Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Birdie's mom -  Be sure to write your SR BEFORE you send the cards.  NO GLITTER!!!  I Repeat... NO GLITTER of any Kind!!!
Crayon or Marker (Not washable) Only! You don't want anything that can come off and stain or stick to their stuff.  You need to send Around 100 Cards.  Some Div's will have more and others will have less.  Best to ask her but that's the target number (Better to have too many than not enough).  She will have to open the envelope in front of the RDC's so it's best if she knows it's coming and what will be inside BEFORE it arrives. (This would be an exception to my 'No Sandboxx' stance). You can send these in a Large Tyveck Envelope that you can pick up at most post office locations for free.  It's Very Sweet of you to think about these young people who will be away from home for Christmas. (Many for the first time!)

No musical cards either. Those are very fun for the RDCs to hear. LOL

Belovedbyhim Thank you for the information it’s very helpful. It’s the least I can do for them for all that they do for us. I will not be able to travel and visit my daughter for Christmas (IT SUCKS SO BAD) so I was hoping to spend some holiday cheer. This will be my first Christmas without her, but I’m praying that she has meet some great people to help ease the loneliness of not being home.

ellen0502 -- I almost forgot about those!!! The story I heard all those years ago was that a SR got a musical card for his b-day.  The Div was struggling in many ways so when the RDC heard the card they had the SR sit in a chair in front of the DIV and play it over and over and over again while the rest of the DIV did various PT! They got beat and He had to sit there and dish it out.  I don't know 100% that's it's true but Do you want to risk it???

Birdie's mom -  Is she in a Div that is eligible to be adopted for Christmas? If so she will get to go with other SR's to local groups that take on all the SR's whose families can't make it.

Birdie’s mom - I just got my son’s form letter yesterday and discovered his PIR is January 21 as well!  I was shocked because his recruiter had told him the last week of January or first week of February since he had to quarantine for two weeks.  He arrived on November 10th.  I felt really frazzled thinking he started his actual training and I thought he was still in his processing days.  It’s hard not knowing exactly what’s happening with your kids!

HappyInTheValley -- That's about right. 11 weeks instead of 10 but otherwise the timing adds up.

The Expected timeline will look like this
Day 0 -- Travel, Arrival and "I'm Here" scripted phone call (Nov 10)

Week 1&2
Day 1-14 -- ROM (Restriction of Movement/ Quarantine-- Lots of studying and waiting) (Nov 10- 24) Unless they are Fully Vaccinated (2 weeks after final shot) in which case they skip straight to Week 3.

Week 3
Day 15-21 Arrive Onboard RTC and begin P-days (P-days- Initial Processing Days) including 2 days of P-hold (Weekend) (Nov 24 - Nov 30)
Day 21-- Complete P days. (Initial PFT & Run)

Week 4- First week of training (Dec 1)
Day 22-- Begin training and mail form letter out. Look for it to arrive around 1-2 weeks later

Week 5 -- First inspections and tests (Dental May be this week or next... Not Confirmed)(Form letter/ Personal letters usually arrive this week) ( You should be right here today)

Week 6 -8 -- More training, Drilling (Flags and Marching), Fire Fighting training, Marlinspike (Line handling- How to tie up a Ship to the Pier) and weapons lessons, Confidence chamber( May or may not be happening yet, we don’t know for sure).. Warrior training in here somewhere.

Week 9 & 10 -- Stressful!! They have all their final inspections, PFA, Drills, BS21 and Tests. This is the lead up to the end!!

Belovedbyhim I’m not sure if she is or not I haven’t heard anything from her. I hope she can go with that group it would be great. 

Happyinthevalley Yes it’s just hard but if they can do it we can do it lol. My girl arrived Nov. 16th and her form letter said that Jan. 21st was her projected PIR date. I just keep praying Lord please get these young men and women through these few weeks. 

Birdie’s mom--  When is she set to PIR?  That would determine if she is eligible.  IF not then your traveling to GL for Christmas would be pointless since they are not allowed visitors while in BC. 

