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Comment by diannep on November 1, 2012 at 8:32am

Good Morning Ladies.  I'm another N4Moms veteran joining here to help!  Been helping on this site now since early 2010.  Welcome to the group and please post any and all questions you have.  Info in PAGES will be posted soon on this page for you....a little at a time so as not to overwhelm!  But important!

Enjoy the bootcamp experience....a rollercoaster ride of emotional ups and downs, culminating in a wonderful experience at PIR!

Comment by Felicia TEXASNAVYMOM on November 1, 2012 at 8:26am

To those asking about Christmas.  I wrote to the RTC training command before bootcamp.  I was told there would NOT be a break for your Sailor between Bootcamp and A school.  They basically have the weekend Liberty after graduation and then they all are headed to their A schools.   That was what I was told when I asked if they would have a break after bootcamp. 

Comment by ellen0502 on November 1, 2012 at 1:51am

A RMPO (recruit mail petty officer) must be trained for each division to handle the mail before receiving and sending. This process can take up to two weeks after they move to their ship to start training (approx the third week after they arrive).

Once the RMPO is trained their first mail call is generally on the second Sunday after training starts. The SRs are at first able to write only on Sundays (this is a general rule of thumb) and it usually is the same day as the first mail call. Your SRs may be able to, or be given extra writing privileges as training progresses.

Some RDCs allow  pictures some don't, we recommend scanning and printing the pictures on a regular piece of paper. You can get more than one photo per page and it doesn't draw attention to the envelope. It also keeps the small storage space they have from filling up.

A good rule to follow for mailing things to your SR, if it looks and feels like a letter, it probably is a letter, if it looks like a letter and feels like a Q-Tip it probably includes a Q-Tip (some RDCs allow some don't). Keep what you mail feeling and looking like a letter, no overly stuffed envelopes, no "hard" envelopes, no squishy envelopes etc. Your SR will let you know if you are allowed to send them something extra.

You can also send greeting cards, but for your SRs sake, nothing that plays music (those batteries last forever and so can IT), absolutely no glitter or confetti (that stuff goes everywhere and your SR will have to clean up every speck), watch the colored envelopes (a bright pink envelope to your male sailor may just be the excuse the RDC is looking for). No stickers on the outside, no hearts, no Xs and Os etc.

If you question whether to send it or not don't send it. If you question it, so will the RDCs. You can eventually send them a manilla envelope to send home some of what they have received, just make sure you put enough postage on it.

Comment by SCNavyMom (Ship 02 DIV 906) on October 31, 2012 at 11:25pm

lipperk07 I know our sons plans to take leave before A school if he can.
bamanavymon I receive our sons box but letter as of yet. His box arrived yesterday.

Comment by lipperk07 on October 31, 2012 at 10:50pm

Are any of your sons planning on taking leave to come home for Christmas or are they reporting right to A School after PIR?

Comment by bamanavymom on October 31, 2012 at 10:17pm

My daughter's PIR date is 12/21/12. I have received the box and the form letter but wanted to know if anyone has received a letter or know when they can start writing to us. My form letter did not have a box at the bottom for her to write anything in.

Comment by bclmomct on October 31, 2012 at 9:04pm

Hi FTLW your info and help is just priceless.  Thanks for keeping up with this and encouraging all us new moms.  

Comment by karis on October 31, 2012 at 8:28pm

I am so happy to be apart of this group. My son left for BC 9/17 and a week into was injured. We were afraid he was going to be SEP'd. His original PIR date was 11/9. I was getting very depressed thinking my son has been gone for 6 weeks and has been sitting in RCU almost the whole time. He called to tell us tonight that he wasn't being SEP'd but that he was actually being put back into a division and will resume BC. 

For all you new moms (as I am) be prepared for anything and everything. This has been quite a roller coaster and I sure there will be more ahead. Try to be patient. That is the one thing I have had to do that I was not very good at before. 

I also learned I need to have faith in things I can't control and let my young son be his own person and fight his own battles. He is growing up into a man. It's too bad I can't see it with my own eyes. 

Good luck ladies and hope to meet many of you on Dec 21. The best Christmas present ever!

Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on October 31, 2012 at 8:16pm

The Form Letter:

First, PUT IT IN A SAFE PLACE. Do not throw it away!

It has important information on it that you will need for PIR.

1. Your SR's address. It will look like this:

           SR, Last Name, First Name, Middle initial
           Ship ##, Divison ### 
           Recruit Training Command 
           #### Something Drive or Avenue 
           Great Lakes ILL 60088-####
          

           "Recruit Training Command" can be left off of the address. Also, if they write a ship name (all of the Ships (barracks) at RTC are named after real Naval vessels.) that does not need to be on the address either…unless your SR writes to you and says it does!

2. PIR (as in pier) date. Pass-in-Review. This is the ceremony that you attend on the last day of BC for your new Sailors.

3. Confidential password for entry with your vehicle into RTC. This is in ALL CAPS and you will need it near the end of BC to be able to access and print up your pass that allows you to enter and park your vehicle onto RTC. The link is made available 11 days before PIR. You do not need it if you are entering on foot (though you do need government ID for entry into PIR); say if a hotel shuttle, taxi drops you off or if you park outside of base.

Do not give out this password to anyone.

4. Access List. You will see that your SR has listed up to four names on the Access List. These are the loved ones that they wish to invite to PIR. These four are guaranteed access to Midway Hall with proper ID. They will finalize this list later near the end of BC...that is why you might see names like Nana, Granpy, Sis, Bro, or even the dogs! Your SR is the ONLY one that can make changes to the Access List.

Pass-In-Review Access List:

Recruits are permitted to place up to four names on the access list. If the names in the form letter are different than the guests attending, please coordinate with your Recruit as only Recruits may place names on the list. RTC can neither change these names nor release the names of those on the list.

Children age 12 and younger do not need to be listed on the access list and will not count toward the maximum number of guests.

Active Duty and Retired military personnel will not count toward the maximum number of guests, and do not need to be listed on the access list, but must present a valid Active Duty/Retired military ID card.

 

5. A note from your SR. There used to be few short lines on the very last page for your SR to write a comment...time permitting. Some squeeze it somewhere if they can. Everyone is different. My SR wrote:

SAY HI TO THE DOGS FOR ME!

In his new Navy block Upper case lettering.

In fact, your whole form letter will be in new Navy block uppercase lettering and the zero's will have a line through them.  0 Zero; O letter.

Just so you’re not surprised and wonder about it!

There will also be a brochure for hotels and services in the area.

Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on October 31, 2012 at 8:09pm

The Box:

...of smelly clothes! LOL

If your SR (Seaman Recruit) took their cellphone with them it will be returned in the box...look in the pants pockets and the shoes if you don't see it outright. Often times it will be taken apart and stuffed into the toes of the shoes.

If you're wondering why one or both pants legs are rolled up...it's because they get their feet measured and they have no time to roll them back down (they're gonna take 'em off anyways!)

The box will arrive by Fed Ex about 5-7 days after your SR arrives at RTC (Recruit Training Command).

Some don't send a box home...they just wear the clothes on their back (donate or throw them away), bring only the necessary items that they can keep and use the payphone at RTC for their "I'm here!" call.

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