GREAT LAKES

HELLO EVERYONE

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WARM INVITES. I VISITED THE SITE BEFORE I WENT TO GREAT LAKES AND WAS VERY TOUCHED BY THE COMMENTS SOME PARENTS HAD MADE AND THE STORIES I READ. I WAS SCARED THINKING THAT THIS YOUNG MAN THAT IS MY ONLY SON WOULD BE REGRETING THE DECISION HE MADE TO JOIN THE NAVY BECAUSE WHEN WE SPOKE ON THE PHONE HE SOUNDED SAD. BUT WHEN I GOT TO CHICAGO AND SAW THE GRADUATION I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM ONCE THE LIBERTY BELL RANG I THINK I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO START RUNNING OVER TO HIM AND TACKLE HIM IN SUCH A WARM AND HARD HUG THAT I DID NOT EVEN NOTICE THE PEOPLE AROUND ME AND ALL THE EMOTIONS IN THAT ROOM. I WAS SO OVERWHELMED BY ALL THE FEELINGS I HAD. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK THE RTC AND THE NAVY FOR HELPING ME MOLD THIS YOUNG BOY INTO THE MAN HE IS BECOMING. HE SPOKE TO ME IN SUCH A DIFFRENT MIND SET AND ACTED IN A ADULT WAY THAT ANY MOTHER WOULD BE PROUD OF NOW HE IS OFF TO A SCHOOL TRAINNING AND I KNOW HE WILL BE OK HE IS NOT ALONE THERE ARE OTHER YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE LEARNED TO BE A TEAM AND I KNOW HE WILL PROGRESS IN THIS DIFFICULT JOB AND CAREER HE HAS CHOSEN. ANY ONE WITH A CHILD IN THE MILITARY ARMY,MARINES, NAVY, AIRFORCE, KNOWS THE DANGERS AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE SCARED . BUT KNOWNG HE IS NOT ALONE MAKES THINGS A LITTLE MORE BEARABLE. ALL WE CAN DO AS PARENTS IS PRAY AND HOPE THEY WILL HAVE A LONG AND DISTIGUISHED CAREERS. AS THE NAVY WILL SEE THEM AS MEN AND WOMEN A MOM WILL ALWAYS SEE THEM AS CHILDREN WE CARED FOR ALL THERE LIVES AND STILL CONTINUE TO CARE FOR I SAY THIS BECAUSE AS MANY TIMES AS WE ARE TOLD HE'S A MAN NOW U HAVE TO LET GO TELL ME WHY I HAD TO GO TO WALMART TO GET SOME TIDE TO GO TO GET SOME MAC N CHEESE OFF HIS NAVY WHITES? ONLY A MOM WILL KNOW. MAY U ALL HAVE PEACE AND COMFORT KNOWING THAT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTERS ARE NOT ALONE MY SON IS WITH THEM ALSO. AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER ,HERE ON THIS SITE THANK YOU. I HOPE HE NEVER READS ABOUT THIS MAC N CHEESE THING . OH HE IS A BOATSWAIN I THINK THIS IS THE CORRECT SPELLING