I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving! Just booked a flight for my son to come home for Christmas! I get to see him one more time before his January deployment on the George HW Bush. He is looking forward to it, I definitely am not :(
Congrats to your swimmer Ma11. Lucky you for getting to spend a lot of December with him. Enjoy it.
Marianne, enjoy your time with your son before he deploys. Mine just got back from a 7 month deployment. We're flying out to see him soon. I can't wait. He won't be home for Christmas this year but he hopes to get home sometime next summer.
Yeah Jodi! I am glad to hear that your son is home and that you get to see him soon.
Mine has been out for the past month but returns next week and then flies here shortly thereafter - I don't get him for very long, but even a couple of days is worth it, as he will be gone for most of the next 18 + months.
Congratulations to everyone who has swimmers graduating/advancing, and all who get to visit with their swimmers over the holidays. Enjoy them!
Hello, Our son just signed his contract for AIRR today. We are so excited. I've been trolling all the information I can. The info "The Path of a Rescue Swimmer" is amazing info Thank you for posting it. We have a cousin that lives in Pensacola, literally minutes from the base so we plan to visit as soon as our sailor has time. Can anyone give me an estimate on how many weeks after arriving in Pensacola he will start to have a little extra time and can see us?
My sailor was down there for a few weeks before he phased up and was able to go out with us in the afternoons and spend the weekend away from base. This is a very exciting pipeline. Where is your son in his journey? Mine is currently in FRS.
My sailor isn't even at BC yet and retired sailors are telling me that he will do fine physically it will be the mental duress that is hard and that I should be there for support. So I turn to all of you with for words of wisdom. Are there any words of encouragement you would share ahead of time?
Hey there Marianne, I feel for you. One of my son's good friends is on the Bush and gave him a send off on Saturday. I will be praying for you.
SusanL, my son did fine in basic with the exception of the first couple of weeks from the shots and just mentally being broken down. The first call is heartbreaking but mine quickly bounced back. The only thing he really needed to work on was clearing the mask once he got to RSS. If you son has access to a pool and equipment I would suggest work on some of the pool things to get ahead of the curve. Good luck to your son, please keep us updated.
Welcome to the group SusanL and lsb - and welcome to your Sailor Recruits.
My son also commented that the mental part of Boot Camp and then further into the pipeline was by far the hardest part. Just keep encouraging them to stay strong and be safe, and to know that you are proud of them regardless of the outcome.
While at Boot Camp SEND MAIL, as soon and as often as you can, and get their friends and family members to as well. Local Scout and Civic groups are great for sending cards and letters. I hit up the local Dollar Store and Target for their cheap cards and bought all the blank funny ones I could find and mailed one almost daily - even if it's just a note that says I love you, having something in their hand helps. The recruits look forward to mail and my son commented that there were people at BC with him who never received a single piece of mail.
For parents, I would recommend finding your BC group on this site, and chatting with other parents at the same stage as you are. Often times (especially with SpecOps recruits) they don't get to call as often as others. So even if you can't talk to your child, you can talk to parents who have a child there and will know what stage they are in. And remember - no news is good news. If you haven't received a call, your child is not injured, not flunking out, not in trouble, just working hard, and sleeping hard.
Everyone here is happy to answer any questions we can, and will add your child to our thoughts and prayers.
Our SR is doing well at BC, he broke his nose in a flip turn, swimming. He ran into the head of the guy behind him. He just kept swimming because the only thing he was thinking about was to do well in the PST. He didn't go to Medical, he didn't realize it was broken until later.
Now that I got that call I'm starting to think about his time in Pensacola. I asked about the Wifi in another group in hopes to gain some insight on how to enhance our SR connectivity. I really want to be able to communicate with him and not rely on spotty wifi. Any tips?
Any tips on sending him care packages at the base? We have a cousin that lives in Pensacola. Is it easier to send stuff to him and let him take it to our SR or have packages sent to our SR at the base?
Thank you in advance for any information you can share.
