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

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:

RTC Graduation

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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900 Divisions

There is almost always a 900 Division in every TG. The 1 April 2011 TG did not have a 900 Division of its own and there were no 900 divisions while RTC responded to COVID-19 and suspended graduation ceremonies. Sometimes there can be two or even three in one TG if RTC skips a week of PIR. One of the divisions will usually reflect the TG number, but not always. If there is more than one 900 Division, then they will be Brother Divisions. The 900 Divisions begin with Division 901 and will normally end with Division 952. Division 901 is supposed to be the division that begins training in the first week of October when the Navy fiscal year begins. In 2019 there were 55 TG's in order to have TG 01 begin training the first week of October so the last 900 division of the 2019 fiscal year was Division 955. This made up for errors in the numbering of TGs when weeks were skipped that had occurred in previous years.

Once the recruits arrive, those with the Musician (MU) rating and volunteers who have prior music experience (band, choir, or other musical training) or drill team experience may join a 900 division based on information provided on a questionnaire the recruits complete soon after arrival. Auditions are held later to confirm the ability of volunteers. There are others who will be chosen for the 900 division by the RDC's during Phase 1 (P-days) or the first few weeks of BC. These recruits did not have a Musician rating or prior band/music or drill experience, but showed some aptitude for performance, such as military bearing. This is especially true for those chosen to be part of Ship Staff. Recruits with relatively high ASVAB scores have a better chance of being in a 900 division than those with lower scores since they will be better able to keep up with everything that is required of them than those with lower scores. The Recruits in a 900 division can have contracts for any rating. Once assigned to the division, these recruits go through the same training as other divisions in addition to performance duties. They practice on Saturdays beginning with the Saturday after the division forms and sometimes (rarely) on Sunday afternoons if the need arises for an extra practice. From week 1 DOT (after Phase 1) until week 4, they practice every Saturday from 3:00 or 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Then beginning the Saturday going into week 5, they also practice on Monday and Wednesday and do a run through on Thursday, then they perform in the real PIR on Friday if there is one that week. They usually perform in two graduations before doing their own. The 900 divisions go through Battle Stations-21 alone, with another 900 division if there are 2 or more 900 divisions in the TG or with a pair of brother divisions from the rifle divisions.

There are three types of 900 divisions. There are the Band/Bluejacket Choir/Drill team, otherwise known as Triple Threat (the musicians, singers, and drill team), the Sticks (those who carry the state flags), and the Ship Staff/Honor Guard (the body snatchers, those who guard various things, various servers...). Three 900 divisions perform their duties at each PIR, the 900 division(s) from that TG and if needed one to three 900 divisions from the next one or two TG's. Each 900 Division performs in their own PIR and usually in the PIR for one or two TG's ahead of their own if there is not a 900 division of the same type to perform in the TG/TG's. They may also have performances in the community--that happens mainly for the Triple Threat and Color Guard though. Those in a 900 division wear yellow/gold braided cords (ropes) called aiguillettes on their left shoulders with their dress blues and blue aiguillettes with their dress whites. This helps others to know that they have responsibilities to fulfill during PIR.

You may want to join the Group, 900's division sailors. There will be information on there that relates to your situation. Here is a site I found that explains about 900 Divisions, The Requirements for the Navy RTC 900 Division.

Watch RTC’s fB page beginning 2 weeks before your recruit’s PIR and you may catch a glimpse of your recruit, but know that not all of the PIR ceremonies are photographed, so don't be disappointed if you do not see your recruit. You will also want to watch RTC's live stream of PIR beginning 2 weeks before your recruit's PIR. RTC streams PIR live beginning at 8:45 am CST on the day of PIR at http://navylive.dodlive.mil/. Check for any streams of the practices for PIR as well (usually in the afternoon on the day before PIR). They will also have the videos saved on there for a short time if people were unable to watch live or if you want to stop it to check out a particular recruit or Sailor more closely. (Once PIR has passed, you may be able to see the video at https://www.dvidshub.net/tags/video/navy-boot-camp-graduation, but not all of them are included there.)

The PIR ceremony is conducted by the graduating 900 Division/s with help from one or two Junior 900 Divisions. Each incoming 900 division is assigned one of the responsibilities listed below, on a constantly rotating basis.

