DEP-Leavin' for bootcamp in May

I took my son to the hotel today, he ships out tomorrow, exactly 5 weeks after his twin brother.  I thought it might be easier second time around, but it ISN'T!  The recruiter seems to think they will pass each other by on occasion at Great Lakes, that would be cool if they see each other, but with so many recruits, I can't imagine that happening.  This is really hard, I'm so excited for them, but really miss them both!  Not emotionally ready to say good-bye tomorrow after the swearing-in...

what a wonderful and stress full time in everyone's life.  So proud to have both of them headed the same way. What are their plans.  I wish them well.  They may see each other - you never know.

it is hard keeping it together.  But I think it is OK for them to see some emotion = I know they are feeling it too.  Be strong.  Love you SR.  Be proud.  He will be just fine.  So much to learn.

I have started writing letters so when I get his address I will have letter ready to go.  

Twinzplus1, It made me sad, I just put it in his room and shut the door. I know when I hear from him, it will be much better. When I get the PIR date from what I hear it will be better too.

shannon, my daughter left may 1, still waiting on the form letter or the e-mail from the recruiter would really love to know the PIR date so I can make my plans, it will help me count down the days till I get to see my daughter

I think my son will be in the June 29 PIR group but that is based only on my counting down the 8 weeks plus 1 for processing.  He arrived last Tuesday night and I am still waiting on my official form letter.  I can't wait to join the PIR group but do I wait until I find out for sure?

td - You are welcome to join the PIR group! If it ends up not being your PIR date...then simply join the correct group. No worries!

Tatmom4rc, thanks for the well-wishes....wonderful and stressful definitely sums it up!  Both of the boys are going to be Nukes.

Thanks, Twinzplus1, this really is hard, but love the "twice as sad, but twice as proud", too!  How far apart did your sons leave?

My son has been there for a week now.  He's on Ship 9, Division 199.

My son just left yesterday May 9, this is tougher than I thought.  Someone tell me it gets better.

My son left one year ago 5/12/11.  It has been a true adventure and mostly positive!! He loves the Navy, is happy with his school and jobs and has adjusted to military life very well. 

Stay positive, stay close as possible and enjoy the ride!

My daughter shipped out last week and when she called to say she got there safely she told us she's going to have her wisdom teeth removed.  Yikes!  Boot camp is hard enough I can't imaging trying to do it after having your teeth removed. Good luck.  

My son had his removed there as well.  He said it sucked but it was a nice break.  LOL...He got to study in quarters for 2 days....So maybe it will work out for her just the same....

Hello!

I will be looking for the mom/wife/GF etc. who will be interested in creating the next PIR group.

Hopefully 07/06/2012…Not sure if there will be a PIR this week because of the Fourth of July Holiday.

BUT…there may be…so please report in with your PIR dates when you get your Form letters…even if you do not want to create the group…it will at least let us know that there IS a PIR for that date.

This most likely will be a "mom" who's recruit arrived to RTC sometime this last week...there are no exacts…ONLY my “guestimation”. (Possibly 05/03 – 05/08) Some of you will start receiving your form letters soon with your recruits PIR date in it.

New TG’s are usually posted on RTC website on Mondays (unless there is a Federal Holiday then it is Tuesday). Lately, it has been posted later in the week. Then back to Mondays! So you can see what I mean about no exacts.

BC can be anywhere from 7.5 to 9 weeks. It is also possible for recruits to arrive in the same week…or on the same day…but have different PIR dates. Your recruiter may have your recruit’s ship/division as early as 72 hours after arriving at BC. I will take this ship/div # for the purpose of starting a PIR group BUT please wait for the form letter that your recruit will send home to address your mail and send it. The address your recruiter gets oftentimes is incomplete or has too much information that is not necessary for the address.

Folks, if it is something you think you'd be interested in...Friend me, send me a message and get details.

Thank You!