Hi SusanL, My son just left Pensacola few weeks ago. He purchased his own wifi and we had no issues with face timing,calls. Don't send care packages yet. They can't have anything in their rooms as far as food and drinks, if I remember correctly till after RSS. My son was sick with a virus in bed and they weren't to have anything which is ridiculous but water. They do get their mail so I would just sent to his address there never had a issue. He's going to love it there, it's a beautiful base and once he phases up he'll love the beaches/area. Good luck to your son in RSS.
Hi moms! This is my first time here, what a great group! My daughter is only a few weeks in with her PIR in July. Her last letter says she has hurt her shoulder and is on light duty. It sounds like her shoulder function is pretty severely limited. She's really disappointed! How will they handle this injury as far as her contract goes? Is she at risk after all the hard work she put in to get there? Can any of you share similar experiences?
Hi everybody...I have a question. My son is planning on going AIRR and I was wondering how long it took from the time they entered DEP until they went to RTC. I heard it can take a while for AIRR slots to open up.
Hi @ttinaz, my daughter waited at least two months between getting her contract and going to the RTC. She was in the DEP pool for over a year though. Her first contract was for a different job that then was reclassified, then she took a second job, then was contracted for AIRR. She graduated from RTC in one week!! Good luck to your son!
Hi, any other Moms of AIRRs out there? My daughter is now in RSS and graduation is coming up - I'm hoping someone might be able to go to graduation and take some pictures?!?
Colleen - my daughter is in her 1st week of RSS so I don't think she will be graduating with your daughter but maybe I can ask her if she can get pics for you?? Congrats on your daughters success!! That is awesome :)
Proud parents of our son who leaves for boot camp Monday with a AIRR contract.
Our son’s plan is to keep his full size pick up truck and down the road believes he can store it at Pensacola when he goes AIRR training. Our son is focused on his training so I am taking care of what happens with his truck. The truck is in Michigan and I am in Arizona so I need to have it put in storage. Our son is very attached to this truck other wise I would just sell it for him.
Question, Should he even have or will he even need his truck in Pensacola? Being training/try outs will he have access in Pensacola for free parking on base? As it should be this is not a big focus of his.
Hey Dadofson - my son also leaves on Monday with an AIRR contract and feels the same way about his vehicle, so hoping someone will be able to give us some direction. Thanks for asking.
Hi Dadofson and KristineAFN, congratulations to your sons on their contracts! That is so exciting! My daughter graduated RSS a few weeks ago and is now in A-school. I am so proud of her I can hardly stand it! I got to spend a little time with her graduating class, your sons are joining an elite group of young people!
She does not have a vehicle, but several of her classmates do. They do use them, and she says they don’t have to pay for parking.
Hi Alboo, sorry I didn’t get back to you here, our daughters were talking :). I made a last minute decision to go to graduation and am so glad I did! We had a great time and it was so nice to see my daughter!
Hope your daughter is doing well (I heard she is!)
Hi,Dadofson and KristineAFN, congratulations to your sons and welcome to this RSS pipeline. My son graduated bc last Sept and is almost done with FRAC. I will tell you that once they get to Pensacola they need to phase up before they can even leave base, but it goes quick. As far as a car, we did drive out sons there from NY. Everything is far, yes they can take a taxi but the base only allow certain if that on base and could get pricey. If they do decide on having vehicle there is parking & it's free. Hope this helps & Good Luck to All!
Thank you so much Colleen and bats27! Yes, this info is very helpful to just give me an idea of what to do with his truck! Very excited for him to be a part of this. I am truly amazed at the dedication it takes just to "qualify" for a contract. Congrats to your kids!!!
Thank you so much Colleen, bats27 and Kristine! This was very helpful and I will take care of our sons truck and eventually get it to Florida for him. We are so proud of our son and others that serve. Big day today as we see our son off to the hotel and his journey starts tomorrow off the First step of Navy boot camp. Again thank you
My son has an AIRR contract and just left for Great Lakes on December 4. I'm going crazy not having any contact with him, but my husband, myself and his girlfriend are all going out to see him graduate at the end of January. This is a tough Christmas, my oldest moved out of state with his fiancee in July, and now my youngest in the Navy. I thought I was ready, but ... NOPE!
