Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

I do not believe the site is up and running to join that PIR as of yet. I went to this face book site.

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command it will have information for you as well.

Hi, thank you for the welcome!  My son has PIR date 2/9/18.  He is Ship 14 DIV 105

Well ladies wishing you all a very pleasant evening, and may the calls and letters come your way.

 PIR is just around the corner, already next Friday, wishing all you families attending safe travels, dress warm and lots of Hugs to your Son/Daughter.

Want to thank each one of you for posting and sharing, we all can relate to one thing or another and just to be able to communicate with one another makes it more comforting. You never know you may make a friend for Life. Big hugs to you all and Lots of Love!

Some moms on the PIR FB page are asking a lot of questions that might be answered here: 1) How many tolls are between O'Hare and the base and around how expensive are they? 2) Do we need a certain type of pass to be able to hang out with our SR while they're waiting to board their plane for A school?

I don't know how many tolls there are from the airport to Great Lakes, but it is not terribly expensive. If you are renting a car it probably comes with an EZ Pass to pay the tolls. You just pay the tolls when you return the car. That is the easiest wy to do it. There are also routes to avoid the tolls, but it will take extra time.

You will need to get a gate pass from the airline ticket counter to go to the gate with your Sailor. It will require your Sailor be with you when you go to the ticket counter.

Just a caution about using an EZ Pass, last time I used one I was charged $5 per day for use of the pass regardless of whether I used the tollway that day.  May be better to just use cash, less than $4 each way in tolls from o’hare to naval base, or skip tollway (will take longer though).

I was incorrect on the pass in Illinois it is an I Pass. It is very possible the use of it has changed since I was there. Thanks for the input FIMom. Ask your rental car company what they charge for daily use.

Hello everyone. My son left for RTC on dec 11th. I have yet to receive the box with his belongings or his form letter. We did receive the recording saying he made it safe and we should be hearing from him in about 3 weeks. Should I be worried that I haven't received anything yet and if I don't receive the form letter soon what should I do? 

The form letter can take two weeks, and the holiday may have disrupted the mail.  Hang in there, it should be soon.  As for his belongings, he may not have sent them back, and again, mail/fedex is wonky over the holidays.

Thank you! @Anti M

Pinkster0405 My husband left that day as well. Your sons graduation date is most likely Feb 2nd as that is the day my husband graduates. 

Thanks @Kelz89 I assumed it would be the 2nd or the 9th. I just don't wanna make any plans until I get the letter and know for sure. Hopefully I'll get it soon. 

I have some questions about the logistics of meeting our son at the airport the day after PIR - I've seen that some recruits wake up very early in the morning (3:30am-ish) to get to the airport but they don't leave until much later in the evening. If you need your Sailor to be with you when you go to the ticket counter for the gate pass, does that mean that we'd also need to be at the airport that early to meet up with him or is there a better way to meet up with him a little later? Can he leave our names at the ticket counter so they'd be expecting us? Are the sailors given all the flight details so we'd know better once we saw him after PIR? Since he doesn't have his cell phone yet, I'm not sure how we'd know when/where to meet up. We don't fly much so I'm feeling a little intimidated by the whole process but I don't want to miss the chance to spend as much time with my son as possible. 

My son left for the airport at midnight after PIR. He boarded the plane around 6 am. In my experience, we were not there until around 4 am, and he had already gone through security. He was able to come back to get us. I wouldn’t count on being able to do that. Once my sailor had his orders, he did know what time he was leaving GL, and what time his flight left. That made it easier to plan. Probably not much help. =(

Sailors that are flying out for A School are bused to the airport in the wee hours of Saturday morning. They will start leaving the RTC sometime between midnight and 3am, and there will be several buses leaving. They may or may not know exactly the time they are leaving the RTC for the airport. On Friday of PIR they should all have their flight details so you should be able to arrange a time to meet them at the ticket counter. They need to be with you to get a gate pass.

Your Sailors are pretty much on their own at the airport, however they are still on Navy time they are not on liberty. They can go back out to the ticket counter to meet you as long as there is no chance of them missing a flight. Missing their flight is a very, very, very, very big no no.

Please try and give yourself at least three hours prior to flight departing to meet your Sailor. Yes, it sometimes means getting to the airport before the roosters begin crowing, or the bars have closed, if their flight leaves early on Saturday, but it will give you more time with your Sailor.

Thank you @ellen0502 & @MoMom - your input is so helpful. I'm very appreciative of all the tips & advice shared on this site. There's such a wealth of knowledge! 

It is different for everyone. Mine left around 6 AM so we met him when he arrived at the AP. We did not get much time with him but at least we got to see him off :-)

Make sure you have your ID with you when you go to get the Gate pass with your Sailor. 

Like was stated the Sailors are not on Liberty. They are on orders and have an itinerary and must adhere to it. No leaving the airport. Once you know your Sailors itinerary please do not share it with anyone. It is confidential and breaks OPSEC to do so.

Hey ladies, a coworker of mine had a son in the Navy. He just finished his time. Her and I were chatting about orders from bootcamp to A school. 

She was telling me that Ohare has a USO in the airport for military and families. It’s something worth looking into. She said that her and her son were there until his flight. 

There are two USOs at O'Hare, in two different terminals, one pre-security, one after security.  A wonderful resource.

http://www.flychicago.com/ohare/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/US...

There is also one at Midway, although it is only 24 hours when the weather is bad.

http://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/U...

And to round out the area, Mitchell Airport in MIlwaukee jas a USO lounge too.

https://www.mitchellairport.com/airport-guide/uso

If you can, a donation to the USO in your sailor's name makes a great gift for everyone!  

