Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

C’smom2020 - here’s the link :) http://www.navyformoms.ning.com/group/bootcampmoms/page/opsec-and-p...

Po7 - thank you so much, we were excited. I also saw we are getting a letter from him today. He also had written his grandparents and girlfriend as they have informed me they are getting letters today too. We are guessing they were written during ROM?

Kim & C'sMom2020 - WooHoo!!

VintageGal - thanks!! saved me from hunting it back down!

Shanny - Glad you know your sailor's path!! 

Northwoodsmom - I love the fall colors!!! I miss those so much! My kids like to say that our area doesn't really have but 2 seasons - Summer and Winter and the rest of the time they are fighting to see who wins!!

Northwoodsmom:  I love the colors!!  Ours are just starting to change. Rained last night so quite a few on the ground now

While we are sharing roll down the window songs - 

Plumb - I Need You Now

Most of our songs in our house are Christian based, even my husband's heavy metal! But that song was playing on the radio when I was dealing with a lot of family stuff going on!! When life gets overwhelming, it is one of the first ones I go to. My oldest daughter introduced me to her music. 

To answer C'sMom2020 question - sharing mostly my opinion - Yes, look at the link VintageGal shared and keep in mind this is a public forum. Not long ago, I said you should not post Div. #, (not sure if I included Ship # as well in that statement) because I thought those were only shared in the PIR groups (which to my knowledge we still do not have one set up for Oct.). I was corrected by an Admin that it was okay to post Div # here because they are public record and they are! The TG's are listed on the RTC website. 

However, the ship # and personal information such as your city, your profile picture and in "private" FB groups where everyone has to display their full name  - can all lead someone to identify you or your sailor - IN MY OPINION. 

Just keep this in mind, even if something looks private, it may not be as private as we think. Any picture that is posted on here or on FB can be saved to someone's computer to the best of my knowledge. I am not trying to instill fear, I am merely pointing out and doing my best to share some wisdom from my perspective. 

Also, it was my understanding from my sailor that while they were in BC, they were not allowed to share personal information amongst themselves either - so you decide if it is something you should share with others as well. 

Making connections with people, sharing PIR dates so you can connect, that was what we have always done here, it just use to be in the PIR groups. And we also use to have live PIR. Since everyone volunteers their time on here, we all do what we can to help and make the most of things. 

Morning to all the loveliest ladies!!!


DavesMom - my first question is always how long can we talk? Well, I guess that is not true with #4. But they would say an hour and at 45 minutes are told to wrap it up. I wonder if the hour is how long they have to be at the phones but with COVID they have to then clean the phone area afterwards and that gives them time? I hope your phone connection was better than mine! When is his PIR? Ooh good idea on getting the xbox out of the house - just pray he does not try and bring it with him!


Csmom - yay for letters! They condense the training and do not do some of it. They don;t do the gas confidence chamber, they don’t spend time practicing for the grand PIR ceremony and they use weekends sometimes now too.

MY fave roll down window song - is Pour Some Sugar on Me, Photograph, and sometimes any song I know will pop in my head and I have to just sing it!

Kim - the letter I got from my son was a mix of ROM and P days and training days. Mostly ROM..

Kim and C’s mom - my daughter loved being on ship 14.  I wonder if it is the same RDCs - she loved them!

Shanny - YAY! The great silence is over!!!! Saddle up Navy Mom Posse!!!!!

Vintage - DL was in 2016 and it was just them and REO Speedwagon. It was a rescheduled concert because an hour before the last one Joe had lost his voice and they canceled last minute. All dressed up with my girl posse and we were bummed. You got the PG lingo right, lol. We played a lot as we are level 40. Hubby had me man 2 extra accounts yesterday so we could Megaraid. I was gonna ask what DIV your son is in but I guess it is too early yet as he is in ROM still. A LOT of ASMOd kids are going into my son;s division.