My son also has an AIRR contract and should graduate boot camp 1/19. I have heard the follow-on swim school is pretty tough. What will the first few weeks of A school be like? My oldest is a Marine veteran, and now second son is in the Navy. Youngest son in college. While getting through a son deployed to Iraq was tough. The thought of #2 son jumping out of helos into a raging ocean makes me a bit uncomfortable. lol Any words of encouragement would be appreciated.
MamaBuck2017, above the comment wall is a post called The Path of a Rescue Swimmer, which is extremely insightful and has good information into what they will be doing for the next couple of years.
Question regarding A school for AIRR, my son mentioned in a letter this week that when he graduates boot camp on 1/19 that his pipeline training will then be two years and that he would not be home for a long time. I thought once he got to A school he would be able to get leave at some point. Will he be able to come home on leave at some point during his follow-on training? And if so, how soon after he gets to A school will he be able to get leave? Thanks.
Hi MamaBuck2017. Congratulations to your son on his exciting contract! He’s joining an elite group of young people! My daughter is AIRR and just graduated A-school. She is home for the holiday!!! I’m not sure when she started accruing leave, but she did have some and was able to take it between A-school and her next posting. Good luck to your son!
QsPop, Once he gets to Pensacola he has to phase up which can take week or two. My sons PIR was in sept 16, we drove his car down beginning of Oct. All depends on command and how fast they get things done and signed off. Time off isn't likely unless it was Holiday Leave for xmas/Thanksgiving, they do get off for some other holidays but that depends also. Hope this helped & Good Luck to you son!
Hello! I am new to the group but not Navy moms. My youngest just left for boot yesterday to start his path to be a Air Rescue Swimmer. My oldest is in NY finishing up Nuke school. So my head is spinning a little today.
Hi kstin, congratulations to your son! My son is AIRR, and just graduated from RSS last week, will be starting A school this week. It's a very exciting, very difficult and demanding path. The draft is a nationwide "search", where the Navy (based on contracts available) choose AIRR candidates based on their scores. He will then be offered a new contract, which invalidates the previous contract, and he will be given a new ship date. You may as well get used to the "hurry up and wait" and "oh yeah, everything has changed as of a second ago" .. haha!! It's very exciting, and the family support is absolutely amazing. There are also several private FB pages that you can look into joining. Good luck to your SR!!!! <3 NMH (Navy Mom Hugs)
Hi there bambampa3 my son has a June PIR (not sure of date just yet) then will ship to Pensacola for A school. I wanted to get connected with other moms
Seastheday2027 Hello! It's nice to meet another mom in the group :-) I'm guessing your son is currently in boot camp if he has a June PIR, correct? If so, how are you holding up? Not having contact for awhile was the toughest part, but it really does go by quickly...My son graduated from boot 4/1 and has been in Pensacola for just 2 weeks, but is settling in well. Wishing your SR the best through the rest of boot camp!
WOW great to hear that your son is settling in and that he is finished with BC! The silence is tough but I am thankful to have other moms who have walked ahead. Has your son received liberty since he graduation from BC? Have you been able to see him since he left for BC? Did you ship him any personal items to Pensacola?
Hi ladies, I’m new here and wondering, does everyone pretty much pass the last week of tests at BC or is there still a high percentage that they do not pass? My son is supposed to graduate on May 6. 2021. Just biting my nails in anticipation.
My sailor is just finishing up at Pensacola, moving on to training on helicopters in Norfolk, VA. He was at BC right at the beginning of COVID, and went to a different A-School before switching to Rescue Swimmer. Lots of slow transitions. We have not had a lot of information from him about the training in FL, though he's been there since October. The last six weeks seem to have been all classroom. Is anyone else at this stage of the process?
Jodi-alumni Ship 4
I sent my son boxes almost right away. He shared his goodies with his friends and they usually ate everything outside before entering the barracks.
Sep 7, 2016
Ma11
Nov 24, 2016
Marianne
Nov 27, 2016
lelolaipr
Hi ladies!!! Hope all of you and your Sailors are good.
Ma11 congratulations for your Sailor!!! I'm happy for both of you.
Mariane congratulations to you too! I also booked the flight for my Sailor to come home for Christmas. Mine is in SD still in training.
