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Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on June 4, 2012 at 7:07pm

Cool beans on the Award and reception...double doo-doo on the seating! LOL

Not to be mean or disrespectful, but after 27 years association with the military I feel that I am allowed this...it would figure! 4 alloted the access list...3 of those for honor grads. I'll have to look at it as they have so many wonderful awards for the recruits that there is just not enough seating in the area allowed!

Shhh...Nobody tell my husband that I am complaining again! He won't be happy with me!

Comment by Lissette on June 4, 2012 at 6:50pm

From what I understand, she has earned the NAVY CLUB OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY EXCELLENCE AWARD. We are so pumped. The letter does say there is a cake reception following PIR and we maybe a special seating area at PIR. It says that only 3 family members will be able to sit in the reserved seating section. That leaves one out. :(

Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on June 4, 2012 at 6:41pm

Woo-Hoo Lissette! That is wonderful! She will be listed with the Honor Grads and that list comes out on the RTC Website late Wednesday afternoon before PIR! Here is the link (Right now it shows the HG for June 1...it will change when it is updated...I'll repost the link then):

http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/honor_grads.asp

(I know y'all see last names...if the Navy posts it....it is "cleared". Honor must be given where it is due!)

There is a small program for PIR and the Award Winners are listed there too. I am sure all of the details for you are in your letter. They have a M & G for the families of Honor Graduates either before or after PIR.

Here is a pic of Recruits "on watch" for the Honor Grad reception refreshments:

Comment by Lissette on June 4, 2012 at 6:10pm

Got a letter today from RTC that confirmed my daughter will be getting an award at PIR!

Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on June 4, 2012 at 4:55pm

Craig - That would be fantastic if they did it for all the Ships. It would be nice to be able to "fill that spot" in a Shadow Box for the very begininning of a Sailors Career!

I really like the ones that nwtmint makes. That "bridge" in the background on the Triton coin is the railroad overpass that leads from Camp Porter to Camp John Paul Jones, right?

Folks, here is a link to Craigs Powerpoint on Camp JPJ.

Aerial_View_of_Camp_John_Paul_Jones.pdf

Camp JPJ is mostly housing for the Recruits...where most of the Ships are at. Then there are a few in Camp Porter. RTC is made up of three properties ...Camp Moffet, Camp Porter and Camp John Paul Jones.

Camp Moffet is where "P" days takes place.The temporary housing ship there is the USS Pearl Harbor. There is also some training that takes place over there during Boot Camp. It is across the street from Camp Porter, where Midway Ceremonial Drill Hall is, the NEX, most of training takes place etc. There is a tunnel that leads under Buckley Road to get there. In the Power point you'll find out what tradition is carried out whenever the recruits march through the tunnel.

Here is a link to Craig's Powerpoint for Boot Camp Days and you will find the info for the tunnel near the end:

Boot_Camp_Processing_Days_P_days.pdf

Ha...I too enjoy your "attention to detail" like PNSCTNMom! I get that way myself when I have the time! Can't wait to read the write ups...I did a "History of the Ships at RTC" Discussion because a mom asked me what the CVN numbers were for one and what they meant. (Some of you who got their recrutis address from their recruiter may have had the Ships name and some numbers like CVN or SSN or SS with it. This is the real ships, associated with the RTC ones, numbers) Well...once I started I just had to look up all of the rest! THEN I found out that many of the Ships names have been used more than once (though they have different numbers based on the class of Ship etc). Whew...no WAY I could right all that up! Plus, I did not know which one the RTC ship was actually named after...so I included them all. I think you once told me that they have a pamphlet with that info for VIP's when they get a tour (Boy, would I love to be a VIP!) So mostly it is full of the links that I could find on each "ship". I knew that each could be a full story in itself. But it was a lot of fun to do and I still need to go back and sit and read in detail about them all! LOL

Comment by PNSCTNMom on June 4, 2012 at 3:09pm

Craig

I'm am avid 'lurking' fan of yours and follow your stories on NavyDep, Navy4Dads as well as on Navy4Moms!

Although we've never directly connected I've read all of your personal stories as well as those of your nephews, son and daughter.

Love all the information that you have shared with your dash of humor.  Many times I sit here reading and let out a hearty guffaw (I especially adore the salty stuff)!

So far our SR is off to a fine start as he absolutely loves the rigor and structure of Boot Camp.  I'm hopeful that he will enjoy the CTN subject matter as much as his geeky parents do.

Thanks Craig for all you do!

 

 

Comment by Craig on June 4, 2012 at 11:06am

FTLW - It's funny because this guy contacted me after NBC was looking for people for interviews over at NavyDads.com.  Here I thought it was because they needed info for their upcoming story for tiger cruises.

http://www.navydads.com/forum/topics/navy-tiger-cruise

He just asking weird questions that normal people just don't ask (ie the history, the meaning, my thoughts, what would I do).  From what I understand he just didn't want anything "officially" sanctioned by the Navy.  What I'm impressed with is they obtained the license to solely make them by nwtmint which is the same company that sells them in all the NEX's worldwide.  I know that probably runs into the $20K figures just for the license fee, not to mention the actual striking.  

I really hope they continue to make them for the other ships.  I hope this just isn't a one time run.  These coins are the only ones missing from all sailors shadow box since you really can't earn them in boot camp.  The only thing I know for certain is they want me to do a write up now for the JFK, ship 9.  

I'll send you a copy of what I release to them.  I know they'll edit the crap out of the write up.  I just get into way too much detail for the normal person.

Comment by Craig on June 4, 2012 at 10:37am

PNSCTN - Cool!  Glad you joined our group.  I didn't realize BillG was your husband.  I've been talking to Bill on the forums.  Glad to finally meet you.  Your son will absolutely love the CTN rating.  My son is going to have 5 years in soon.  Hopefully by then then reenlistment bonus will have restored to the normal $60K.  

btw:  ♫ BillG is your lover...  ♪  

Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on June 4, 2012 at 9:01am

Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on June 4, 2012 at 8:57am

Folks, what Craig is showing you is a Challenge Coin. Here is a Wiki-History of the Challenge Coin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin

These make great gifts for your Sailor. They can run around $10 for those that are already struck and mass produced. Some would say to get them for after your Sailor has finished A school...but Challenge Coins now are also a good token of faith in what they will achieve...hope for their future career.

Challenge Coins were originally used for elite units...they carried it at all times and were "challenged" to produce it to proved that they belonged to that unit. When in a bar if it is tapped on the counter it was a "challenge" for the other members to show the coin. If you didn't have yours...you're buying! If all did then the challenger buys.

Now, they are much more common to find as far as being able to buy them on the net...but carry the same weight when they are given. They are often given as morale boosters. Today even non-military orginizations have them.Google Challenge Coin and you will get a number of sites to look at to buy from. They have them for every rating in the Navy. (Also for all the branches of service) I am not allowed to promote a site as per the N4M Community Guidelines...but here is a link to a members page that has one site listed (you may promote a business on your Profile Page or send the link in a private message though). http://www.navyformoms.com/profile/proudmom221

To get one "struck" like Craig's here costs for the making of the coin and then a certain amount have to be purchased in the first order...so depending on the design and media used it can cost and then it can co$t! But they are worth it!

I have a few as my husband received them on his deployments and then in turn "coined" me! I even have a special one in a case with a Thank You letter from his General from his first deployment. All of the spouses were given one.They are all very special to me!

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