Katharine - concerned about your concussion AND your lost puppy. Navy Mom Posse might have to go on an adventure!

I am procrastinating cleaning my wood floors - it is in 8 hour ordeal and I plan on taking it in chunks. I have a love/hate relationship with it!

Ok best get to it!

In a Nutshell - OPSEC / PERSEC - matters no matter where you are. Recently I saw a comment about what bumper stickers on your car can tell someone about your life, habits, etc.!! That was sort of an eyeopener for me, and I don't do bumper stickers.

Have a wonderful day - time for me to get busy!

Good Morning All, It's MONDAY! wow all the great football games did anyone watch? Some pretty close games I must say! Had a fantastic weekend, it's too bad it had to end so quickly, now back to the Grind! LOL!

Hope you all had a good start to your day!

Today's PartyofSeven's scripture:

Prayer for the scripture Below:

Heavenly Father, make us a channel of Your love and blessing to others, and may we rest, remain and abide in You so that Your love may be perfected in us, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.

NorthWoodsMom that is a  beautiful Picture so serene and Peaceful. I love it!

Keep phones close and on High as I'm a Sailor calls will be coming thru. for this weeks PIR (Graduation)

Here are all the PIR"S but not sure if the groups are done yet you may have to wait to join. Until Ellen0502 gets them ready.

Hi Everyone,

It was a buy weekend of picking, preserving, pickling, and painting. I still have a mild headache from the concussion, and I really have to limit how long I look at the computer. I am up to about 10-12 minutes at a time this morning, so I have been able to work a bit. The exciting thing is that people are here bringing in my new washer and dryer right now. I still don't have all the baseboards back in the laundry room, but they are back and caulked behind the washer and dryer.

I am ready to join the posse in hunt of stolen clothes, but I do need help finding my puppy. He's been gone 6 weeks today and I got no phone call this weekend, and there are still no letters of any kind. Maybe they left him in the ROM hotel and he got lost somewhere in Great Lakes? Maybe he fell in the Great Lakes? Maybe a water spout came off the Great Lakes and carried him away? I don't know. He is just missing. When does the posse ride?

Katherine sending you Hugs and healing your way!

Katherine - It’s so good to hear from you and I am relieved that you had a busy weekend. So used to seeing you on here that I was worried It was because of your concussion. I just have to share with you that when I spoke to my son, he had no idea if he filled out the form letter. He said well wouldn’t they have sent it to you? He said he filled out so many papers that he had no idea if you filled out a form letter. The really hilarious part, is that his leader ship position depends on eye for detail. He’s in charge of making sure the deck watch documentation is correct - Ha ha. 

LBF - my first question was definitely how much time do we get to talk? I was amazed when he said an hour! The conversation definitely would’ve gone differently had I known it was just over 20 minutes! But we had great connection and he can fill me in later. I feel so blessed that he and relieved that he is having a positive experience. That’s all we mamas pray for, and there’s nothing that hurts us more than watching them be sad or struggle and not be able to help. Our connection was clear as a bell which is another thing I’m thankful of. I could even hear guys in the background teasing him, especially when he talked about the one time and a few others were “beat“. I forgot to ask if you’ll be able to call again, but it doesn’t matter now. Langan Kohl’s enough for me.With under three weeks ago, now I just pray for no ROM because that’s one phone call I don’t want to get.

Music – just about anything by the Doors or Bob Marley. 

Sorry for all the typos. Hope it was clear enough. 

Good morning everyone, LOL, I am answering en masse... productive weekend, one day in the backyard, and one day tackling my little sitting room.  I have a new doorbell installed, but think I may have activated the motion sensor inadvertently.  Darn thing goes off at random in the night.  Hopefully next weekend my husband's friend will come with his kids and do the heavy work out back, and maybe mow.  My grass is so long it is growing big mushrooms.  My hands hurt too much to use a regular mower.