Belovedbyhim Her form letter said PIR was January 21st.

Welcome to our newest members!! This is the place to come chat and share your joys, concerns, and ask questions. 

HappyIntheValley - Good to hear from you. 

I am glad our two Susan's will be easy to keep track of now!! I have been reading but not able to post much, so glad we had some answers to questions today. If we miss something, please don't hesitate to ask again. 

Elina, looks like Chicago will be getting rain for Thursday and Friday instead of the snowstorm heading more north. Prayers for save travels, not sure where you are coming from but hoping the weather doesn't put a damper on your plans.  Keeping you all in prayers.

Birdie’s mom -- Only recruits graduating Jan 7 are eligible to be adopted out for Christmas.  She will have a special meal but otherwise it's SOP  for them.

I Mentioned the other day that I would share about my Epic Meltdown.  My Sailor has been in for 8 1/2 years now and most of the time I'm all good but there was a time when I was not.  I share with you all so you can see that 1. you are Normal and 2.That it WILL get better!!

MY EPIC MELT DOWN
{{{{{HUGS}}}}} "I will not say 'Do not Weep', for not all tears are an evil." - Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings)
What you are feeling is 100% NORMAL!!! Please treat yourself with extra kindness!! I was a teary hot mess from about a week before my sailor left till about a month after! My husband found this site for me the night we were at dinner with our sailor after he checked in at MEPS. I stayed up all night devouring everything I could find. I learned we could go to MEPS for the swearing in the next morning and how to get in at the airport to wait with him that day. I wouldn't have known to do either if not for this site! I was still a hot mess though! I cried as if someone had died! In a way someone had. My husband and family didn't get it. They told me I was making my other kids feel bad and I needed to stop. I tried but I couldn't The tears would just come at the most random of times! Finally one day I went in my son's room I put his picture on his bed and I LET HIM HAVE IT!!! I yelled and screamed and ranted and raved! I Beat my fists on his pillow and screamed till I was hoarse! I Sobbed and cried and let it all out!! What I Didn't do was make sure no one else was home!! I looked up to see my husband standing by the door, my pup was hiding downstairs and my youngest had come home and left quickly to go hang at a friends house till the coast was clear! My Husband asked if he needed to take me to see a professional. He was truly concerned that I was having a mental breakdown. I Love him to this day for that. I however was doing much better! I had said all the ugly hurtful and hateful things that I was feeling. I had expended all my pain and anger and I was able to laugh for the first time in weeks!! It was HUGE!! So I will tell others this cathartic release is Good. You may need to "Put your SR in a chair" and talk to them. Or for others they may need to Write all the feelings out in a letter!! (DO NOT SEND THAT LETTER!!! Burn it once you get the "I'm a Sailor Call" In Celebration!) Some just need to sit in the shower and have a good cry and they are fine. Do what you need to, to feel your feelings and express them! (Just be sure to warn your family or Make 100% sure you are alone if you choose my method! We don't need to traumatize our love ones or pets!)
You are also welcome to come here and have that total melt down.  You will find that we are by and large non-judgemental and we are very supportive!  You will get through this!

Thank you Chipmunk for the warm welcome and being so helpful. 

My oldest left on the 7th and I just read Belovedbyhim’s comment and I was so touched that I didn’t cry for a good few hours. Thank you so much for posting that and saying what I am going through is normal. I found your comment so relatable and I will build up the courage soon to share my feelings but for now I am so thankful to be here.

Lindsey -- I'm so glad it has offered you some comfort.  That's why I post it from time to time, to let you know you are NOT alone!!

Thanks, Northwoodsmom.

We did have flurries traveling through higher elevation areas yesterday, but overall not too bad. The drivers there knew how to handle it much better than the south Jersey folks we live with. We finish our journey today. 

belovedbyHim, still love that story and I remember the day I read it. For all the new Navy Moms this story got me through BC. I realized I wasn't the only nut job out there and that bought me peace of mind knowing my feelings were relevant. Everyone deals with different emotions during their child's military journey and no one's is the wrong way. Bless all your aching hearts!

