P day questions

[Katie]

Ok so I am a bit confused on the P Day count. My son arrived at BC on Monday night around 830pm. Do I count that as P1 so this Friday will be P5 or do I count Tuesday as P1? I am just trying to understand where he might be in his training. New Navy mom here and just trying to understand. Thanks for any insight!!

[Kristy]

I don’t know how to count P Day like u either. But my Husband just graduated on Dec. He got there on a Thursday, so i count on the next day which is 1st Friday. And his PIR is the 10th Friday. (10/17 -> 12/20) . 
Just pick up EVERY PHONE CALL (mine always said “Waukegan, IL), it’s normaly in the afternoon or early evening, but again, pick up every phone call. Mail will be home in around 2-3 weeks after he get there, so u can have address to write him letter. 
i sent to my husband around 15 letters and he only get 3. Idk why, but just put double stamps to make sure. At the last 2 weeks and sent him letter using Sandbox apps, and he get them all. 

[belovedbyHim]

Katie and Kristy-- The day they ship out does not count as a P day.  That is Ship day. So Katie Monday was Ship day, Tuesday was P1, Sat & Sunday are P-hold so NO training or processing happens then. Feb 17 will be P5, the day they typically take the PFA. (Physical Fitness Assessment). If they pass then Next Tuesday they would move to their "Ship" (Berthing spaces) and fill out the form letter to be mailed home letting you know your PIR date.(usually arrives 14-21 days after they shipped out) Please Remember this is Needs of the Navy!! He may be in a push Div- so he could only have 4 Pdays or he could have additional Phold days (for a ton of things good or difficult) which means he may be waiting longer to get the form letter mailed.  There is NO Way to know 100% but for the majority of recruits it is 5 days for processing, 9 Fridays till PIR.
I know you miss your recruits but you really DON'T want phone calls during the first 3 weeks they are gone!! It may just be a request for information but it may be not so good news!! Right now during the "Great Silence" No News is Good News!!!! During this time Write lots of letters!! Then take all the sad letters and keep them and burn them when you get ready to go to PIR!!  Mail Positive upbeat letters. Keep the I miss you's to a minimum.  This is hard and they are adjusting to a big change, they are questioning everything they thought and may be looking for a reason to quit and come home. Remind them that it's a mind game as much as a physical game and they are stronger than they know!! Only 1% even try to serve their Country!!
Kristy-- If Their first P day is a Friday then yes they usually have 10 Fridays. Also now that he's in the fleet Please Delete your Sandboxx account and don't EVER use it again!! It's Not OPSEC or PERSEC and can cause serious consequences in the fleet! My Sailor was delayed returning from Deployment because of Sandboxx and they ended up coming home in the middle of the night with no fanfare.  We were going out to welcome him home and ended up missing out on time with him because of that darned app!!!

[Kristy]

Oh wow. I wound never expect Sandbox Can cause they serious problem. Thank you for letting me know. 

[belovedbyHim]

Yes, It is a 3rd party app not affiliated with the Military.  Think of it as a post card.  Whatever you write on there can be read by anyone at Sandboxx.  and once they read the information..... they can do with it what they like!  It is NOT a secure form of communication thus it is NOT OPSEC (Operation Security) or PERSEC (Personnel Security).  Loose lips Sink Ships!! (Or really screw up deployments!!!)  I have another Navy mom friend who's son was flying back from deployment, when one of the members got a sandboxx message and they spent nearly a week in an airport hanger (Military in the middle of frozen nowhere) eating from vending machines!! She was so upset and the sailor got chewed out as well.  As their Senior said..."Good Grief man! Doesn't she know about OPSEC AND PERSEC Yet!! She could have seen you in less than 24 hrs but now we are stuck here for an indeterminate time because she couldn't just text you!!!"  NO SANDBOXX after BC and better to not even get into the habit!! Depending on what your recruit wants to do for his job there are some Spook jobs that even in BC it's verboten!!!

[Katie]

Thank you so much for all of this information.  You are AMAZING!!!

[belovedbyHim]

You are welcome.  Read the files!  Watch the "Making a Sailor" Videos (on the Left). Post on the main page for support. and here is my Blog on the first weeks.  there is more in the files at the top of the main Boot camp page.
https://navyformoms.ning.com/profiles/blogs/boot-camp-first-weeks-t...

[Skierchick70]

OK, so I gotta ask. My daughter flew out last night (wednesday). So, thursday is P1? By Feb. 19 she will take her PFA and her PIR date should be around 9 fridays counting Feb.14? Thanks for helping all us newbies understand all this!

[belovedbyHim]

Skierchick70-- Welcome! (are you from CO by chance?  or is that a reference to water-skiing?)

Yes if she left Yesterday (You got the "I'm here Call late last night/ early this morning) Today is P1.  Tomorrow is P2. Sat and Sun are P-hold. Mon-Wed are P3-5. Wed should be the PFA. assuming all goes as planned and No additional Phold days. You are looking at a PIR around April 10.  If she is Push it could be as early as April 3 or if she has to wait for enough female recruits to arrive it could be April 17.  You will not know for SURE until the Form letter arrives which would be the week ending 28 Feb at the Earliest or Week ending 13 March at the later end of things.  Be looking for your first real phone call to come the week of March 20 ish, However calls can come at any time for lots of reasons so answer ALL calls and Keep your phone near and ringer on LOUD while you have a recruit at BC! Keep a small note pad handy with all the stuff you want to ask your recruit because when you get to talk to them emotions will over rule your brain and you will forget!! Write lots of letters!! Keep all the "Sad.... I miss you so much it aches" letters home. (it ok to write them just don't send them!!) Send all the "I'm so proud of you" and "You are part of the AMAZING 1% who keep the rest of us free" And the " I know this may seem tough but Your are Tougher!!! You Got This!!!" letters once you get the form letter with that wonderful address!!  Don't forget to number the letters/envelopes so they know what order to read them and how many to expect. 
On the Main Boot Camp Moms page there is a section at the top on the form letter as well as a section on ideas on what to write.  Check it out when you get a chance.

[Skierchick70]

Awesome advice, belovedbyHim!! Thank you so much! I'll get this all organized. Have a nice holiday weekend!

[dmj]

it is hard not knowing but I guess we have to get used to this-my daughter arrived 1030 on tues night and I got her form letter following fri so I guess she must have started as soon as she arrived with P-1.havent yet heard from her but I am super excited to be able to flood her with letters!Hang in there!