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:
Events
**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:
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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Not fitting in
I really think this site is a great resource, but I don't think I'm fitting in well. My son left for BC yesterday and we had know since November he was. I'm not heartbroke, I'm not crying at the slightest thing, not sleeping with his pillow/shirt/stuffed animal, etc.
Not saying it wasn't hard to walk away. I cried. I worry. I'm concerned & hoping things go well, but also knowing he's going to have hard times. This is his journey though, not mine. I'm here to be strong for him & support him.
I guess seeing everyone's post make me wonder if I'm heartless. I would love to comment on posts, but I think my posts won't really feed into the tears & loneliness.....
Any others out there like me just looking for information & friends that are on the same page I am?
Views: 19750
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by B'sMomLa(ship 11 div 090) on
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I also felt sort of like an oddball on this site. The first 3 weeks of BC I was positively glued to this site, gleaning every bit of info I could. After getting the first phone call from him and hearing for myself that he was okay I was able to go back to life as we knew before he left. Not saying that I don't miss him, because I do. It was awesome seeing him this past weekend. I think I am more excited for him living his dream than anything. This is his choice. He joined the Navy to fulfill a dream. Since having children, I understood that it wasn't about me anymore, but about them. It's quite an experience to see them grow up and start to live their dreams. I still pop in on this site, more so in the week leading up to PIR than I did in weeks 4 through 7. We're not all wired the same and that's okay. Just take what you need from this site and don't feel guilty for not reacting the way many moms do. It doesn't make you any less of a mother who loves her son.
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Permalink Reply by 29junkie on
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Thanks! I think the longer it takes to get my letter, the more anxious I'm going to be. Hoping my son isn't one that gets "stuck" in processing waiting for other sailors to arrive. Love for this part of the game to fly by for him.
And you are right, it is about them & we are here to make sure they know someone cares on the "other side".
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Permalink Reply by Coach Shelia on
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Everyone deals with this life change differently. You are not heartless by any means. I've come to my own understanding that this is my son's journey first, and it's okay for me to take care of myself and enjoy going to the movies (we enjoyed going to the movies together)! I think your insight will help! Imagine how I felt when he came home with Aviation Ordnance! Bombs, missiles...yikes! I wasn't sure if it would be a good fit, but I never let him know that! LOL I absorbed everything I could learn about it! He loves his job! He's doing awesome making friends and memories that will last a lifetime! Keep Calm and Drop Bombs! IYAOYAS!
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Thanks! Sounds like your son has an incredible support system :)
You did it right mom!
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Permalink Reply by dengrif20 on
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Hi everyone! I too am new to this. I am two weeks into my son's experience at OCS. He kind of sprung it on us and we had no idea what to expect - and we still know very little! This site has been great. It's very comforting to know that all the emotions I have gone through are not unique! 29junkie you caught my eye with this one! As parents of first time military children we have no idea what to feel or what to expect. Sometimes I think that is what is the hardest thing - wondering what's normal. It's such a huge life event that I believe we are allowed to feel whatever we want! Let me know if there are any other new OCS parents out there - I am anxious to know what to expect. Thanks everyone for the support here!
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Permalink Reply by BunkerQB on
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My son was a nuke officer on a sub. He went thru OSC. There are two groups (Officer Moms and Officer Candidate Moms) you should join.
http://navyformoms.com/group/momsofofficers
http://navyformoms.com/group/ocsgraduatemoms?
Apparently, each OCS class has been setting up a closed group on Facebook after finding meeting up with each other. Good luck.
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This is a great place to find people who can help & support. As I found with this post, don't be afraid to express & share. In the mix wonderful people will appear who bring to you what you are needing to get by. The best part is we all aren't dealing the same & can help each other become stronger or even more compassionate.
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It's a rollercoaster to say the least! All part of the experience right?
LOL! Glad to hear you are excited for your daughter. I'm sure that helps her too with it. I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous of our kiddos. If I could go back, I think enlisting may have been a wonderful experience I missed out on!
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Permalink Reply by kkjetz on
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Hey mom -
Don't question yourself. I was like you in the beginning - very strong. The whole Boot Camp thing was expected, the time away from home was expected, and knowing she was on her way to her own future away from home is expected. There were small things that choked me up like talking about the capping ceremony after Battlestations or seeing pictures of new sailors, but in all there was no reason to cry; the Navy was a great place for her to be. I will say that the emotions really are a rollercoaster ride though. I hit a few rough patches during her stay at RTC but it was mostly because I hadn't heard from her - like between arrival and the first real letter or phone call - and didn't know how she was coping. Sometimes hearing about other parent's struggles stressed me out even more and I had to take a step back and decompress. Every one handles this separation differently. Just know that there will be highs (the phone calls) and lows (the phone calls), but your child is in good hands with the Navy and they will be great.
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Funny you make the comment, I find it almost stresses me too hearing what other people are enduring. Makes me feel blessed that things are going smoothly - would be better with a letter - but no news is always good news:)
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Finally got my "boy in a box"...now just waiting on a letter. Mine left the 5th - hoping to hear something soon.
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Permalink Reply by StacyLHR (14/136) on
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I'm looking for information and friends as well, especially once he gets his Ship or whatever it is they call it. :) My son left today. (2/11/14) :)
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