Nov 27, 2016
Jodi-alumni Ship 4
Congrats to your swimmer Ma11. Lucky you for getting to spend a lot of December with him. Enjoy it.
Marianne, enjoy your time with your son before he deploys. Mine just got back from a 7 month deployment. We're flying out to see him soon. I can't wait. He won't be home for Christmas this year but he hopes to get home sometime next summer.
Nov 29, 2016
Melissa
Yeah Jodi! I am glad to hear that your son is home and that you get to see him soon.
Mine has been out for the past month but returns next week and then flies here shortly thereafter - I don't get him for very long, but even a couple of days is worth it, as he will be gone for most of the next 18 + months.
Congratulations to everyone who has swimmers graduating/advancing, and all who get to visit with their swimmers over the holidays. Enjoy them!
Dec 12, 2016
SusanL
Hello, Our son just signed his contract for AIRR today. We are so excited. I've been trolling all the information I can. The info "The Path of a Rescue Swimmer" is amazing info Thank you for posting it. We have a cousin that lives in Pensacola, literally minutes from the base so we plan to visit as soon as our sailor has time. Can anyone give me an estimate on how many weeks after arriving in Pensacola he will start to have a little extra time and can see us?
Jan 24, 2017
SMW729
Jan 24, 2017
Marianne
Jan 24, 2017
SusanL
My sailor isn't even at BC yet and retired sailors are telling me that he will do fine physically it will be the mental duress that is hard and that I should be there for support. So I turn to all of you with for words of wisdom. Are there any words of encouragement you would share ahead of time?
Jan 25, 2017
SMW729
Hey there Marianne, I feel for you. One of my son's good friends is on the Bush and gave him a send off on Saturday. I will be praying for you.
SusanL, my son did fine in basic with the exception of the first couple of weeks from the shots and just mentally being broken down. The first call is heartbreaking but mine quickly bounced back. The only thing he really needed to work on was clearing the mask once he got to RSS. If you son has access to a pool and equipment I would suggest work on some of the pool things to get ahead of the curve. Good luck to your son, please keep us updated.
Jan 25, 2017
Melissa
My son also commented that the mental part of Boot Camp and then further into the pipeline was by far the hardest part. Just keep encouraging them to stay strong and be safe, and to know that you are proud of them regardless of the outcome.
While at Boot Camp SEND MAIL, as soon and as often as you can, and get their friends and family members to as well. Local Scout and Civic groups are great for sending cards and letters. I hit up the local Dollar Store and Target for their cheap cards and bought all the blank funny ones I could find and mailed one almost daily - even if it's just a note that says I love you, having something in their hand helps. The recruits look forward to mail and my son commented that there were people at BC with him who never received a single piece of mail.
For parents, I would recommend finding your BC group on this site, and chatting with other parents at the same stage as you are. Often times (especially with SpecOps recruits) they don't get to call as often as others. So even if you can't talk to your child, you can talk to parents who have a child there and will know what stage they are in. And remember - no news is good news. If you haven't received a call, your child is not injured, not flunking out, not in trouble, just working hard, and sleeping hard.
Everyone here is happy to answer any questions we can, and will add your child to our thoughts and prayers.
Bravo Zulu to your Sailor Recruits and to you!
Mar 7, 2017
SusanL
Our SR is doing well at BC, he broke his nose in a flip turn, swimming. He ran into the head of the guy behind him. He just kept swimming because the only thing he was thinking about was to do well in the PST. He didn't go to Medical, he didn't realize it was broken until later.
Now that I got that call I'm starting to think about his time in Pensacola. I asked about the Wifi in another group in hopes to gain some insight on how to enhance our SR connectivity. I really want to be able to communicate with him and not rely on spotty wifi. Any tips?
Any tips on sending him care packages at the base? We have a cousin that lives in Pensacola. Is it easier to send stuff to him and let him take it to our SR or have packages sent to our SR at the base?
Thank you in advance for any information you can share.