My son went in 12/4 and received his 1st check yesterday.

Paula,

My husbands pay was deposited today because the holidays.

If he didn’t get paid today it will be the 12th, another early pay because holidays.

Re: Pay - check out the page to the right - When Will the Recruits be Paid? and Information for Spouses - A lot of the timing depends on when they actually get processed and how that coincides with DOD pay dates. My son left for bc on 6/29 and did not get a pay check until after July 15th. - Also, this first paycheck will generally be larger than subsequent ones and also larger deductions for uniforms, as well. So if trying to figure out a budget, wait to determine that until about the 3rd paycheck.

@chipmunk when do they take out the deductions for the uniform allowances and other stuff? I’m scared to touch the pay right now because it was large but not large enough to have bah included so I’m assuming it was for the stuff that’s going to be deducted and bah won’t be until a later check. 

Hello Everyone,

Hope your having great holidays with your families, I know this is rough not having our SR's home during the Holidays. I just wanted to share a link regarding Informed Delivery service from the USPS. It is a free service that the USPS provides, you can sign up easy right online. It sends a digital image of the mail you are going to be receiving in your mail box. It's really nice to see if there are letters from your SR arriving. Here's the link with information about it, also I might add it's not available everywhere so you just have to check your zip code. Also, I think there is additional information on here under "Letter Writing and Fun Stuff".  https://about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/pcc-week/pdf/informed-deli...

@Kelz, the uniform allowance usually goes in and out on the same paycheck.  It is an accounting bounce, you don't usually have the opportunity get your hands on it.  You are right to be wary, but they won't take back anything which has been deposited, they just cut the next pay amount short if there was an overage.  

Thanks for clarifying!!

Please click on the link to join the group for your recruits PIR date.  Chat with the others who have a loved one graduating with yours.

PIR: December 15, 2017 TG 06 - 8 Divisions (037-042 and 906, 907) 4 guests 

      NO PIR: December 22, 2017 & December 29, 2017

PIR: January 5, 2018 TG 09 - 14 Divisions (043-054, 908 and 909)  4 guests

PIR: January 12, 2018 TG 10 - 7 Divisions (055-060 and 910) 4 guests

PIR: January 19, 2018 TG 11 - 12 Divisions (061-070, 805 and 911) 4 guests       

PIR: January 26, 2018 TG 12 - 12 Divisions (071-080, 806 and 912) 4 guests

PIR: February 02, 2018 TG 13- 15 Divisions, 081 - 094 and 913.

PIR: February 09, 2018 TG 14 - 16 Divisions (16 Divisions, 095-106, 807 & 808, 914 & 915) 3 guests

                    NO PIR ON FEBRUARY 16TH OR 23RD

There is lots of information in your PIR groups about boot camp, what they are doing, the meet and greets, hotels, etc.

If I sent my son a letter to the ship/division that was on his letter to us (he has been moved since then and I still don't have his new ship/division) do you think it will get to him?  I'm going nuts without sending him a letter and he has been in for over 3 weeks!  I'm crossing my fingers that the letter will get to him!  Your thoughts?

RyansMom, I don't know if you have joined your PIR group, but they are talking about recruits being moved in a couple of them. If you haven't joined your PIR group please do so, you might have your answer for new ship and address. 

Your mail will still get to him even though he has changed ships.

Kelz89 - My apologies, I was spending savoring last moments with my sailor (home from A school) and my oldest + hubby, who drove in from TX,  and my other 3 children for what will possibly be our last (other than Christmas get together) for a long time, so I wasn't on N4M most of the day. I think Anti M, managed to respond and answer your question for you.

Man I miss my son call this past Friday I hate when miss his call.

@Laughternpassion I will keep your son in my prayers for healing and wish him the very best on his training as well as everyone else. I know it is difficult especially during the holidays for our sons to be away but may we continue to show them support and give them encouraging words and letters. 

Happy New Year 2018 to all and their lovely families. May God bless you!

I got a call from our son ( DIV 073 ) yesterday morning. It was disappointing because the connection was so bad that I couldn't really understand most of what he said. except that he was sick all week and had to be in medical in his rack for 3 days. Also got a letter that he wrote on Christmas eve. So, it took about 5 days to get to us.The letter gave us more information, and we had to laugh that he said he would never again leave a bathroom messy after having to clean the bathrooms for 70 guys. lol He said either it was getting easier or he was getting better, and that they got fitted for their dress blues. I'm sure that is a big encouragement to them. He was concerned about having to make up classes due to being sick and not graduate on time but not to worry because it probably wouldn't happen. If anyone has information about that I would be grateful. his former Marine brother has his plane ticket and we of course have our travel plans made as well. wishing everyone has a Happy New Year!

If he was SIQ with the crud, chances are good he can make up the material ro training he missed.  If he knew he was getting set back, he'd be allowed to tell you immediately.  It is not uncommon to pick up a cold at boot camp with everyone coming in from all over the place!  He probably is not the only one in his division to be sick.  They'll do their best to get him back on track for a timely graduation.

I'm sure a lot of them get sick with being exposed to so many germs, close contact and stress. Thanks for the reassurance. He told me not to worry about it. But sons always say that!

My son got the norovirus when he got there and has had wisdom teeth pulled also.  I believe he spent his sick time studying.  He never mentioned being held back, so as long as he is staying on top of things he should graduate 2/2.

That's what I thought my son said he had but wasn't sure because of the bad connection. Glad he had his wisdom teeth pulled just a few months ago because he needed an oral surgeon.