PIR 4/8/2011 Alum Group!

it wont be long now ladies and gentlemen..  just a few weeks ago..i was in your shoes.. my son pir'd on 3/4/11.  these last few weeks are a killer.  be strong for each other cause you will make some lifelong friends on this site.  My prayers are with all of you.  I also wanted to tell you about the beautiful Blue ribbons lala makes for us.. they are very inexpensive and a great thing to keep in your memory books after the ceremony.  i have cut and pasted her info off her n4mom page.  she is one of us...  check out her ribbons.

Hi Friends, I make ribbons for anyone who would like them to wear to PIR. They are a great way to show how proud you are of your sailor and also a great way to recognize other members of N4M's. I don't make the ribbons for a profit so I keep the price low enough to cover materials and expenses. Most divisions order the Navy colored ribbons with gold or silver letters. They are not too frilly so they are suitable for men as well. The 800 divisions usually order black with gold letters. If you want ribbons make sure you order them at least a week before you leave for PIR so you get them on time. I can do overnight shipping but it is about $20.00 so it is best to order early. I take checks, money orders and PayPal. Send me a friend request and I will send you the info for ordering the ribbons. I also make Navy/Military scrapbook embellishments. If you are interested in the scrapbook stuff send me your private email address and I will send you the info. You can see sample pics of the ribbons and scrapbook embellishments here on my page.

Check out My Face Book page: Unique Memory Makers, "like" my page and you will be entered into a drawing March 23rd for a free bundle of Navy Scrapbook embellishments.

Wow, I am just amazed at how awesome all my friends are on N4M's You have no idea how much I appreciate you all. I mean I actually have tears in my eyes from reading you amazing comments about my ribbons. I have more friends now than I ever did before. I just wish I could invite you all over for a visit lol. Well I can, you are all invited to come to my house. I will cook you dinner and we will chat for hours. btw, I am in Western NC, so who is coming? :-)

For those of you who are asking about my ribbons just click on my name and send me a friend request and I will send you the info. You can also send me an email: uniquememorymakers@yahoo.com, be sure to include your N4M profile name and your PIR date. And be sure to check out my facebook page "Unique Memory Makers" If you "LIKE the page your name will be entered into a drawing that will be held this coming Thursday for a free bundle pack of Navy Scrapbook embellishments. Thanks again everyone, you made my day. I feel so loved <3

Time for a picture for you guys....

Here is a picture of a typical ship (barracks).  The 1st picture shows the galley (chow hall) on the main floor, and on top is the training rooms. 

In the second picture is the main entrance called the quarterdeck to the barracks.  If the recruits are in a group, they will never use this entrance.  However, if the recuit is alone or in a group less than 5, they may use this entrance.

In the third picture, this shows the living spaces.  So when you look at this picture, you see three floors, and there are two divsions per floor for non-surge, which is what all your groups in the PIR are.  Overall,  there are 3 floors, and have 2 berthing compartments per side, and there are 2 sides.  So 3 x 2 x 2 = 12 berthing units (divisions) per building....All the windows in the living area are frosted.  The recruits cannot look out to see freedom. 

Lastly, the last pictures show the end of the ship's living space.  This is the entrance that all the recruits enter when they come back from marching somewhere.  In this picture the ship on the left is the USS Triton, on the right is the USS Kearsarge.  So you guys on the Kearsarge, this is where your recruits enter their living spaces...

Just heard that also, MamaSeal.

Have to pray that it ends soon.

Lala, received the ribbons today.  They look great.  Thank you. 

LaLa received my ribbons..they are BEAUTIFUL..thanks for getting in the last minute one for me....just gorgeous.

dianep - Good catch.  Man, my fingers type quicker than my brain can think.  Thanks for sending your notes back.. I really appreciate it...

ProudNavyMom -  One problem I have is when I see rules that don't make sense.  When I see them, I challenge them.  That;s what sailors are taught to do.  So when I hammered by someone about posting the names of the honor recruits on N4M's, I was ticked.  Heck if the Navy can publish them and honor our sailors, then why couldn't we? 