Lindsey - You are welcome!! Come share with us when you are ready. 

For any of you that might be on the other side of the spectrum with your emotions, I am that mom. My BC time was much different. I knew nothing about this site until a week before PIR. I had almost demanded that the recruiters keep me up to date on information before my son left for BC and I had the RTC website. For the most part, the information that was shared with me was accurate. Mainly, I was very busy. We had a lot going on the months prior to my son leaving for BC, right out of high school, and during the summer he was there. I stayed busy with my other four children and their lives. I had emotional ups and downs and I still don't think my family "got it" at least my daughters but what I failed to recognize was how much it actually affected my youngest son. I did not have the melt downs but once I did find this site, I became very involved with being here and for the last 4+ years, it is a part of my life. As things are nearing to an end for my sailor and his enlistment, my time here is less and less, but I keep encouraging others to take up the baton and carry on, reaching out to new members, making friends and doing what you can to stay connected. 

Who knows, one day, I might be able to travel the states and meet up with all of my N4M friends. I definitely have a much more global perspective being a part of this community. 

2021 CHRISTMAS ADOPT-A-SAILOR

Recruit Training Command will resume our annual Christmas Adopt-A-Sailor program.

Recruits graduating January 7, 2022, have the opportunity to spend Christmas Day in the local area with their immediate families or be adopted by local civic organizations such as VFWs, American Legions and churches.

Be sure to join your PIR group.  Here are the links:

PIR JANUARY 2022

PIR DECEMBER 2021

New members - if you are looking for a way to get involved  look in to joining your local Blue Star Mothers Group.

Here's the link - you can look for a group in your area.

https://www.bluestarmothers.org/

Here's the Wikipedia link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Star_Mothers_of_America

And here's the link to the Blue Star Mothers group on here:

Blue Star Mothers

And please note that the Silent Soldier poem of course refers to daughters too!

Elina- So happy for you!  Praying for safe travel and some good quality time!

For the last two days (since we received the form letter) my husband has been obsessively researching travel plans for PIR. I’m nervous about the weather in Great Lakes in January and whether it affects travel.  Does anyone have experience with this?  We’re from the Portland, Oregon area and when we get a snow storm here the city basically comes to a screeching, slippery, sliding halt.  We’re debating between getting a rental car and using public transportation or a taxi service for graduation and now my husband’s thinking about staying a few days longer and making a vacation of it.  If any of you have any thoughts about traveling around Chicago and public transportation in January (particularly when it comes to PIR), like does it require a great deal of walking outside and is that unrealistic this time of year?  Over here people walk a great deal outdoors all year long except when it’s icy because the city doesn’t clear sidewalks or side streets so it’s dangerous, but that’s usually only a week or two out of the year.  Anyway, any insight you could give would definitely help me feel better prepared!

BelovedbyHim - Thank you for helping me understand my son’s timeline.  I think I added too many hold days around the Thanksgiving holiday.  So his weeks must be counted by Wednesdays.  I love your story!  The bathtub is my favorite place to cry.  It’s been difficult, because people are always asking how he’s doing - like I have an answer - and even if I’m feeling totally fine (because I am really proud of him and I think the Navy is going to be a great experience for him)… So even though I’m feeling good about it, the second someone asks about him my voice cracks and raises an octave into a horrible whiny tone and my face crumbles and eyes well up.  My voicebox hijacks my conversations every time and I have to wait until the lump in my throat clears so I can sound like a semi normal adult having a grown up conversation.  They’re always very concerned that I’m not doing well, and I try to explain that it’s good and we’re happy for him, but missing him and never mind my voice and tears because I apparently have no control over my body.  It’s so embarrassing, every time.  

I have an eight year old (who worries about our SR a lot), a six year old, a four year old, and a three month old puppy (who we got a day before my son decided to enlist).  They are a handful.  There is so much going on that I don’t struggle at all with staying busy.  I feel bad that I don’t have more free time to write better letters and send fun stuff.  I don’t want my son thinking that we’re not missing him.  

