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Comment by CO-TwinSalorsMom on June 29, 2013 at 4:50pm

Somewhere I read to send your recruit with bandaid size strips of moleskin for blisters.  

Mine had what he thought were shin splints and he gutted it out then just before PIR he had something else at medical and told the Doc about it but said it was a lot better.  The doc X-rayed him and said he actually has broken something and it had healed.

Comment by CO-TwinSalorsMom on June 29, 2013 at 3:56pm

My twins found that in BC it is also very important to pay attention and listen well and keep your mouth shut.  My one son talks alot and when he had PIR he was talking so fast you couldn't understand him.  

He is just starting nuke school, I am nervous for him.  He took AP math and science classes in High School so I hope he will be fine,  He thinks A school will be the least challenging. 

Comment by Mark on June 29, 2013 at 3:48pm

The main thing is they can meet the requirements for their run (recruiter can tell you distance and time needed).  Blisters are a common problem.  They can be minimized by LOTS of walking and hiking beforehand to toughen up the soles of the feet.  Unfortunately the socks and boots issued to them are not good for preventing blister formation, so the more callouses on the feet beforehand, the better.  Physically, Navy boot camp is nowhere near as demanding as the Army and Marines.  The closer they are to recommended weight before boot camp, the less hassle there is, also.  Hopefully, they're comfortable in the water also, they need to pass a basic swimming test that includes a five minute prone float.  They have to pass the third class swim test described in the following link...
http://www1.villanova.edu/content/villanova/artsci/nrotc/incoming_s...

Comment by MomThatLovesHerSon on June 29, 2013 at 3:47pm

Hi everyone,

Can everyone whose sailor had their PIR on 5/31/2013 let me know?  That's when my son's PIR was and I would love to reconnect to the other nuke moms whose sailors had that PIR.

Thanks!

Comment by Joniana (Helen) on June 29, 2013 at 3:01pm

Hi Mark, William in Nashua & others whose sons are far along the pipeline -- could you comment on what level of physical condition you would recommend prior to bootcamp?  One of my "mom fears" is stress fractures or other injuries during BC training.  Thanks.

Comment by Mark on June 29, 2013 at 2:35pm

@cbsdss - the training pipeline ("A" school, power school, prototype training) often is, but it can be relatively easy if they're well-prepared.  The best indicator is how much math they've had and retained.  If they get to the point where algebra is routine and natural to them, they shouldn't have much of a problem.  Passing high school chemistry and physics is very helpful also.  Once through the pipeline and into the fleet, it will often be stressful for everyone, regardless of preparation - but also rewarding in several ways.  Boot camp will be a far greater challenge for you than for your son.  The only challenging part of boot camp for him is developing a thick skin and realizing that all things shall pass.  Be prepared for him not being too happy 2-3 weeks in, and to be frustrated with other recruits in his division.  Things steadily improve from that point as the division learns to function as a team, and PIR (graduation) will be a tremendous emotional high for everyone.  Just take it one step at a time, and realize that thousands upon thousands of nucs have been going through much the same experience (mostly successfully) for over fifty years - so the Navy has figured out what generally works in getting them through the pipeline.

Comment by NukeMom_09Nov on June 29, 2013 at 12:56pm

@Mrs Woody...thanks for being open with your experience.  Will keep your son and your family in prayer.  Whatever happens, trust that God will take care of your baby.  We have all been teenagers and young adults before.  Its part of life,  he will learn from it and will continue to grow personally.  Just another speed bump in life that he has to go through.  Doesnt make it easier for you but God will give you the strength to go through it with your son.

Comment by NukeMom_09Nov on June 29, 2013 at 12:41pm

Thank you  BunkerQB and B'snukemom.

Betsyleebig and I have exchanged messages.  I appreciate the immediate responses.

You ladies are great.

@William in Nashua - thanks for the post.  His challenge is not with academics.  He has not been happy since he started the Nuke program.  I feel that he scored well and was just put on this path and I was so proud of him that I did not stop to ask if this is he career path he really wants.  Will keep him in prayer, if it is God's will for him to get out of Nuke, God will make a way that wont hurt his Navy career.

Thanks.

Comment by William in Nashua on June 29, 2013 at 9:40am

My son knows plenty of ex-nukes who failed academically but gave it their best fight and went down swinging, and they got rerated to good technical ratings.

I never had the impression that students can decide to quit the nuclear propulsion training program on their own because they don't like it or are unhappy with their career choice, or for any other reason. It is unlike the SEAL program where at any time you can just ring the bell and quit at any time, no hard feelings. If a nuke student tries his or her hardest yet fails to grasp the material, they are usually reassigned to a different rating in the Navy. In that case the Navy makes the decision, not the sailor. People who decide on their own to leave though or just gave up or cases involving misbehavior or lack of effort, are dealt with harshly from all the life experiences I read here. I have been with this group about 3 years now. There are also plenty of cases where students felt sure they were going to be dropped yet they perservered, and managed to graduate.

Comment by BunkerQB on June 29, 2013 at 4:22am

betsyleebig

is the link to her page

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