Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

words of encouragement for Mothers, sometimes we need it.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

more scriptures for anyone who may need.

5.  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

12. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

Welcome to all the new Moms, this site will give you much needed information, answer any questions you may have and will lift you up when you are down and missing your loved one.

Thanks Mamabear, I know prayer and scriptures helps me in time of need, hope it can comfort others as well.

LOL! Kraftinkat you know when I first heard about moleskin I had to look it up had no idea what it was LOL!

I tell you it is amazing of the things you learn on this site! Love it!

Kraftinkat - not a problem.

Here are the current PIR groups:

PIR: September 29, 2017 TG 47 - 9 Divisions (303-310 & 947) 4 guests

PIR: October 6, 2017 TG 48 - 14 Divisions (311-322, 822 & 948) 3 guests

PIR: October 13, 2017 TG 49 - 9 Divisions (323-330 & 949) 4 guests

PIR: October 20, 2017 TG 50 - 9 Divisions (331-340, & 950) 4 guests

PIR: October 27, 2017 TG 51 4 guests

PIR: November 3, 2017 TG 52

PIR: November 9, 2017 TG 01 (Note: PIR is on Thursday due to the Veterans Day holiday on Friday. Those flying out will still fly out the day after PIR, Friday.)

Click on the date of your recruit’s PIR and join the group to connect with others with loved ones training with your recruit.

CAB. You can order the CD after the PIR. I think your SR has to order the Keel before the PIR 

CS (culinary specialist) go to A school at Fort Lee.  So if your  future sailor will be a Navy cook, then yes, they go to Ft. Lee.

Do they need a calling card? I was unaware they could have one or need one to call.

I love this website; however, I have had difficulty navigating through all the different "groups" and links. Can you tell me where I can find information about what we can send while they are in training? We were under the impression, we shouldn't send anything other than letters. I haven't read through all the comments below. 

Yes, your recruit needs a calling card, but he can buy one at the NEX if he did not take one to the RTC. See Phone Cards and Phone Calls.

There is info in Letter Writing & Fun Stuff/Questionnaires to send to your Recruit on what you can and cannot send your recruit.

If you dig deep there are some really cute questionnaires that will help get answers to some great questions that you may even know to ask yet!! Check them out! I wish I had seen them earlier!

What is appropriate dress code for guests at PIR?  We have both adults and teenagers going? .

Good morning all!!!!!!!  What a wonderful day!!!  Got a call from my Son this weekend!!!!  How refreshing to hear his voice, well, somewhat hear it because he had laryngitis!!!  Poor kid has had the flu, wisdom teeth pulled and now this!  But still upbeat and passing everything.  Said they got extra time for "good behavior!"  lol.  Only 3 Fridays after this week.....cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mom of two-That's wonderful!!! Wow! They really are learning how to deal with stuff on their own!! I can't be more proud of the men and women these SR's are becoming!! My son told me in a letter that he should be calling this Saturday again!! I'm looking forward to it and hoping they are marching better so we get more than 5 minutes to talk!! 

We talked for 29 minutes!!!  I was amazed but he was a little depressed, but hopeful that it was going so well!!!  My little man has turned into a full grown adult!!!  It's amazing to hear the transformation!

Ladies, if you are not familiar with the RTC (Recruit Training Command) website, I would direct you first to their FAQ page http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/faq.html#contacting_recruits: and then recommend that you go to their home page and peruse that website as well. It is the official site for boot camp. My husband found it long before I stumbled on N4M. It was my go to for everything until I needed more details on PIR.

That is when I found N4M, which supplies us Moms with more details and relational interaction that we can't get on the RTC site. For example on the right of this page are several topics of information that Lemonelephant has put together to easily find answers. Such as when will my recruit be paid. If I had known about this site sooner than a week before PIR, I would have saved myself a lot of phone calls to the bank, extra questions in letters to my recruit and time on the phone trying to figure that question out.

