My Son has left the nest.

[N2056]

I knew this day was coming. Several months ago he came to me and told me of his plans to join the Navy. His test scores were high enough to be accepted into the training program to become a Cryptology Technician (Interpretive). He will ultimately be a translator that is fluent in multiple languages. They tried hard to sell him on the field I was in (Nuclear Propulsion) but I think he made the right choice. Early this morning I took him to the recruiter's office for the last time and launched him into the world on his own. We watched his flight to Chicago on FliteAware all afternoon/evening. We are waiting for his phone call to let us know he has arrived at Boot Camp safely.

It has been a very rough day for us. I am incredibly proud to see him take this huge step, but I still look into his bedroom and try to accept the fact that he has left the building. It's not easy.

[Panther_99FS]

[Willy]

I've been to the DOD language school where CTIs learn their languages. It's pretty intensive mentally. Here's wishing him all the luck I had in the Navy :ernae:

[OleBoy]

On the other hand, WOOHOO a spare bedroom

[warchild]

On one hand, congrats to him being accepted. Thats pretty awesome.. On the other hand, I feel for ya..
Pam

[N2056]

We just got the call.

"I'm here, I'm safe. I can call again in a few weeks." Click.

The adventure begins. I'm hoping they still do the trash can across the deck wake up like I got.

[Jagdflieger]

We spend all their formative years getting them ready to go and then... they're gone. I feel for ya.

I sent my son off to the Army a year and a half ago and since then he's graduated from basic, infantry school, parachute school, Ranger Assessment and Selection, deployed to Afghanistan with his Ranger unit, returned and now he just graduated from Ranger School last week. I flew down to pin his Ranger Tab on him at graduation. I'm still popping buttons of my shirt. My wife now has two tabbed out men, her husband and her first child. How lucky can a woman be?

Your son will enjoy language school. Over my career in the Army, I went to three different language courses and rated fairly high in them. Using the languages "in country" with the indigenous personnel is rewarding and is a force multiplier for the military. Language needs in the military are pretty dynamic and the important ones to the military change constantly given whatever the current threat is. I'm pretty sure we know which languages he'll probably end up studying.

Best of luck to the young sailor. We wish him the best for his upcoming challenges and adventures. If I were turning 17 again, I'd be at the recruiters tomorrow morning.

And yes... the house will seem empty for some time.

[HouseHobbit]

I would not trade my time in the Army for all the gold on earth..
I am blessed to have several people both men and women still a part of my life from those days..
And that first step is the hardest, for a family and a son or daughter..
I hope and will pray your Son has the positive experience it was for me..
:salute: :salute: :salute:

[stansdds]

The greatest regret of my life is not serving in the military. Hindsight is 20/20 and I now view the military as a great start for adulthood and not just an alternative career path. Congratulations on him being accepted into the USN and for being accepted for training in cryptology.