This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
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.
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:
**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:
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:
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.)
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.
Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com
Written by Kaye S.
Halfway Boxes & Mail Drops
A "halfway box" or "halfway package" is taken with the sub when it leaves home port. The sailor gets to open it on Halfway Night, which is usually a night of fun to celebrate being halfway back home. Usually, married sailors take their box with them when they board and single sailors' boxes are brought on board by others; but, each boat determines its procedures.
A "mail drop" only occurs if personnel or supplies are taken to the sub while out, and the command allows personal mail to go with. The sailors open these items when received.
(1) put you on his "Page 2" information; he'll know what that is (quoting Mark: "It's page two of his Enlisted Service Record, a folder that grows thicker and thicker over the years that he schleps from command to command..." )
(2) and notify the Ombudsman.
If your son is on a fast attack, packages can be sent to an FPO address for delivery to a port of call. This comes from the Ombudsman or the sub's office (look at the Page titled, "Command Hierarchy..."). Boomers don't make ports of call, so mid-cruise packages occur only with Mail Drops. While the boat is "in" (meaning at home), packages should be sent to your son's personal mailing address.
The size and limitations of packages may be different, not only from boat to boat, but even from cruise to cruise (same boat!). In the past, I've been allowed to fill a shoebox, or a gallon ziploc bag, or sometimes only an 8x11 envelope which had to be flat. The Ombudsman tells you the restrictions, her deadline for receiving it, and the address(es) to which it may be sent.
Be cautioned though, sometimes she won't know what's possible until too late for moms out-of-state to get it there (happened to me twice). You might be able to work a deal with her where you send her a pkg now (with non-perishable treats, etc.) that she'll hang onto until it's needed. Then you can replace that pkg with another for the next time. But, that depends on her ability to store them, how long she'll be the Ombds, etc.
NEX GIFT CARDS: An easy, convenient way to get your sailor cruise goodies is to send him a gift card to the NEX. You pay no shipping and he'll get just what he wants. PX stores (Army / Air Force) and NEX stores are run by AAFES, and gift cards to both are available at their website: http://www.shopmyexchange.com/.
At the bottom of the page, in the left-hand column, click on "Purchase Gift and Phone Cards." These cards are redeemable in any NEX worldwide.
Suggested Items for Submarine Halfway Boxes
NOTE: Always send items that are individually sized and/or wrapped, when possible. Check with your sub's Ombds before sending chocolate; some Commands do not allow it on board.
15-in-1 game set
Air fresheners (Stick-ups, F'breeze, etc.)
Altoids or mints
Baby wipes
Batteries (AAA, AA, and D)
Beef jerky & Slim Jims
Board games
Boot socks
Candy (Twizzlers, gummy items, Skittles, Sour Patch, jaw breakers, jelly beans, & stuff that little boys like!)
Canned air to blow dust out of electronics
Canned chicken salad
Canned microwavable foods
Cereal bars / granola bars
Chap Stick / Carmex
Chewing gum (guys tend to like fruit flavors)
Coffee singles
Cookies (anything little boys like!)
Deodorant
Dice and dice games
Dips in individual-sized cans
Disposable shower towels
Dominoes
Drink mix, sized for one bottle of water (Gatorade, Crystal Light, etc.)
DVD movies
Favorite TV series on DVD
Flashlights (small, penlight size)
Foot massager
Foot powder
Hacky-sack foot bags
Hand lotion
Hand warmers
Hard candy, wrapped (Jolly Rancher, Werthers, Life Savers, etc.)
Hot chocolate
Hot Wheels & Matchbox cars
Stick-on heating patches (Icy Hot, ThermaCare, etc.)
Inflatable seat cushions
Ink pens, retractable, NO CAPS (Zebra F-301 Originals, black ink, are highly prized & about $2.00!)
Instant oatmeal packs
Knot-tying book & two 24" lengths of rope
Koozies (the kind that flatten – to keep cans cool)
Little Debbie snacks
Magazines (must not have sexual content) – cars, sports, woodworking, photography, music, etc.
Non-refrigerated microwave food (pasta bowls, Spaghettios, chili, soup, etc.)
Microwave popcorn
Mouthwash
Muffins
Music CDs
Newspapers (just send the section he likes)
Notepads of paper (5x7 legal pads are good)
Nuts
Paperback books (or send a gift card for his electronic reader)
Peanut butter
Pillows (camp sized in a stuff bag or inflatable)
Pillowcases (nice when homemade, with fabric chosen especially for your sailor)
Playing cards
Poker (electronic handheld)
Pop Tarts
Pringles chips
Puzzle books (Crossword, word search, Sudoku, etc.)
Ramen noodles
Razors
Rice Krispy treats
Sewing kit
Shoe laces for gym shoes and boots
Shower-to-Shower body powder
Smoked oysters and sardines (in cans)
Snack mixes (Gardettos, Chex Mix, etc.)
Spices (crushed red pepper, steak season, etc.)
Squeeze butter
Stress relief squeeze balls
Sunflower seeds
Toothbrushes & toothpaste
Tootsie Pops & Tootsie Roll midgets
Trial sized bottles of shampoo or shower gel
Underwear
Video games (know what system he has)
Vitamins
Ziploc bags (for keeping things airtight, watertight, and fresher)
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