It takes time to read through those and I admit, I asked / still ask questions that probably are answered there, but I am recognizing how much information can be found. Lemonelephant knows what is where as the moderator and so easily provides you with the links. The rest of us moms have mostly just recently been to PIR or have recruits in bc and for us the chatting and details are what help us process each new day of this journey. If we respond to your answers it may be based on our recent experiences but those discussion pages have a lot more detail in them than can be shared on the comment wall.

tophermom and other newbies - Welcome to Boot Camp Moms 

AlltheStars - PIR is considered military formal. I went to the RTC site trying to find the answer, but they have reformatted it in the last month, so didn't find your specific question but as I just mentioned there is other helpful info there as well. It was recommended that you wear Sunday dress, or I think Business Casual at least. I had my teenage son wear his dress pants and a polo shirt, but I think he actually wore his black tennis shoes, I don't recall now. You do want to layer and with it getting cooler, may not be an issue but the temp in Great Hall can vary, especially as it fills up. I had a blouse and skirt with a sweater, my husband had his dress slacks and long sleeved dress shirt, no tie. An important thing is to dress so your recruit can spot you and if possible tell them what color you are wearing. You will be able to sit in front of their division if you arrive early enough, so they can sort of take quick glances into the stands, but they aren't able to look up and around.

Whatever you wear, make sure it travels well, is comfortable for all day wear, possible sitting and waiting after PIR on steps near the NEX, and comfortable shoes for standing in line or walking around.

Also, some may have appointments such as dental, and miss calls during that time.  Don't assume a missed call means something bad, it just means business as usual.

And during the first three weeks is before they've learned to pull as a team, it is common to have some disagreements and frustration during this time.  It is true of every division.  It was true for the division (called a company way back when) I was in, and that was well over 30 years ago!  

Is it better to rent a car for PIR weekend or use Sarge's taxi service? I am on the fence. Not sure what is better.

My son is ship 03 division 332

I have heard of no one else in his division?  Weird.........oh well!!  Lol.  I asked if he had made any friends and he exact reply was...." I am too afraid to talk to anyone!"  haha.....It will get better.  He has just been sooo sick between, his wisdom teeth being pulled, then the 24 hour flu bug and now laryngitis.  I would have thrown the towel in a long time ago.  He is a strong little fella tho to put up with that!!!  That's for sure!!!

You will find all kinds of dress at PIR, from not so appropriate, to casual, or dressed to the nines. Keep your clothes simple, be able to layer, and comfortable shoes. It is ok to wear dress slacks as well as jeans. Just keep in mind your Sailors will be in their dress uniforms.

Example of what not to wear:

Just don't do it! LOL

You can ask any question you have in any group you are in. There are eight of us as administrators that float around on this site, and most of us have our groups that we monitor, and moderate. There are also many others that have offered their knowledge on this site for several years. You can get the answers from anyone of us.

All of the information on this site has been gathered by many on this site over the years, and much of the information comes directly from all of you.

Anyone else's son in Division 349, ship 6?

Here are the current PIR groups:

PIR: September 29, 2017 TG 47 - 9 Divisions (303-310 & 947) 4 guests

PIR: October 6, 2017 TG 48 - 14 Divisions (311-322, 822 & 948) 3 guests

PIR: October 13, 2017 TG 49 - 9 Divisions (323-330 & 949) 4 guests

PIR: October 20, 2017 TG 50 - 9 Divisions (331-340, & 950) 4 guests

PIR: October 27, 2017 TG 51 4 guests

PIR: November 3, 2017 TG 52

PIR: November 9, 2017 TG 01 (Note: PIR is on Thursday due to the Veterans Day holiday on Friday. Those flying out will still fly out the day after PIR, Friday.)

Click on the date of your recruit’s PIR and join the group to connect with others with loved ones training with your recruit.

chipmunk and ellen0502, thank you for the information and advice on dress for PIR.  I am already thinking of what to have everyone pack and we're not going for another month!

Good Morning!!!  Does anyone have a recruit on Ship 03 division 332????  My son is in this, just cking around!!!!  Thanx

Good Morning Ladies for those who will be going to PIR, take a cushion to sit on, you will be sitting for 2 or more hours and the bench gets really hard. I bought one for 5 bucks at walmart. My husband was trying to tell me oh you dont need one, well after an hour of him sitting he wanted me to share mine, LOL. they dont sell them at PIR so you are allowed to take one.

Navy Graduation Photos, The Keel, and PIR DVD

Graduation photos are taken on week 4/day 4 of BC and are taken in the Dress Blue uniform. The following week the Division photo is taken. The Photo Lab keeps photos for one year in case the Sailor or the family wants to order or reorder photos. Division photos are kept for ten years.

The process now is for the recruits to pay for the photo package, Division photos, Keel, and DVD, either with a debit/credit card or a money order made payable to the NEX when they pick them up a few days before PIR OR loved ones and Sailors can go to the Photo Lab at the NEX and pay for them and pick them up on the day of PIR. If your recruit pays for them when ordering them, s/he may have them mailed to you and you may receive the photos and frames prior to PIR. The NEX does not accept personal checks as payment; all payments must be made with cash or credit card.