This is what I got back from the N4M admins.... (I had not seen the blog).... 

"Hi Craig,
Thank you for your message and for your concerns. Being that this is a public site, viewed by anyone, anywhere, these guidelines of not sharing last names is for the safety of our Sailor's and their family members.

However, Navy does release articles/press releases/photos/etc. that contain Sailor's full names, which is OK to be posted on the site. Please take a look at a short blog I wrote a few months back regarding this topic.

http://www.navyformoms.com/profiles/blogs/response-to-opsec-concerns

Thank you!
-Colleen"

Anyways, about 1 week prior to PIR the honor recruits names will be published.  Post them all over this board because they need to be recognized for the outstanding accomplishment they earned!!!  And for any other picture that the Navy post, then it's ok to post here on N4M.  Next time someone gives you crap, tell them that they need to read the rules.  (which is funny, because I didn't, but I did challenge them)

  help.... i need the link for the Div. shirts.... i lost it

  thank you

ProudNavyMom - You should be proud to post that picture.  However, remembers, Admins change all the time.  Sometimes they don't know the rules and just go with what they've heard in the past.  If you know the admin that deleted it, I would send a message to find out why, then I would point them to the instuction that they released. 

If you don't know the admin, then I would post the picture again, and then bottom put:

Note: This picture is authorized by:  http://www.navyformoms.com/profiles/blogs/response-to-opsec-concerns

Everyone makes mistakes, you just need to point them in the correct direction when they do.

Heck, I haven't had a real good fight in along time on N4M's.  I'll post it for you, and will take the heat.  Beleive me, a bitching sailor is a happy sailor...I love a good fight every once in a while....

This week’s Instructor Photo of the Week is of Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Lalena Z. Taylor, a staff unit instructor at Midway Ceremonial Drill Hall where the weekly Pass-In-Review is held. Taylor trained five divisions of recruits through boot camp prior to coming to the drill hall in November where she now helps train the performing divisions prepare for the ceremony. Here, she is showing the ceremonial sideboys how some members of the official party will be piped aboard and introduced during the ceremony.

One thing to remember about the division shirts is that your recruit may have ordered some for you and you can also order them after PIR.

With all the stuff that's happening in Libya right now, I want to have you guys remember about the only U.S. ship that is still being held captive by a hostile government.  It's an interesting story...  It's up in the discussion area called "~ I am the only active duty U.S. Navy warship held captive by a hos...

Just trying to keep you guys from being bored and give you some Navy knowledge...

Talking about photos (and then the mention of the ARMY) I just to mention, if at all possible, some of you might want to be sure to have your Sailor get an additional Keel.  ( I know i went over and over and over with my SR to order pkg A (with a Keel) and an additional Keel (also, from what I understand you can still order them right after PIR (and I think I read we dont even get the Keel until 6 or 8 wks after graduation)

My reason for the extra Keel...I was in the ARMY at 18.  Got our yearbook.  Spent several years in the ARMY, then was an ARMY for a many more.  Over the years...my 1983 Ft Jackson Yearbook was lost in a move...or just lost.

Now that I am in my "mid 40's" and with my son in the NAVY, I would love to have that yearbook back..to look at it, to reminisce, to show my kids all the cool stuff that their mom actually did.

I think, at least, if you cant get a 2nd Keel....let your 18 yr old Sailor know that you would be happy to keep it "safe" for them...then keep it until they are 30 yrs old and can then appreciate it again.

Ha!  NavyMomofOnly1Girl.  NO question is stupid on here. :-)   The Keel is the yearbook.  I understand it has some old pictures in it, but should contain new ones of their divisions also.  Since I didn't get one, I can only say what others have said.

They might order them when they see the proofs, so write her and tell her to order Pkg A which includes all.....and don't forget to have her order the PIR DVD which is an extra $29.  I think Jessica has photo info up in the discussion groups up top (hit "view all"), so be sure to read up there.

