Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Thank you all for the encouraging messages.  It means so much!

May all of us have a restful peaceful night as we send love and prayers forth over our loved ones!

Good Morning Everyone!!

Please join me in welcoming two of our newest members   Chrissie336 & JproEastMama

My apologies if I have missed anyone recently. This is the place to come post and share. The more you ask and post, the more we will reply. Also, be sure to go to the bottom of the comments and read back through a few pages. 

There is also a wealth of information in the area above. Including in the discussions - Here is the link to one that will help you navigate this site & make friends.

Private Messages - Creating & Sending + OPSEC

Here are links to some of the past discussions which are not in the queue above, other commonly referred to posts and RTC - Recruit Training Center: (blue letters are hyperlinks)

Viewing N4M on Mobile Devices

Questionnaires - be sure to scroll down to the replies and click on the new formats - There are a lot of various options shared in this discussion. 

OPSEC guidelines - if you read the first part of the post that was for well over a year ago - so not relevant to our recent comments - but go to the replies and more links are shared to other information to help you understand all of this maybe a little more clearly. - in addition to: Navy Operations Security (OPSEC) checklist

Sandboxx App for BC

RED Fridays

Blue Candle

What PIR weekend may be like for those flying out of GL

RTC Bootcamp website - This was my go-to when my son was in BC as I did not know about N4M until a week before PIR.

RTC - FAQ - click on contacting recruits for ship addresses as well as lots of other information.

Welcome Chrissie336 and JproEastMama, you came to the right place, these Mama's will help encourage you, be a listening ear and provide a endless trough of information. Their friendship and compassion will help ease the fear, anxiety, and confussion of the unknown. Please come introduce your selves and let us know if there is anything we can help with!

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

PIR SEPTEMBER 2022

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

Welcome Chrissie336 and JproEastMamma!! I'm pretty  new to the group myself. My son just arrived at BC on Monday this week. Reviewing all the info put together here has been incredibly helpful with all of the unknowns. And the support here is incredible. No one prepares you for just how hard it is to let go.  Miss my boy like crazy  - but so stinkin proud of him. 

For whoever needs to hear this today:  You have survived 100% of your worst days, this too shall pass.

tammybikerunfaithlove -- I know right now it feels like BC will last forever and that you just don't know when you'll ever feel like yourself again, but I promise.... There will come a day when you will look back and see how far you've come and how easy those days of BC was!  It's not because any of this ever gets easier but because you will get stronger!! And if it brings you any comfort, just know that right now you know exactly where your child is, More or less Exactly what they are doing and that they have food, shelter and medical care as needed!! Once they get in the fleet... They are turned loose to be "Adults"!!!! (That's way more scary than Any RDC in My opinion!!)

Thank you all for your welcoming words of support for us newbies! I’m going to be leaning on you all over the next 10 weeks, for sure ❤️

JNMnavymomOH -- YES!! Letters are the BEST!!!  You are correct about the form letter and the PFA!  You are on your way!

nursekim-- YEA!! For the letters!!  If ANYTHING bad is happening you will be contacted! It may not be as quick as we hope but it WILL be faster than snail mail to home!! Do NOT let that note worry you. 
As for GF- I'd call first.  I do not believe they were still allowing folks to view PIR from there.  That may have Changed but I do know that most hotels in the area had a viewing and she can 100% watch it from the room via the livestream! Your Sailor actually gets to pick who the 3 are but yes, letting him know you have Brother, you and Dad is a good idea.
Not to be a Debbie Downer but BC is hard on young love.  Encourage them both but just be aware that Boot Camp Breakups do happen.  I just share for it to be another reason to have dad on the guest list.

Northwoodsmom -- I suspect they could and would take on the hordes of Momma Bears!! Those RDC's are tough!  And it's because of them that our kids are trained well!

Amy -- AMEN!! You are spot on with that bit of advice!!

belovedbyHim thank you.... it does feel hard - but you're right - I know it will be even harder when he's deployed somewhere. One day a time.  

To add a little humor, someone posted this on a facebook group I'm in for Navy Bootcamp....  "This too shall pass, it will pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass"  LOL  - needed that chuckle this morning - so hopefully someone here can enjoy it too! 

Have a blessed day all of you. Praying for our sailors and for all of us moms! BNMHs :) 

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

PIR SEPTEMBER 2022

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

Good afternoon / evening everyone - it is a busy day for me. 

If you did not see the new post in the discussion above by NavyMomOmaha here is the link or look above - Boot Camp Day 3

Chrissie336 & JproEastMama - -hi Moms! Glad you could join us! If you never ask a question but read lots of posts...or if you ask LOTS of questions  AND read lots of posts, either one is fine. Somebody here among us will have an answer, or we'll help you find someone who does. NO question is silly and no emotion is unimportant. We've all been there: the crying, the depression, the fretting, the uncertainty, the WAITING. But it's all good because we'll help you get thru to the other side...PIR and being so proud of your kid your heart will feel like its about to burst!

And I've got my RED on too!

Here's the link to today's PIR - happening now.

LIVE PIR JULY 15

I have my RED on!! Last week my son's ship was out to sea and so I wore my shirt from his ship FRG (Family Readiness Group) fundraiser. This week, I have my RED Mom shirt on. 

Wear RED on Fridays

Chrisie336 - You are welcome!!

NavyMomOmaha & Danamom - Welcome to the group, we are glad you have joined us!

Q'sMomma - I know you had a "real" phone call from your son. Have you received any letters yet? 

