This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
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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.
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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.
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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: 19749
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by HuskerFan on
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I agree - I love having individual guys to send to. I adopted a Marine and an Army Sgt thru the US Adopt a soldier program. I send each of them a care package each month and cards/letters in between those packages. I know one of them is stationed in a really remote/not so great area. I always put in my box 'if I send you something you don't like/want, please share'. I know they always do. I will definitely look into Blue Star. That sounds great. I didn't realize just how many soldiers/sailors, etc. don't ever get any packages from home. I guess my sailor is pretty darn spoiled. We are also fortunate as he is getting stationed stateside for the next 3 years. I feel blessed as I have 3 more kids at home. He will only be about a 2.5 hr plane ride away.
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Permalink Reply by BlueForever on
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BunkerQB - Only been on site for 3 months...but, you, and all of the ladies on the Boot Camp/PIR groups have been absolutely wonderful! Great advice and support! So glad to have found this site....for me, much happier here than on FB. ((:)).
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Permalink Reply by navydad4749 on
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My son just graduated from boot camp on January 31, 2014. We had the same separation anxiety that you had. We got his 60 second call and he sounded like a robot. A couple of weeks later, we got a call and he was talking so fast, I thought that they had turned him into a Yankee. Son, why are you talking so fast? Dad, I've got 5 minutes and I have a lot to get in.
We went to his graduation. He was 912 Division, which was "staff." He was dressed in his blues and had the gold ascot and shoulder cords on. His job was to "guard" the VIP review stand. He and a buddy were at ease, but snapped to attention and gave a salute to every officer that came by them.
After the ceremony, we went to lunch and later to dinner. He had changed. For the good. I can't tell you how proud I am of him and his new focus in life. He made it through basic with flying colors and is now in Meridian at his A-School. He had liberty this weekend, so we were able to bring him to the house for some fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The stories he told about basic were down right hilarious. He made some good friends and a few of his mates are in Meridian as well. One kid is coming to visit us when he finishes his school in Texas. That kid was another "country kid" that was in my son's Division.
Hang in there. It will be over before you know it and your sailor will do you proud.
Dave
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Permalink Reply by 29junkie on
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Thanks Dave! It has to be awesome to watch him "in action". So often most people don't get to experience that.
Life long friends are made in the military, sounds like your son is finding those. Best of luck to your sailor!!
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It will most likely hit me more once he's been gone longer than a couple weeks.Reality will probably hit a bit more then.
Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Sharon on
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Hi, I thought your post was great! My second one left today, in fact, plane just left. I feel like you do, and am so happy to just watch as he does this, and of course be there for him. So, if you ever just want to chat without the tears etc. feel free to message me anytime :)
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Thanks Sharon! So nice to hear I'm not alone. I'm excited to see where this chapter of life takes him.
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Permalink Reply by Sierrascrapper (ETN2) on
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Your message title caught my eye. I have a mix of emotions. My son is still in high school and will be leaving for BC two weeks after he graduates. Last summer when he told us he wanted to join the Navy, we were surprised but excited for him at the same time. I thought I might join the military when I was younger, but didn't follow that dream. Now is the chance for us to live that dream through him. We are SO PROUD of him and looking forward to what the future holds for him. However, once he swore into DEP, my feelings changed a bit. It seems I became more empathetic. I have never really been that way before. I'm a straightforward kind of person and not an emotional person at all. However, I am VERY PATRIOTIC and always have been my entire life (my step-dad was retired military and I was in JROTC all through high school).
Nowadays, I have trouble controlling my emotions. I'm not sad for my son...I am THRILLED for him. But somehow, now these emotions hit me all the time. Mostly emotions of pride. I also now realize even more how special my kids are and how proud I am of them and that I must have done something right as a parent. Every little "LAST" seems to make me get all mushy inside and I tear up. I don't break down and sob my heart out, but I definitely get a little emotional. I can't control it either. I don't expect to feel sad or super emotional when my son leaves for BC, but I don't really know how I'm going to react. I will be waiting patiently to hear his stories and listen to what he is going through. I want to be a STRONG Navy Mom and support him the best way I can.
To sum it up, I can relate to how you feel. Don't feel like you are heartless, you are proud of him and that is all that matters. Your strength can definitely help other Moms who are feeling weak. And when your son needs encouragement, you can be there for him and show him how much you care about him.
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I complete understand the emotions of pride...those are what I feel strongest. Pride & hope for a wonderful future and some direction in his life. I think he was living in limbo not knowing what he really wanted to do.Even if this doesn't become a life long dream it will help build the person he becomes, and that's a beautiful thing.
Can't wait to kick back with him & hear all those wildly elaborated tales of BC antics1
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I felt pretty strong up until he swore in at MEPS and he left. And I was good until his 2nd phone call that I missed when my cell phone sent it straight to voicemail. Everyone is different but we're all in this together to make sure our SR's are successful! The most important thing now is your support. My son was 20 when he left so I think it helped. If he was 18 it would be a different story!
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