FTLW

I cannot believe (or do not want to) that my sailor will be leaving Sunday for GL.  We are having an ice cream party for him tomorrow.  What a journey this will be.  I hope that the PIR will be 7/06.  I want BC OVER with!  Anyone else have those feelings?  I think it will be a little easier after that step.  

oops.. posted too soon.  Wanted to say thank you for all the information so many of you have shared here to help prepare me for his departure. I have been lurking for a while and have learned so much from you.

I posted but don't see my comment.  I am new here.  Forgive this test .

Hi..I haven't got him a calling card yet.  How many minutes should I put on it?

Also, how much money should he take.  As I understnd it, he will leave Monday from SC to to to GL.  Don't know about the flight.

drjclary....go to http://callsforrecruits.org and get FREE calling cards for him.  You or Him should not have to pay for Phone Calls home from Boot Camp!! 

drjclary,

I would get a calling card with 500 minutes on it.  As I understand it, the payphones eat up 30 minutes just to connect the call.  I purchased a 300 minute card, then found out about the connection deduction, so I'll be purchasing more minutes to add to my son's card!  Thought I would save you the same hassle.

I'm told they only need $20 to $30 at GL, we sent our recruit off with $40 because we are worriers!  LOL  As far as eating between MEPS and GL, he will have a meal voucher for $35.

Renee, see my last post.....don't pay for phone cards, get them for free...you can always go back and get more if you need them.  these cards are 30 minute cards and the connection fee is 10 of those min...so they get 20 min for each card and I send 6.  Most recruits only get about 3 to 4 phone calls during bootcamp and the first couple only are for about 5 to 10 min.....

djclary, also if you request the cards today, you will have them today by email...he will be able to take them with him.....write the numbers in his address book he is going to take with him....I usually respond with the cards within a couple of hours depending where I am at and if I am by my computer...:)

Ronny and Anna,

YES!  I keep forgetting about your phone cards, darn it.  :)

I had already purchased the AT&T card before I found out about your cards.  I must remember to tell others, though.  I'll put a post-it in the top corner of my computer screen.  BTW, for those that can, you can donate to the phone card bank as well!

My daughter left for boot camp on Monday May 7th and they gave her a 500 minute phone credit card on a piece of paper with instructions how to use it.   She hasn't been able to yet, but I am assuming it works? 

My son left 5/8, I got the box yesterday....I was thinking his PIR would be 7/6, but I guess the holiday could change everything.  His birthday is 7/7, so would be great if it is the 6th.  Waiting for the form letter.  When I get his address, if I send it to his brother who is 5 weeks in to boot camp, I'm assuming they could write to each other?

Jessica--yes, very busy, and I'm not much of a traveller, but I'll adjust!  :)   The excitement will get me through the plane trip!

Jessica B,  I got the "box" on Wednesday. But, anxious for the form letter and PIR date due to the 4th of july weekend  i'm wondering if it will be the following week.  Any thoughts??

"she" left on Monday 5/7.  Have not called the recruiter, was told to wait because the address would change after "p" days?? 

Do they get paper and pencil in boot camp?  How many stamps should I send?

I sent my son stamped envelopes only....I put 2 or 3 in each letter I sent him...I am not sure if he used them all or not....I just kept sending them...lol...I think they provided the first few envelopes and all the pens and paper....:)

You all are so helpful.  Thank you for your kindness and support.  Trying to get everything ready for tomorrow.  We take him to the recruiter office tomorrow am.  I think he must fly out Monday.  We don't have a lot of info

he will fly out on monday if he leaves tomorrow...and tell him to sleep on the plane!! lol...did you get the phone cards....?? Also, tell him that the first week will be the worst....actually the first day he wakes up there, he will think it is the end of life....but let him know it will get better EVERY day!! Tell him to remember and keep saying that!!! It will!!

