Alumni of PIR 8/24/2012 TG 41 — 09 Divisions (261–268 & 941)

We drove through Chicago on our way up to Great lakes and drove past The navy Pier and I really wanted to go there. There is so much there to see and do. I am just sorry we didn't stay a couple extra days and check it all out. I am sure some of the members here will have some great suggestions for you.

Does anyone know can we send our recruits magazines?

No, you cannot send magizine. Sorry. There are very few things that you can send. You can send letters, a few small photos 4x6 etc, you can also scan photos onto the back of your letters. You can send stamps, a calling card, cards but no musical ones, I also sent envelopes and paper after my daughter had asked me to. Then close to PIR I was able to send her hair straightener, and basic make-up. You can also send contacts or glasses a couple weeks before PIR. They won't be able to wear them except for pictures and PIR.

iPhone users and actually Android too...just had moms talk about this on BC moms...and would love to look for a solution.

The problem that most are having is that you get an email notification and can't reply through email like you can to FB. You have to log onto the site and then do it. More steps involved.

Is that what you are experiencing?

I have an Android and it is the same but I have never used my emails that way. (Plus, when I first joined I did not have a smart phone at all) Since I "work" on here I need access to the whole site pretty much all day and then I can just hop on. I stay logged in and try to log out at least at night. I use my emails to follow Discussions I have created so I can reply...but I don't follow all of the groups I am on...I would have THOUSANDS of emails!(That's a personal preference...you can change your email notification settings)

But for you who have maybe your PIR group that you are following and your Division Discussion (you may have other groups but have used the Stop Following feature)...this is probably laborious...and so FB is much easier. Totally get that!

Let me know if this is an issue and any other issue and I can compile a list and report it if you haven't already.

I asked this on BC Moms as well:

Would an app for N4M's help the situation?

If so, I can suggest it and see what happens!

Hi..just popping in to say I got 2nd letter from my son today..and it was 5 glorious pages.Also our PIR is getting calls..my sons letter told me to listen for call today but by end of pages he said he was getting a tooth out and prolly wouldnt be able to call..im so bummed about that...hope he gets chance to make it up!..but overall he was happy and doing very well...he passed his swimming test and i was worried about that since he hadnt been in pool in 8yrs !..he did say that he failed first PT but was 'really really ' close and that most of div failed too but not to worry he would pass next time..i am so impressed by his cheeriness.he also said 'he got a cold coughing stuffy nose and such' but hes over it now .today has been 3wks 1 days hes been gone and even though i still cry daily at missing him i can say i am so happy for people like you to help me through ..getting all the emails to my phone of what every one is going through helps a lot..so thanks again. ..but being a iphone user i do use our FBook groups for ease of response but i love this place too!

I'm so excited!  I just got the week three phone call.  It was awesome to hear my SR's voice.  He sounded so upbeat.  He said he was enjoying it.  I've been worried for nothing of course!

So great, PamperedMom!  I know that settled your heart a bit!  Congrats!

I have a mom that has an iPhone and has responded to me privately. She does what I do...stays signed in to N4M's. Then when she gets an email she clicks on the link that takes you to the site...

Mine says:

To view the new reply, visit: (and then the link)...I click it and then I wait for it to load It takes me there and I am able to reply.

She has stayed signed in to N4M's for a few weeks on her iPhone.

I will still ask about an app...but hope that helps folks with their SmartPhones.  I do try to sign out at bedtime.

Say, on the Discussions...there are icons to "share", twitter and Facebook.

Has anybody ever used them?

I don't FB or Twitter...somebody want to be a detective for me? LOL

Alrighty, now that I have had time to process this day -- I'll fill you in!  I got a phone call, a letter and an answered questionnaire today.  I've died and gone to heaven!  First, the phone call:  unfortunatly, he has pharyngitis.  He went to medical after training all day yesterday because he had a headache.  He had a temperature of 102.  They put him on antibiotics and other meds and should return to LLD tomorrow and full training on Friday.  His temperature was down to 98 today.  He sounded WONDERFUL (I was proud of myself because I didn't cry at hearing his voice!).  He says it is hard but not as hard as he thought it would be.  He is eating well, he feels good, and thinks it is going really well.  He also told me he is a section leader.  Phone connection wasn't too good though and it was hard to hear him because he is conjested from the pharyngitis.  Today was Day 2-5, and they start 3-1 tomorrow.  In the letter he said he is getting sleep but not as much as he would like (LOL-- figures on that one).  40 boys in a shower and they get 10-15 minutes to shower so it equals 2 minutes under the water, and you don't want to be first because it's cold water!   He hadn't heard anything about the girls' fights.

Also, if you remember, some "Dude" made him draw a heart on the back of the form letter -- and that "Dude" is in his division, 261.  If that "Dude" is any of you all's son -- THANK YOU!!

well i missed the 1st phone call he tryed 4 times but every time i answered i could not hear anything on the last call i heard a roaring sound he call his friend and left her a voice mail im so bummed hope his letter will be good tomorrow

What are these questionnaire's I see people talking about?  Where do you find them?