Navymom57 - How are you doing? Have you heard more from your son? Are you able to make connections in any other groups? 

Welcome to our group - IT-Mom2Laz  we are glad to have you aboard! This is the place to come and say hello!

Morning!  Sitting here waiting for my first 'real' letter to get here.  I hope it's good and doesn't make me worry more (as if that is even possible)

Here's a poem about becoming a sailor.NavyPoem.docx

Sunflower- I love that! Made me tear up again. Hard to believe my baby, the youngest of 4 kids, won’t be my “baby” when I see him next month. 

Welcome IT-Mom2Laz, NavyMomOmaha & Danamom!!

Sunflower - wow - I love that! Going to print it off and include it one of my mailings to my son as soon as I get his address! 

Amy- hope your letter comes soon. My son has only been there for 4 days but it feels like a lifetime - and I just can't wait till I get his address. I totally get the whole worry thing - trying not to but same days it's hard! BNMHs to you! 

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

PIR SEPTEMBER 2022

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

Finally got my first real letter, she's seems to be doing OK.  I have been reading so much about boot camp that I am starting to forget where I saw what.  Hoping maybe a seasoned Mom can assist - 900 divisions practice on Saturdays, what times?

Amy - you might also like to join the 900s Division group.  It's not real active but we have some helpful info posted there.  My son was also in a 900s Division (back in 2012).   I don't remember what days they practiced on though.  And they do perform at the the 2 PIR's before theirs so be sure to watch online and you may catch a glimpse of your SR!

Here's the link:

900s Division

Thank you so much!  I am so glad I found this site, I have already learned so much and I know there is so much more.  I only had to google one thing she mentioned. For the record, it was peanut butter shot, LOL.

Oh the peanut butter shot. My son thanked me for his penicillin allergy lol he didn’t have to take it

You might also like to join the Moms of Daughters 2 group.  Here's the link (click on it to go to the page):

Moms of Daughters 2

That is a beautiful poem.  I printed it out and will keep a copy for me and send a copy to my son (if that is ok)  I have sent off 2 middle size envelopes with a couple letters inside each, so hopefully his RDC won't give them a hard time about it.  I had to look up the Peanut Butter shot.  We are officially 2 weeks in.  I'm going to research the pet friendly hotels and make reservations. 

I tend to stay at the sonesta suites on white oak and it is pet friendly and fairly close to base. 

Sunflower - Thank you for sharing the poem!

Trey - Thanks for sharing the hotel. We stayed at one of the really cheap motels with just a continental (pastry/coffee) breakfast, but it was the closest and had a shuttle. It was not what most people would prefer but considering that we ended up checking out of the motel at 1 AM in the morning on Saturday, just so we could meet our son at the airport and spend more time with him there (he had the earliest flight out) than we got to on Friday after PIR, I was glad I had not paid for an expensive hotel with a fancy breakfast. (Pre-Covid).

Do be sure to double check with your motels, call and talk to them directly. There are still a lot of places that are not 100% up to what their websites indicate, as we learned recently on our vacation. 

So, "Peanut Butter" shot - Military.com with that said, have any of your SRs mentioned getting their wisdom teeth pulled? That is another common occurrence during the early days at BC. They get SIQ (Sick in Quarters), unless they are like my son who did not need to have his wisdom teeth pulled so instead was put on watch standings with the few other sailors available. As I recall, he said the worse one was sometime in the middle of the night. The few available had to rotate their shifts quite a bit. 

tgcunny - You are half way there!!!

My son’s a sailor!! Received the call today! Thank you God. 

tammybikerunfaithlove, Amy -- It's totally normal to be wondering and worrying.  You literally went from being a mom who had some semblance of control to knowing nothing and controlling nothing all in one day!!

Amy -- Saturday practices are all day on Saturday.

WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP!!! ATTENTION ON DECK!!! WE HAVE A SAILOR!!! Congratulations to Lisa and her Sailor!!

Good Morning Everyone!!

Congratulations to our newest sailor!! - Lisa's son

Lisa - I invite you to come join us in the Beyond BC group. This group is for anyone one with an enlisted sailor after they have completed PIR. It is mostly a community to support each other throughout your Navy life after BC, we ask questions, share answers, but also continue to share our ups and downs of daily life. A place to stay connected with fellow Navy family members no matter where your sailor is stationed or what their job is. 

Lisa, congratulations , I am sure you are anxious to throw your arms around him for that first amazing Sailor hug. It is a big deal and I pray you can go and enjoy celebrating with him!

so happy for you lisa... it's an amazing feeling, almost as good as that first hug.. congrats.. you made it... 

CONGRATS LISA!! That's fantastic news! So happy for you and your son. You must be so proud!! 

Lisa - Go Lisa, go Lisa! Got a Sailor! Got a Sailor! You're walking on sunshine, wellll! You're walking on sunshine, yeah, and don't it feel good?!! Bravo to your Sailor!

Got my first call from my SR today, so glad I didn't miss it.  It was hard though, she was crying which made me cry too.  

Amy --- Those first phone calls can be such a mixed bag!! On the one hand you are so Thrilled to finally hear from them but on the other they are Emotionally loaded!!! Tears are quite Common!! I'm so happy you got to talk to her and get updated on how she's doing!! The more regular your communications the fewer tears there will be (Until PIR when the PRIDE just overwhelms you so much it has to leak out your eyes!!)

I’m glad that so many people enjoyed the poem. I guess that I should have given a tissue warning. I put the poem on a scrapbook page along with the Navy picture of him in his dress uniform.