Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

 REMINDER

* * * New Guidance as of May 6th, 2022 - Revised Pass-in-Review Policy * * *

Starting with the graduation on May 6, 2022, the number of guests allowed will increase to four. If you have already submitted your guest security access form listing two individuals, please have additional guest information ready to provide to your recruit when they call. All guests must have a ticket including active duty personnel and veterans. (Children 2 & under do not count toward the guest limit.) COVID-19 immunizations are still required for guest attendance. Guests 12 or older need to provide proof of immunization (14 days post final dose,) in the form of a COVID-19 vaccination record card, to attend. If you are unable to provide proof of vaccination, you will not be issued tickets and will not be able to attend graduation. This policy is subject to change as leadership continues to monitor the spread and impact of the Coronavirus. Please continue to follow RTC social media accounts for updates and check www.bootcamp.navy.mil for the most up-to-date information. For specific questions and inquiries, contact the RTC Public Affairs Office.

Update from RTC - the Mask Mandate has been removed but you are still required to show proof of vaccination. 

* * * New Guidance on Revised Pass-in-Review Policy * * *

Recruit Training Command is lifting the masking mandate. There is no mask requirement for recruits, staff, and guests attending Pass-In-Review. Each recruit can invite two guests (max, no exceptions) to attend in person to maintain capacity limitations. (Children 2 & under do not count toward the guest limit.) Guests 12 or older need to provide proof of immunization (14 days post final dose,) in the form of a COVID-19 vaccination record card, to attend. If you are unable to provide proof of vaccination, you will not be able to attend, and will not be issued tickets to attend. This policy is subject to change as leadership continues to monitor the spread and impact of the Coronavirus. Please continue to follow RTC social media accounts for updates and check www.bootcamp.navy.mil for the most up-to-date information. For specific questions and inquiries, contact the RTC Public Affairs Office.

**Although the mask mandate has been lifted RTC suggests you still carry a mask with you as the requirements could change at any time.

USPS Informed Delivery - Sign up and receive an email from the US Postal Service showing what mail you will be getting each day (if available in your area).  

Informed Delivery®

Good Morning Everyone and welcome to our group. We are glad that you are here.

No question is ever dumb and someone will answer you. We are here for you to laugh, cry, and support you as you go thru this new journey with your loved one/s.

Staying busy is key to help you thru those first few weeks of boot camp.

Keep your phone on you at all times and that ringer on loud.

You don't want to miss any calls that may be coming thru.

 ON FRIDAYS WE WEAR RED TO REMEMBER EVERYONE DEPLOYED!!!

i HAVE MINE ON!!  :)

Partyofseven - I have my RED on too!!

Happy PIR for anyone that is there!!

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

PIR is happening right now -here's the link:

LIVE PIR MAY 27 2022

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

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

PIR JUNE 2022

Posting early, since I might not have an opportunity tomorrow.

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

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

PIR JUNE 2022

***NOTICE FROM RTC 6/1/2022*** - MASKS ARE REQUIRED AGAIN

Lake County, Illinois, has moved to Community Transmission level HIGH.

Effective immediately, everyone must wear masks indoors at Naval Station Great Lakes, which means all guests attending the graduation ceremony are required to wear a mask while indoors for ticket pickup at the Welcome Center and while indoors at Recruit Training Command. The number of guests allowed has increased to four. If you have already submitted your guest security access form listing two individuals, please have additional guest information ready to provide to your recruit when they call. All guests must have a ticket including active duty personnel and veterans. (Children 2 & under do not count toward the guest limit.) COVID-19 immunizations are still required for guest attendance. Guests 12 or older need to provide proof of immunization (14 days post final dose,) in the form of a COVID-19 vaccination record card, to attend. If you are unable to provide proof of vaccination, you will not be issued tickets and will not be able to attend graduation. REMINDER: Policies regarding the graduation ceremony can change at any time due to changes in our health protection status and policy. Please continue to follow RTC social media accounts for updates and check www.bootcamp.navy.mil for the most up-to-date information. For specific questions and inquiries, contact the RTC Public Affairs Office.

Welcome to our new members!! We are glad you have joined us. If your SR is getting ready to leave for BC, we are here to answer any questions now and while they are away. 

Here are links to some other articles on this site that might be helpful - 

New in 2022 - Ten Weeks BC

Sandboxx App for BC

Lemonelephant's post - things to do before leaving for BC

I can't find the specific discussion - but there is one discussion that is important - Be sure to talk to your SR (seaman recruit) about any family issues, health & well-being as well. Do they want to be notified of any family emergencies while at BC? 

