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Julie-Kyle's proud Mom
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Julie-Kyle's proud Mom's Groups
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N4M Cruisers!
30 members
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Fleet Moms
38 members
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N4MA (Navy For Moms Anonymous)
141 members
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USS Essex Navy Moms
15 members
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Japan Mom's
113 members
Julie-Kyle's proud Mom's discussions
Not knowing
Replied Nov 17
Hello Navy Moms!
Replied Nov 9
On his way to Japan...Miss him already!
Profile Information
- About me:
- I am 47, a registered nurse and live in Iowa. My son, Kyle, is 20. He is an FC and stationed in Japan. He enlisted September 07. I am an avid scrapbooker (addicted) and also have two daughters and three grandsons. My husband, of almost 25yrs, is a heavy equipment operator. We enjoy hunting and fishing in our spare time. We love our pets and have 3 cats and a beagle-terrier named Millie. Since Kyle enlisted we are now "empty nesters" too.
Kyle's Navy Career Thus far:
2007 April - Enlisted in HS under the DEP program
2007 June - Graduated HS
2007 September - Left for Bootcamp in Great Lakes
2007 November - PIR/Bootcamp graduation
2008 March - Completed SCC & ATT, started A School
2008 June - A School graduation-Great Lakes
2008 July - Arrived Dam Neck, VA for C school
2008 October - C school Graduation
2008 October - Stationed in Japan
- My child's FIRST name only (No Last Names Please!):
- Kyle
- My son/daughter is:
- Enlisted, Overseas
- I was the proudest of my child when:
- Kyle is a great kid and we have always kind of struggled with him trough school but he has grown so much and I am very proud of everything he has accomplished in the Navy so far.
- When my son/daughter first spoke about joining the service I:
- Was concerned or afraid, Needed to learn more about it, Was proud, Encouraged him/her
- As a new Navy mom, the most important thing I learned was:
- To seek out as much information as possible and not to be afraid to ask questions.
- My son/daughter is currently in the service or retired, and now I believe:
- Our relationship has grown stronger, This was a maturing experience, This was the best decision he/she could have made
Julie-Kyle's proud Mom's Photos
Julie-Kyle's proud Mom's Blog
Oh HAPPY Day! A phone call from Japan!!!
Posted on November 9, 2008 at 11:30am — 3 Comments
Finally... A phone call from Japan!
Posted on October 29, 2008 at 8:15am — 3 Comments
He's in Japan!
Posted on October 27, 2008 at 5:13pm — 2 Comments
Heading to Japan...Miss him already!
Posted on October 24, 2008 at 3:27am — 7 Comments
HE MADE IT!!! We are so PROUD!!!
Posted on July 4, 2008 at 4:53pm — 5 Comments
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Found you a new mom - her daughter is heading to Sasebo but a different ship...please give her a nice N4M welcome! Told her to join the Japan Moms and look for you! She is...Mom of a Navy Daughter and I believe her daughter is an ET
MyHotComments I'm so thankful for you friendship!
Shannon
You sound so much like me. I can never find anything when I want it, but it always pops up somewhere. I usually put it in a safe place, so safe I can't find it!
I will be happy to help you all I can. I know how I was with my first trip over to Japan. It was actually on business and Aric wasn't even there yet. So I got to the Narrita airport and had to figure out how to get to the hotel, how to exchange money, etc. on my own. I did fine, but it was nerve wracking!
One tidbit that I will tell you now is to take your money in travelers checks...they give a higher exchange rate for travelers checks...not sure why. So even though I wasn't concerned about losing my money, I did it to get a better rate. And of course, you can always use your debit card and credit card over there...you just have to call your bank ahead of time and let them know you will be traveling to Japan. They will mark on your account the dates you will be there, etc. and that way they won't put a hold on your account by thinking that someone stole your credit card.
usually you can book flights about six months in advance. also, your son's ship will have in-port time and he will know the tentative ship's schedule far enough in advance for you to get tickets. Of course, the ship's schedule is always subject to change...especially in today's world...so I also always bought the trip insurance. It just made good sense since it only cost about $15 and it guraranteed me a refund on the low fare tickets if I got sick or something happened and I couldn't go.
As your son gets settled, he will learn where the best places are for lodging. They usually do have a navy lodge on every base, but not sure about Saesbo. If not, they will have something that they use for visitors. You usually have to book early to get a room in one though...and your son will have to book it for you since the lodges are only for military.
One thing my son did when I was there one time...he rented an apartment for us. He was taking flying lessons and was just finishing up his private pilot's license. He wanted to take me on a sunset flight, but it was out of Yokota Air Base, which was a 3+ hour drive one way. His daughter was only about a year old at the time, so the drive was a bit much for her to make a day trip out it. So we rented an apartment on Yokota for two nights. It was actually old onbase airforce housing. It was a 3 bedroom, 2 full baths, kitchen, living room, dining room, etc. on the 9th floor with a beautiful view. It cost only $34 a night for Aric to rent it. You couldn't beat it.
So get your son to ask around and find out where there might be deals like that. If you want to travel around Japan, try to arrange your travels around the different bases and stay in their lodges, etc. That will make your dollar go further. And Navy personnel can stay on an Air Force base, or Army... etc....
Also have your son check with MWR to see what tours will be offered during your stay. Once we did a tour out of the Yokusa to Mt. Fuji. It was a day trip and there were several stops along the way to different shrines, etc. It was about $25 for the day and it included lunch...so not a bad deal at all. MWR always has things for the sailors to take advantage of so be sure to tell your son to check with them often.
My favorite place in Japan was Kyoto. So if you can, spend a day or two there. I went while I was there on business, so I didn't have the luxury of spending more than a day. I took the bullet train early in the morning and joined a tour group in the afternoon and then came back to the hotel late that night. The tour guide in the hotel helped me figure it all out and even wrote the directions in both Japanese and English! So when I got lost, I just showed it to someone and they helped me!
Not sure if you found it yet, but here is Saesbo's web site http://www.cfas.navy.mil/ I used to go on Yokusa's all the time just to see what the weather was like and when they had a typhoon coming at them, it was great to be able to check on their alert status, etc. That way I could be a worisome mom without Aric knowing it. The web has an events link which has an MWR link...so that should help you get started.
Well, I should probably not overload you...but I am so excited that you are going to start saving now to go. You won't be sorry. I had to go in debt a couple of times...put it on the credit card, but I got it paid off in a few months and it was so worth the few dollars in interest! So save the pennies because you will have the best time ever. It is also good that you won't go right away as that will give your son some time to figure things out!
Take care and have a wonderfully blessed day.
Shannon
Hope you are doing okay...I'm waiting and waiting and waiting for a phone call from Nick - he was supposed to go at 7 AM for his orders, that was four hours ago Julie and he has not called yet!
sorry for not responding sooner, but I don't get to check my email very often and then when I do, I have to wade through 600 emails of junk....
I will be happy to help you out when you get ready to go see your son. And I am so excited that you are considering going. I know it is cheaper to buy a ticket for the son to come home than to buy for mom and dad, but what a great experience it is for the mom and dad to see their son's world in Japan. It is awesome and something I would never trade in a thousand years. So any help I can be, just let me know. And if you dont get a response from me just send me an email at work....shannon.ricles@noaa.gov I am in front of that email 24-7....!
Take care and good luck to your son Kyle!
Shannon
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