Posted on 07/30/2008 8:06:29 AM PDT by DungeonMaster
My 18 year old home schooled son has just joined the Navy! He is torn between being a Corpsman or a Nuke tech.
My wife and I have so many emotions going through our heads but the biggest one is pride. Of our eight children this particular one is the most shy and quiet and we have wondered for a long time what will be his calling. The Navy suddenly seems to be a perfect fit. He doesn't mind being alone and reading all day and isn't currently occupied with chasing girls.
I had no clue how awesome an MOS, army term, corpsmen is until yesterday when I started studying it on wikipedia. There are some 15 ships named after corpsmen.
Tac Jr. is a bubble head "glow worm".
Welcome to the club!
Congratulations!
You and your wife must be proud. You’ve done a wonderful job and best of luck to your son.
By The Village People
Where can you find pleasure
Search the world for treasure
Learn science technology
Where can you begin to make your dreams all come true
On the land or on the sea
Where can you learn to fly
Play in sports and skin dive
Study oceanography
Sign of for the big band
Or sit in the grandstand
When your team and others meet
In the navy
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
In the navy
Yes, you can put your mind at ease
In the navy
Come on now, people, make a stand
In the navy, in the navy
Can't you see we need a hand
In the navy
Come on, protect the motherland
In the navy
Come on and join your fellow man
In the navy
Come on people, and make a stand
In the navy, in the navy, in the navy (in the navy)
They want you, they want you
They want you as a new recruit
If you like adventure
Don't you wait to enter
The recruiting office fast
Don't you hesitate
There is no need to wait
They're signing up new seamen fast
Maybe you are too young
To join up today
Bout don't you worry 'bout a thing
For I'm sure there will be
Always a good navy
Protecting the land and sea
In the navy
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
In the navy
Yes, you can put your mind at ease
In the navy
Come on now, people, make a stand
In the navy, in the navy
Can't you see we need a hand
In the navy
Come on, protect the motherland
In the navy
Come on and join your fellow man
In the navy
Come on people, and make a stand
In the navy, in the navy, in the navy (in the navy)
They want you, they want you
They want you as a new recruit
Who me?
They want you, they want you
They want you as a new recruit
But, but but I'm afraid of water.
Hey, hey look
Man, I get seasick even watchin' it on TV!
They want you, they want you in the navy
Oh my goodness.
What am I gonna do in a submarine?
They want you, they want you in the navy
On the other hand, being a corpsman is no slouch of an education either. I know several doctors and nurses that started out as corpsmen. They are the best.
I've never been very pro nuke until I started thinking of my son being a navy nuke. That tends to change your whole perspective. I've been very impressed with every aspect of the Navy recruiting process. The recruiter will be his mentor until he ships. When I was recruited for the army it was a lot more like dealing with a used car salesman.
I wish him the best! Tell him thanks!
He hopes so. Get ready to miss him for awhile. My son was sent north of Chicago to Great Lakes for his basic. I didn’t get to hear from him for awhile. About 2 weeks later a box came in the mail from him. I thought WOW, what is this?
I opened it and died laughing, it had his dirty old shoes, underpants and socks! What a gift!
We did enjoy their graduation ceremony. Made me proud!
My homeschooled son is still waiting on a waiver to go into the Navy in the Nuke program. Superlative ASVAB score, personality test, math test, high school transcript etc. He got a waiver from the Lt Cdr in L.A. (he lives on the big island of Hawaii and they are complete unprepared for homeschool applicants)
Now he’s waiting on a waiver from Memphis. It’s taking FOREVER.
But congratulations on your son, and I hope you will be sending them back to me for my son soon. :)
I tease my son that my future grandchildren will glow in the dark.
Ouch. He would have been fine if he'd stayed a nuke rather than turning to politics.
Oh no. I've been very emotional since this process started. What an instant change of perspective on the benevolence of our military toward our American sons. I missed all of that as an 18 year old in the Army. You just don't get it yet when your that young. Well, some people do but I didn't.
Learn to speak Navy. His MOS is called his rate in the Navy.
I can’t wait to see son Will in his Johnny Cash.
Will was raised a Navy brat.
Welcome to the club!
Glow worm, LOL. That's a good one. I wonder how many Homer Simpson jokes circulate in the nuclear navy.
Thank you very much!
Doc.
Navy Corpsmen are highly regarded by all Marines. You probably heard of that little good-natured rivalry between the Navy and the Marine Corps.
If he is going to be a ‘doc’, tell him to expect to walk/run/PT with the Marines because he will be treated like one of them. He will be part of the Navy/Marine Corps team. (BTW: ‘Doc’ is short for ‘Doctor’. That’s the endearing term Marines call their Corpsmen, now extended to all medical and dental types, enlisted or officer, who are assigned to serve the Marines).
Whatever he chooses, let him know that we appreciate his service.
A few things to make his experience at boot camp a little easier:
1. Before he goes, make sure he knows how to make a bed properly and quickly. The Navy has their own strict rules for how it is to be done, but if you know one good way, you’ll pick up the Navy way a lot quicker.
2. Make sure he knows how to swim.
3. If he’s a light sleeper, consider having him bring ear plugs. It’s not authorized, but the benefits of a good night’s sleep may be worth the cost of potentially getting caught. (The penalty would be a chewing out and a few pushups at worst.)
Funny thing is, I can’t get that damn song out of my mind.
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