Kurt Huisman's Page

Hi Kurt and welcome to Navvydads and the IS group. My son Mike is an IS3 onboard the USS George Washington. An aircraft carrier based in Yokosuka Japan. Feel free to ask anything you like, and visit often.

                                                                          Jim

Welcome aboard Kurt.
I would like to take this time to point you in some of the right directions. For starters if you haven't had the time take a look at the right side of any page you click on. There you will find some useful information for you. The links under the about this site will help you with how this site got started, navigation, PIR, About us, community guidelines and some links to some of the groups that beginners with a lot of questions will find very useful. There is also a link called Navy Enlisted Ratings, this link will take you to a brief description of the rates (jobs) in the Navy that you can find your sailors rate and find out some information about the rate that they are in.
First and foremost though we are all here for the same reason. We are curious about what our young sailors are getting into and for more information about the rate or job that they will be doing for the next 4-6 yrs of their lives. I know when I first got here I had lots of questions and there was not a lot of people on this site but they all were either going through the same thing or had been through it and had sailors out in the fleet. Now this site has grown to over 4000 members, Dads, Moms, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, sisters, brothers, girlfriends and boyfriends. Don't be afraid to ask questions of members in here because somewhere along the way we have all had the same questions and asked. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this site with various years of experience in the NAVY either on their own account or through their Sailors.
Again welcome aboard and BRAVO ZULU to you and your daughter Sydney on her enlistment and please thank her for me for making the choice to defend the freedoms that my family, this country and I have and enjoy.
Navy dads Co-admin Tim

Welcome to NavyDads.com Kurt! When my daughter enlisted in 2005 and left for RTC, I had virtually no knowledge of Navy life or how the Navy did things. By the time her PIR rolled around, I was starting to get the hang of things and understand some of the language and abbreviations, but still felt like a fish out of water when dealing with most topics concerning the US Navy. When my son enlisted and left for Great Lakes in 2007, I got serious about trying to learn as much as possible about the Navy. Now, several years into my journey, I’m blessed to say I have two sailors in the family - my son Eric (AM3) was on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and just reported to Helicopter Squadron Light-37 (HSL-37) in Hawaii after re-enlisting earlier this year. My daughter Kat is now a Navy veteran and was stationed on the carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) as a Mass Communications Specialist. If NavyDads.com were around in those days, it would have made my journey as a Navy parent much easier!

I'm sure you'll find NavyDads.com as useful, educational and informative as I have over the past few years. I hope you take the time to explore the site and make some new friends. Read the discussions and add your comments. Browse through the postings in the various groups or start a new one. If you have any comments, questions or concerns about your sailor and what she is going through...be sure to post them! In my experience someone here can answer your questions or concerns or can point you in the direction to find out. And Kurt this is a great place to brag as well! So join in, get active, and be sure to let us know how Sydney is doing! Please remember that we talk about the Navy here and we must keep the security and safety of our sailors and the fleet in mind. On the right or starboard side of every NavyDads page is an area we call About This Site. Please take a minute and read through the Operations Security (OPSEC) link for some guidelines as to what we should not talk about in a public forum like NavyDads.com.

As a parent of a sailor currently or soon to be at Great Lakes you'll have many questions about what your daughter is going through. In the Navy Bootcamp group is a discussion called A MUST READ for all New Navy Parents. Read through this post as it will do a lot to give you some understanding about what your sailor is learning and why. And be sure to check out the videos available in the Bootcamp Group as well.

As PIR draws closer, be sure to spend some time going through the PIR-Tips, Hints and Helps group- we’ve tried to assemble some tips and suggestions to make your sailor's PIR more enjoyable.

Play the following video for a brief introduction to NavyDads.com. We've made some cosmetic changes to the site since this video was made, but navigation remains the same.


Best Regards- Paul

Welcome aboard Kurt! When my son first enlisted, I was a little scared and worried for him. Not coming from a military family at all, I had no idea what to expect. What I found out was that he had made the most mature decision of his life! I found lots of answers to my questions right here on NavyDads.com.  

 

I have one sailor in the family - my son Stephen is an AWO2. (Air warfare systems operator) He is a Petty Officer 2^nd Class and flies in the P-3 Orion sub hunter. Currently he is with VP-45 in Jacksonville, FL. However he is now on his first deployment.  This is a great place to brag about Sydney as well!

 

We do ask that you remember that we talk about the Navy here and we must keep the security and safety of our sailors in mind at all times. On the starboard side of every Navy Dads page is an area we call “About Us.” Please take a minute and read through the Operations Security (OPSEC) link and the NavyDads Guidelines link. Also check out the FAQs at the top of the pages, and also on the starboard side. There is lots of information there as well. Also be sure to check out the “Navy Dads Tutorial” in the FAQ section. It’s a short video that will help you to navigate around the site.

 

 Also be sure to stop by the NavyDads official store- Navyoutfitters.com. The Navy Blue tee shirt with the NavyDads.com logo is my favorite! Again, welcome and we’ll see you around the fleet!  GO NAVY!  HOOYAH!

 

Best Regards- Jim

 

Greetings Kurt! My son recently joined the Navy and I really had no idea or a clue on what he’s about to partake in besides what I’ve seen on tv and some stories told by friends and relatives. I am honored and very proud of his decision to serve our country.

 

I’ve perused recruiter literature from DEP and beyond but I felt that I needed more information to keep me from worrying too much. I also wanted to hear from real folks on what their experiences were like and what they've gone through. That's when I found this website while searching for answers.

 

I hope you too will find NavyDads.Com useful with lots of real shared information. Our family extends our warmest thanks to your daughter Sydney for her service.

 

Welcome aboard...

 

Kurt, Welcome to NavyDads. My Grandson Joined the Navy and went to Boot Camp in February, 2008. When I joined I knew nothing about the Military and this site has really helped me understand what to expect and has relieved some of the worries I had. Please go to the Groups Page and check out all of the different Groups and join in to learn more about what your Guy or Gal will be learning and doing. We are a big family here and you can find answers to most any question or concern you may have regarding what is in store for you recruit. You will find others that are new to the Navy along with those that have Loved Ones that has been in for some time. We like to hear about your recruit the good times, the concerns and the questions. I think you will find that our member are just a great big family and everyone wants to help others understand what to expect and hear how your recruit is doing.

Please feel free to ask questions.

Again Welcome and keep us updated as to you recruit’s progress.

HooYah US Navy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!