I didn't really start going to concerts a lot until I was stationed in Japan.  A lot of Aerosmith, their show at Budokan was amazing.  One of my students gave me his Motley Crue tickets when he got better ones, I was up close near the speaker stack and could not hear out of that ear for three days.  I would have loved to see Def Leppard but couldn't get tickets.  Tina Turner was great.  We even saw the Stones in Tokyo. 
In California, we saw Kansas with Styx, outdoors on the beach, way too much pot smoke around us.  Garth Brooks, now there's a show!  He got the whole audience singing a capella with him.  Here, we went to Metallica right in our own town.  They preferred the football stadium right up against the mountains in our smaller town compared to the terrible acoustics at the big venues in SLC.  The moon rose right on cue during Enter Sandman, which was a magical moment.  I have also been to an Ozzy/Rob Zombie concert, that was interesting.  
I saw Quarterflash in Atlanta completely by accident.  We were looking for a certain bar, couldn't find it, and went into a different place with live music.  

Vintagegal, I got to see Zumanity in Vegas a few years ago.  So good.

Love and light, Katherine.  Hey, Phoenixmom!  

Just got back from the store AND....  the clothes have been returned!!!  They were in his wrestling bag sitting on my back porch!  So Navy Moms Posse can stand down on this one but we need to ride to find Katharine’s puppy!!!  (And I just threw load #3 of his clothes in the wash. WHY?!?! Do you need three loads of someone else’s clothes?!?)

Hi Anti M so glad things are looking up for you! so glad to see you on and posting, WOW some pretty neat concerts I may say. I have seen sting, pat Benatar Stevie nicks/Fleetwood Mac, Santana, Van Halen, Gato Barberi and Many others Concerts were my thing growing up.

Shanny glad you received the clothes back!

Anti M- That sounds awesome!! Nothing like sitting under the stars listening to the music. Awesome!!!

Phoenixmom- Love Pat Benator and Stevie Nicks and Santana. They were some great concerts.

Shanny- Whoo hoo glad you got the clothes back. Maybe that's all she needed was to hear from him. And I'm glad you heard from him to.

Let's head up the posse!!

Katharine- Sending you big hugs and love. What you must be thinking. I can pray for you and your SR. love your sense of humor thou. Keep your faith, keep being positive. No news is good news.

Let me know when your ready to go, I'm there!!!

You were definitely busy this weekend. BNH's!!!! 

well folks I will be leaving early teacher conference, so I hope you all have a great day and evening, until tomorrow!

Northwoodsmom:  Beautiful picture.  Colors are starting to look like that here, too!  I keep taking a picture of the progression of the color changes from behind our house and sending them to our SR!  

Shanny:  So exciting that you can start hearing from your SR more now!  Probably never got so excited about a text before!  Lol!  Oh!  And keep me informed of the Navy Moms Posse!

LadyBluefire:  That's good to know that she liked that ship and her RDC.  Can't wait to read his letter and see how he's doing.  I know what he says will be from ROM and P days.  I'm actually sitting here on the couch with my tablet and laptop getting caught up but where I can see the mailbox.  I already went out there once hoping the mail came early!  I'm not anxious at all!  Haha!

Katharine:  You sound so busy and dealing with a concussion on top of everything!  Really praying you find that lost puppy fast!  That has got to be so hard . . . but on the positive side, you haven't gotten a call!  So you know he's doing okay!  Praying for peace of mind for you!  Hopefully, you get an answer to one of your pleas you sent out last week!  But I'm ready to join the search posse!

Shanny! Yay on the clothes being returned.  His letter must have done the trick!

Wow - trying to keep up with all the posts in this forum is almost a full-time job!!

For those with SRs on the Arizona (Ship 14) - that was my son's ship, too, from Dec '19-Jan '20. Not sure if the RDCs are the same, but there were 2 males and 1 female, and he said the female was definitely the toughest of them all!

Katharine - hope you continue to feel better and I am sending many prayers for you to find your lost pup! Saddle up the Posse!