Patteye - I know it's a BS (Bull Sh*t) document, but you don't need to tell the world...  j/k

I really do appreciate you looking at it and making the corrections for the Battle Stations document.  I will probably have it released this weekend for this group to see.

Thanks again to Riptide, LoveSally, Patteye, and Diannep for your help with this...

For you ladies that haven't a clue what your sailors rating does, here is a link that may help you understand:

http://www.navydep.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=36

Lefty - EN go to sea, it's part of there rating.  Once your sailor gets out of boot camp she can log onto a system called CMS and see all billets (jobs) that are open for the next year anywhere in the Navy.  She will need a CAC card reader to gain access.  I wrote about the reader about a week ago on this comment wall.  To me, a carpenter without a hammer is useless, and a sailor without a CAC card reader is useless.  In my opinion, any sailor is a fool not to have one. But, your sailor will think it useless until they start using it.  It is extremely powerful!  and can do so much.  But again, they will think it's stupid at 1st. 

http://www.navyfamilies.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=17616

CTN's are basically all shore duty.  They rarely go to sea (like 1%).  They also have lots of jobs in Ft.Meade MD area and along the east coast

or any of the Seabee's ratings.  They can't use a bulldozer on a ship...

Here's a video that will warm your heart and make you smile!

http://www.thedailytail.com/videos/beagle-dogs-welcome-greet-soldie...

Rating - Is the specific position the sailor does for their job.  Example Hospitial Corpsman (HM), Builder (BU), Machinest Mate (MM).

Rate - Is almost like rank.  Navy officers are the only ones that use the term rank.  Navy enlisted use the term Rate instead.  So for Rate example, you can be a Seaman (SN), Fireman Apprentice (FA), Petty Officer Second Class (PO2), or Cheif Petty Officer (CPO). 

The link I posted shows the rating.  For example, since most of the CT ratings are classified, most parents haven't a clue what their CTR or CTT sailors do.  Well, in that link shows the unclassified version on what they do.

Does anyone have any more BattleStations dates for the divisions?  We only have 121-124 so far. Post and also up in the BattleStations discussion group please!  Thanks!

Wow Craig, you are a wealth of information. Thank you so much for coming here to help us understand about our soon to be Sailors in a different way.

I took your advice and purchased a CAC card reader for my son as a gift for graduation. Maybe he can get a chance to play with it if he gets some liberty time and he can start to see the value in it.

To all of the admins: This is not to take away from you in any way. You have given us such wonderful guidance on this journey, but I am definitely one of those that hungers for MORE MORE MORE!! Thank you for having this place to share and corroborate. It has been the thing that has helped me through.

No news on Battle Stations from our group yet ship 11 div 122. As soon as we know something, we will make sure to get it on the Battle Stations Discussion.

Going to review some HM "A" school info now.

Thanks again to all who provide us with all of this inforamtion.

Ooops, looks as though you mentioned our group in the list of Battle Stations already. I guess we are lumped in with them. :0)

ICsailorsgirl - The Navy considers every billet (job) a certain type. 

They are Type 1 through Type 4, and Type 6 (ie not Type 5)

So your sailor can be either be Type 2 or 4 for a ship.  Understand, when they give those figures, that is in an ideal condition.  Let say, the rating was Sea, Sea, Shore.  Well someone has to break that up and go Sea, Shore, Sea or Shore, Sea, Sea.   It just works that way....

You should talk to Sarah over on my site, her husband is an IC guys on a Flag ship in Yukosuka.   Sarah is an awesome lady and  wealth of information about IC.  However, I think they are in the process of being evacuated from Japan right now.  She was on yesterday saying she was ticked.

http://www.npc.navy.mil/ReferenceLibrary/MILPERSMAN/1000MilitaryPer...

Ragdollrae:  Div 123 and 124 are brother divisions, and go together for BattleStations.  Same with 121 and 122, brother divisions, going that same night.

4 divisions going that night.