This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.

FIRST TIME HERE?

FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO GET STARTED:

Choose your Username.  For the privacy and safety of you and/or your sailor, NO LAST NAMES ARE ALLOWED, even if your last name differs from that of your sailor (please make sure your URL address does not include your last name either).  Also, please do not include your email address in your user name. Go to "Settings" above to set your Username.  While there, complete your Profile so you can post and share photos and videos of your Sailor and share stories with other moms!

Make sure to read our Community Guidelines and this Navy Operations Security (OPSEC) checklist - loose lips sink ships!

Join groups!  Browse for groups for your PIR date, your sailor's occupational specialty, "A" school, assigned ship, homeport city, your own city or state, and a myriad of other interests. Jump in and introduce yourself!  Start making friends that can last a lifetime.

Link to Navy Speak - Navy Terms & Acronyms: Navy Speak

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

...and visit Navy.com - America's Navy and Navy.mil also Navy Live - The Official Blog of the Navy to learn more.

OPSEC - Navy Operations Security

Always keep Navy Operations Security in mind.  In the Navy, it's essential to remember that "loose lips sink ships."  OPSEC is everyone's responsibility. 

DON'T post critical information including future destinations or ports of call; future operations, exercises or missions; deployment or homecoming dates.  

DO be smart, use your head, always think OPSEC when using texts, email, phone, and social media, and watch this video: "Importance of Navy OPSEC."

Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:

OPSEC GUIDELINES

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.

Format Downloads:

Navy Speak

Click here to learn common Navy terms and acronyms!  (Hint:  When you can speak an entire sentence using only acronyms and one verb, you're truly a Navy mom.)

N4M Merchandise


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Navy.com Para Familias

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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My son just literally walked out the door and is on his way to boot camp.

Please tell me I did the right thing...please.

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My son left on the 16th. I am very proud and feel this decision is a good one but I also come from a long line of military members. I was also an army wife for 9 years so I know a little about the armed forces and how things work within the systems. So, my anxiety level about military service may not be as high as yours is right now. What is your son going to do in the Navy? How was he feeling about this decision?
he is very excited and is looking forward to being a sailor. he is going to be a corpsman - dental tech.
It's not so much whether you did the right thing, but rather did he do the right thing? As far as the Navy is concerned, he is now an adult (we all know they aren't really but.....) and will have to make all his own decisions, regardless of what you want. You give the Navy a boy and the Navy gives you back a man. Really. You'll be absolutely amazed at the difference in him between today and 8 weeks from now when you see him at PIR (graduation). He'll walk taller, straighter, prouder. He'll be more polite, will know how to iron and fold his clothes, make his bed. He'll have made friends with lots of different other boys, he'll be more open to all the possibilites that await him in this world, he'll be in the best physical shape of his life.

He'll hate boot camp for the first 2-3 weeks and will whine and complain about everything (the food, the yelling, the discipline, he's tired, he's sick, he hates everyone etc. etc.) but by the 4th week everything will begin coming together and start to make sense. By the time he does Battlestations in the last week he'll be chomping at the bit to get on with his new life. The best moment will be when he calls after Battlestations and his capping ceremony and says "Hi Mom, I'm a sailor in the US Navy!" Fabulous, never-to-be-forgotten moment in both your lives.
Awwww, thanks ChrisAmo, that makes me feel so much better!
You're very welcome. Glad to be of help.
It's not an easy thing being a boot camp mom. I am so proud of my son and the difference in him is evident through his letters. Have you received your form letter yet? If you have, look up on N4M your Pass In Review group. These ladies will be your lifeline and become your biggest support. Who else knows better how you feel and what you're going through like other moms? Things will be okay and just start writing letters to him. Once you have his address (again, on the form letter) mail your letters. He will love getting a lot of letters at once. I tried to write a letter or send a small card 4-5 times a week. The first few weeks are hard both for you and him. Again, the other PIR moms will be there for you. Tonight my son is going through Battle Stations, the last hurdle before he can PIR. I am so anxious and nervous but also really excited to leave for Great Lakes in a few days! I made it a point to not write about anything negative. I always included stuff about celebrities, jokes, the animals. Before you know it, you'll be headed to Great Lakes for PIR. I hope this helps some. Take care!
Thank nikosmom for your support. Things have gotten better over the past few days. The weekend was hard because it was the first weekend after he left. I got his UPS box with his clothes, that was exciting. Now just waiting for my form letter. I'm a little nervous though as my son has never been much of a writer. I like the idea about jokes that should help. Thanks again!
My son left on the 23rd and he too will be a corpsman. He is my second son to join the navy. Cant believe I will have two sailors. My oldest is a MineMan and is stationed in Japan and loves it!
I will say as the mom who has gone through this that there is NOTHING else like it. It is different then sending your child off to college. We have zero control. Welcome to Navy Time...no longer mama time! The pride is unbelieveable and if you can go to PIR...GO! It is a ceramony that makes you so proud of your sailor and your country. It is an incredible event. Dont be surprised on how different your sailor will be. It amazes me the level of maturity that they achieve. I honestly think that if every american child joined any branch of the service for at least 2 years we would be a much better place...just by what they teach them about respect, honor, team work etc.
I agree....find your PIR group and hopefully someone from your sons ship and live there! I now have a very good friend whos son was on my sons ship at bc and they were good friends and we didnt know it until the week before PIR.
Encourage a meeting of the moms (and families) the night before....it is a bond like no other.
Congrats and as they say in the navy Bravo Zulu my friend...you are a Navy Mom!

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