DavesMom2020 - So glad you got your call, even if it wasn't as long as you had thought. When I spoke to my son for the first time, he also didn't know what I was talking about when I said I had gotten the Form Letter, and he said the same thing about having to fill in so many forms that he couldn't remember which he mailed out! He was also a Section Leader, so I remember wondering how long he was going to keep that job - lol. But he did very well and kept it all the way to PIR.

Shanny - congrats on hearing from your son and for getting the clothes back! I'm glad your son can move on now that the GF is gone. God has a plan for them all!

Phoenixmom - thinking of you often and sending you prayers and healing thoughts!

LadyBlueFire - I admit to also playing Pokemon Go! My son got both me and my hubby hooked about 1.5 years ago, and we play a little each day, mostly just to share gifts and catch what pops up locally. I am also part of a group chat to share remote raid invites, so I dabble in that part, too.

VintageGal and Anti M - I love all music, but especially 80's and 90's rock/pop! Fave song for rolling down the windows and driving is "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen! My first concert was Journey, when I was in HS. I've also seen Yes, U2, Billy Joel, Chicago (several times!), Squeeze, Beach Boys, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper... And then more recent groups like Train, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Jason Mraz...man, I miss live music...:(

Katharine - hmm since we don;t need to Navy Mom Posse I think we should create the Lost Puppy Brigade. Did you try that avenue I shared with you? Sounds like you did a lot this weekend considering the headache. Many props to you, mama!

Davesmom - even with typos still clearer than my #4 on the phone! He made sure to tell me he was not up to writing a lot and he’d rather tell me in person. I told him since you are #4 to go through I don;t need to know too much detail on RTC but just how you are doing.

Anti M you are putting a ton of earworms in my ear today!

Shanny- yay for clothes being returned! Was your hoodie one of them? Cause that is the most important!

Vintage - the 2016 concert  I went to was fine, it was a reschedule from before. That one was canceled an hour before show time. We had already driven the hour and half (for some) to go and were just eating dinner when we heard. It was a 2015 concert date that was canceled.

When you mentioned Carry on my wayward son - Supernatural popped into my head, lol. Then the song morphed into “Faithfully”.  My fave Metallica song would be One...so sad…


CsMom Ship 14 RDC were Toto, Solaperez and Liles when my 1st was there...there was also a Coyle and Suttles - not sure their job but there 1 or 2 in training.  I wish I could see my mailbox but it is about a half mile from my house :(

Velvet - if you ever want more PG friends PM me, lol. I am not as much a daily player as I used to be so I am bad about gifting.

I made my goal of the day so now I am going to enjoy a mid afternoon cup of coffee and watch FTWD and then read some Little House before dinner!

LadyBlueFire - I did try what you suggested but they have limited options. If they had found him in the course of their regular duties, I would have heard already. I know he would not have found them though :(. 

For blasting in the car ....  I am schizophrenic. I have about 50 different Spotify playlists. I have one for road trips, one for when we are under flood warning, one for Oktoberfest, a nice communist one for Labor Day, one for rain storms (It's Raining Men!) and one for every other holiday or weather event you can think of. I sing along to almost anything to the chagrin of my kids.

I have an especially fond  memory of Livin' on a Prayer. I played than one on a loop when I kidnapped some friends and drove halfway to Niagara Falls .... the song was the clue to where we were going .... halfway there.  Cherry Bomb for dancing, and all INXS for dancing. All Def, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith etc. on Friday nights. 

I even have 20 playlists at different tempos (eg. 120 bpm) for any intensity of workout. 

