Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

* * *  Graduations With Only 3 Guests  * * *

Attention friends and family of recruits graduating Aug. 2, 9, 16, 30 and Sept. 6, 13, 27: Due to the large number of recruits graduating in each division, these Training Groups will only be allowed THREE guests per recruit. All guests age 3 and older must have a ticket, including active duty personnel, and will count toward the total number allowed. Additional graduation information is contained in your Family Form Letter as well as on the website, to include ticket pickup location and times.

Downloadable version of Map to Graduation Ceremony

Any I'm a Sailor calls?

Thank you Anti M and Jez

What does it mean when a recruit division is "sponsored" by a group? I read something recently about the Blue Angels sponsoring a division, and today the RTC Facebook page has a post about the Black Knights sponsoring a recruit division.Does every division get a sponsor, or just some of them? I want to know everything! LOL!

Good Morning All, Happy Hump day!

From reading about sponsorship they give Guidance and mentorship, they also give awards to those that score the highest in their training, readiness, academics and so on. This is a Great Big Deal. Congratulations to those Div.

Also this is what I had read about sponsorship:

RECRUIT TRAINING COMMAND (RTC) IS SOLICITING FLEET SUPPORT
FOR INCREASED SPONSORSHIP OF RECRUIT DIVISIONS.  COMMAND
SPONSORSHIP OF RECRUIT DIVISIONS BUILDS STRONG BONDS BETWEEN THE
FLEET AND OUR NEWEST SAILORS.  THIS INTERACTION BENEFITS RECRUITS
IN IMMEASURABLE WAYS - IT BOOSTS MORALE AND TEAMWORK, CREATES A
SOLID LINK WITH THE FLEET, AND PROVIDES A UNIQUE LEARNING
EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH THE RECRUITS AND THE SPONSORING COMMAND.

Today's daily bread:

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Today more "I'm a Sailor" calls coming thru please keep phones close and on High. This is one call you don't want to miss!

Good Morning to all the New Comers, Welcome to Boot Camp Moms, this site will give all info on the beginning Process of BC. Please ask any Questions/Concerns you may have. These first few weeks may seem fairly hard to handle as your Emotions will be all over the place, Know this is Normal and it is Normal to want to cry all the time. Believe me I cried for a good two weeks and a Half, and then My Family couldn't understand why I felt the way I did, you may encounter this as well. Come introduce yourselves and know you are not alone in this process.

Please click on the link below for your recruits graduation date. There may/will be info in those groups that will not be available in another group.

PIR: August 09, 2019 TG 40 13 Divisions (275- 286, and 940)

The August 09, 2019 TG 40 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: August 16, 2019 TG 41 15 Divisions (287 - 300, and 941)

 The August 16, 2019 TG 41 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: August 23, 2019 TG 42 5 Divisions (301 - 304, and 942)

PIR August 30, 2019 TG 43 15 Divisions (307 - 320, and 943)

The August 30, 2019 TG 43 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: September 06, 2019 TG 44 15 Divisions (321-334, and 944)

The September 06, 2019 TG 44 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: September 13, 2019 TG 45 15 Divisions (335 - 346, 820, 821, and 945)

The September 13, 2019 TG 41 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

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

Please remember to get your Loved Ones info if they will be flying out. If for some reason you cannot make it to Sarge's Meet and Greet these two or three sites will give you airport info and what can be taken. Saving Money PIR Weekend and PIR Day and Liberty during PIR Weekend. What PIR weekend may be like for those flying out of GL

Here is Sarge's Newsletter:

Navy Boot Camp Family Newsletter

Another Family Guide:

LATEST BOOT CAMP FAMILY SURVIVAL GUIDE

These can be printed.

The Family Survival guide will give you all the info as to airports, where to park. Shortcuts ect. a must have!

Question for those of you who have gone through PIR:  Is it still a tradition to decorate your hotel door?  Is that only for the families staying at the Navy Lodge?  

@WaterLily, we stayed all the way in Chicago and still decorated an anchor! I didn’t hang it on the door, but we presented it to our sailor and he absolutely loved it. It’s a tradition that I was glad to read about!