May 3, 2017
bats27
Hi SusanL, My son just left Pensacola few weeks ago. He purchased his own wifi and we had no issues with face timing,calls. Don't send care packages yet. They can't have anything in their rooms as far as food and drinks, if I remember correctly till after RSS. My son was sick with a virus in bed and they weren't to have anything which is ridiculous but water. They do get their mail so I would just sent to his address there never had a issue. He's going to love it there, it's a beautiful base and once he phases up he'll love the beaches/area. Good luck to your son in RSS.
May 3, 2017
Colleen
Thanks in advance for any information!
Jun 16, 2017
ttinaz
Hi everybody...I have a question. My son is planning on going AIRR and I was wondering how long it took from the time they entered DEP until they went to RTC. I heard it can take a while for AIRR slots to open up.
Jul 14, 2017
Colleen
Jul 14, 2017
Colleen
Hi, any other Moms of AIRRs out there? My daughter is now in RSS and graduation is coming up - I'm hoping someone might be able to go to graduation and take some pictures?!?
Oct 26, 2017
Alboo
Colleen - my daughter is in her 1st week of RSS so I don't think she will be graduating with your daughter but maybe I can ask her if she can get pics for you?? Congrats on your daughters success!! That is awesome :)
Oct 26, 2017
4myson
Our son’s plan is to keep his full size pick up truck and down the road believes he can store it at Pensacola when he goes AIRR training. Our son is focused on his training so I am taking care of what happens with his truck. The truck is in Michigan and I am in Arizona so I need to have it put in storage. Our son is very attached to this truck other wise I would just sell it for him.
Question, Should he even have or will he even need his truck in Pensacola? Being training/try outs will he have access in Pensacola for free parking on base? As it should be this is not a big focus of his.
Dec 1, 2017
fcfmom
Hey Dadofson - my son also leaves on Monday with an AIRR contract and feels the same way about his vehicle, so hoping someone will be able to give us some direction. Thanks for asking.
Dec 1, 2017
Colleen
She does not have a vehicle, but several of her classmates do. They do use them, and she says they don’t have to pay for parking.
Hope this helps!
Dec 2, 2017
Colleen
Hope your daughter is doing well (I heard she is!)
Dec 2, 2017
bats27
Hi,Dadofson and KristineAFN, congratulations to your sons and welcome to this RSS pipeline. My son graduated bc last Sept and is almost done with FRAC. I will tell you that once they get to Pensacola they need to phase up before they can even leave base, but it goes quick. As far as a car, we did drive out sons there from NY. Everything is far, yes they can take a taxi but the base only allow certain if that on base and could get pricey. If they do decide on having vehicle there is parking & it's free. Hope this helps & Good Luck to All!
Dec 2, 2017
fcfmom
Thank you so much Colleen and bats27! Yes, this info is very helpful to just give me an idea of what to do with his truck! Very excited for him to be a part of this. I am truly amazed at the dedication it takes just to "qualify" for a contract. Congrats to your kids!!!
Dec 3, 2017
4myson
Dec 3, 2017
polomom
My son has an AIRR contract and just left for Great Lakes on December 4. I'm going crazy not having any contact with him, but my husband, myself and his girlfriend are all going out to see him graduate at the end of January. This is a tough Christmas, my oldest moved out of state with his fiancee in July, and now my youngest in the Navy. I thought I was ready, but ... NOPE!
Dec 19, 2017
MamaBear2018
Hello all,
My son also has an AIRR contract and should graduate boot camp 1/19. I have heard the follow-on swim school is pretty tough. What will the first few weeks of A school be like? My oldest is a Marine veteran, and now second son is in the Navy. Youngest son in college. While getting through a son deployed to Iraq was tough. The thought of #2 son jumping out of helos into a raging ocean makes me a bit uncomfortable. lol Any words of encouragement would be appreciated.
Dec 22, 2017
polomom
MamaBuck2017, above the comment wall is a post called The Path of a Rescue Swimmer, which is extremely insightful and has good information into what they will be doing for the next couple of years.
Dec 26, 2017
MamaBear2018
Question regarding A school for AIRR, my son mentioned in a letter this week that when he graduates boot camp on 1/19 that his pipeline training will then be two years and that he would not be home for a long time. I thought once he got to A school he would be able to get leave at some point. Will he be able to come home on leave at some point during his follow-on training? And if so, how soon after he gets to A school will he be able to get leave? Thanks.