Well, we got three letters!  I'm actually giddy!  Lol!  He sounds so good.  Of course, his last letter he was only as far along as P5 day, so he wasn't actually in the nitty gritty yet.  But he still has his sense of humor!  :D  He did say that the last day of ROM, they had MRES (is that correct?  I know what he meant.).  He said it didn't taste bad, but it did unholy things to his digestive system.  Lol!  Other than that, he said the food isn't too bad, and some days it's actually pretty good and he piles up his plate.  He's pretty thin but fit.  I wonder how much weight he will gain.  He said for the most part, his division is decent except for a few who think they can challenge authority and show attitude towards the RDCs.  Hopefully, those few don't ruin the chance for a phone call for the division.  If they can call, we expect a call sometime in the next three days.  

It was great getting his letters.  I've already read them three times!  

Oh!  A question--what is a DEP test.  He thought he may have only missed two questions on that.  

Velvetenor- I love all of those! My sister had her wedding party enter the reception to "Don't stop me now" We had a blast! I miss concerts too!

I had tickets to a Danish rock band Volbeat for my birthday, in April, and of course it was cancelled. I had waited years to see them and they were finally coming to town! So on my birthday my teenage kids blasted one of my favorite songs of theirs, dressed up, brought guitars out and did a DIY concert for me! It was so sweet! 

LadyBluefire - Glad you got to see them! As for One - amazing song and heart wrenching. Our nations' boys' shouldn't have to feel that way :(

C'smom2020- I'm so glad that your SR is in good spirits! It'll be neat to see how much our children change during this time. My son told us that he has already gained 15 pounds! 

Katharine - You are a riot :) a communist play for labor day???! LOL What the heckn bob would that be?! Also, I need your playlist and thats all there is to it LOL Your journey to Niagra Falls sounds like it was quite the adventure! 

And I'm down for the lost puppy brigade! 

Northwoodsmom—That’s Beautiful!!  Loved seeing your fall colors.

VintageGal—Thank you.  It was a little sad to come home from vacation! And then I find out that a medical bill I have been fighting with the provider over since Jan is still NOT corrected!!  They are trying to bill me over 4x the cost of the equipment and I’m not going there!!   If they would just bill it correct in the first place it would have been paid and DONE!  That is My ringtone for my Sailor!!
Carry on my wayward son, For there'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest; Don't you cry no more. 
I love me some Fab 4 too.  I have very eclectic taste in music!  My Pandora shuffle list can be Early CCM and Rock, Then Some Country , followed by songs from the 40’s, 50’s 60’s 70’s, 80’s then some current pop then classic rock back to a Hymn or 2.  I have given folks musical whiplash before!

Shanny—YES!!! Communications at last!!! Call him after 6pm his time and enjoy the sweet sound of his voice!!! He’s a new arrival so they should not be too hard.  WAIT!!! Stop the washer!! Do they still have his smell?  If not wash away but they might and you may want to enjoy it one last time! (Stinky wrestling clothes… no)

C'sMom2020 – YEAH!!! Personal letters are Awesome! 3 letters is OUTSTANDING!!  As for how they are getting it all done, that is the big question!!  I know there has been some training on Saturday where there wasn’t before and I think they just have less down time where they are waiting. 

FB is the Wild West!!  Yes you REALLY Really really should not be putting your SR’s Name address, Ship, Div and PIR dates on FB.  HOWEVER that is for the Mods to manage.  It is sad that some stuff get’s pulled (The link to my blog for example) but other stuff stays.  I know they try but there really is only so much time any one person can devote to monitoring that.  The info you seek is you and on the right. OPSEC and PERSEC - Making Changes to Your Profile

Kim—YES!! Letters!!! 

Phoenixmom—And one stinker game!!! DB’s are really stinking up the place this year! 

Katharine—I’m so sorry that your poor Puppy is still lost!! How many Posse moms do you think it will take to overwhelm the guards?  Think we can get them to surrender peacefully for baked goods????  Heal well and try not to push it too fast!! Concussions are no laughing matter!!  (but your posts are funny!!)

DavesMom2020—We all speak Mom-Heart so we get it! 

Velvetenor—No Kidding!!! I am over 50 pages back to the first emails when I left town!