Thank you Phoenixmom for the additional info about sponsorships. I hope they are successful in attracting more fleet support, because that sounds like something the recruits would really be motivated by, appreciate, and enjoy!

Also, I checked my email this morning and see that my son's form letter is arriving today! (USPS Informed Delivery at work!) From his return address, I now know that he is on Ship 2 and in Division 947. Won't know his graduation date until I get home from work and open it, but from what I've been able to gather from reading here, he may be participating in some manner in a PIR or two before his own. Can't wait to hear more from him. (I wonder if he's a "Stick"--he's pretty tall, so maybe!) Whatever his job there, I'm so proud of him!

Waterlily, I'm so glad you asked about hotel door decoration. I would have never thought of that! (Makes me nostalgic for soccer trips when our recruit was in school--we always decorated our doors with team colors and slogans. Fun times!)

Yes decorate! it will be such a surprise to your Son/Daughter and if you don't have the time the Hotels will actually put a little something as well. I can post some examples for you all of decorations. but it is totally up to you how and what you want to express.

There is so much you can do, we had gotten some jars of candy and put flags in the jars as well for inside the hotel:

Rose of OH - Division 947 looks to have a 9/27/19 PIR.

My son is tall too - he was in a 900 division but he was a "body snatcher" (because of his height!).

And here's the link to the 900's Divison group:

900's Division

Those are such cute ideas,  Phoenixmom. Thank you!

@B'sNukeMom --Yes, I was very curious about "Body Snatchers!" I think my son could handle that job, too! Did your son have to "snatch" anyone? I imagine recruits do go out like a light occasionally. I've felt woozy plenty of times when I had to stand for long periods, so I certainly understand how it can happen.  

Off to join the group...

Thanks for the decorating ideas @phoenixmom! Love decorating around a theme! Time to start a new Pinterest board. ;-) 

A'sSubMom there are so many Ideas, you can even get banners made or make yourself It's just really special when they arrive at the Hotel to see the Decorations. and plus it's a keepsake.

No he never did - but he was ready lol!

And remember, they'll work 2 PIR's prior to theirs so there is a chance you can catch a glimpse of them - be sure to watch the livestream.

We didn't do a door decoration (I don't remember seeing any when my son had his PIR in 2012) but we had made a sign and put it in the room - It was Christmas time so we brought lights too!

We had PIR ribbons too - there's a mom on here that makes them, but if you're crafty (which I'm not lol!) you can make them yourself.  

Rose of OH, my son is in Div 940 and is 6'5". His job? Coffee and lemonade in the awards room. LOL But I do believe, based on the rotation, that DIV 947 is Sticks.

Yes, ErikaWithaK! I am now learning about some very interesting ways that sailors serve at PIR! Even fruit-cutting! (My son would definitely be qualified for that as he worked in nutrition at an assisted living facility during college and had to prep fresh food before meals. If they need an experienced fruit-cutter, then my son's their man!) All I can say is that whatever job he is assigned, I am immensely proud of him!

Those are some wonderful decorations!  For the newbies, notice there are no names or photos for the door decorations.  Good PERSEC practice.

Congrats Brittney!! I’m patiently waiting. I’m so anxious!!

Brittney CONGRATULATIONS on your New Sailor! WHOOOO HOOOO! Sailor in the House!

Waterlily-- 6 years ago I didn't hear about decorating the Door so we didn't.  I think it's a fairly new(ish) thing.  We are pretty low key anyway but since DH was prior Navy OPSEC/PERSEC has been a general way of life for us.  We did stay at the Navy Lodge as well.

Congratulations Brittney!!!!

Safe Travels and enjoy your sailor hug!!

Congratulations, Brittney, and your Sailor, too!

What does a medical yeoman (sp?) do? TIA

Good Morning All Happy Thursday, Tomorrow is another PIR! Those travelling please be safe in your Coming and Going, And Have an AMAZING TIME!

HoneyLemonTea here is your answer,

Recruit Medical Yeoman (RMYN) (RPO2): The MYN is responsible to RDCs for:

1. Assisting the RDCs in preparing and maintaining recruit medical documentation.
2. Coordinating appointments with the Medical Liaison.
3. Tracking the status of all special physicals.
4. Attending the medical/dental brief.

