Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Thanks, Marixi.

Federal holidays that are not religious in nature are treated like a Saturday and include about 6 hours of training, but no new training and no tests. The only federal holiday that is treated like a Sunday is Christmas and recruits have holiday routine on that day.

PACNWmom, see the info on DOT in Arrival and What Happens at the RTC.

Thanks lemonelephant. That was helpful. Happy Valentine's Day to all here, and to all the SRs at BC!

You are very welcome, PACNWmom.

This may have been posted before but when do we find out if there schooling is GL or another location.

TML, if you know what rating (job/specialty) his contract is for, then leave a comment on my My Page and I will give you the info you need. Each of the ratings and also the PACT programs have a set location for "A" School or training.

Nope, just hubs, D1 & D2 & ME!!  Our oldest D1 is in ND her hubs wouldn't come, just the girls and us...that way we get a weekend with a kid that isn't close AND spend as much time with my Sailor as possible :-> 

Anna- Okie dokie...:-) sorry for misinterpreting!

Onpoint,

You're so welcome on the scriptures~~  :)

Concerned Mom& Dad,

You're very welcome too!  Love sharing God's Word here at Navy for Moms!!

Yep, casual (and wam) is a good way to go at Sarge's Meet & Greet~~  They could even go with more casual/comfortable footwear too....(those teens!)

Blessed Sunday!

   "Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone."

                                                          Romans 12:18

This may be posted somewhere but the Meet and Greet for 4/2 can you tell me where it will be. thanks

I have a question. I will be attending my son sons graduation from boot camp on 2/27. Will my son will be allowed to have his cell phone, lap top at that point or not?? Should I bring it for him?

Bring them.

If he is staying at Great Lakes for A school, you can give things to him once he settles in to his new barracks.

If he is flying to A school, you can give things to him at the airport.

Either way, he has to be checked out of RTC before taking possession of his electronics.

TML,the Meet and Greets for the 04/03/2015 TG are not posted yet. They will be posted in a week or so. You can go to the Events tab above and click on any Thursday before a PIR and find out the info on the Meet and Greets. Sarge's is at the Sundance Saloon in Waukegan.

What is this meet and greet? where will it take place?

Thanks for answering my questions regarding electronics. My son will be flying out for A school.

SSH123, see PIR Day and Liberty During PIR Weekend to help you know how to plan your weekend.

SSH123,

Sarge's Meet & Greet is a free dinner and informational event that is kid and family friendly held the night before PIR from abour 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm. It's at the Sundance Saloon, which is closed to the public for this Navy family event.  It's a alot of fun and alot of information is given out on how to get to PIR and things to do in the area.  Sarge is retired Army, but he loves helping the Navy families.  He also has a taxi shuttle team that provides transportation from the airports to your hotel, to PIR, to the airports to see your new Sailors off, and any other taxi needs.  You sign up for the shuttles to PIR toward the end of the night. 

We had a rental car, but opted to have him pick us up from our hotel to go to PIR for $3.00 each way.  I just didn't want to deal with shortcuts and other drivers.  He dropped us off at a side RTC gate and we only had to walk 50 yards to get to the graduation hall entrance. 

He is a sweetheart of a man and just the friendliest and most caring person you could meet!

Greetings on this President's Day~~

      "Therefore thus says the Lord God:

Roxanne, the form letter with his address, PIR date and other useful info arrives about 10 days after he shipped out. Hang in there a few more days.

Good Morning!

Just a reminder that sometimes the form letter will get there quickly, sometimes it takes quite a while.  We have heard of some waiting up to 2 weeks to receive their form letters.  They only mail out one....so if you don't have it by then, think if there is someone else your SR could have mailed it to?  I understand that in divorce situations, the SRs can request a 2nd letter for the other parent, but most either don't know this or are too afraid to ask! 

Good Morning, Friends!

     "Because of the Lord's great love we are

      not consumed, for His compassions never fail."

                                                Lamentations 3:22

K1's Mom,

Can you maybe just copy the addresses onto a single paper front and back instead of tearing the pages out of her address book? That might be more compact and would leave her book intact.  How big is the book?  Is it thin?

