My son arrrived at BC on October 27th.

[Jason's Proud Mom]

My son left for BC yesterday and arrived at GL last night. When will I get his address or recive a letter from him. He's only 18 years old and we have NEVER gone a day without speaking with each. This is tortune not knowing how he's doing. . does it get any easier???

[Valerie L.Parmenter]

Hang in there, and keep up the faith. I felt the same way and did not here from him for quite some time. letters only. but as someone else wrote, do try to be there for graduation. Wow what a powerful ceremony and made me very very proud of my son. arms around you and your family..valerie

[Pam (Chris' mom)]

You should get a phone call within 24 hours of his arrival at BC and the box (contains his civvies, and personal items)should be coming within a week or two. Then you start hounding the mailman for letters and when you get them they will be stained with your tears of joy . Start making plans now to attend his graduation. When I went to Chris's graduation, I was so proud and I cried like a baby. Then they called Liberty, he came to me I hugged him so tight couldn't let go and made his shoulder all wet. It is a tough 8 weeks but well worth it, you won't recognize him. They do go through bouts of homesickness, but are kept busy, (up with the sun and all that). Just keep writting to him every day. One thing that Chris wanted when he was in BC was a small photo album with pictures of family, pets, friends, etc... keep in mind they don't have alot of storage room for personal items.

[Katrina]

Kathy, my son pir date is 11/21. We all know how you are feeling right now, you are lucky you found this site this soon. My son was gone almost 2 weeks when saw the commercial. It will get better. I had hard time concentrating on anything, my son is 21 and even though he moved out 2 years before he left, we never went a day without touching base in some way. He is my heart and I miss him so much. Start to write your letters to him, that way, when you get his address you can send them out. I have only gotten two calls, the first few second one when he got there, and then one a week later that was 10 mins long, it was heart wrenching. But now his letters are sounding more and more like him. They only get to write on Sundays, so thursdays are wait for the mail man day. Take care.. we are all here for you. Katrina

[Cindy (Randy's Mom)]

I had the same problem when my son left in August. It was almost 2 full weeks before I received the first letter. He has now graduated BC and is on hold. I made sure we took his phone to him so I can keep in contact. The recruiter may not contact you with the address. You may want to go into or call to get the address after he has been there after the first week. I hope this will help.

[Pam M]

Hi Kathy ~ We share a sisterhood in this life of military mom's! I love this site...wish I had it when my son left for BC over 3 yrs ago. I find it very time consuming but important enough to respond to you. Reading your words I can truly say it stirred up all the feeling I experienced too. I cried all the time. Had trouble focusing on my other daily chores & events...I literally felt consumed with my son away & felt totally helpless and worried with all the uncertainy's. I felt like a crazy woman. When my son, Mike left...his recruiter & my son both told us that he would get one phone call to let us know he arrived to GL...I never rec'd that call...I let 2 days go by until I thought I would explode. I did the unthinkable & tracked down his recruiter by telephone. I know I sounded like a distraught Mom...but didn't care...I asked him "Where is my son...we never rec'd that phone call!" He assured me that Mike was fine but that he didn't know why we didn't get the call. I asked him...how do I know I can believe you? (The poor guy, really didn't know what to say to me & I almost felt bad for him, but I really felt violated, our son was 19) The recruiter was very nice and told me he would make some calls & get back to me. Within minutes he told me Mike did get there and that we need to relax. I felt anything but relaxed! But the worse was the realization that for the first time ever I knew I had absolutely no control any longer with my son's life & he was government property. OMG the worst was getting that box with all his belongings mailed to the house with everything he wore the day he left...I later found out that our own son after they strip down and are issued the BC Navy clothes must pack up their own stuff & mail it home. It was eery...having no address yet...the frustration was making me crazy. But we finally received a letter from GC with an address allowing us to write letters to him. I want to say it was almost over 2 wks before we received our first letter from our son...it was my saving grace! I then wrote faithfully & sent pictures of family & friends & our dog in a small photo album I picked up from AC Moores for a dollar. My son later told us that those photos were the one thing that helped him get through BC...he would look at the photos whenever he could and he also said mail time was the only thing they had to look forward to. I found writing the letters was theraputic for me too. I also encouraged other family members & friends to write and they did. We were very lucky we had alot of support others passed on to our son. Mike told us it was awful for the recruits that didn't get any mail and that thought made me crazy too. Anyway, just to let you know...letter writing time for them is a privledge that they must earn...the way they train at BC is all based on what the group does. If one person is a weak link the rest have to pick up the slack...so they either all do well or no one does well. They become each others limbs and literally do not get ahead unless they all give it their all. So the adjustment is huge for most of them bc if their doing their very best but the person to their left is not...guess what?!!!? No body moves ahead they all slide back...I can see why their method is effective...anyway...Kathy...my best advice to you...visit here whenever you need to, rely on us Mom's, pray alot and keep yourself busy...do things that make you most happy to keep your spirits up...& keep writing to your son even if you don't get letters in return...it doesn't mean he isn't thinking of you...he just may not have the control of when he is permitted to write, but he will anxiously await your letters, encourage his friends to write to him too even a postcard works, send funny ones to keep his spirit up...keep a journal for yourself, sometimes writing down your own feelings can really help. AND...start saving & planning now to attend his PIR Ceremony. I can not stress enough how important it is that you attend that event...it will be one of the most proudest moments of your life and your son's life! You need to be there that day for him bc he will have achieved so much and worked soooooooo hard and will deserve every bit of your attention in being recognized that day. Trust me on that!!!! Take care and keep the faith. I just wrote to another mom telling her that it is funny how we have spent all these years raising our children to be independent and yet it feels so hard letting go, but the funny part is that all along that process they have been developing us too! I believe it is all part of God's plan. I feel alot stronger now than I did back when my son started BC...You will get thru this too! Email me anytime ~ Pam

