PIR 10/15/10

What is BAH? I really need a dictionary on terms

BAH = Basic Allowance for Housing
It's extra money above the base pay to pay for off base housing.

Well thank you Dana....I couldn't figure that one out!

Good morning everyone, If anyone has an SR who will be an EOD there is a special coming on The Discovery Channel tonight at 10pm eastern time called Surviving The Cut, Navy EOD

29 Days!!! Yippeee!!! SO glad everyone's hearing from their recruits.

I miss my boy so much! He's such a sweet kid... and I'm bored without him around! Guess I have to get used to that! At least I only have a month to go and then will get to talk to him more often. That will help a lot!

Guess we should talk about what we want to do for ribbons or name tags or something. I'll push up the discussion above and we can all chat about it up there.

We have a LOT of members now!! That's so awesome!!! Welcome to all of you I haven't "met" yet! :)

Hi Friends....I’ve started “The Power of Pray” forum where we can upload our daily prayers, which I am planning to print before PIR and present them to my son I tried to keep them in chronological order and if there is any I missed, please include it there.

See the above discussion "10/15 PIR Meet & Greet & Ribbons, etc." for my idea for a name tag for each of us. It's different than the ribbons... but will serve us for the Meet & Greet as well!

Yamile - That's really neat! :) THANKS!

Hey Dana - I think it is simple and classic, I like it. However I will change the “Proudly Supporting” in my very own tag by “Good Bless my Sailor” and this will be just a personal change in respect to each individual’s believes.

Yamile - That's fine! :)

If that's we we decide to go with , we'll have to decide what the best way to get them to everyone will be.

I just put a comment on the discussion above...

Thank you ladies for all of your support, encouragement, hope and for listening to all my gripes, concerns and answering questions. You have all been so awesome and I have learned so much from you! So here is a thought for you today:

This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, love to complete your life. -- Lynnie Buttercup

I look forward to meeting you at PIR.

Thanks, timsmom! That's really sweet!!!

I can't wait to meet all of you either!! :)

I got another letter today!! He remembered my birthday! I haven't cried over his letters until I read that. We have a tradition of going on a nature walk and then going to the drive up A&W for my birthday every year. It was just a fun family thing to do... and he said he wished we could have done that this year! :(

It's so hard to have our lives changing... with him growing up and all... and being empty-nesters...but I am so proud of him. But I miss him so much!!!! :(

That is so sweet.... Happy Birtdhay Dana....

@ Chris, great idea!

I've sent Kris 3 or 4 questionnaires I think and they are funny. Make sure to add in some personal silly questions that will make your recruit smile.

Happy birthday Dana. It's so great that you got a letter on your special day!!! We have wonderful children!

Thanks, winniesam!! My birthday was actually on the 9th but he wanted me to know he was thinking of me on that day. He said "that has to mean something, right?" And then I cried... because of course it means the world to me!!!

We do have wonderful children. He has such nice things to say about the recruits he has come to know in his division. It's neat to hear how his bunk mate is Medical Yeoman and keeps an eye out for him. When he's busy with the tons of paperwork he has to do, Kris says he helps him by doing his folding for him. :) He said he finally figured out how to iron, because several guys helped him out!

He's doing great on inspections and tests - so he'll just need to pass that final PFA!

He said that the many of the division "leaders" (Recruits that hold positions) got IT the other day for about an hour because of the divisions mistakes and the rest of the division had to stand at parade rest and just watch! He said it was brutal.

I recall that happening to us in boot camp. It's another lesson they all learn. Tough love! :)

i got a letter today from sunday, he said they were gettin calls tuesday (yesterday) which his div. did but not him? So hopefully ill find out next wend or thur when i get the next letter. he got all for wisdom teeth pulled and he said its gettin easier.. he doesnt really say much besides it sucks. the rest is him asking me questions about my life and how much he misses me..

@ Missy, I saw your pictures and what you have written on your page about waiting months for a single kiss...you and Chris are the perfect couple! Great wedding pictures! I know it must be so hard missing him right now....stay strong, I know he is thinking of you and wanting to call.

Hugs, Missy & Victoria!!! I know how hard it is to be apart. When our son(now my recruit!!) was born , my hubby was in Greece! He left in May and didn't come home until October when our son was 3 months old. Distance does make the heart grow fonder! ;)

thanks everyone, im hoping to hear from him today. AbbyP said her hubsand said that they might get calls today but just to see if they got paid.

Missy-I am sorry that you didn't get a phone call. Just hang in there. If he is anything like my husband, he wouldn't want you worrying and being upset all day long. We have to stay strong and positive for them. They need us to stay strong right now! We want them to be able to concentrate on being the best SR that they can be because we want to see them graduate on 10/15! My husband hasn't even seen his son yet, but in every letter I make sure he know's that we are doing okay even if things get a little rough at times with a 5 year old who is missing her father so dearly right now, and a newborn who is so precious but demanding!!

