalink Reply by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on
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easy answer--- the US Navy...they use the site as a recruiting aid
Mark Zimmerman said:I think it should remain private without ownship by a third party's influence. One has to really wonder what agency is paying for all that Navy 4 Moms advertising on national television and magazine ads??? And why are they even spending money on TV ads??? Who is making money off of the N4Moms site???
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