ALUMNI OF PIR 12/29/2011 TG 06 — 10 Divisions (021–028, 904 & 906)

Good morning and have a wonderful Thanksgiving Navy Mom's, Dad's, Siblings, Girlfriends, family and friends.  High hopes for a phone call today!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgivng.  We had a great day with family.  The highlight of my day was to hear my  husbands 80 year-old uncle talk about our SR with such pride.  He served in the Navy during WWII.  He very rarely talks about it, but today his pride in my daughter, his great neice brought me to tears. 

Thanksgiving day was definitely different than any other.  I am looking at it as a faith-builder.  I am trusting my SR had a nice dinner and a little free time to relax, iron, or shine boots.  I will wait patiently for the mail carrier and praying for a phone call sometime this weekend.  HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY ALL AND AN EVEN BETTER WEEKEND!

@ RuthL - what a sweet, sweet story.  Your SR will be as touched when you are able to share it with her.

@ Presleysmom - How exciting for you and yours!  The feeling you get when you hear your SR's voice for the first time after being in GL is something I know I will never forget.

Enjoying my time here in Williamsburg VA with my sailor son. Did a very non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Ruby Tuesdays last night but what a great salad bar!  Missed my other son/extended family at their celebration in S. FL but happy to be with my sailor since he has missed the past 2 Thanksgivings due to NAVY. One of his buddies is joining us today since he is a history buff and will guide us through the great historical places in this area.  FUN!  Have a great day, all!

Happy Post-Thanksgiving everyone.....yesterday was a bit too emotional for me to write.  I was up at 7:00 cooking and finally went to be at 3am this morning. I sat in my sons room in his chair and prayed that his spirits were not too low, as this is the first thanksgiving that he is away from his family.  He was always such a big helper around the house with keeping the lil ones busy, putting up the tree, cleaning up and those random big bear hugs (that's what I miss the most)  PIR is on 12/29 and I am praying that the days flow like the river of my tears...I pray that everyone's sons/daughters are doing well.  

Batmansmom531 i feel your pain, got a letter today and he sounds down again, I think the holiday just brought out more of what he was feeling anyway, I know he needs a hug. And not being able to call just adds to the anxiety for him, wish I could make it easier for him.  Will keep praying for them all. and watching the graduation countdown.

My heart is smiling. Letters in the mail today!  (okay, ONE for us to read and the other 2 are letters that others that have written that I am saving for him).  He said time is going by fairly fast lately. He got 16 letters on 11/21. "it's the letters that make it go by so quick." E2 now HOORAY, has a 4.0 (now why didn't he do that in hs?!), 84 push-ups in 1:20 and 100+ sit ups around a minute. LOVES THE CONDITIONING!  Said he will be calling within the week.  HE BETTER HURRY. According to my count he only has 2 days left to call w/in the week.  8-)  lol

Awwwww....Ruuu-uuuth! How cool!

I know it's hard ladies...we're not the same thing as your recruits but we're here for you!

...here I'll be Rogue today and absorb those "blues" from you!

Fire Team-Thanks for the questionaires.  We got them  back and cracked up laughing.  And yes, very cool.  I already wrote her about it.

ALL-Just got finished reading my letters.  She sent me 2 and the questionnaires I sent.  I spent most of my time laughing.  She has passed all of her tests got 4.6 on the last one and is in the top 10 in her division which she wanted to let her teacher mother know.  The only time she has cried was when she got back from watch and everyone had made phone calls and she didn’t.  She is really excited because the chief said whatever girls pass their next PT test can have tweezers!  LOL!  And if he is lying she will be really upset because she already passed it the first time.  She said they eat way too much and she has gained weight.  She also said that who ever thought putting 90 girls in one living space has a sick sense of humor.  She was surprised by the lack of working out and misses real underwear. 

Ruth: So glad her letters made you laugh.  The tweezer story is too funny!

HA,HA,HA,HA...Craig will have something to say about the cursing...it's kinda hard not to when it's used as a noun, adjective, verb, conjunction etc. all the time! My son still however, does not curse, drink, smoke or talk dirty...so you can imagine what he goes through. Amen to him...mom can have Sailor mouth at times! Sorry!

Oh...weekends do not count in the "days".

Fireteam-Too funny.  Not happy about the cursing though.  She just threw it out there like it was not big deal.  3 TIMES!

All sailors learns the Navy way of speaking.  They might not use the words themselves, but they will know the way to interpret those words.  They will have the full meaning.  Either way you say it, they will know....

Of course, she probably dropped the "F" bomb for those 3 words huh?