Staying positive, staying strong, and praying for our SRs are the three best things that we can do right now!

I heard Battlestations will be on 6-4 for our division! Has anyone else heard?

Kaleena...I have not heard of anything

Kaleena - do we know what day they are on now?! How do I figure out what actual day 6-4 is?! I haven't heard anything either...

I think we are on 4-3.. I may be wrong. Does anyone know what week we are on?

Victoria- Mine did too. He left the 22nd & arrived the 23rd.

Since there are only 7 weeks for this Training Group it should be 3-3.

Thanks so much JudyCO!

i got a call from my hubs!! :) he was on watch yesterday

Congrats Missy!

Missy, how long did you talk? Did he say how things are going?

YAY MISSY!!! Sooooo?!? How is he?

His div. thought they were struggling but received a flag for great test scores! they started with 85 ppl and are down to 75. He doesnt know when battlestations will be. He makes his bed the best so he has to check everyones. it was hard to hear him and i cant recall everything we talked about my heart was racing

Abby he said him and marc (right) get along great! and chris said he told him yesterday that we are friends and talk alot.

Awww Victoria, I hope you get it real soon. :)

Missy - So happy that you got your phone call! I was hoping it was just that he was on watch and would be able to call today! I know what you mean about not remembering everything - the time goes so fast and then they are gone again!

HUGS to everyone. It's been an emotional couple of days!

i was like a flag? cool... sounds good. he had to explain.

Missy... ummmm... what does it mean?!? LOL! I really don't know what that means. :-)

umm, they did good. haha thats all he said

its a flag. idk he cut out really bad

@ Missy...wow, I'm so proud DIV 344 received a flag for good test scores. My son told me on the phone yesterday that he took his first test (I thought that was strange because I was wondering about "all" tests - physical and written) and I asked him if he passed and he said he did not know. I wonder if you husband knows my son. My son is young and so I'm sure with the help of your husband checking bunks it really makes a difference! I wonder if you husband knows my son.

The schedule is so confusing!My son left on 8/18 (almost a full week before many of your recruits) and said they had 4 P-days before their division manned up. Division 343 is a "push" division. He said they have had several Holding days, referenced as 1-4H, where they stayed on the same day for a a few days. He said he gets confused as to what day they are actually on! LOL! Poor kid... he can't even count down the days normally! He said that Battle Stations is supposed to be 6-5 for his division... but who knows what day that actually is. I think I'm going to have to keep my candle lit for 2 weeks just to cover all my bases! LOL! :)

Dana - I'm crackin' up visualizing your candle burning for 2 weeks! I might have to join you in that!

My son said they had to wait 4 days for the other recruits in his division to get there... he left on the 19th and if the schedule below is right, they didn't start processing until the 24th... who knows!! It's all so confusing!! :)

Div 343 had a PI/DMI Inspection on 9/8. (Kris said it's basically Uniform inspection and rack-making inspection - I'm guessing it means Personnel Inspection and Division Military Inspection or something like that.) He said he got a 4.0 on each with the best score being a 5.0. I think that's great... but I may be a bit biased! ;)

On 9/10, he said they had their first big test. It was a computerized, 50 multiple choice question test and they had 30 minutes to complete it. Topics included UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice), Ships, Aircraft, First Aid and Uniforms & Grooming. He doesn't know how he did on it but said they are now done with Phase 1 and his average is a 4.3.

So... good news 343ers. They are done with Phase 1... and althoguh I have no idea what Phase 2 is... I'm happy they have made it through another milestone!!! :) Yippee!!! Congrats 343ers! We are so proud of you!!!


They had a zone inspection on the morning of 9/10 as well. That means all the racks (beds) and the entire compartment where they live was inspected. He said he passed with a 5.0. Woohoo!

Flags are AWESOME to win!!! The more flags your division gets the better! It looks really cool to march in at Graduation with your division showing off all their flags! Be proud of your divs for earning them!!! It's an honor for sure!!!

So the flags they get they display at graduation?! I wondered what the flags were for! And each division designs a flag for themselves too? And you earn flags when you do well at school or at all things?

Pink.. I know! LOL! I'm hoping as it gets closer we get some better info about what day it actually is... that way I can SAFELY burn my candle and also wait for the "I'm a Sailor" call!!!

Hopefully we'll know within a few days of when all our training group will be doing Battle Stations! I plan on getting a big candle to burn for all of our guys and gals! I'm wishing everyone's recruits to pass that final test!!! :)