K's mom, sometimes during the chaos of in processing, things get sent back which should not have.  How small was the address book? Was is pocket sized or smaller, fit in a sock, book?  A "regular" sized one might have been deemed too big.  If nothing else, send a list, she will need that.

K'1s Mom:  Can you write the addresses on an index card, front and back and put it in a letter?  She should be able to keep that.

Roxanne, our son shipped the same day with the same rate also.  

We received our form letter today!!! Ship 13 Div 137. Tonya, do you know your son's?

rate= rank

rating=job/specialty

Here are the current PIR groups:

No PIR 02/20/2015

PIR: 02/27/2015 TG 16 - 8 Divisions (095-100, 915 and 916) 4 guests

PIR: 03/06/2015 TG 17 - 7 Divisions (101-106 and 917) 4 guests

PIR: 03/13/2015 TG 18 - 7 Divisions (107-112 and 918) 4 guests

PIR: 03/20/2015 TG 19 - 9 Divisions (113-118, 807, 808 and 919) 4 guests

PIR: 03/27/2015 TG 20 - 11 Divisions (119-128 and 920) 4 guests

PIR: 04/03/2015 TG 21 - 9 Divisions (129-136 and 921) 4 guests (Divisions not confirmed by the RTC.)

Click on the date and join to connect with others with loved ones training with your recruit.

I have let ellen and FTLW know that form letters have been received for 04/10/2015.

PIR: 04/10/2015 TG 22 (to be updated; begins with Division 137 and contains Divisions 809 and 922) Join when it is up.

lemonelephant, I know, I am being nitpicky:

rate = rating + paygrade  

Rank is for officers, not enlisted.  

my son is ship 13 DIV137

Bear's Mom,

You're so welcome!

Welcome back, Forever proud!

Okay now I am being picky :-) (but only because I have never been sure and I would LOVE some confirmation on this from someone like you Anti M)

Isn't the term "Rate" used in two different ways?

1. for Pay grade in general

2. and as an abbreviation that contains both the rate ( pay grade) and rating (occupational specialty) for E-4 to E-9 personnel. "Rate" being displayed together on the Rate Badge worn that shows rate+rating.

Since I am on the PIR groups where Recruits/new Sailors are at E-1 to E-3 pay grade, I only point out the difference between rate/rank and rating. One being pay grade (and then difference between enlisted and officers) and the other occupational specialty.

However, elsewhere I have seen (or have heard) the term "make rate". Does that refer to a Sailor finally getting to E-4/PO3?  

Thanks for any clarification :-)

Regarding pictures... My son ordered the whole kit n kaboodle when he had pictures done last month. He had the individual and division pictures with him after PIR with the knowledge that the shadow box and yearbook would be sent home at a later time. I understand that pictures from graduation are to go into the cruise book and so of course would take extra time for that. What I was wondering is when have others received these items (our PIR was 1-30-15)?  It's almost like waiting for that form letter all over again lol 

Well, in the real world, rank is used for paygrade, rate and rating are used interchangeably. We all know what we are saying.

 But in the paperwork world, officers make rank, enlisted advance, or yes, when they achieve E-4, that is making rate.

However, rate is never used for just the paygrade, it is always a combination term.  An undesignated seaman has only the paygrade, for example.  Seaman is not a rating.  But since almost every sailor is designated, then rate is appropriate for them.

PO3 or E-4 is a paygrade

ET or Electronics Technician is a rating

ET3 is a rate

Ensign or O-1 is a rank (officer)

Have I confused every yet?  LOL, see, what you learn in boot camp sticks for life!

Although yes, "rate" means what level they are at in their rating. It gets confusing because not all E-1 to E-3 are in a rating.  It is okay to be confused.  I stick with paygrade for the junior sailors, or their title of Seaman, Fireman, etc.  Junior sailors in a rating still get called the same thing. Seaman Jones may be an ETSN, but still gets called just Seaman.  Or Jones.

Addressing envelopes is different that addressing a sailor verbally, and depends on the situation.  I can give examples if anyone is curious.

This guide is pretty good, except they group petty officers and chief petty officers.  Not a good thing.  

http://www.navygirl.org/downloads/3-1%20Enlisted%20Rank%20&%20R...