The Keel – the “yearbook” for your Sailor’s recruit division, sometimes called the Cruise book – includes photos of your Sailor's recruit division and brother division if there was one within a black and white section at the back. There are colored photos to remind your Sailor of things that happened while at the RTC. The Keel is only available for purchase during boot camp, on the day of PIR, and during that weekend. They only print up the exact quantity that is ordered and prepaid so you will not be able to order it after PIR weekend. The Keel is included free with Photo Package A or it can be purchased separately for $29. The Keel is mailed about 12 or 13 weeks after PIR – the recruit indicates the address it is mailed to. You cannot order The Keel over the phone. You must do that in person at the NEX the weekend of PIR if your Sailor did not order one. The Keel is included free with package A if ordered on the day of PIR.

If your recruit did not order the DVD of PIR, then go over to the Photo Lab at the NEX on the day of PIR, and you can still get it. The DVD is mailed about 6 to 8 weeks after PIR – the recruit indicates the address it is mailed to. Some, but not all, have been successful in ordering a DVD up to 2 months after PIR by calling the Photo Lab at the NEX. It is best to call within a week of PIR if you want to order one.

Your recruit cannot just buy a few photos, s/he must order a package to receive any photos at all. However, The Keel and/or DVD of PIR can be ordered without ordering photos. If you find out that your recruit did not order a photo package, you can still order them on the day of PIR by going to the Photo Lab at the NEX. You can order photos up to a year after PIR, but The Keel must be ordered before the end of PIR weekend and the DVD must be ordered within a week of PIR to be guaranteed to get one.

You can contact the Photo Lab at Great Lakes at 847-578-6205, but do not call them until after PIR. While your recruit is at the RTC, contact him/her to see if s/he ordered pictures and let him/her know what you would like him/her to order.

Here are the prices as of October 2015:

PHOTOGRAPHS

Package A: $140.00

1-11x14, 2-8x10, 2-5x7, 24 wallets, 1-11x14 division photo (includes The Keel at no charge if the recruit orders the package prior to PIR, but must be purchased separately for $29 if the order is made following PIR)

Package B: $120.00

1-8x10, 2-5x7, 16-wallets, 1-11x14 division photo

Division Photo: 11x14: $20.00

Division Custom Flag Photo: 11x14: $15.00

Drill Hall Graduation Division Photo: 8x10: $8.00

Commemorative Division Photo: 8x10: $8.00

Division "Goof Off" AKA "Ship Wreck" Photo: 5x7: $5.00

Single photo reprints (only available with purchase of Package A or B or if a package was previously ordered)

11x14: $17.00

8x10: $11.00

5x7 (set of 2): $11.00

wallets (set of 8): $11.00

After 12 months the image will no longer be available for reorders.

Shipping: $10.00

FRAMES

5x7 Oak Frame: $19.00

8x10 Oak Frame: $23.00

8x10 Black Frame: $23.00

Division Picture Frame: $32.00

Anchors Aweigh Frame: (holds a wallet sized photo): $16.00

14x18 Sailor's Creed: (reported to hold a photo of the Sailor and a Division Photo): $37.00

Add $10.00 per frame for shipping.

VIDEO

Graduation Video DVD available in limited quantities $29.00, shipping included.

3D Crystal Statue: medium rectangular block & mini light base: 6x6x10 cm block: $86.25 includes S&H

NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGE ON PORTRAIT ORDERS!

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Cash, Money Order payable to NEX, or Credit Cards Only for payments made at the NEX on PIR weekend

Money Order payable to NEX or Credit Cards Only for payments made on reorders after PIR weekend

Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery.

****Navy Exchange reserves the right to change pricing without Notice****

The Photo Lab keeps individual photos for about a year after PIR and Division photos for about 10 years.

Livestream and Online viewing of PIR.

The RTC will stream PIR live at http://www.livestream.com/usnavyrtc and http://navylive.dodlive.mil/ beginning at 8:45 am CST on the day of PIR for those who are unable to attend in person. Once PIR has passed, you may be able to see the video at https://www.dvidshub.net/tags/video/navy-boot-camp-graduation. If there was a problem with the livestream on the day of PIR, then there will not be a video at that site.

Hope this Helps in regards to the photos and the Keel.

A keel is a navy's Yearbook.