Proud Father...sad moment

[ElMostro]

Well...this morning I "delivered " my middle daughter to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. It was a very emotional and proud moment (no tears though...she is a tough kid) but we are pretty close so it was a bit sad...

Here she is walking to the "doors of hell"...those are the last civilian clothes she will wear for a while so she took as little as posible. Notice the rather LARGE Marine in the picture...must have been 6'6" 275 pound and was the first one she met after Dad let her go...a sign of the "tender love" that awaits her

Second pic is her closer to the door...

And finally she is through the door...I waited outside for about 15 mins just in case she came out screaming...no sign of her...so I guess she is stuck now

I will get to see her again this evening for about 30 mins and then it's goodby for about 6 weeks until she "re-emerges"

OK, now I am going to go cry for a little bit....

 

[dasimm]

You should be extremely proud - I know I would be.

 

[hewunch]

God Bless her and her service to our Nation.

 

[GoodTurns]

Congratulations to both of you! Her for making it into the Academy, and you for raising her to be able to get in! being a "local", we get to see lots of the "students" around town and are always impressed. Good work!

 

[wolftat]

Congratulations. She is in good hands, the Marines will take care of her.

 

[rjwolfe3]

Congrats that is awesome.

 

[cnirenberg]

Eugene,
You should be proud to have a daughter that is willing to step up to the challenge. Good for her, and it says a lot about you as well.

 

[Russianwolf]

From an old Sailor - Be very proud.

NAVY - Never Again Volunteer Yourself :tongue:

 

[pentex]

Big Congrats. I know you are very proud.

 

[Gary Max]

Congrats to both of you----------thanks for sharing

 

[Jim15]

Great pictures, congratulations to her for going and you for letting her go.

 

[altaciii]

Great pics, Eugene. I would be hurting too. Its sad to say goodbye to a daughter, much more so than a son for some reason. But, I'll bet you couldn't be prouder. Congrats.


GO NAVY!

 

[Daniel]

The right path is seldom the easy one. But it is obvious you already know that. Thank You and thank your Daughter. God bless you both.

 

[markgum]

congrats. and tell her THANKS for the service to all of us.

 

[Monty]

Congrats to the both of you. I know how you feel. I saw my son off to Coast Guard boot camp 4 years ago this month.

 

[Longfellow]

Congratulations

Congratulations to the both of you. There is still hope for the U.S.

 

[kenlicciardello]

Congratulations Eugene. Not many people get to that level of accomplishment. I like it when young people today are willing to be challenged and work hard to get where they want to go.

 

[louisbry]

Congrats to both of you from a retired Air Force person. I retired in 1984 after 20 years to start a second career with Boeing aerospace.

 

[PTownSubbie]

Being a 23 year Navy man, I am proud to see the young kids moving up to take my place. She is in good hands!! It is great to see them grow up but is hard to let them go.

I never attended the Naval Academy but have served with many great folks that did. It will be a shock to you how grown up she will become in those short 6 weeks.

Congratulations!! Tell her thanks for serving the next time you see her.

 

[Mazzywv]

You must be proud. A honorable thing.

 

[wdcav1952]

Congratulations to your family Eugene. My wife, my daughter and I all served in the Navy. My daughter is currently a CTT3 stationed at Pearl Harbor. The Academy turns out truly professional officers, and I'm sure your daughter will be one of them.

 

[TomW]

Eugene,

My family is safe because of you and your family.

Thank you very much.

Tom

 

[heinedan]

Eugene,

I can sympathize. My son is going off to college in August, and I'm going to miss him terribly. My son, Zach, and I are very close. He talked me into buying my first lathe because he wanted to make pens. It's going to be a very quiet house here, and will require a big adjustment for myself and my wife. Zach is studying Civil Engineering and I told him after he graduates and gets a job, I'm going to move in with him and he can support me!!! Will never happen, of course. I hope does well in school.

Dan Heine

 

[leehljp]

Congratulations for over here also. While not the same school, it was tough taking each of my three daughters back to the States and leaving them there in college.

You have done well, both of you! Again, congratulations!

 

[Dalecamino]

Congratulations Eugene ! She should do well .

 

[Spats139]

There was no manual...

... because if there was, and somewhere in it it said that we have to watch our children grow up and become adults, then we would at least be prepared.

I would also like to offer my congratulations to the family that raised her; as well as to the daughter that obviously gets it. While military or public service aren't the only ways to demonstrate citizenship, they are two ways that show it with a capital "C"!

Best of luck to your daughter on her journey; and best of luck to you and your family as you sit at home; unable to do anything to help; unable to see her as anything other than your little princess; unable to believe she has become an independent woman; and unable to comprehend that your role in her life has now forever changed. So, don't worry when those tears come - you earned every one of them.

Best wishes to you all.

PS. As do others here; I speak from experience. My son had me sign him into the Canadian Forces Reserves (as an underage applicant) when he was 17. A few years later he was overseas doing his rotation with a NATO peacekeeping force, and it was a little odd when every picture of him included his C7 (our version of the M16). Now, he wears a Sig Sauer on his hip at work, but at least that seems normal; for over thirty years I carried first a Smith, then a Beretta, and now a Glock, on mine.

 

[ngeb528]

Congrats, Eugene.

Don't think of it as loosing a daughter but, rather, gaining a whole mess of new people to make pens for.

 

[ElMostro]

Thank you all for the kind words, yes I am very proud. Here are some updated pics after the first 8 hours of "entertainement". We were able to share for about 35 mins and then she was gone for good...it'll be August before we have contact again.

She is out there somewhere in this sea of white:

Still smiling:

A proud Dad:

Calling Mom who had to stay at home taking care of the "fort"

 

[jhudson1977]

From the class of 2002, tell her congrats and get ready for some fun!

 

[el_d]

Congrats, Eugene.

Don't think of it as loosing a daughter but, rather, gaining a whole mess of new people to make pens for.

Aint that the Truth.....:biggrin:

Congrats Eugene and you daughter.

 

[VisExp]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Eugene. That must have been a very emotional day for both you and your daughter. Congratulations to both of you.

 

[leaycraft]

Congratulations to her and a big thank-you to her from a former combat medic. We need more like her willing to serve our nation. Hang tough she will do fine.

john

 

[bitshird]

Congratulations to you both, you for raising a child that is willing to commit them selves to making the world a better place by defending our country, and to her for stepping up to do it. I'm sure she will make you proud, and serve with honor.