Welcome to
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.

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

Add an Event

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

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:

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.

Format Downloads:

Graduation Info
PDF – 2.7 MB
PNG – 2.3 MB
JPG – 3.4 MB
Printable PDF – 2.0 MB

Latest Activity

Cpurple2 commented on YMM (Ship 12 Div 98)'s group 'PIR Reference Information'

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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.)

N4M Merchandise

Shirts, caps, mugs and more can be found at CafePress.

Please note: Profits generated in the production of this merchandise are not being awarded to the Navy or any of its suppliers. Any profit made is retained by CafePress.

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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PIR Reference Information

Information

A permanent place for information about PIR. Forum discussions have been created to serve as file folders for specific details regarding different aspects of PIR. Please post information in the appropriate forum discussion. Thank you!

Members: 2415
Latest Activity: 15 hours ago

In order to make this a reference site, please use the Discussion Forums to post information. ____________ Treat them as though they are file folders. Please use the Comment Wall to post your questions. Thank you!

Be sure to click on "View All" at the bottom and to the right of the list of discussions, so that you will see them all. YMM

Be sure to follow OPSEC rules when posting any comments. See details below. YMM

Link to RTC Website: http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/index.asp

USPS Informed Delivery - sign up and receive an email from the US Postal Service showing what mail you will be getting each day (if available in your area).

https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action

Discussion Forum

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Comment Wall

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You need to be a member of PIR Reference Information to add comments!

Comment by Counting Fridays on August 8, 2017 at 5:38pm: We'll be staying in Libertyville and have a rental car - a straight shot on Buckley to the RTC. We're early risers and I'd MUCH prefer to do my waiting at the hall rather than on the street in traffic creeping toward the gate worried about parking. What time does that mean leaving the hotel??

Comment by Counting Fridays on July 29, 2017 at 1:17pm: My EZ-Pass for paying tolls here in the Mid-Atlantic will work in Illinois as we take the rental car from O'Hare to Great Lakes. Hope this info helps somebody.

Comment by tutorlady on July 24, 2017 at 3:08pm: Just wanted to post about our PIR experience to help others planning:

1. Lodging - I strongly recommend Navy Lodge. It is close to base, clean, safe, affordable - though not luxurious. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. They can answer your questions.

2. Meet and Greet - Go. Just GO! Sarge will give you some info that will HELP you. Follow his directions and you will be fine. He is very helpful. I messaged him at 5 a.m. on Friday and he graciously answered my questions. Do as he says. You won't be sorry!

3. Meals - we ate several meals in our room as we had a room with a kitchenette. We ate Friday night at Jimmy's Charhouse in Libertyville - they gave our sailor his meal free. (I would call and make a reservation. They are on Trip-Advisor).

If you want pizza in a unique setting with other menu items, try the SIlo in Lake Bluff. If you have a large party, I would try to get a reservation. They are also on Trip-Advisor.

3. Shopping/things to do:

There is a nice Walmart in Waukegan and a nice Targe in Lake Bluff (both are less than 15 minutes away from base).

Gurnee Mills is a very nice mall.

We couldn't go to Chicago as we had planned due to weather constraints. I had downloaded the VENTRA app to use to buy tickets and did a "trial run". It is very easy to use. The METRA station at Great Lakes is literally just outside the gate to RTC.

If you want to see Lake Michigan in a less crowded setting, consider the Waukegan Harbor Light. It is very pretty with a little ice cream shop, a nice walk on the pier (no side rails but it is wide enough that is not a problem) and a public beach right up the road.

BE SURE that you get the handout as you check in to attend PIR - it gives specific instructions on returning your sailor on Friday night.

GET THERE EARLY!!!!! We were seated by 7:15 and there were already many people there. We sat towards the top of the lower deck of bleachers to be able to get out easily and had good viewing.

TAKE stadium seats. I got some with backs at our local Academy Sporting Goods. I do not regret that decision.

We drove onto the base. Some people prefer the shuttle. We like the flexibility of our own transportation.

BE SURE to have your sailor make arrangements to have their portraits mailed to you. The line outside the NEX to pick up pictures after graduation is ridiculous!!!

I know this is long. Just wanted to pass along from our experience.

THE CEREMONY IS AMAZING!!!!!! All your planning, praying, researching what to do will be WORTH it when the ceremony begins.

Now.... for me.....it's on to questions about "A" School :-)

HOOYAH! And, God Bless America!!!!

Comment by lemonelephant on June 21, 2017 at 8:30pm: 1robo1, The Meet and Greet is for the families to get together and does not include the new Sailors and seldom includes anyone from the RTC. Sarge's Meet and Greet is at the Lakehurst Event Center in Waukegan the night before PIR (go to http://www.mynavytaxi.com/events.html to RSVP).

Comment by 1robo1 on June 21, 2017 at 4:40pm: Hi Everyone I am new to this sight. My son went into boot camp on June 8th! I just received his graduation info and I thought I read somewhere there was a day before meet and greet with the officers however I can't find this anywhere. Does anyone have an idea where I can find it?

Comment by brynne21 on June 14, 2017 at 10:10pm: @Sasysweet, be sure to read fine print and make sure you can cancel rooms and change flights with no penalty. There are always exceptions.

Comment by brynne21 on June 14, 2017 at 10:09pm: @Sasysweet, as soon as I found out PIR date, I booked hotel and we booked flights through Southwest. The hotels are refundable up to the day before and flights can be changed with no penalty. Go ahead and book!

Comment by Sasysweet on June 14, 2017 at 5:43pm: My sisters and I have been having a discussion regarding wether it is best to book our travel plans as soon as we recieve the form letter or to wait until we recieve the "I'm a sailor" call. My concern with waiting is as I understand it we will receive the I am a sailor call anywhere from just days before PIR up to a week before and with it being at the last minute things will be booked up as well as more expensive. What has your experience been, and what are your recommendations? Thank you!

Comment by lemonelephant on April 12, 2017 at 12:34am: See PIR Day and Liberty during PIR Weekend to help you know how to plan your weekend.

Comment by lemonelephant on April 12, 2017 at 12:33am: If you plan to use a GPS to navigate to the base, enter this address: 3355 Illinois Street, Great Lakes, IL 60088