Another mom question.....

[Wanna Know Mom]

Hello all.  Did any of you receive a small gift from your parents at Power School Graduation?  What was it and did you like it?  Thanks.  Kathy VPNM

[93-383]

yes I got a microwave, it was nice since after graduating power school you life on your own out in town.

[Gamecock]

Now they're making microwave, coffee pot, and hot plate combination units, an all in one package, which means only one box to lug off to prototype for three essential appliances, somethings just keep getting better,....

Or better yet, the Walmart giftcard to buy said item when you get to prototype so you don't have to carry it.

[JustinHEMI05]

Yes I agree with the others. Considering their next move will be to their own place, some sort of first apartment/house type of gift would be cool. Of course, nothing beats cold hard cash or gift cards these days, that way they can pick their own and everyone is happy.

Justin

[Gamecock]

wow, a much better idea yet!!, I mean that sincerely,....
it appears MIT does teach you something that gets missed at RPI!!,...
I'm gonna call Ms. Jackson right away,....

(note to Ms. Jackson: Find out what this "Wal Mart" entity is all about)

I didn't learn anything useful like that from MIT.....

Knowledge like that comes from that prestigious bastion of higher learning known as the  University of South Carolina   

[rlbinc]

Yep.
It was thirty years ago.
My Mom and Dad told me (a few hundred times) how proud they were of me.
They are both deceased now, and that is by far the greatest gift they ever gave me.
Confidence in myself.

[bheinz]

Hello all.  Did any of you receive a small gift from your parents at Power School Graduation?  What was it and did you like it?  Thanks.  Kathy VPNM

Yes!! I received a diamond tennis bracelet. It wasn't a very expensive one, but it was beautiful, perfect, and unexpected. I still have it and I still wear it sometimes. That was 10 years ago. I think the best Navy gift I received from my mom was a Swiss Army watch at bootcamp graduation. It was my first watch, didn't really need one before the Navy. She'd been deceased for 7 years now. I still have the watch, and it makes me think of her every time I see it.

[Wanna Know Mom]

Frau, sorry for the loss of your Mom. How nice to always have something sentimental from her.....I'm looking for a gift for my son who will be graduating from Power School soon.  I'd like to find something that he will have forever, and is somewhat sentimental.  Seems like sentimental/gift/son is more difficult than sentimental/gift/daughter.  Swiss Army watch is a good idea.....so now, a couple of questions for all Navy Nukes: Does an ET need a watch for his/her job? If yes,what special watch features would be nice to have or necessary?...........any other sentimental/gift/son ideas would be greatly appreciated. It doesn't need to be expensive. .    Kathy VPNM

[Smart People]

Frau, sorry for the loss of your Mom. How nice to always have something sentimental from her.....I'm looking for a gift for my son who will be graduating from Power School soon.  I'd like to find something that he will have forever, and is somewhat sentimental.  Seems like sentimental/gift/son is more difficult than sentimental/gift/daughter.  Swiss Army watch is a good idea.....so now, a couple of questions for all Navy Nukes: Does an ET need a watch for his/her job? If yes,what special watch features would be nice to have or necessary?...........any other sentimental/gift/son ideas would be greatly appreciated. It doesn't need to be expensive. .    Kathy VPNM

He's an ET? Get him a good pillow

kidding, you know your son and what he likes, you've been buying gifts for him for years.

maybe something that says "whew, you'll never have to do that again." well, at least till the next time.

[HydroDave63]

If yes,what special watch features would be nice to have or necessary

Extremely durable, watches get nicked and scratched a LOT down in the engineering spaces...

[bheinz]

.....so now, a couple of questions for all Navy Nukes: Does an ET need a watch for his/her job? If yes,what special watch features would be nice to have or necessary?...........any other sentimental/gift/son ideas would be greatly appreciated. It doesn't need to be expensive. .    Kathy VPNM

Kathy, I believe that all Nukes need watches. We are always having to record data, rounds, surveillances, logs you name it. Most of the time you need to record what time the job was started/ended, or what time the numbers were recorded. I know a few people who have Fossil watches and have no complaints. But HydroDave63 was completely right. Don't spend too much money because it will def. get scratched and banged up in the enginerooms. As for the sentimental part. You can get the back engraved with something, even if it's just his class number. And thanks.

[withroaj]

I'd recommend a durable stopwatch to wear around the neck.  My whole division had 'em, synchronized, and they really helped during evolutions, watchstanding, and just about everything else we did on board.

