DEP-Leavin' for bootcamp in December

Vickie 360 Thank you!   I realized how depressing that sounded after I posted. In actuality, I am thrilled that my Nuke can be home for Thanksgiving and that my youngest is following in his footsteps (as a Corpsman).

As for a present, you can get him a NEX gift card. Go to  

http://www.mynavyexchange.com/giftcards/browse

/giftcard.jsp

He can use it to get supplies and snacks Or a phone card for when his division earns a call home.

Hope this helps!

Another little gifty is a book of stamps.  While they may seems like a small thing, they'll be really important when he's there.

Thanks for the NEX gift card idea!!!  This will be the first holiday ever without one of my three peeps with us.  Thanks for the support!

Jcampo...same for us. Our son was scheduled to leave 15th, now going the 8th.  Same dates.

Sukie, Your situation is similar to ours.  One son leaves for BC on the 8th, one comes home from Pensacola to visit on the 28th.  No one home for Christmas!

Jcampo, our son is also leaving on the 8th of Dec. He was supposed to go on the 23rd.  Christmas is going to be very different this year.

Let us hope that all our children will be at least a bit more comfortable at nearly 3 weeks in vs 2.  Hopefully, our kids will make even stronger bonds with one another as they are all in the same place at Christmas.  I told my son he has a better chance of snow this year than at our house.

@ Eagle - same here - we live in South Florida, think my son has seen a flurry once when he was 2, we lived in New Orleans at that time! 

My son is going to BC in Dec.  His girlfriend would like to get him this copper wallet insert as a gift.  It would have an engraved message for him.  It would fit in his wallet like a credit card.  Does anyone know if this would be acceptable?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/172045988/hand-crafted-copper-wallet-i...

Hand Crafted Copper Wallet Insert Card - Hand Stamped Anniversary Gift

www.etsy.com

Eagle - I hope they all become close friends since they will be away for Christmas.  I heard that sometimes they get "adopted" out for Christmas dinner.  I hope they will get to do this.  I'm just curious.... my son leaves on the 3rd and it looks like most others leave on the 4th or after... Since the week before will have been Thanksgiving, I don't think he will be put in the week before...so I guess he will just wait for others to arrive?

Goofy question - lets say there is a blizzard the Friday of graduation - all flights in and out are canceled - will that affect graduation? Guess the media coverage of the current weather conditions in the north got me thinking about this. 

My first is set to go December 8. He's going to come spend the day with us for Thanksgiving and we are going to try to do something special and Christmasy since he won't be with us for Christmas. Anyone else have anything like that planned? 

I'm going to do Thanksgiving on Thursday, wake up to Christmas that Friday, end of day we'll celebrate New Years then that Saturday we'll celebrate my son's bday - since he'll be in basic for all of them.  

This post is in no way meant to tell you how to feel. As each child leaves, I have feelings of loss, nostalgia, worry, and above all, pride. All of those feelings are normal as we adjust to our children becoming adults and leaving the nest. These are the things I keep telling myself as I adjust to the new normal. Some are serious; some I use to keep levity in my thoughts: 1. These people we love going off to basic training are adults. 2. They are supposed to leave. 3. They have chosen this path. 4. The Navy people in charge have been at this a long time and have the best interests of the recruits in mind. 5. While at basic training, you will know where they are at night. 6. They will return. 7. Compared to an average lifespan, the 9 weeks they spend at basic is .002% of their lives….a short time, really. 8. Once they are done with basic training, they can phones and most can have regular contact with loved ones. 9. This is good training for when they have to be away even longer! 10. Believe that you really don’t want them “living in your basement” for the rest of their lives, anyway! 11. In the Navy, they will receive health care, food, shelter, training/education, and will have no college loans when they’re done. 12. They are part of strongest Navy in the whole world! I hope this helps….it helps me. Feel free to add your thoughts!

Everything you said is right on ! I read something similiar to this when my Son started his journey last January ! It helped me a lot -He will be gone to Bootcamp in 3 short weeks and while I am sad I am also VERY proud !! 

I know he is doing this for all the Right reasons..

Its really starting to get to me - empty nest syndrome is kicking in and we still have 3 weeks left!!  

Number One Rule:  Don't miss them before they leave. :)

Our son is leaving on the 8th of Dec, too. I have to keep reminding myself not to miss him before he's gone. As an old Army wife, I am used to hubby being gone. It's different when it's your baby(even when said baby is 21!)

Be sure to check out the discussion, Things to Do in the Last Month before Your Future Sailor Leaves for....

If you have not yet joined Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones), now is a good time to do so and to begin checking out the Pages (found under the pictures of the Members) starting with OPSEC and PERSEC (Making Changes to Your Profile) (some of you have changes that you need to make--at least change 3) and Arrival and What Happens at the RTC.

My son leaves in 1 week! So many emotions right now! this site has been a tremendous help already to help me be prepared- Thank God for other Moms!!! Happy Thanksgiving to you all

The Page, 800 and 900 Divisions, within Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones) will be of interest to many who had a recruit ship today or this week.

Has anyone received Form Letters for PIR 01/23/2015?

If so, Please chime in so we may get your PIR group up for you :-)

Division 804 MAY also have PIR on 01/23/2015. If you have a recruit in that division, leave a comment on my My Page and let me know the PIR date when you know. Thanks.

PIR: 01/23/2015 TG 11 (to be updated, begins with Division 067 and contains Division 911)

Just got the "box" in the mail today! It came faster than I thought it would! Bitter Sweet moment 

My son just left for Boot on 12/4/14. Im guessing his PIR may be Jan 30th? Glad to have found you all during this hard time! 

It could be. My son left 12/1/14 I do not have the information yet but a few others that left that date say their PIR is 1/23/14. I too thought it might be 1/30/14. Maybe I will get my form letter next week and know for sure.

My son left for BC on 12/03/2014.

Starfish 1, the Page, What does ??? mean? (A Guide to Navy Abbreviations and Terminology), will help you with that and many of the new terms you will come across.

OMG I wish I had read the Before they Ship part :(  He didnt take care of any bank stuff for direct deposit. He said he was going to just do the bank there... I hate not knowing what to do now that hes gone and I cant communicate with him. I am on his bank acct here though, that I did do. Boy I feel bad I didnt know this stuff before hand and have him better prepared!! :'( 

cara, he will take care of things.

Cara, My son just created an acct. with NFCU when he went, and it was just fine.  He elected to leave his local bank acct. as a rainy day savings acct., and he hasn't needed it at all.

*Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU)

Dropped my son off this morning - he'll be in GL sometime tomorrow. So many emotions!  Happy, sad, proud!!!!  I'll be looking at my phone all day tomorrow waiting for my call!  

No letter for me today..... Well maybe tomorrow:(

Thanks Disneydol, I do not have the best mail service but this is kinda important so if it does get delivered to the wrong address I hope they bring it over quickly. Did yours go in about the same day? Ours was 12-1-14.  

You are so right! You could book the flight just make sure you pay more and get the refundable one so you can change the date. You should probably just go ahead and do that. My husband works for United Airlines so I am not so pressed to make my flight plans.