[mcmama]

....because my son the Coast Guard Cadet has a week on land before heading out to sea again! So I got to talk to him for a long time today. His time on the cutter was cut short, so he has a few days back at the academy before heading out again.

Honestly, I don't know how parents whose adult children are deployed cope with the uncertainty. I knew he was ok, and not doing anything very dangerous, but I didnt know where he was, so this is a relief.

He got to serve a month on a cutter, and was trained in helmsman and fireman duties. Not what he envisioned for himself in high school, and he really enjoyed the work. His next assignment will be aboard the tall ship Eagle, embarking from Bermuda and sailing up to Halifax. I'll catch up with him at a port of call in Charleston.

Most of my friends have their 18 and 19 year olds at home for the summer, looking for work, summer school etc. Cadets at the service academies are at work during the summer - summer school, or active training. Summer is a busy time for them, and requires their families to be a bit flexible in planning get togethers, sometimes.

Anyone else here a parent of a cadet at a service academy? Or have a teenage son or daughter considering applying?

[wanna be a young mother]

Janet I'm glad he is doing well and you got to talk to him! You should be very proud b/c it takes a good man to give up his summers to help his nation someday.

[mcmama]

Thanks Jennifer. I wouldn't exactly call it giving up his summer, since he really did have a good time in Panama City on liberty, and I doubt too many 18 year olds have that experience. (especially negotiating in Spanish with cab drivers and saying "show us what's good") It is a summer job which is part of the year round program - I just am relieved to have him back on land and now except for Bermuda and Canada in US waters, where his cell phone works.

When he was first applying, we met a 2c cadet who said he'd told his friends back home "Yeah, I've been busy. I helped rescue four boaters in distress, visited 11 countries, and participated in an $80 million dollar drug bust (as a lookout, not boarding the drug boat or doing arrests). So how was your summer?"

It does make for some tight scheduling because about the time he is off, many of his friends will be heading back to school, or taking time off before going to travel, and he goes back early too.

[letschildproofdotcom]

my nephew is going to the army october 18th. Its sad, but I know it is serving a good cause.

[mcmama]

Why is it sad? And where is he reporting?

[angelic_ky]

glad you have him home for a bit

[JeanLynn81]

That's wonderful that he's having fun! I'm glad he is doing something he loves.

I bet it was great to hear from him. Send him my thanks for helping to protect my family.

[mcmama]

Actually, he's not protecting us just yet. But he did learn about being a helmsman, and engine maintenance and putting out fires. And he wants to go back on a cutter again, so that is good.

And he had a lot of fun at their one port of call in Panama City. His spanish did well there, he got to be the guy chatting up about half dozen cab drivers who they appointed as tour guides when they had shore liberty.

So he had a good time - and I am jealous - to be 18 and have those opportunities is really awesome.

His next assignment is in a few days aboard the tall ship Eagle for about 6 weeks sailing up the atlantic coast. Eagle is a very important experience for all coast guard academy cadets, and a big part of their training through the 4 years. It's the first ship they board as swabs during their first summer, and they have time aboard throughout the 4 years.

The riggings are 143 feet high. They climb them, all the way to the top. Get great pics up there too!

[simscity]

Hi Janet, My son is thinking of applying to the Coast Guard Academy. We are an evangelical Christian family and wonder how he will find the CGA with respect to that. Are there many other evangelical Christians?

[mcmama]

There is a fabulous Christian fellowship called the Officers Christian Fellowship. They meet Friday nights, and are active in the Protestant worship. The focus is on strengthening future officers to be Christian leaders. It's a nice group, they have retreats, Bible Study, and lots of good music. When your son reports for Swab Summer, you will find that they will share information with you at the tables set up for parents. I found they were really great for letting parents know how swabs were holding up. It can be difficult to know your son is going through something that rough and you do not hear from them for a while.

If your son goes, Swab Summer is tough - and a lot of swabs find that they want to join religious groups because that is one time on the weekend they have "carry on" - ie getting to act like a normal person at ease. So that is a good incentive to sign up for Bible study and go to the fellowship.

The Coast Guard is small - about 50,000 members - and the CGA is very selective. There are a number of CGA grads who have served and gone into ordained ministry. Anyone from a contemporary Evangelical background will find friends and fellowship.

If your son is not yet a senior, he should apply for the Academy Introductory Mission (AIM), which is a one week "mini swab summer" between junior and senior year. It will tell him if he is really cut out for this. The life of a swab and fourth class cadet is physically, mentally, academically, and emotionally challenging. It builds them strong, but the usual military way of doing this is to tear down and then rebuild. The admissions office also has programs during the year.

My son is back at school, having served on the cutter and on Eagle over the summer. He's ready to go with his third class year, and really enjoying it. The summer opened up a lot of ideas for him. He got certified as a helmsman, passed the pepper spray test, and did a lot of things with engineering. They are given duty during the summer, and only have a few weeks leave. They love it.

Good luck to your son.