I had a lovely time just hanging with my sister at her new home in FL.  They live on the beach so we go to bob in the ocean and swim in their pool and eat all the good foods and mostly just enjoy time together!  I was sad to leave today but the real world is calling and DH doesn't want to move to FL so.... Home I am! (I could do without the no-see-um's!!)

BelovedbyHim:  I think she had washed it all because there were like 6 dryer sheets in the bag. Everything has been washed, folded and put away. Last time I got a text from him was at 6:15 and he was still sitting in a room waiting on processing.  The guys had already formulated a plan to get food. They had made a list of fast food within close distance. 

I just really want to tell you all, that we may not have gone through this crazy bootcamp journey with the same PIR, but I don’t think I would have made it through the crazy rollercoaster ride without all of you. A lot of tears have been shed...  I have used my sailor language and hated on the unfairness of Navy life, I’ve laughed and smiled when I was having a hard time to find anything to smile about. All of you have made this process so much easier for someone who hides away from the world most days. So thank you. Each and every one of you helped me feel so much less alone

Saddle up Navy Moms Posse. We are going to find Katharine’s puppy!!!  And when we find him, we are going to stand by and help Katharine lecture him about worrying her!  

Shanny-- Bummer on the wash and wear!  Your son joined a huge Family!! Navy takes care of Navy (Usually-- there are some black sheep in every family) and that is our purpose here, To help you get your sea legs and bearings.  Once you know where you are it's easier to navigate the new life your child has thrust upon you.  We will never cast anyone adrift for a comment or question but we will try and gently tow them to the right channels or help them find a safe harbor. 
You are welcome to stay and be a beacon for others that come along or you may want to chart a course to a new land.  That choice is completely yours.  We are glad you and your sailor made it through the Crazy Storms of BC and now get to experience the excitement of the next leg of your journey!

(Don't you just love all the nautical terms.... I think I may be a bit jet lagged and punchy!! I am going on about 3 hours sleep now!! but I have to stay up for at least 4 more to get back on my normal schedule!!)

Call off Scotland Yard and the Posse. The puppy has been found!!!!!! belovedbyHim .... I wasn't going to bring baked goods for the guards .... apples .... hundreds of pounds of apples. But now I have to find another use for them.

Just got a 40 minute call. Yay. He is happy and healthy and seems to like boot camp. He says the food is good (he thinks he gained a pound or two) and it is not too hard. He did super well on his test (I think he said it was the highest score in his Division), but we were crowded around the phone and the connection was not great.

Six weeks!!!!!! I held it together and did not cry until he hung up (his twin sister cried too). He was emotional, but just in a normal homesicky way .... he misses my cooking and especially the keto baking. His sister had just come home, and hubby of course works from home, so we were all here (except the older siblings). 

My heart is happy now and I can put the phone down for a few days.

Vintage - this is the link to the Labor Day playlist .... there are a few good songs on there too ..... about working. 
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/66qC7XYqlawYKmMoghVgqf?si=Go881za...

Hurray for found puppies and returned clothing!  I love hearing about all the concerts and favorite songs. 

I should be be going to see Roger Waters in a few days ... I guess I should be asking for a refund, I did buy ticket insurance.  Completely forgot until this moment.

Oh ..... and he said that he sent 4 or 5 letters ..... 1 right after ROM, 1 right after P-Days, and the rest LAST MONDAY. So that is USPS. At least I don't live in Canada any more ..... their mail service is even worse than ours. So I can't really lecture him about any of this!!!!!

Hi did get my Sandboxx letter from last week, so he knew it wasn't me ... everything is just getting lost. I can't wait to move.

I am convinced the threat of the Navy Moms Posse brought the puppy out!  I hope it was a great conversation!  I am so happy for you. Umm I may have shed a tear for you reading that!  

Anyone out there I can ask questions about now that he has already received his orders?  They cut his A School time in half. But I have a question about his duty station