Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

I sincerely hope that her Sailor misunderstood the directive.

Are there any others with Sailors who had PIR last weekend who can tell us your experience as far as your Sailor being able to go to hotels or not? Please include if your Sailor stayed in GL or flew out.

From looking at other comments, it appears that Sailors were restricted from going to the hotels that were near Naval Station Great Lakes. Perhaps there were officers or others that the new Sailors are not to be closely associating with staying there. Interesting! Please comment if you have information. Thanks.

Our sailor flew out and we had no issues with him coming to the Navy Lodge.

The Navy Lodge and Gateway Suites on base are off limits for those who will be staying at Great Lakes for A school.  If they are Saturday departures, it is okay.

The reason is the ones leaving are under RTC, and that command allows it.  The ones staying in Great Lakes check in on Friday and are then under TSC (Training Support Center) and that command placed the military hotels off limits to all their sailors.  This includes the new boot camp graduates.  

this is from the official RTC facebook page:

LauraCam, I did taxes for both my Sailor sons, I went to IRS.gov and followed a link to free filing on turbo tax.  I did they taxes and it only needed an electronic signature. 

MaryNavywife

Thank you for the tidbit of information.  

Just to add to MaryNavywife/mom's info below.  Yes, they can request a chit to visit families in those hotels....but lately, we have heard from previous PIR groups that these chits were denied---so sailors have not been allowed to visit families in those hotels.  Personally, I wouldn't take a chance on staying at Navy Lodge or Navy Gateway if I had a sailor attending A School in GL.  There are plenty of other hotels to stay at.  Some suggested are Courtyard, Springhill Suites, Residence Inn, and Holiday Inn Express.  Call these hotels directly and ask for the Navy Graduation rate.

mamakitty:  You are experiencing what we have heard....sometimes the sailors are granted the chits, sometimes not.  We can't seem to find out why some can visit and others can't.

Thanks for reporting that your sailor had no issues visiting you at the Navy hotel, Renee.  That is what we have heard....if they are flying out, no problems with the visits. 

Good Morning!

     "Oh Lord, be gracious to us, we long for You.

      Be our strength every morning, our salvation

      in time of distress."

                                                          Isaiah 33:2

Everyone,

The new PIR 03/20/2015 group is not active and open!  Join here:

http://navyformoms.com/group/pir03202015

I think CatMom meant NOW active and open!

Regarding the tax returns, unless you have power of attorney you shouldn't be signing the return for your SR (an electronic signature is still a signature). If they are already at BC they should be done by April 15. If not you can file an extension (4868) which does not require a signature.

Hi everyone!  My son is in Ship 13, Div 116. PIR 3/20/15, headed to Pensacola for A School.  Anyone else??

Okay, so now I am really freaking out and hoping someone can help with this.  Our son is at BC, PIR 2/27/15.  Ship 12 Division 100.  Our SRs all told us they probably won't get to call again until after battle stations.  I was fine with that.  But now we're all thinking that battle stations will be the week of graduation (the week of 2/22). And it's our understanding that the I'm a Sailor calls come Tuesdays thru Thursday.  Well, we are leaving in the wee hours of Thursday (flight leaves at 6am, 2/26).  What do we do if by some horrible chance he doesn't pass battle stations and we are already in flight?  We have 7 plane tickets!!!!  We could not even possibly think of paying for 7 more if things change.  Oh, please, please, somebody help me with this.  

@Navywife_Nuke...he shipped out 1/21/15.  

hearthhaven,

Why do you think your Recruit is going to fail? Is he having trouble with physical fitness tests? Have you shared this concern with him?

Inside secret: Nobody fails Battle Stations.

I don't think he's going to fail but I do realize there's always a possibility.  I'm not worried about his physical fitness tests. He will do fine with those.  It's the 'school/book' tests that I am more worried about.  Never been his strong suit.  He has told me he is struggling with those.  

NO, I have absolutely NOT shared any concerns with him.  All I have done is send encouraging words, support, you can do it! 

So if no one fails battle stations, but they didn't pass either a PFA or other test, would we know that prior to boarding our plane? 

806 families and friends, I have a question. I thought my sailor said he was flying out at a certain time from Midway and his girlfriend thinks he said another time. We both had a bad connection. I know all 806 guys going to Pcola were flying together. Please PM me if you know what time they are flying out on Sat.  Don't post it here, please.

hearthhaven,

If your Recruit fails anything other than Battle Stations you will know well in advance. And in that case he won't be doing Battle stations with his division.

Now, turn some of that positive energy back onto yourself. And as always, no news is good news.

hearthhaven, see the info in Battle Stations-21 (BST).  You will know early in the week or before if there is a problem.

Cryptodad. yes, people do fail BST--a VERY small number. No one has failed BST more than once though and most of the time they will have PIR on time anyway, but there have been some who did not--that is VERY rare. See Battle Stations-21 (BST).

Has any Recruit ever been discharged from the Navy for failure to complete Battle Stations?

hearthhaven,

Please don't get yourself worrying about something (failing Battlestations) that will probably not happen to your SR.  Like CryptoDad said, turn that positive energy and encouragement that you give to your SR onto yourself~~  Your whole family is going to have a wonderful PIR with your soon-to-be-Sailor!!

diannep,

Good catch!!  I only had 4 hours of sleep and wasn't quite alert enough--no coffee yet.  Was planning on enjoying some when I got to my daughter's orthodontist's office!!

I was wondering why you were on so early, CatMom!  Hope you are getting many more hours of sleep right now!  :-)

CryptoDad:  Don't think we for sure know the answer to that one....since the Navy doesn't really communicate with us!  Although we have not heard of someone being discharged for failing BattleStations, you never know for sure that it hasn't ever happened.

I agree with the others on here, hearthaven....keep your "eyes on the prize" and know you will have a sailor soon!

Thank you all for your calming advice! 

Hearthhaven, our son had PIR on Jan. 30th.  His BS was the Wed. night before and we never got the "I'm a sailor" call. They had so much to do w/ grad practice etc.. they just didn't have the time. I think a lot of us who were there were on edge until we spoted our sailor as they marched into the parade hall Friday morning. They say no news is good news and it's true. If you haven't heard from your SR within a couple of days of PIR then it's probably a safe bet that he's just fine. They have put so much time and effort into these guys they aren't going to let them slip through the cracks over a test score. One of my son's fellow division recruits had to retake the final academic test. He did great the second time and went on to BS with everyone else. From all the things my son said, they helped each other study and prepare for whatever was needed. Teamwork at it's finest :)

That phone rumor has been around for years.  Not true yet.

Face Time in boot camp?  Navy boot camp?!

I know they can get on the computer to get info they may need for their background clearance, as well as call home if needed. I wonder if this is how that mom got "face time"? One of the times I spoke w/ my son while he was in BC he mentioned something about other recruits taking advantage of the time given for these types of calls.

That, or while they had a break over at the NEX, "Ricky Heaven", and could access the paid computers to get online.  Certainly not from private cell phones of their own.

Anyone in a leadership position (RPOC, yeoman) often get more calls because they have access to office phones or computers.  Not a secret, but not mentioned because it applies to so few recruits.

Just received the box two days ago and the cell phone was included.

AOGirlfriend825,

Good to be prepared and get a calling card.  Also, activate it first and make sure it works to avoid any delay in using it in Boot Camp.  Get one with at least 300 minutes.  Think Walgreens carries them~~

Hello Friends!

     "Trust in the Lord and do good;

      dwell in the land, and feed on

      His faithfulness."

                                   Psalm 37:3