Ship Staff is in charge on PIR day. They greet and welcome the Officers and their distinguished guests as Sideboys. They play the role of "Body Snatcher" walking up and down the rows of Sailors, watching for and sometimes catching any Sailor about to or going down. (They lock their knees sometimes and pass out.) They help the Navy Corpsmen in the back room. They serve during the reception for the Honor Grads. They guard doors and perform a myriad of tasks behind the scenes and in front, such as directing people and helping those who require a wheelchair. It is their job to help make sure all goes smoothly. The Honor Guard Drill Team also does a rifle performance at the beginning of the ceremony. Since those in Ship Staff/Honor Guard have duties to perform before and during PIR, they do not march in through the doors when the other divisions march in on the day of PIR.
  
Sticks (Flags) does an incredible march perfectly timed and executed to the drum corps cadence. It is their job to present the flags for every state in the union. They are lined up by height, so the flow looks better, so your recruit will probably not get to carry his/her home state flag. They also honor those who have gone before by presenting the POW and MIA flags, as well as the US flag and the US Navy flag in the Color Guard.

Triple Threat is comprised of those who are on the Rifle Drill team and all those who were chosen for their musical abilities. The Blue Jacket Choir performs the National Anthem, Anchors Aweigh and anything else they've been tasked with. The band plays at various times throughout the ceremony. The Drum Corps also marches and helps everyone else stay in step and keep time. Those in a Triple Threat division will not march in with the other divisions since they will already be on the Drill Hall floor.

The address to write to your recruit is:

SR LAST NAME, FIRST NAME MI
SHIP 02 DIV 9XX
3600 OHIO STREET
GREAT LAKES IL 60088-7105  (60088-3156 will also work) 

Is there an advantage to being in a 900 Division? It all depends on your point of view. Loved ones may catch a glimpse of the recruit in photos posted on RTC’s fB page. The recruits in a 900 division get to interact with civilians more than those in a rifle division if they are at extra PIR’s or events in the community. The recruits often begin working together as a team faster than those in a rifle division, but not always. There is extra work involved since these recruits go through the same training that those in a rifle division do as well as having the practices for PIR. There is nothing special after BC tied to being in a 900 division.

What do the "extras" in a 900 Division do? There are extras in each 900 division. They train just like everyone else in the division. They must be ready if called upon to take the place of a recruit who is sick or injured or who is otherwise unable to perform. Some of the extras help to clean the stands, Drill Hall, rooms used for preparation.... Some will be in charge of setting things up and putting things away before and after PIR. Some of the extras will be escorts and assist with seating those in need of wheelchairs or other assistance. Some will be "seaters" and direct guests to the appropriate section. 

Be sure to ask your recruit ahead of time what s/he will be doing during PIR and if s/he will be performing in any PIR's ahead of his/her own PIR so you will know where to look for your recruit or Sailor in the pictures or videos and at PIR.

The above information is provided by lemonelephant, the mom of a retired Sailor.

Last updated 1/3/2025 to remove some outdated info.

Comment

You need to be a member of Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones) to add comments!

Comment by lemonelephant on September 22, 2013 at 4:38pm

yoshko, you are welcome. If your SR gives you more info that is not here, please let me know so I can add it.

Comment by yoshko on September 22, 2013 at 3:05am

Thanks for answering my questions.

Comment by lemonelephant on September 21, 2013 at 9:58pm

yoshko, yes, most of the recruits in Division 947 are carrying a flag of some sort, but some march as your SR does.

Comment by lemonelephant on September 21, 2013 at 9:43pm

yoshko, from your comment, that would appear to be the case.

Comment by yoshko on September 21, 2013 at 9:39pm

So you think he could be an extra? So normally a recruit in the 947 division would be carrying a flag? I was really surprised when he was placed in the 900 division, he hates the limelight.

Comment by lemonelephant on September 21, 2013 at 5:54pm

yoshko, there are no dumb questions except the one you didn't ask when you needed to know something. Yes, there are always extras in case a recruit does not make it to the end or is injured and unable to perform durng a PIR.  We don't hear much about the extras, but they are just as important because they have to be ready to step in and take over for another recruit.

Comment by yoshko on September 21, 2013 at 4:22am

I have a real dum  question. My SR is in the 947 division which is the flag and sticks division. Well on his last call I asked what flag he would be carrying and he told me none, that he would just be marching. Is that correct? Do some of the SRs just march in that division. I just watched the PIR he was suppose to be performing in and didn't see him.

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