V. Michael Roberson's Page

Michael,

We have more in common than you realize. My daughter has a degree in Criminal Justice and wants to be a Police Officer but after graduation every position that she applied for she made it to the final step only to be beaten out by former military people.  She decided that if she was to get a job as a Police Officer that she had to join the military.  There was only one snag, she tested too high for MA and ended up AT.  She presently is in San Diego working on helicopters in a brand new squadron.

Anyway, let start by saying that you will have it much easier with your daughter going through BC during the summer.  It was very difficult for my wife and I not having any contact with our daughter over Christmas last year. Our daughter started BC on Dec 14th.  I'm not saying it won't be tough the first few weeks, but at least you won't have to go through Christmas without your daughter right after she leaves.  We were so depressed, we didn't even have a tree last year.  This year will be different as she gets to come home for 10 days over Christmas!  Oh, and she LOVES San Diego!  Luckily, her squadron is a brand new squadron that has been attached to the Carl Vinson but will not be deployed for at least two years so unless some drastic changes, she should ride out her first enlistment in San Diego!

As far as PIR goes, I'm not sure how far you are from Great Lakes so I can't really comment on the flying versus driving.  That is to each there own.  We live about 3 hours from Great Lakes so we drove.  We stayed at the Residence Inn in Waukegan, IL.  It was close, reasonably priced and very nice.  We used the shuttle to get to PIR.  We were there early and had a nice visit with some of the other parents while we waited for the ceremony to start!  I definitely recommend getting there as early as possible otherwise you will end up sitting in the upper level and I'm not sure if you would be able to pick your recruit out from up there.  If you get there early enough, you will be able to sit in an area designated by division directly across from where they will be sitting!  Needless to say, which ever way you decide to go between driving or flying, be sure to make your room reservations as early as possible!

Hello, well my son just finished up MA school and was able to pick San Diego. He said that you pick whats available. The Job for dogs is MWD and they only give your class orders for it if you volunteer, but not guarenteed to get it...The higher in class the first picks go to them of whats available.

Welcome aboard Michael.
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 Lyndsay 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 aboard Michael! I'm so glad that you've joined us. I can't add very much to what’s already been said, but wanted to pop in here and say hello.

My son Stephen is an AWO and flies with VP-45 on the P-3 Orion Sub Hunter and is stationed in Jacksonville, FL. Currently, he’s on his first deployment. Be sure to join the groups that will follow what Lindsay is doing with the Navy. If you have questions, usually you can find what you're looking for here. See you around the fleet!

Jim

Greetings V. Michael! 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 Lyndsay for her service.

Welcome aboard...

V. Michael, be sure to check out our Groups. We have several Groups for PIR and Boot Camp, plus Groups for the different Rates like Navy Nukes, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Master at Arms. Check to see if your State or area has a Group already formed to locate others in your area. There are general interest Groups like: Care Packages,
A School for Dads, NASCAR for NavyDads and the book of acronyms and ranks. We’ve also added a Spanish language Group.

If you have problems or questions about the Groups, discussions or navigating our site please let me know. I’ll be happy to help or find someone more knowledgeable about your isssue.

Again Welcome to NavyDads.

V. Michael, Welcome to NavyDads. My Grandson joined the Navy and went to Boot Camp in February, 2008. When I joined this site I knew nothing about the Military. It’s really helped me understand what to expect and has relieved some of my worries. Please go to the Groups Page and check out all the various offerings. 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 regarding what’s in store for your recruit. You will find members that are new to the Navy along with those who have Loved Ones who’ve made the Navy a career. We like to hear about your recruit; the good times, the concerns, and welcome questions. I think you will find our members are a big family and everyone wants to help others understand what to expect and hear about the progress of your recruit.

Please feel free to ask questions.

Again Welcome and keep us updated on your recruit.

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