PARENTS RECONNECT TO NAVY KIDS AT SEA: FAMILY, FRIENDS LEARN ABOUT NAVY LIFE.

Byline: SUE DOYLE Staff Writer

SAUGUS -- There once was a time when Jeanne Garcia brought her young daughter to work.

Now it's mom who's tagging along with her grown child to see firsthand what she does for a living. And in this case, it's aboard the Navy's aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, where Shannan Wilson works as a master at arms in security.

Although it's a first for mother and daughter, the pair are participating in an annual Navy outreach program known as Operation Tiger, a cruise that connects thousands of family members and friends with loved ones at sea to see for a few days how they sleep, eat and live while on duty for months at a time.

The Saugus woman boarded the ship on Thursday with about 1,300 other moms, dads and friends. Leaving from Honolulu, the boat is scheduled to dock on July 6 in San Diego.

``My daughter told me not to bring anything nice or white,'' Garcia said as she carefully considered what to pack, as it all must fit in a small locker on board. ``I'm just so excited.''

Garcia and Wilson haven't seen one another since October.

In Santa Clarita, Garcia is among 800 to 900 mothers of military personnel, according to the local chapter of Blue Star Mothers. The club serves as a support network, promotes patriotism and assists veterans in town.

Debi Duke, Blue Star chapter president, said one of the most difficult issues military parents face is not regularly seeing or even talking with their children.

``You can't just call them, and they call you. You can't just pop in and visit for a birthday or anniversary,'' Duke said. ``It depends if they can get a weekend pass or leave.''

At sea since January, the 21-year-old Wilson writes e-mails home daily and calls every few months with stories of her travels to the Middle East, Hong Kong, Australia and Guam.

But staying in touch wasn't always that flexible, especially during Wilson's basic training three years ago in the Midwest when she, like other recruits, couldn't regularly phone home.

Garcia hopes that on this trip -- where they'll sleep in the same room on bunk beds -- they can make up for some lost time.

She's eager to see all of the things she has visualized through the e-mails and phone calls: her daughter's room, her friends and the life that she has created for herself in the Navy.

``However it goes, it'll be something I can share with the grandkids,'' she said. ``And I intend to take lots of pictures.''

sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

(color) In this photo, Jeanne Garcia of Saugus anticipates traveling on the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, where her daughter, Shannan Wilson, works as a master at arms in security. Garcia is traveling from Hawaii to San Diego with the ship.

David Crane/Staff Photographer