I love hearing about all of the phone calls and letters. My son is in ship-11 div-263. He called his girlfriend today. She is on vacation, but she let me know right away. He said he gets yelled at a lot, but I guess their division does. He said he gets little sleep and next week is Hell Week! Ugh. She said he likes getting those letters. It helps him feel better about being there. God bless them all!!!

FlowerGrower05:  There is a link in the list above and I searched N4M using "questionnaire" in the search box (upper right hand corner).  There were also some posted on the Facebook groups too.  They are usually in word format and you can edit to fit your SR.

Thank you, DSW93!

Has any noticed or do you know if there is a certain time of day or certain day that your SR's have been able to make their 3 week call?  Tomorrow is 21 days that mine has been gone so I am getting excited to hopefully receive the 3 week call soon!

My son is in ship-11 div-263 and he called his girlfriend somewhere around 4:00pm here today, which would make it 6:00pm Great Lakes time.

My SR called a little while ago ship 11 div 264- he said they got in trouble earlier so they were not able to make calls when everyone else did, but she gave them 10 mins.I was 8 pm mtn time. I recognized the 847 area code and started jumping around! He sounds great- tired but great. He said it was not as bad as he thought it would be. He said tomorrow is 3-1. He aced his swimming test and is being promoted to an E-3. Get this- I do not know who this child is, I told him I wold pay for his pictures and put the money in his account- and he said, "Mom, I have a job now, I can pay for them."- who is that child? He said they have all their uniforms now, he was surprised I knew what peanut butters were.  I had to pass the phone because he only had 10 mins and my partner Jen wanted to talk to him and of course my daughter had to say hi to her favorite brother!

Lexxie- they had teeth pulled today, so if your SR had his teeth pulled they get today and tomorrow off then light duty for 2 days, I forgot what it was called LLD or something and they will get to make up their calls.

Loved reading your posts! Thank you for sharing! Hope more mail and calls come in for everyone!   

Here is the Link to the Boot Camp Questionnaires (clickable link).

Momof5 - That's great to hear...it is wonderful when you hear the changes in them. They aer so proud of what they are accomplishing and to be able to tell their loved ones!

LLD is Light Limited Duty.

Yep, Light Limited Duty. During that time they miss any and all IT those days, don't worry they make it up soon after cleard... They don't seem to mind though.

Oh my...it's raining and lightning in GL. I knew the Weather widget was interactive...and I have seen it snow in winter...but never lighting.

I know the WW is large but this is the smallest size for it to be so that it is interactive. Play around with it. The very top bar has the current date and time and then just below it the next four days...click the arrow and it will show more. Click the "LIVE" tab anytime to go back to current time.

The rest of the bar is for the marker (green) to move along throughout the day. You can click anywhere on it to change the time. So, if you don't see this until morning go back a day to about 12:30 AM and watch for awhile!

Hey...in the bottom left corner the number and the Olympic rings is a countdown for the London Olympics!

Wow...you can see the streaks and the whole screen lights up...

Sleep tight...to the Sailors and recruits at RTC...G'nite!

mom-11:  Hell week is not as bad as it sounds...just very very busy, lots of inspections, up earlier each day.  But it is also a turning point for them, where they feel much more positive about everything.  So it is a good thing!

gamom:  So sorry about the bad connection calls!  There are some payphones up there that are in bad shape.  My son had called home a couple of times on them.  Try asking your SR to push/hold the cord into the handset because sometimes those cords are so S T R E T C H E D that they are popping out of the handsets.  Hope he calls again soon...on a better phone!

FlowerGrower:  Calls from your SRs are so random...no set time, set day.  They may even write and say they will be calling a certain day, and then don't.  That is because the division can lose calls for many things...or your SR may miss the call for something.  So just keep that phone handy at all times!

Good morning all!

Well phooey...my bad...I didn't see the "No Weather" sign on the WW last night so you can't go back and see how the rain and lightning looked.

Yes, Sailor12:  You should be able to give him his cell at the airport, just not while he is still at RTC.

Yes, Sailor12:  I answered this question below too...you can take his cell and give it to him when you meet him at the airport!

Congrats on the letters and the call!

Got a quick little letter on July 6th my daughter is ship 09 div 66 so happy to see others still waiting on a real letter.