Dec 31, 2017
Colleen
Jan 1, 2018
MamaBear2018
Thanks Colleen, so when your daughter got to A school, how long before she could get leave to come home? Thx
Jan 4, 2018
QsPop
After BC, does anyone know how long it will be before he can wear civilian clothes, use his car, take time off, etc...
Jan 26, 2018
bats27
QsPop, Once he gets to Pensacola he has to phase up which can take week or two. My sons PIR was in sept 16, we drove his car down beginning of Oct. All depends on command and how fast they get things done and signed off. Time off isn't likely unless it was Holiday Leave for xmas/Thanksgiving, they do get off for some other holidays but that depends also. Hope this helped & Good Luck to you son!
Jan 26, 2018
bean
Hello! I am new to the group but not Navy moms. My youngest just left for boot yesterday to start his path to be a Air Rescue Swimmer. My oldest is in NY finishing up Nuke school. So my head is spinning a little today.
Apr 24, 2018
polomom
Hi kstin, congratulations to your son! My son is AIRR, and just graduated from RSS last week, will be starting A school this week. It's a very exciting, very difficult and demanding path. The draft is a nationwide "search", where the Navy (based on contracts available) choose AIRR candidates based on their scores. He will then be offered a new contract, which invalidates the previous contract, and he will be given a new ship date. You may as well get used to the "hurry up and wait" and "oh yeah, everything has changed as of a second ago" .. haha!! It's very exciting, and the family support is absolutely amazing. There are also several private FB pages that you can look into joining. Good luck to your SR!!!! <3 NMH (Navy Mom Hugs)
Jun 23, 2018
Snowbird
Aug 9, 2018
Honeygaze
today is Day 1 of Week 1 for the new RSS class... anyone else here nervous and biting their nails like me?
Jan 7, 2019
stin
Looking for info on holding after BC graduation and all the possibilities and next steps. Looks like there is a month between starts!?
Jan 15, 2019
Swimmermom
Is this an active group? Don’t see recent posts.
Thank you,
Swimmermom
Mar 16, 2019
Parrot head queen
Is anyone on this page I have a recruit in BC. Who is contacted for AIRR.
Sep 13, 2020
TexasNavyMom
Sep 13, 2020
masonsmom
Sep 14, 2020
Parrot head queen
My son just graduated RTC this week. Now just waiting to ship to Pensacola for A school
Sep 26, 2020
bambampa3
Hello all,
Just wondering if there are any moms in the group with sailors currently in the pipeline or waiting to get started? Happy Sunday!
Apr 18, 2021
Seastheday2027
Hi there bambampa3 my son has a June PIR (not sure of date just yet) then will ship to Pensacola for A school. I wanted to get connected with other moms
Apr 19, 2021
bambampa3
Seastheday2027 Hello! It's nice to meet another mom in the group :-) I'm guessing your son is currently in boot camp if he has a June PIR, correct? If so, how are you holding up? Not having contact for awhile was the toughest part, but it really does go by quickly...My son graduated from boot 4/1 and has been in Pensacola for just 2 weeks, but is settling in well. Wishing your SR the best through the rest of boot camp!
Apr 19, 2021
Seastheday2027
WOW great to hear that your son is settling in and that he is finished with BC! The silence is tough but I am thankful to have other moms who have walked ahead. Has your son received liberty since he graduation from BC? Have you been able to see him since he left for BC? Did you ship him any personal items to Pensacola?
Apr 23, 2021
Proud Mama
Hi ladies, I’m new here and wondering, does everyone pretty much pass the last week of tests at BC or is there still a high percentage that they do not pass? My son is supposed to graduate on May 6. 2021. Just biting my nails in anticipation.
Apr 30, 2021
Whammy
My sailor is just finishing up at Pensacola, moving on to training on helicopters in Norfolk, VA. He was at BC right at the beginning of COVID, and went to a different A-School before switching to Rescue Swimmer. Lots of slow transitions. We have not had a lot of information from him about the training in FL, though he's been there since October. The last six weeks seem to have been all classroom. Is anyone else at this stage of the process?
May 3, 2021