I'd also recommend a sweet calculator watch, just for the cool factor.

[bheinz]

...I'd also recommend a sweet calculator watch, just for the cool factor.

No Kathy, I think he's playing. Stay away from calculator watches for your son's own well being. 

[withroaj]

No Kathy, I think he's playing. Stay away from calculator watches for your son's own well being. 

Blashpemy!

[Gamecock]

I'd also recommend a sweet calculator watch, just for the cool factor.

And a nice pocket protector to go with it!!!

[Smart People]

I'd also recommend a sweet calculator watch, just for the cool factor.

Don't forget the nice D&D set.

[Wanna Know Mom]

OK, I've  read enough posts on this forum to know some of you are just poking fun.......and that's a good thing!  .   When I first visited this site, I was offended, but now I recognize and appreciate/enjoy the humor.....     I certainly dont want to perpetuate the Navy Nuke nerd factor, or is that cool ?.....I live around dry, sometimes sarcastic humor, it's the Navy Nuke twist that has me a bit confused........double stopwatch, is that poking fun or is that real?    I don't want to embarrass the lad simply because I'm clueless!  He has a good sense of humor......perhaps a functional  "nerd" gift would create a good laugh and be useful!!  It certainly will bring back memories.
    Kathy, VPNM        P.S. I'm working on a custom made congrats card....I've read that Power School is like drinking out of a fire hose....any thoughts on how to use that phrase?  I'm all for humor on this one.

[withroaj]

I am serious about the stopwatch, joking about the calculator watch.  Sometimes a nuke has to stick his/her hands into some tight places which would be glad to eat a wristwatch and maybe take some skin along with the watch.  A stopwatch can be worn around the neck and tucked into the poopie suit during work/evolutions.

[Wanna Know Mom]

Hey, thanks, withroaj!  Can I bother you for one more straight answer?  I've done a little research...lots of stop watches out there!  To narrow my search, any specific stopwatch features an ET would appreciate/need? (backlight would be nice...but anything that would make it more useful for an ET's job?)  thanks, Kathy VPNM

[withroaj]

I am an ELT, so I can't really tell you exactly what an ET would need.  Normal stop watch features would suffice, I'm sure.  I would recommend picking flat Navy Blue or black as colors, though.  Neutral colors will keep it allowable in uniform.

[Khak-Hater]

Yes ma'am, I got a gift for NNPS graduation.

I smoked Lucky Strike cigarettes at the time, which are shorter than most cigarettes [except Camels and Chesterfields].  They made these little junior size disposable butane lighters back then that would fit perfectly inside of your LS/MFT pack, after you smoked the first two or three.  For NNPS graduation, my dad bought me a silver lighter case that fit over the outside of one of those little junior size disposable butane lighters.  It had "Good Job!" engraved on it.  At least twenty times a day [maybe more], I'd pull that lighter out and get a pat on the back.  I haven't smoked in twenty years, but I still carry that lighter around.  My kids and I use it to set off fire works every fourth of July.  When they ask what the engraving means, I tell them. 

Now hopefully [for his health] your son doesn't smoke, but I'm sure that there's something that he does routinely that you could adorn in some small way.  You're his mom.  Think about it and give it your best shot.  Personally, I might be weary of giving someone something valuable that hangs around his neck when he's working around rotating equipment.  To be safe, he'll need to wear it on a breakaway lanyard, which might snag on something in the tight confines of a ship, and result in either a loss or lengthy bilge dive.  Also, as twidget it could be a shock hazard if it slips out while he's doing maintenance on electronic reactor control components.  Just some things to think about. 

He's a twidget.  He'll be taking logs all the time.  Maybe an engraved ball point pen with several replaceable ink cartridges.  He may loose it, but if he hangs onto it for the next five years, it'll mean something to him forever.

Good luck and congratulations on raising a child who's willing to sacrifice six years of his life to keeping us all safe.

Good job,

MGM

[bheinz]

...He's a twidget.  He'll be taking logs all the time.  Maybe an engraved ball point pen with several replaceable ink cartridges.  He may loose it, but if he hangs onto it for the next five years, it'll mean something to him forever...

I think that a pen is a great idea. I received one from my mom when I was in ELT school. I loved it. She had it engraved just saying love mom and the date, I had that thing for 6 years before someone stole it.  A pen is a great way to go. Make sure it's black, we can't us blue ink in the Navy. You can get a good pen at Things Remembered, and they'll engraved it there too.  Great idea Khak-Hater