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All Hands Magazine's full length documentary "Making a Sailor": This video follows four recruits through Boot Camp in the spring of 2018 who were assigned to DIV 229, an integrated division, which had PIR on 05/25/2018. 

Boot Camp: Making a Sailor (Full Length Documentary - 2018)

Boot Camp: Behind the Scenes at RTC

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Events

**UPDATE 4/26/2022** Effective with the May 6, 2022 PIR 4 guests will be allowed.  Still must be fully vaccinated to attend.

**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.

**UPDATE 7/29/2021** You now must be fully vaccinated in order to attend PIR:

In light of observed changes and impact of the Coronavirus Delta Variant and out of an abundance of caution for our recruits, Sailors, staff, and guests, Recruit Training Command is restricting Pass-in-Review (recruit graduation) to ONLY fully immunized guests (14-days post final COVID vaccination dose).  

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:

RTC Graduation

**UPDATE 8/25/2022 - MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED.  Vaccinations still required.

**UPDATE 11/10/22 PIR - Vaccinations no longer required.

RESUMING LIVE PIR - 8/13/2021

Please note! Changes to this guide happened in October 2017. Tickets are now issued for all guests, and all guests must have a ticket to enter base. A separate parking pass is no longer needed to drive on to base for parking.

Please see changes to attending PIR in the PAGES column. The PAGES are located under the member icons on the right side.

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Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com

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OK guys, when I first joined Navy Dads back in January my wish was for some timeline that I could use to anticipate the milestones of boot camp. So for all you new parents I would like to submit my timeline. I didn’t join N4M until after PIR to stay in touch with all the friend I made while I was there.

Executive overview.....3 phone calls and 6 letters in 2 months.

My son PJ left the house at 8am, 08:00, Jan. 10th. We got his I’m here and safe phone call at 00:35, or 12:30 am that night from his cell phone.

3 days later, on Friday the 13th we got his box with everything he took to boot camp, his cell phone and even his underwear and socks. I gave him a padded envelope, before he left, just the right size for his for his phone to include in the box for added safety. If the pant legs are rolled up it’s because there was no time to unroll them between being fitted for shoes and filling the box.

10 days later, really long, agonizing days later, we got his form letter and address, dated the 18th with a 2 sentence note on the back on Jan 23rd. I mailed him the 8 page daily journal I started writing the day he left. 

This is the 2 week mark.

9 days later, on Feb 1st, we got his first letter, complaining that he hasn’t gotten any letters from us yet dated the 29th. 5 days after that.  On 2/6, I got my surprise 5 minute phone call around 2 pm.

2nd letter came on Feb 9th, 3rd letter on Feb 15, 4th letter on Feb 24th, and 5th on Feb 29th.

March 7th. Was a Magical Day.  We got his 6th and final letter from boot camp, and at 6:30pm GL time we got our “I’m a sailor call”.  We were expecting it a day earlier on March 6th because he told us, in his letters, that BS21 would be the 5th.  We started burning our blue candles on Monday morning, Tuesday was frantic ALL DAY AND NIGHT...waiting for the call that never came, good thing I bought a 50 hour candle.  Finally, after work on Wednesday the 7th I got the call...and my good sailor called his Mom at work  first... I was so proud I thought I would bust.  Turns out that the Presidents day holiday pushed everyone back one day in training and no one was told about it.

Thursday March 8th at 9am, I flew to O’Hare and attended Sarge’s Meet and Greet that night.  All the Div083 N4Ms wore yellow scarves, so when I saw one I knew that was a family with a kid in my division...it really helped make friends.  Friday the 9th I attended PIR...Try and not get misty when they all sing Anchors Aweigh. 

I got my hands on him at 10:30 and we stayed togeather till 8pm – he got liberty till 9 because Div 083 made Hall of Fame.  At midnight, still the 9th, I checked out of the hotel and met him at O’Hare airport at 1:30am, where I gave him back his cell phone,and civilian underwear that he requested. We drank coffee, talked, watched the sun come up and I caught his cold, he texted his friends until he flew out at 11:30 am.

Here’s a tip, when you write them, place pictures in a MS Word document. The RDCs watch them open mail and make them share pictures and junk with the whole division. PJ thanked me for the printed picture letters because he could keep them private.  I always closed with a hand written I Love you so it didn’t seem too impersonal.

The entire ordeal lasted one day shy of 2 months...It seemed like 2 years living through it, and now it   seems like 2 weeks.  PJ earned E-3 FN stripes, and a Sharpshooter ribbon on his dress blue uniform, and Div083 made Hall of Fame Division, which gave them an extra hour of liberty. I am so Proud.  

It's been 10 days since PIR and my son is safely in Goose Creek SC. in an indocternation division waiting to "Class Up" for MM A school.  He has his own bank account, credit card and bought a new Nintendo 3DS at the NEX...first thing.  MM A school is 3 months long and we hope to see him on leave in June or July.  Where we will go to Benihanna and celebrate in style.

My advice is...Patience is a virtue, no news is good news, repeat these two verses often. I very highly recommend Sarge's Meet and Greet...The colored scarves were genious....I depended on Sarge for ALL TRANSPORTATION while in GL, and he went ABOVE and BEYOND to make the trip successful.  I can't give him higher marks, he broke the chart.

There is much more I could write, but I think I've been verbose enough.  Except, I still remember the scared little boy and the tears when we sent him off to scarey Great Lakes, and in 2 months I can't believe how much he grew up, The polite and respectful young man I met at PIR, was still my son...but so much more.  The change was truely incredible and totally worth the ordeal.

I hope this helps anyone going through this experience. 

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Replies to This Discussion

When my sailor calls it's under a 1(847)- ***-**** number. The number always changes! It should be listed under Waukegan, IL. Hope that helps! 

Yes, I will repeat....patience is a virture....no news is good news.   Thank you for your very informative post.  Helps a lot to keep the wondering from getting out of hand.  patience is a virtue, no news is good news. again and again and again.  Take care! 

This completely brought tears to my eyes and now I'm in full blown ugly cry! LOL  thank you so much for sharing.  My son is going into his second week at Great Lakes and to say I'm proud of him is an understatement.  I never know my heart could burst with so much pride and yet be breaking at the same time because he is gone.  I can't wait to get his letter and hear his voice.  It does seem like 2 years but, as you mentioned, I keep telling myself no news is good news.  That will carry me through.  Thank you for sharing!

Sailor mom, my son has been gone since 3/6 and I just received my form letter yesterday. Your letter should be arriving!!

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