Seeing my sailor for the holidays? What you need to know!

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Permalink Reply by Hoppi aka Angie on November 24, 2008 at 1:11pm

Glad he is home safe! We miss so many holidays, the normal calander doesn't really apply to people on deployment :~} I will take having Christmas in July, as long as we are together!

I have missed more holidays and birthdays then I know of :~{ but if you ask my kids, they will be able to tell you everyone either myself or my husband has missed. Kind of sad :~{

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Permalink Reply by Angie F.- WA: HM mom on November 25, 2008 at 6:28pm

Kristina, there are almost 9,000 members here on N4Ms. Countless many more U.S. service members and their families beyond that. Change the names in your story and it could represent many, many of them, all with special reasons why they want their loved one together with them and home for the holidays. Reading the posts here of new Navy wives with babies on the way and/or due while their husbands are in BC or deployed is heartbreaking! I hear and understand your sadness. My busy, extended family has a reunion/gathering every year, in the same state I live in, but sometimes weather, finances, lack of vacation time etc keep me from them. It's usually the only time I get to see my only brother. I won't this year. However, this Christmas, I am one of the fortunate few with my Sailor home, but I know with the path my son is choosing to follow, that this may very well be the last holiday with him for maybe a long while. I'm slowly adjusting my expectations and to the thought of perhaps not celebrating his 21st Birthday with him next spring and maybe needing to change our future traditions and plans, sometimes at the last minute, due to the "Needs of the Navy".

We understandably tend to be centered on our little world; our families, our plans, but while we enjoy the freedom to do so, many in our world are striving to take that freedom away. We must remember that terrorists don't take Christmas off, wars don't take Christmas off, the US and our military forces have to stay sharp, trained and at the ready. Your daughter knew that serving required sacrifice, be proud of her for that. Don't view it as being taken away, she chose to give it as a gift to her country. Take what you can have of her when you can have it, don't get too caught up in the specific dates on the calendar. No need to feel far or become distant from her either. Be sure to leave a couple of empty chairs, pray for them, pass a card around for every one to sign, take pictures (especially of those sweet grandkids) when everyone is gathered and send them to her. Some families set up webcams and chat live. Find ways to support, encourage and stay close. Maybe instead of a gift exchange or wild elephant, the whole family can bring items to put into a care package for your daughter and her husband? I find our contentment and happiness changes with the circumstances of our lives, but true joy, Christmas joy, always abides and can be shared all year long! God Bless, have a great time in Florida. Heard they sometimes go to the beach on Xmas day, I'm so jealous! :-) Hoppi, Thank you for the sacrifices you and your husband (and your kids!) have made, I'm sure it hasn't been easy. Happy Holidays everyone! God Bless the USA.

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Permalink Reply by Hoppi aka Angie on November 23, 2008 at 9:21am

yes they do get a forum of Thanksgiving and Chirstmas dinner, but nothing like home cooked one :~}

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Permalink Reply by Bonita-Mom of Alex on November 22, 2008 at 11:47pm

I have a question. I believe my son will stay in Great Lakes for a month or so after PIR (12/5/08) because he will be waiting to go A school in Pensacola. If he is being held awaiting A school does that mean he will not be able to come home on leave for the Christmas holiday? I think I feel my heart breaking already.

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Permalink Reply by Hoppi aka Angie on November 23, 2008 at 9:22am

Won't he be in GL for the first part of his "A" school? ATT? If he is on the bootcamp base, he will NOT get leave, if he is on the "A" school base, what the CC posted will apply.

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Permalink Reply by Bonita-Mom of Alex on November 23, 2008 at 11:43am

From what I understand he will be held in Great Lakes until there is availability for him at his Aviation A school that is in Pensacola, Does that mean that I may have a thin ray of hope that he may be able to come home for Christmas?

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Permalink Reply by Anti M on November 23, 2008 at 12:01pm

Possibly maybe!

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Permalink Reply by Hoppi aka Angie on November 23, 2008 at 5:18pm

depends if he is on the BC side or the "A" school side.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy on November 24, 2008 at 5:52pm

Hi there, my son had PIR last Friday & he said he will be checking into A school accross the street. (Hospitalcorpman) So I just want to make sure I am understanding this correctly. When he gets there he will do a chit sheet request time off at X-mas. Now the part I am a little confused about; He can then buy a ticket but he wont be told it is approved til the day he leaves? Also, he said he has around 5 days built up that he can take off but what I am hearing is that he can request the remainder of the 2 weeks off also & go in the hole for 9 days? Is my line of thinking correct?

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Permalink Reply by div051girlfriend on November 25, 2008 at 1:00am

Before me boyfriend left his recruiter told him that he will only have to do 6 weeks instead of 8, he said that they send a lot of recruits home because of the holidays.I know that recruiters tend to sell them a bill of goods but i have seen a lot of moms on this website say the same thing. he went in nov 5 and pir is on the jan 2. Do you think that he will pir early and come home for the holidays?

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Permalink Reply by Anti M on November 25, 2008 at 6:52am

Not likely, I've not heard this before. A schools go to stand down, but so far, never boot camp. If it happens though, be sure to share.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy J's Mom on December 3, 2008 at 11:22pm

My son left for BC on 11/18/08. When we met with his recruiter, I made the comment that he would be in BC for Christmas. His recruiter told us that they would probably be given liberty for the day. Does that mean that the recruiter was incorrect? We live 60 minutes N of GL and were hoping to go get him for the day and take him back that night. Oh well, I guess it's Christmas in January.

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