Also know that the American Red Cross might call to just inform you of how to utilize their resources - so do not be surprised. 

Keep your phones close by and ringers on loud. The scripted, 
"I'm here" call, may come very late at night, and I thought it was an automated message, my son sounded so robotic on the phone - he was reading off of a script. I just kept saying, "I love you", and never really heard what he said. 

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

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

PIR JUNE 2022

                               REMINDER

***NOTICE FROM RTC 6/1/2022*** - MASKS ARE REQUIRED AGAIN

Lake County, Illinois, has moved to Community Transmission level HIGH.

Effective immediately, everyone must wear masks indoors at Naval Station Great Lakes, which means all guests attending the graduation ceremony are required to wear a mask while indoors for ticket pickup at the Welcome Center and while indoors at Recruit Training Command. The number of guests allowed has increased to four. If you have already submitted your guest security access form listing two individuals, please have additional guest information ready to provide to your recruit when they call. All guests must have a ticket including active duty personnel and veterans. (Children 2 & under do not count toward the guest limit.) COVID-19 immunizations are still required for guest attendance. Guests 12 or older need to provide proof of immunization (14 days post final dose,) in the form of a COVID-19 vaccination record card, to attend. If you are unable to provide proof of vaccination, you will not be issued tickets and will not be able to attend graduation. REMINDER: Policies regarding the graduation ceremony can change at any time due to changes in our health protection status and policy. Please continue to follow RTC social media accounts for updates and check www.bootcamp.navy.mil for the most up-to-date information. For specific questions and inquiries, contact the RTC Public Affairs Office.

Happy Friday!

Here's the live stream for today's PIR:

PIR JUNE 3, 2022

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

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

PIR JUNE 2022

Reminder - no Meet N Greets in June as Sarge is having surgery.

We had a family day for my husband's work, and I proudly wore my RED shirt as I traversed our local attraction. 

Keep your phones close by and ringer on loud - I am hopeful that some of you might get calls from your SR!!

Did we have anyone at PIR yesterday? Enjoy your time with your sailor and when you come home, be sure to share your experience here for our other members to glean from and come join the Beyond BC group.

Good Morning Everyone!! 

I hope that you had a great weekend. Did anyone get a call from their SR?   Did anyone attend PIR? If you did, I am sure you are resting up or traveling home. That was one of the most joyous, but longest and very tiring weekends of my motherhood. I think even more so that two weddings, because we drove to PIR. But I am glad we drove as it gave us a lot more flexibility. 

Welcome to our newest recent members - Lisa, Athenasbow, & NWANavyMom - We are glad you have joined us. Please be sure to come here and introduce yourselves, this is where we get to know each other. Also, the more you post, the more we reply. 

Be sure to check out the discussion forum above, the information pages on the right here, and the link for the BC videos are in the upper left of this page. 

If you are viewing this site on a mobile device versus a computer, we generally recommend that you put it into desktop mode as that helps you navigate the page better, as I understand. I use my computer so I can see more on my screen at once. 

My son left for BC almost 5 years ago, several of us who have been through many changes to BC since then and prior, stick around and follow the comments, we are here to help you in anyway that we can.  

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

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

PIR JUNE 2022

Hi Lisa, - We are glad you are here. Have you received your form letter yet with your SRs address? Some of us started writing letters beforehand and then we would number them and mail them out when we had an address. 

My son's letters always started out with, "I only have ten minutes to write." It used to be that they were only allowed to write on Sundays, mail was sent out on Monday and with my location, I generally received my letters on Thursday. Once I did not receive a letter and I had no idea what had happened. Thankfully, he was able to call that following Saturday and told me that he had gone to medical for a continuous cough. (This was pre-Covid). He knew that I would not want him to miss his PIR date so was being proactive. 

I did not know about this site for the majority of BC, so I had not learned, "No news is good news" yet. 

One of our pages from the upper right - 

Letter writing and fun stuff/questionnaire

Hi, I'm Athenasbow. My son arrived at boot camp last week and when I got his 10-second call, I was so relieved! I haven't yet received a form letter. I anticipate it in the next 2 weeks. 

My son had been living with me for the past few months. He'd moved in just prior to his dad passing away, so we have leaned heavily on one another. I miss him! Not being able to talk each day is unbelievably hard. 

God bless the Moms in this group. 

