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Navy For Moms

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

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

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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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Graduation Info
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Printable PDF – 2.0 MB

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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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GROTON, CT. SUBSCHOOL & "A" SCHOOL MOMS

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

Members: 865
Latest Activity: Aug 13

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Comment by CarlaB on October 5, 2018 at 11:13pm: Yes, they are in double dorm style rooms. Two rooms share a bathroom. They are allowed to have and use their cell phones any time other than when they are in classes or study sessions. Welcome to the silent Navy.

Comment by Jbkdmom on October 5, 2018 at 10:58pm: Hello. My son is headed there from boot camp. I was just wondering if he would be in a dorm style room or barracks? Also, how does the phone privilege work?

Comment by CarlaB on September 12, 2018 at 1:53pm: IL Matt's Mom, we are not even going to try to have the car delivered to base. I figured his availability with classes, etc, plus security would make that challenging.

I have actually contacted the local Honda dealership since he has a fairly new Honda. They have agreed to accept delivery since we also asked them to service it with an oil change and inspection before he picks it up. Should work well.

I am now just trying to get timing right to make sure that we hold off on having it delivered until he is able to drive it and have it on base. He is close to his yellow card, so wondering if that phase he will be allowed to have the car.

Comment by IL Matt's Mom on September 12, 2018 at 12:26pm: Hi CarlaB,

I don't think a surprise car delivery would work. The car cannot be delivered on base. I found that transport companies would not commit to a firm delivery date and time.

We could not find a transport company that would work with us, so ended up driving our son's car out.

We were out visiting and took delivery for our son's shipmate's car at our hotel. The delivery window was missed due to weather and traffic and the sailor had to be back on base (the car arrived at 1:00am). If we wouldn't have been there, the car would have been dropped at the trucking depot in Mass. and the sailor would have needed to find a way there to pick up the car.

My recommendation would be to have your son have backup people that could possibly take delivery oh his behalf, especially those with a slightly different schedule and duty section.

Comment by CarlaB on September 11, 2018 at 9:48am: Does anyone know when sailors are allowed to have their car on base and drive? Is that once they get their phase II liberty card? We are arranging to ship our son's car out to him and surprise him (he wants it really bad and thinks there is no way he will be able to get it before he can get a long weekend of liberty to fly home), but I want to make sure we time it right.

Comment by Jbkdmom on September 10, 2018 at 6:07pm: Wow. Thank you ladies. That is some good info. I am totally new at this and feel so lost. When we heard from him he said “he thought” he was leaving the following Monday and would have all weekend with day passes. We were so excited cited to hear from him, we just planned according and didn’t question it. Sounded a litttle to good to be true!

Thank youWearsLargeHats and Carla B.

Comment by CarlaB on September 10, 2018 at 2:38pm: Hi Krista and Viola, and welcome. WearsLargeHats gave you some good information already. Our son had PIR on 8/24 and we got to spend most of the rest of the day with him. We had to have him back at RTC by about 8:00 that night. You will want to get back early because of traffic, security, etc, and on time is late in the Navy.

Our son flew out at noon on Saturday and his group flew into Boston and then bused to Groton. We took his phone, laptop, and underwear (VERY important, they are tired of their Navy issue tighty whities when BC is done). I then mailed a box with a small amount of civilian clothes and a few other things he wanted. He doesn't want too many civilian clothes because he says he doesn't have room.

Viola, with your son arriving so close to Thanksgiving I would probably not plan on him getting leave for Thanksgiving. Krista, not sure about yours. My son was told by someone that has been there a lot longer than him that he should not expect to get any leave until Thanksgiving for sure, so by that time he will have been there three months.

As far as the format of schooling...we are still relatively new to this, but there may be a small holding period when they first arrive before starting classes. They will then start with some basic "life skills" classes, and then into BESS (sub school). My understanding is that BESS is 6-8 weeks, and then they move onto their technical A-school training for whatever rate they are in.

Welcome aboard sea sisters!

Comment by WearsLargeHats on September 10, 2018 at 1:05pm: Welcome Krista and Viola. After PIR they will fly out that weekend. Airports and schedules vary. I believe most arrive in Groton on Saturday. You may only get a few hours after PIR, but you may be able to meet up at the airport and spend some time there. Get used to unpredictability.
Sub school is not quite like traditional college (though the housing is dorm-like). Everything the actually need will either be issued or readily available at the NEX, You can plan on handing off their phone at the airport, but it is easier to ship personal goods once they get there and tell you what they want. Traveling light is a good trait in a submariner, though I wish mine would get some cheap furniture for heaven's sake, now that he is living off base.
The training track differs by rating. The several ratings under SECF spend the most time up there.

Comment by Jbkdmom on September 10, 2018 at 11:06am: Hello my son is in boot camp graduating Oct 5th. Anyone know how long he has after graduation before he heads there? Trying to make travel plans.

Thanks gor for adding me to this group.

Comment by Viola on September 10, 2018 at 11:05am: Hi Everyone,

My son will be leaving for BC in Great Lakes on Wednesday. He should have a PIR date around November 9. He will be going to A school in Groton. What should we expect? Will he leave immediately from Chicago to Connecticut? It is close to Thanksgiving. . .I'm just wondering how school submarine school works--is it like a traditional college? What will he need at A school from home?

Thank you!