Thank you, Ladies for all your support.  I so appreciate this group!  Sorry about the long message.

Good morning ladies! Hope you are all surviving the winter weather across the country.  I’m in California so we really don’t get a lot of “weather” but it is sprinkling…. Lol.  We are supposed to get a bunch of heavy rain next week so that will be fun.  We cannot handle weather of any kind and folks are nuts on the roads.

HappyInTheValley - My son graduates 1/14 and I made all of my travel plans.  Everything is refundable and insured.  I chose to rent a car after speaking with Sarge.  He said they and all services are in high demand on PIR weekends and if you solely depend on that you may be waiting a while.  Since I’m a big baby (Californian) and am not used to snow/cold I rented a car based on his suggestion.  I rented thru TURO which is like AirBnB for cars.  It was much cheaper than a rental agency and a better car for the money.  We are flying in on the Wed before PIR because I was worried about delays for weather and such.  I also booked us leaving Monday just in case we get the weekend with him.  I figured if we don’t, no harm done.  We will just go explore Chicago for a day or two or change flights and come home early.  We’ll see how it goes.  Good luck!

Jrdsmama - Thank you for the recommendation!  We’re looking up TURO right now!  I think it may be perfect for what we were looking to do - having a car for PIR weekend and then maybe using public transportation the rest of the week.  My husband is our travel plan guru and he always incorporates LOTS of walking into our vacations and after seeing their 10 degree weather there this past week, I was just imagining my face freezing off.  Lol!

HappyInTheValley, Jrdsmama is spot on and I would follow her advice. I am 6 hours north of Chicago and if there is a blizzard they will shut down airlines and highways. Allowing yourself a few days ahead of time will give you a cushion, you don't want to miss this. I would try for a hotel close to RTC and would rent a SUV if possible they can pretty much plow through anything. CHICAGO is known as the WINDY CITY and that fridgid wind blowing off Lake Michigan can cause alot of problems mixed with snow. Dress warm and if you get trapped in a hotel room a few days with your Sailor consider it a extra Blessing, of coarse they have to get back in time and the SUV will help with that. We are predicted to get 8-12 inches of snow tomorrow after getting over 10 on Sunday.  Not trying to scare anyone but just want you all to be prepared.

HappyInTheValley -- That's Your Pride getting caught in your throat and leaking out your eyes!!  I didn't cry because my child was in the Navy, My Husband was when we got Married.  I was just missing him so desperately and the Great silence of those first few weeks were brutal!  You can tell those well meaning friends and family; " Well, NO News is Good News, so since he hasn't called and we haven't' gotten letters yet He's on track to Finish BC on time."  NEVER be Embarrassed by your tears!  NEVER!!! They are the outward sign of the depth of Love, Pride, joy, missing and all those other emotions that you have for your child!  They are NOT a sign of shame and should not be treated as such!  If anyone asks you can tell them the same!
Your description however made me LOL!! Your "voicebox hijacks {Your} conversations every time" .. That's such a good description of how those first few weeks are!

I'm glad you have other things to keep you busy and somewhat distracted!  My youngest was a senior in HS so I had Wayyyyyy too much time to think!  I was also working part time and my dad was fighting colon cancer (He WON!!) and I was his back up transport because my mom had just had her first of 3 hip replacements and couldn't always drive.
As long as you are sending a letter or 2 a week they KNOW the reality of home and they know you miss them too! (in moments of sadness and 'OMG WTF Have I done', they may write home and ask or call home and break down but that too is normal!! It's all part of the process!

Moms of Daughters... Just add an 's' in front of he... Those feelings are yours too!

  Also Don't apologize for the length of your posts.  As you can tell I don't always write short ones and sometimes you just need to put it  out there to process it!!

NWM-- You are getting all our snow!  We have a chance for some tomorrow!! The weather people are predicting 0-1inch.... Knowing this year.... I'm betting on Zero!

If your SR has a SEAL contract please reach out to me privately as I have some information to pass on to you.

Thank you.