[Julie-Kyle's Proud Mom]

Pam,
Very well said. Your comments brought tears to my eyes. Of course thats not hard to do these days.

[WV Mom of 2 Sailors]

Hang in there. My youngest was grad BC in Aug and will be 19 on 11/4. It will the first b-day that I wont be there for but I know that he loves what he is doing. My oldest is currently in BC, left on 10/7. I havent heard from him other than 2 letters. It was about 1 month before I heard from my youngest. It is hard on us a mom's to cut the cord but it has to be done. Just know that your son is okay. As far a the addresss, the recruiter should have it within a couple of days. Once you get it, start sending letters. My youngest son is currently in Va and I talk to him every evening via messenger. Not the same as him being at home but it works. Take care and God Bless

[Jaunita Edsinga Harris]

I completely understand what you are going thru. My son left in July. I thought I would never make until I got his first letter. It will get easier. I would look forward to Thursday each week. That seemed to be the day of the week that I would get my letter from him. My son and I were the same way. Never a day without speaking our seeing each other. Hang in there and send letters to him and be supportive.

[Connie in Alaska]

My daughter, Kelly, arrived at Boot Camp 10/29. She called me from the airport but then I missed her call to my cell phone when she arrived at Boot Camp which just made me want to howl and cry. She just turned 19 yrs old a week before going to Boot Camp, and I miss her like crazy. The house is way too quiet. I'll never forget how I felt watching her go up the stairs to the plane with nothing but the clothes on her back [she didn't even have a carry on]. I've started writing her letters already, even though I don't have an address to send them yet. I also went out tonight and bought some cards that were funny or encouraging to send to her after I get her address. This is going to be a very long 8 weeks, but I'm extremely proud of her. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and she went for it. Keep your chin up Kathy. We'll all get through this together. This site is definitely helping me and I'm really grateful to all of you for your support. I'm trying to keep busy doing the things I can - working on the house, buying little things to send to her after boot camp, buying cards etc. for during boot camp.
Connie

[Julie-Kyle's Proud Mom]

Kathy,
Those first few days are the WORST and when you get his box in the mail. We have ALL been through the "torture" and this is just one of the many trials you and your son will face on this journey. They are so young and for many this is their first time really away from home. With each new step they take (BC, A school, C school, first duty station etc.) you will feel a little more like you can't stand the separation any more and that your losing part of your heart because they are, of course, our "babies". My son just left for his first duty station in Japan on one week ago yesterday. I have been CRAZY with wondering how he is, etc. etc. Felt just like bootcamp all over again and one of the mom's here gave me some encouraging words that really helped me put things in perspective because I was having such a hard time with him being so far away in Japan. She said to remember that every new stage they go through in the navy is just like when they were little from the time they are babies and we teach them and watch them grow. Their first smile, first words, first steps, going off to kindergarten in elementary school, then middle school, then high school etc etc. She reminded me of how hard each of those steps was and how we DID make it through that. And as they grow we have to let them move on toward their independence and trust that we raised them well, that they will make good choices and that they become they men we hoped they would. Bootcamp is hard but they do make it through and you will be absolutely AMAZED at the young man before you when you go to PIR. It is something that you will NOT want to miss. Your heart will be bursting with pride. They are stronger than we give them credit for. Hang in there Mama! Just keep encouraging him and reminding him how proud you are and how much you love him. You'll both make it through I promise. (((HUGS)))

[Beth Smith]

Hi Kathy:

IT DOES! It's never easy because he will ALWAYS be heading off somewhere. I wasn't involved in the websites until almost the end of bootcamp but it is invaluable. Everyone of us is in the same boat. You'll get his mailing address in about 1 week. They get to write on Sundays and the entire boot camp, I got a letter every Thursday (although I sent one every day) He admitted to me later that it meant alot to get a bunch of mail at once and he wasn't embarrased at all. Some of the kids NEVER got mail. We actually "adopted" one of these kids at graduation and spent the best 3 days ever with both of them in Chicago!
I'm leaving in 4 days to go to Brunswick Maine to see Eric on his last leave before he is deployed to Quatar for 6 months. It will be hard (as usual), but I have to remember that to get to upset is really not respecting his decisions. Hang in there! It will get better and nothing can compare to how proud you'll be at the PIR, he may have gone in as a "kid" but they definately come out as MEN! Good Luck!
Beth

[Lori]

Hi my son left for BC on Oct. 27th. I called his recruiter today Fri. Oct. 31 and he gave me his address. So try calling his recruiter. Hang in there we will be at graduation before you know it.