Athenasbow - my condolences to your family!! The bond between a mother and son can be very strong, especially when you have gone through so much together. I am sure it is hard to not be able to talk to your son. 

I started writing email messages to my SR, partially because it would pop up his smiling face back at me, but because it was just easier for me. Then when I had his address, I copied and pasted my messages into a word document and printed them. But I had also been able to email my messages to him so he could always go back to them later and read my encouraging words any time he needed them. 

Welcome Lisa and Athenasbow -- You have come to the Best place to get Info w/o drama of FB. 
On this page we are happy to answer general questions of what to expect and we provide support and a "Weathered hand" to guide you.  In your PIR groups you can discuss more of what and where your SR is at. (Although some of that can also be posted here)   This is YOUR training ground.  Here is where you learn about things like OPSEC and PERSEC, What life as a Navy mom may be like, what others have experienced and if it ever becomes too much... You will find the most caring people to lift you us when you think the waves may overwhelm you.

Hi Lisa & Athenasbow! Welcome, welcome! This is the place to BE...be puzzled, be nervous, be confused, be upset, AND be happy, be supported, be heard, be excited and be informed. There's a wealth of advice, comfort and help on this site! I found these ladies when I was uncertain of my daughter's choice, but they held my hand while encouraging me to have faith in her path in the Navy, and dontcha know...its been great. I've grown and learned and so will you! Both of you have  already shown great strength and patience with saying goodbye to two of the most important men in your life, so you've got what it takes to be a Navy Mom. Glad to have you both aboard!

Lisa & Athenasbow - just remembered CRUCIAL advice! Keep your phone on and turned up all the time! You never know when your SR will call. Sometimes eaaarrly in the morning!  And save all your SR's voice messages to replay and enjoy when he gets too busy or too tired to call.

Thank you! I appreciate your good advice.

Hello everyone!  I haven't commented much but I am still here.  We are 3 weeks away from MEPS drop off.  My SR just graduated HS and was Salutatorian.  We have just finished our 2nd and last graduation party and ready for some fun in the sun before he leaves.  I am trying to keep it together, but I think I fail more than I succeed.  He is always saying "Are you crying again?"  I can't help it.  He is my only one and I am his only parent left, with only my mother left as being a part of his support system.  Is it over-reacting as he hasn't left yet?

Welcome everyone! Nice to see some new faces!  I'm Shanny. My sailor is coming up in his 2 year mark next month!  Not even sure how we got here already!  

So I want to say, whatever you are feeling, whenever you feel it, that is normal. We all process differently at different paces. I knew forever I would be dealing with it eventually. He just wasn't sure which branch until he was late in his sophomore year of high school. Then when he was a junior, he spoke to the recruiter for the first time. The day he became officially a senior in high school. We met with the recruiter and signed the paperwork for him to enter DEP. So I had a lot of time to prepare myself. I still cried my eyes out when he left. And every time I got a letter. And whenever someone asked me how he was. I was hysterical when we found out there would be no graduation because of COVID.   Then as I sat and watched the video I cried when I saw him March by the camera. And every time he goes out underway. Still two years later. And man. I got teary when I saw his name come up on my email this morning. Been missing him like crazy today for some reason. But those emails cravl me up and his daily calls,, texts and snapchats when he is in port,, well, those make it worth it. The life of a Navy mom is a crazy one. 

Oh and I apologize for any spelling and horrible words choices....  lights are off and my glasses are on the other side of the room...  watching the lightning show going on outside is better in the dark!

JNMnavymomOH - it is good to hear from you! Shanny did a great job sharing about emotions. We call this the emotional roller coaster ride. 

My heart always goes out the most to the single moms and those who are sending their only to the Navy or other military branch. 

JNMnavymomOH --   I'd suggest reading my blog.  Ignore the stuff about changes happening with COVID but the stuff for before they leave is still relevant.  I just haven't had a chance to update the blog (Add 2 weeks for Sailorization classes that happen after BS21.)  I'll be working on getting a new blog up soon but there is good info that will help you get through the first weeks of the "Great Silence"!  For our other new moms... You are welcome to read it too.  It's just not quite as up to date as I'd like.  Spring was a bit chaotic for me.

Shanny ---- Ohhh.... Yes I LOVE thunderstorms and watching the Lightning shows!! (My pupper hates it though!!)

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

Welcome to our new members - nice to see you asking questions.  Looks like you've got some responses and if there's anything else you need - feel free to reach out.

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

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

PIR JUNE 2022