Here is the site:

Recruit Petty Officer Positions - Navy For Moms

If you are attending this Friday's recruit graduation ceremony, you must pick up your tickets in advance at the Recruit Family Welcome Center at Burkey Mall, located off base, 2650 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL 60088.

Ticket pickup hours: 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Thursday, and 5:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Friday. If you are picking up your tickets on Friday, please allow yourself ample time to pick up tickets and arrive to the ceremony prior to 8:45 a.m.

Each guest must pick up their ticket individually and they must have an ID.

There are no tickets available for extra guests or guests whose names are not on the access list. **Guests who do not have a ticket are not allowed on base and there is no waiting area for them.**

Names cannot be changed/swapped at the time of pickup; only the names that are on the access list will be given tickets. Recruits are not authorized to add the names of other recruits' guests to their own list and should this be discovered at the time of ticket pickup that they did, the extra guests will be denied their tickets and the recruit's Recruit Divisions Commanders will be notified.

***Banners, signs, posters, flowers, gift bags, and large bags are NOT ALLOWED inside the drill hall. Please leave these items in your vehicles otherwise you will need to leave them at the guest relations desk inside the visitors center for retrieval after the ceremony. All purses and bags are subject to search.***

As a reminder, taxis, shuttles and share rides are not allowed on base at RTC. Guests will be dropped off at the gate and then it's about a 1/4-mile walk to the visitors center for check-in. Please keep this in mind during inclement weather.
Maps/directions will be available at the ticket pick-up location.

*PLEASE NOTE* If you are returning to RTC later in the day to pick up your recruit, everyone in the vehicle must still have a ticket in order to drive onto the base.

For those not attending the ceremony, it will be live-streamed beginning at 8:45 a.m. at http://navylive.dodlive.mil

Downloadable version of Map to Graduation Ceremony

Please click on the link below for your recruits graduation date. There may/will be info in those groups that will not be available in another group.

PIR: August 09, 2019 TG 40 13 Divisions (275- 286, and 940)

The August 09, 2019 TG 40 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: August 16, 2019 TG 41 15 Divisions (287 - 300, and 941)

 The August 16, 2019 TG 41 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: August 23, 2019 TG 42 5 Divisions (301 - 304, and 942)

PIR August 30, 2019 TG 43 15 Divisions (307 - 320, and 943)

The August 30, 2019 TG 43 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: September 06, 2019 TG 44 15 Divisions (321-334, and 944)

The September 06, 2019 TG 44 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

PIR: September 13, 2019 TG 45 15 Divisions (335 - 346, 820, 821, and 945)

The September 13, 2019 TG 41 will be allowed only 3 guests for PIR

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

For the New comers who are joining Please if there are any questions/concerns that you have please post and ask. Some may want to know how to guesstimate ones PIR well here is the answer:

To guesstimate the PIR date, count 9 Fridays, after your recruit arrived, including the Friday of the week that your recruit arrives at RTC, to get the most likely PIR (graduation) date, but then know that it could be the week before if s/he is one of the last to fill a division from the previous week or week after if they have to wait for their Div. to fill with new recruits coming in. It is best to wait for the form letter to arrive before writing and sending letters, reason being is the Recruiters may not have all the correct information, or give to much info that is not needed.  Letter Writing & Fun Stuff/Questionnaires to send to your Recruit. Also about phone calls There is no set number of calls a Recruit will be able to make. Most recruits make the "I'm here!" call soon after arriving at RTC; this call is from his/her cell phone or a borrowed cell phone. Most Sailors will make one or more calls to say, "I'm a Sailor!" Recruits are often permitted to make an "I'm still alive!" call in about week 3 or 4 and have usually received mail by that time, but that call can be lost for any number of reasons. Recruits have also been able to make a very short call within a week or so of arrival at times just because the RDC was in a good mood. Calls before week 3 or 4 are most often due to needing additional information, often to assist with Security Clearance. Phone Cards and Phone Calls.

Some may wonder how will my Son/Daughter be able to buy things such as Hygiene, Cold meds. Here is the site that will explain. When Will the Recruits be Paid? and Information for Spouses