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.

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Latest Activity

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.)

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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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Kirsten

GROTON, CT. SUBSCHOOL & "A" SCHOOL MOMS

Information

GROTON, CT. SUBSCHOOL & "A" SCHOOL  MOMS

hi My Son is currently in Groton, Ct. for Submarine School then "A" School.

Members: 863
Latest Activity: on Tuesday

Discussion Forum

Car at sub school

Started by KKNOhio. Last reply by Catherine May 12, 2020. 2 Replies

Newbie What is BESS?

Started by Dls867. Last reply by SunflowerLynn Sep 24, 2019. 3 Replies

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of GROTON, CT. SUBSCHOOL & "A" SCHOOL MOMS to add comments!

Comment by Viola on November 28, 2018 at 10:09am

Thank you, SunflowerLynn!  My sailor son says he has been studying for basic quals--seems to have much more freedom right now as he waits for BESS to start.  I am talking to him every day since he graduated boot camp which is nice. Are there a lot of quals?  He says right now he is in Life Skill classes until BESS begins.

Viola

Comment by SunflowerLynn on November 26, 2018 at 12:41pm

Hi Viola, my sailor graduated BESS mid-October (on a Friday) and began his A-school (ITS) right there in Groton the very next Monday.  Sometimes, I understand, they might have to wait for a class to fill before starting, but his was ready to go immediately.  At BESS, they'll be spending time in hands on trainers, as well as having classroom instruction.  They'll be busy, also, getting some quals completed in some basic "Navy" stuff (watch-standing, etc.).  They'll also have routine PT, marching, etc.  It's better than boot camp, but still pretty regimented.  Once he gets to A school, he'll have a bit more freedom.  

I'm sure no expert on any of this, but I'm happy to share my experiences as my son goes through the process.  

Lynn

Comment by Viola on November 26, 2018 at 10:49am

Good Morning!

My sailor has arrived in Groton for BESS the week before Thanksgiving.  He was not on "duty" or had academic classes over the weekend and enjoyed the first free time he has had since he left for boot camp in September.  Any words of advice for what to expect next?  He says he will graduate BESS on February 1st and then he will go on to A school.  His rating is for "radioman" or ETR. 

Thank you,

Viola

Comment by WearsLargeHats on November 5, 2018 at 4:10pm

Viola, the training commands typically do a Christmas stand-down, so it is quite likely your son will be able to come home for Christmas, or somewhere close to it, assuming he wants to shell out for the plane tickets (from PVD or BDL).
Deva, a lot depends on which rating you SO is training for. Your SO might be able to swing leave in between phases.
They will almost always get a relocation/transfer leave before reporting to their first command. I say "almost" because certainty just isn't a thing in the Navy.
They accumulate 2 days of leave time per month, the problem is always arranging the time to get away. In training, they have to work around the academic schedule, in active service the watches still have to be manned, so they have to take leave in rotation.

Comment by Deva on November 5, 2018 at 3:31pm

Piggybacking off of this. My SO decided to stay on base for both holidays. (They arrived late last month). 

Are they able to take leave later on in the year when they've acquired more days?

I don't travel well; especially to colder climates so I won't be able to visit him during the holidays either but I'm wondering if he can take leave later on during March/April or August? 

Comment by Viola on November 5, 2018 at 3:30pm

TexGal75

Thank you! I really appreciate the information. In my heart, I have him coming home for Christmas. Obviously, we are at the whim of the Navy and not my deepest wishes, lol. I'll just have to adjust my thinking.

--

Comment by TexGal75 on November 5, 2018 at 3:08pm

Hi Viola.  Your sailor will probably not get time off for Thanksgiving or Christmas since he will be arriving in Groton mid-November, but as far as I know that should not limit you from visiting them.  He'll have to let you know what his training and watch standing schedule is, and you'd have to work around that.

Our sailor has been in Groton since March and was able to come home in September for a short visit (9 days). He won't be able to take off for Thanksgiving, but is trying to get off for Christmas. We've already decided if he can't get home for Christmas we are going there and will visit with him as much as schedule will allow.

Comment by Viola on November 5, 2018 at 2:28pm

Good Afternoon!

I was wondering how the holidays work once my SR arrives for A school.  His PIR is scheduled for November 16th.  I am assuming he will not be able to go anywhere for Thanksgiving--other than local.  As for Christmas, will he be able to take time to come home?  If not, can family come visit over the holidays?

Thank you for your help!

Comment by WearsLargeHats on October 21, 2018 at 8:18am

Deva, IIRC, the NEX is right there on base. It has been a couple years since I've visited that one, but they typically carry such things, and at good prices. I don't know about shopping in Groton, but they should get weekend liberty before long, with some restrictions. Sailors have a way of working things out.

Comment by Deva on October 21, 2018 at 5:59am

Hello! 

My SO recently graduated boot camp and is heading that way.

does anyone have a rough timeframe that newly arrived sailors can go and buy a phone and/or laptop? He doesn’t start until November something. 

His phone was a very old iPhone. The charger was one of those very wide ones so he elected to trash it. Is it going to be a while before he has the privilege to go out and get a new phone? It kind of bites not having much form of communication 

 

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