I will get to see him Monday am for the swearing in.  I will take his cards to him then.I hate to use these donated cards. Will pick one up tomorrow.  I will pay and let someone else use the donated cards.  How many minutes would you suggest?

drjclary'

I felt the same way abt the calling cards.  I thought as long as we were in a position to get our son what he needed it would be taking advantage of other's generosity.  Maybe not, but it's how we felt.  500 minutes is what is recommended.

You will NOT regret going to MEPS Monday for his final swearing in.  It is moving, and perhaps more so when their leaving MEPS is announced and they walk past you and out of the building.  Take tissues, breathe, and don't forget to applaud when they walk by!!

Thinking of you!

Don't be silly....let him use the cards and get more if you need them...they are free and I have more if you need them....I went to my sons swearing in too...it was great...and from there we went to the airport and saw him off....If you want more cards to send with him for others to use, just send me another email...I will send the cards right back....k

Well let me be the first to say that I feel that the families nor the recruit should have to pay for the phone calls...that is why I started this and I have been blessed with these donated cards...so please use them and hand them out... If anyone ever needs more...I will send them to them...I usually reply within a couple of hours, sometimes within minutes....so spread the word... thank you!!!!!

I hope I get to talk to him for a minute Monday... It seems like it will be a court scene with the guilty taken away  LOL

my son is leaving in 3 days and I haven't seen him in the last 3.  Spending time with his friends these last few days.  I get it, it's the end of his childhood, the friends might not be there when he gets back.  He knows we will always be here. I miss him already.  I'm holding it together but when he leaves next week it's not going to be pretty. Trying not to cry yet. 

drjclary,

We spent over an hour and a half with our son before he was sworn in. Then the five minutes here, twenty minutes there, started over the course of an hour. You wait, drink coffee, read, watch tv until they come out of a travel briefing.  BUT you do NOT want to miss anything until they get on that transport, be it on a bus or van to the airport.  Those are precious minutes that you will be glad you had with him.

Teacher mom,

Remember, your son chose this path and he is busy learning something every second.  He probably thought long and hard about this desire to join the Navy and was comfortable with it before he told you.  You, however, are probably reeling, but take comfort in being here with the other mothers.  You are strong and you will get through this.  Your son will be surprized, pleased, and proud of all you know and how fast you slid into the role of Navy Mom! 

(My son, too, quit college after the first sememster of his sophomore year.  He said he was spinning his wheels and could not decide on a major and wasn't about to work for minimum wage while he figured it out.  He also said it was a perfect time to carry on a family tradition and serve.)

Happy Mother's Day to all the DEP moms!  Hold them close and spend a joyous day together.  (Hold the tears back ladies.  Let them remember you with a smile!)

@Teachermom, that's amazing that it all happened so fast for your son; my sons both had an 8 month wait.  That didn't give you much time to get used to the idea...When my first son there got to call me, he said that first week was rough, everyone looked llike they were in shock, but after that they started to mesh and work well together, and get into a routine, and he even said he loved it!  My second son to go is still in his first week, so I know how you feel, I think about him and woory constantly, but I know they will do fine!  Try not to worry, and have a great Mother's Day!

I'm going to echo what Britt said and add a story of my own...

When my son swore in there were 10 shipping off to GL that morning.  Sadly, there were only four who had family there.  Surprisingly, all who were swearing in were 19 and 20 yrs old with one lone 17 yr old.  While the young men were being called here and there, we found ourselves 'being parent" to several Deppers, holding books, water, sodas, and Navy startup packets until they got back to the waiting area.  We also kept them talking about themselves and their reason for joining to settle nerves.  The 17 yr old was by himself and was so nervous I thought he was going to be sick.  (I took his picture while swearing in and sent it to his parents, so they could have a momento.) 

I know there may be circumstances that may prevent some from attending.  However, do NOT listen to your Depper if they say, "It's okay, You don't have to go." or "I don't know if you're allowed to be there."  Yes, you are.

My son had the luxury of being blase' about whether we went or not because he knew threat of death wouldn't have kept us away.

So, go, take a book (though you'll never read a page of it), and treasure those minutes/hours.