Krystal - don't beat yourself up over it!  But yes, it could have been your son but no way to know for sure.....best thing I can tell you is to try to answer ALL calls you get.  If it's a solicitor you can just hang up on them! 

Hang in there mama - sending you hugs {{NMH}}

Krystal -- I'm so sorry.  It does seem that it was your SR calling.  Sadly you CANNOT call back.  Their phones only allow outgoing calls to the best of my knowledge.  Since he's tried twice in the same week he may get to try again.  Where is he in his training?  That will give us some idea of if he may try again.  This is why we suggest that you keep your phone on you and the ringer up as loud as it will go!! 
Don't beat yourself up!  There's no use in that!  I'm hoping he can try again soon!!

Krystal— I’m so sorry and praying you get another call. As I read this the tears started as it this is my biggest fear, my heart hurts for you. Hang in there mom we are in this together.

Krystal - If you are able to change the message on your voicemail, you might want to consider leaving a message, so your SR knows to leave a message or indicate an alternate phone # that you can be reached at and ask for a detailed message to be left.  

Happy almost PIR day!! I have a busy one tomorrow so not sure if I will be on much or not!! 

Remember Everyone Deployed - it is RED Friday tomorrow.!!

Krystal, I am so sorry that you missed two calls.  I hope you get another one SOON!  Ditto to what Chipmunk said about changing your voicemail.  I changed mine to say, "If this is Joseph calling, I'm so sorry to miss your call."  Then I told him how proud we are of him and how we hope to hear from him again.  And then I said, "Please leave a message."  Then my friends would call and say, "This isn't Joseph, but I hope it's okay that I leave a message."  LOL.

Also, I answer every number I don't recognize with "Is this Joseph?"  It completely catches the telemarketers off-guard.  Then I say, "Sorry, I'm expecting a call." and I hang up.

Finally, make sure you don't have the spam protector thing set up on your phone.  My MIL has that and no unknown numbers can get through.  (BTW, all but one of my son's calls came from an 847 area code.  His "I'm a Sailor" call came in as "Spam Likely" - so glad I answered it!)

I know this website is meant for moms, but my significant other shipped out today and I just wanted a place to come for support. This is all so new to me, and I don’t entirely know what to expect. I’ve had a lot of questions answered just by reading through everyone’s posts and comments. My heart aches tonight, and I now these next few weeks of silence will be a struggle for me, but I’m so proud of my SR. He’s been talking about joining the Navy for years, and he’s finally doing it. 

Krystal -- Is it YOUR area code or the GL Area code (847)?  Unless you sent him with a calling card that was activated from your house it's not likely to be him... Even if you did activate it from your house I'd be surprised.

Krystal -- Letters. Pictures in Letters, Prayers, Love, Support.  That's really about all!  DO NOT Send Care packages, News print, musical cards or anything with Glitter!!! (Glitter is like Herpes!!) There is a whole section on letter writing and fun stuff to send your recruit just a bit further up on this page on the right side.  That will have a ton more ideas and links for you.

HaleyAnn, welcome!  I'm impressed you found this group so quickly! I didn't find it on day 1. :-). This is a great group of women.  They helped me so much when my son was in BC.  (He's been out for 15 days!)

HaleyAnn, not true, this site isn't just for Moms, we have had a few Dad's and I know we got have Grandma's and Aunties and a few Wives on this site too. In fact there are some very knowledgeable Navy Wives who husbands are now retired so they have tons of experience to help you. Welcome to this site we are glad you are here.

Krystal - so sorry you missed those calls but if your son is in his first week it’s doubtful he’s called twice, unless it’s his I’ve arrived call the night he arrived.  I may be wrong but the other moms would know best.  When I got calls it didn’t say Navy, it was a Chicago area code and said Waukegan.  Her last Im a Sailor call came in while we were on the plane on our way to her PIR.  I felt awful we missed it but then her sisters phone rang and it was my sailors recruiter with my sailor on the phone.  She had called him and he patched us in.  

Welcome to all the new Moms, wives and significant others.   This is the place to be if you’re missing your recruit.