That's a true sailor word that can mean almost anything. 

Well Craig..........Not proud, but my blonde haired, blue eyed, precious baby girl did use that one once.  The others were not as bad.  She said when the DIV got to call, she was on duty and was basically F...... I just was surprised she didn't edit her self in the letter.  He father of course laughed hysterically and said "She really has gotten a sailors mouth".

Natalies mom- The tweezers are on every girls must have luck  Mine is luck fo not have much IT but misses working out on a regular basis.  That surprised me. 

Ruth - As long as she doesn't end up looking like this, then you'll be fine....  

Remember, sometimes those words kind of slip through sometimes when talking to a mom.  For all others, the Dr. Seuss way of thinking kind of overides everything...

Man, you can really teach your students new Navy terminology.  So far you've cancelled the following:

well-endowed

F-bomb

What's were the other two words so I can add them to the list?  

Remember, she'll learn to filter those words when talking to you.  Just like me, I never cursed in front of my kids, it was only a work thing.  These recruits still are learning everything and they haven't learned how to put the filter on when talking to someone.  I think you need to tell her that if she ever uses those words to you again, then she's F'd....

If you could see her face, it would look like this:

Craig- You always know how to put things into perspective.  LOL.  I am just going to chalk it up to being tired and having to write really fast.  The other two were the B word (Not loving living with 90 girls, and the H word.  To descride next week.  But since that is what it called, I won't hold that one against her. 

I had to laugh at this recent conversation.  My daughter knew, and used, (unfortunately) every word before going to BC. Her recent letter just used them more creatively!  

I guess it's time for a song...

Craig- I have no words!  You sure so know how to make a mom smile!

You really can't complain the "hell" word, 

 "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"

While many attribute the quote to William Shakespeare, it actually comes from a play called the "The Mourning Bride" (1697) by William Congreve. The complete quote is "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned / Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."  It's part of our history...

The believe the below was Shakespeare, if not, it should have been.  It's kind of the way I feel around here....  

btw:  Here is your next word....

Just saying....

Got a call today and happy to report not one curse word in the whole conversation.  She is doing very well and is looking forward to the next week being over.

Yep, Craig...just visited my sailor in VA.  Had one of his buddies with us for the day (exploring the history in Williamsburg...wonderful to have his buddy with us, a history buff, who had already plotted this all out!).  His buddy would say "f" rather than the word.  My lovely son...would let the word slip out...this mom was not a happy camper!  As the day wore on, even his buddy would forget and let the words slide out at times (they apologize)....sigh....

I bet this mom used that word when she reviewed her daughters homework...

HA, HA, HA, HA...I TOLD you Craig would have something to say!

Craig...that is TOOOOOOO funny!

Good morning, everyone!  Have a good Sunday!

Alright Craig and veteran moms-Why do all the SR's refer to next week as "Hell Week"?  I am thinking they are starting week 4.  Minesaid after that she would be in the homefront.  I know there is a PT test, but she passed that the first time out.  Any insight on the upcomming week?

Yes, true, Ruth.  "Hell Week" is usually week 4 of training.  It is called that because there are lots of inspections, activites, they are up a little earlier, and it is busy busy busy!  After that week, they have just 2 more weeks of training before BattleStations.  Depending on when their division does BattleStations, they could have a week before PIR or just a few days or a couple of days---nice "down" time for them, although still with structure...some even finish the day before PIR.  But since they have the "capping" ceremony right after BattleStations, that is their official GRADUATION ceremony...they trade those RECRUIT ball caps for their SAILOR ball caps.  They are then sailors!

There is a "Week by Week at Bootcamp" discussion above.  But it is geared more towards when they arrive/leave.  So the week numbers are off a little.  Remember, they are all there for anywhere from a few days to 10 days or so filling up the divisions for their PIR group. When they tell you they are on, for instance, 3-1, they mean "training week" 3, Day 1.  Doesn't mean-- week 3 day 1 --from when they arrived. So total time at bootcamp can range from 8 weeks to 9 or 10 weeks (depending on holidays).  If they are asmoed (setback) for any reason, of course it is longer.

p.s.  When they are filling up the divisions, those are the "processing days" when they get their gear, do medical, dental, clearances, etc.

Thanks diennep- She is on training week 4 day 1 Monday.  I looked at the week by week post and tried to make sense of the "Hell Week" aspect. She wasn't really worried about it, I just like to know what she is doing!  the mommy in me! 

Ruth - Here is more on hell week:  

(I wrote this for the deppers I work with just to keep them in the loop)...