Did you guys in DIV 266 get your calls today?!!!!!!! I did, I was so HAPPY he sounded so good.  I really wasn't sure what to expect after reading some other posts, he was really positive though and sounded so good.  We got to talk for almost 1/2 an hour.  He said the high light of their day is getting to read their mail and write back, haha Write, Write, Write he says :) He has had his peanut butter shot already, passed the swim test, and is passing all his PT tests he says.  I am so happy today, plus a got another letter today.  Two days in a row.  I'm a lucky Momma today!

hello in my letter today my son said his job was iron po thats so funny because before he left i teased him about ironing for him he also said that he would be stick # 2 at pir

Yea, I got another letter today. One a week isn't too bad. He sounds happier. I think he is getting used to being yelled at! He even said he was laughing before taps and a chief asked him what is was about, he said they were little school girls and the chief tried very hard not to laugh himself. I guess that kind of lightened the mood a bit for him. He got a job as a "paper pusher" and likes it. Okay Diannep, so the way it goes is that we can bring their cell phones, but they can't have them until they ship out to 'A" school, is that right? So we wait until they leave on Saturday at the airport, right?

Ladies my neighbor and her SR needs our prayers....her son left on the 18 of June for boot camp .... well .... he was having a problem with shin splints..went to Medical they told him he was ok and sent him on....well yesterday they wer at PT and running he turned the corner and both of his legs went out..... he had to hair line fractures on his shins that they did catch... so now he BROKE both of his shins he is in the hospital with 2 cast on they are keeping him in there for 3 months and then he can go back to training he now Graduates in DEC.... So sad she was over here crying I felt so bad for her...The navy has to keep him there because he went to them and they didnt find the prob the first time and then sent him back then he really got hurt....so now they have to fix him and keep him...

Oh my, Brandon.  How horrible.  But please tell your friend that as awful as it is and hard on the SR and family, we have read stories on here of some that were kept for 6 mos post-injury and they became sailors eventually....a long hard road, but they did it.  I know this is horrible news...and I can only imagine the discouragement.  Prayers for this SR and his mom/family during such a difficult time. 

Yes, mom-11:  They cannot have the cellphones while at RTC so you have to give these to them at the airport when they are shipping out, or if staying in GL for A School, once they have moved over to that base.

gamom:  So great that your son will be a "stick" (flag carrier) at PIR!

Congrats, ladies, on the letters/phone calls!

Good morning all!

Brandon:  My guess is that he won't be in the hospital too long, but will recover at RCU on RTC for the 3 mos.  Hopefully it won't take that long for him to heal and he can resume training sooner--praying for no complications in his healing!.  Poor guy...hard enough to have two casts on your legs, but to be in bootcamp with that...wow. 

The Navy Boot Camp Aliens have stolen my son!  In his letter he said that he's ship mates think he is neat and organized.  He is good at making his Bunk and stowing his gear.  I don't know who that person is...  He never made his bed at home and when he left it took me two days to remove the trash from his room!  LOL!!  God Bless the Navy!

In my prayers as well Brandon, hopefully they will heal soon. I do have another friend on this site who has a son who is recovering from a hairline fracture and he is delayed as well. She is actually a nurse and I know she would be willing to talk to your friends mom. Their sons will most likely be recovering together once he is out of the hospital and back at RTC so let me know if you would like the info to reach her.

PamperedMom, you crack me up. Sooooo funny :-)

spudsmom:  Wait....walls need to be WASHED???  :-) 

PamperedMom:  Too funny!  Now...maybe you feel as some of us did when our sailors went through....we wished that maybe we all had RDCs living in our homes as our children were growing up !!  I mean....REALLY!  Especially during those TEENAGE YEARS! 

Amazing huh.  Agreed we needed RDC's along time ago.  May hire one for my 16 yr old daughter!!!!!

Brandon DIV -Prayers going up! Thank you for letting us know!

Is his mom on this site? We have a group for the RCU. SHIP 04/ DIV2341. They are VERY supportive and helpful! Here is teh link:

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/ship04div2341

It can look inactive but I know moms that have gone through this monitor it...so you or she can post adn someone will come along! He will have a new address.

The two most that stand out in my mind was back in January. One had several stress fractures, actually both did, one just had more. Both healed and both  became Sailors! Stress fractures are one of the more "common" injuries at BC and they know how to take care of them. There are phases to the healing process, as in how they progress and getting on to being cleared FFD-Fit for Full Duty.

After the initial shock of it wears off...he will be focused on healing and "carrying on"!

I am hoping he heals fast and well...he wouldn't have a new PIR date yet...not until he is FFD.

Hugs to your friend!

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!!!! I GOT MY CALL!!!!!!! He sounds amazing!! he made starboard watch (I hope that is right!! ) He has passed all his pt's he's first class, only one person higher then him. His division is doing well they did so well on their first exam they earned a flag. He carries a flag and stands front in line for the special guest to walk through for the PIRs. He was very up beat. It was just amazing to hear his voice. He is in charge and he said he gets yelled at alot for others not doing things right. I'm the happiest momma ever!!!!!!

All I can say is YAY YAY YAY!!!

RTC ALIENS!

Love that FTLW!!!!!!!!!!!  Agree on the aliens -- my son's letter started "Dear Mom:  I will address all your questions."  Address my questions, really -- who was that child!