Week 4 is known a "hell week". This is where everything the recruits has learned to date is tested. Several things happen. They wake up the recruits at 3:30am to get them ready for the day's activities. They bring in RDC's from other divisions and they compare their division to your division. They see how well you learned. Most RDC don't like to admit that your division is better so they find the simplest of faults to penalize you.  These penalty points are called "Hits" in the Navy.  Don't confuse a "hit" as someone is beating you.  It's just a figure of speech. NO ONE CAN PHYSICALLY HIT (strike) YOU. You might have a small string hanging out of your pocket...hit (-1 point) You might not have your "gig line" straight...hit (now -2 points)

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By getting so many hits, the recruits RDC's are ticked. You'll get Physical Trained (PT) and Intensive Trained (IT). You will get reinspected too.  You will be standing at attention and parade rest for a long time waiting for your turn to be inspected. Don't think this is punishment, think of it as teaching the recruits.  You will learn to stand for long periods by keeping your knee's unlocked!  ALWAYS KEEP YOUR KNEE'S UNLOCKED!!!!  What these RDC's don't want is during the PIR for the sailors to faint in front of the crowd. It's bad press. (that's where the jobs of the  "bodysnatcher" come into play).  Those that are really taking hits (penalty points) during the inspection could be rolled back (set back) into another division to relearn what they have already been taught. They all must meet the same standards because they are a team! If one team member is not performing, they move them to another division (a week or two behind them) so they can learn it again.

Alot of people think "Hell Week" is a untouched term used only for the SEAL/BUDS training.   However, people fail to realize that "Hell Week"  originated long before the SEALS ever came about.  In fact,the term was used since the 1800's.  I do think the SEAL/BUDS guys are very fond of the word and added to their own vocabulary just like college students, police officers, etc.

So there you have it, hope that helps.....

btw:  Here is a picture of a "body snatcher".  He's the guy facing 90 degree just looking at the various sailors. (on the far right)

Graig and Diannep- I have a much clearer view not on what will be going on this week.  She will have a very long week, but she said she feels prepared. 

This site has been a life line and I want to thank you all for answering my crazy questions.  This is the first time my kid has been away and I hav been out of the loop in her life.  You all make me feel much closer to her and also give me great peace of mind. 

I didn't know they were saying anything. I thought they were just looking for someone who looks like they are about to pass out.

My sailor son said the body snatchers many times are saying, You ok?  And things to that effect.  One was talking to a sailor near my son.  They try to gage which ones may fall out long before it happens! 

It makes sense that they would ask if they are okay. I guess if they don't answer that would be a good indication that they are not. I was so glad I had heard of this before PIR. I probably would have freaked when I saw one of the Sailors go down and get dragged out the back. Thankfully he was fine :-)

I have heard a complete itinerary (of leave time) needs to be sent in order for leave to be granted.  Can anyone shed light on how our sailors will get from the airport to their "A" school base after holiday leave?  Is that something a parent arranges or will that be coordinated by RTC or the school?

eleesmom:  I believe the sailors will be advised on that.  Since the Navy pays for the sailor's travel from RTC to A School, 'leave" travel is up to the sailor.  They may be told to take a cab to the base, but I feel sure the sailors will be advised.

Good morning everyone! Sorry for being MIA- just not able to respond this weekend.Had a pretty good weekend. Got to talk to "the boy". He was excited but nervous about MarlinSpike and Hell week- he never said it but it was sure in the inflection of his voice and words. hehe! I just think that it is the fear of the unknown and wanting to excel that drives the worry- but that is in everything in life.

I REALLLLLLLLYYYYY don't want to go to work today- Talk about a H#$@ week! hahaha! Oh well- It's only five days =D

To keep my off not having kiddos around my hubby thought that it would be GREAT to get a new puppy- OH BOY!!  hourly trots the backyard in the cold for potty training- whining and bed time routines,not to mention putting all the christmas ornaments and decor up higher so she doesn't get at them- sheesh! Oh well she is a cutie and has so much personality.

I sure hope y'all have a great week. Praying for our kiddos this week- this is a big test of their training. I know they can do it, but fingers and toes are crossed and prayers are upon the lips and in the heart.

Just had to put this one up- Happy shopping to one and all-

Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.

momshousedivided:  Ahhhhh....on your new pup.  Such innocence, so cute!  Tiring like a baby, but their devotion to you is worth it all! 

Good morning, everyone!

It sounds like you had fun Betsy, what are you buying? I bought a laptops for my hubs so I won't have to share mine any more lol.

Glad your Sailor got to spend some time with family :-) That is awesome!!!