Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Be sure to keep your phone charged, then close by you and your ringer on loud. Are you able to go to MEPS for his swearing in? If not, are you able to go to the airport to stay with him (You have to get a gate pass from the airlines - your SR (seaman recruit) has to be there to show his orders)? 

If not, be sure to tell your son that he and only he is the one from now, moving forward who may communicate to you any of the information regarding his orders, his flight airlines and #s. He needs to call or text you that information. Hopefully he has his phone charged up. Ask him to call you when he lands in GL, it will be the last time you can talk. 

Very late in the evening, early morning you hopefully will get the "I'm Here" call. It is a scripted call that last for only a few seconds usually. I thought it was a recording of my son's voice. I just kept saying I love you over and over. 

Other than that, stick close to this group, you found your way here. Start a new project or hobby to keep yourself busy, Answer any and all calls. If spam, just hang up. Start writing letters of encouragement to him and when you have his address then you may mail them. 

There is a lot of information on this page, it is easier to navigate on a computer, but if on a mobile device I was told to put it in desktop mode. Take things in one bite at a time, there is a lot to absorb. 

ChicksMom03 and Q's Momma - I am sorry to hear that you have not heard from your SRs. I know you both have different situations and I wish I could give you answers but I don't have any. I know throughout COVID there was a lot of missing mail, and separations. Maybe some of those moms will have more words of knowledge or encouragement. 

Good Morning Everyone!!

May you all have a wonderful day!

Welcome to our newest member CBMom

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

PIR SEPTEMBER 2022

PIR AUGUST 2022

PIR JULY 2022

Thanks Chipmunk! My son just swore in and happily he just met another SR training to be a Seabee too! You and this site have already helped me so much with this journey- thank you for all being here;)

Welcome Kris!  Please click on the link below as it has info for your recruit to prepare himself before he leaves.

Recruits - prepare yourself

Welcome Brian’s Mom!!

the specifics of the 900 divisions have changed and evolved since my son went through. We used to have 800 and 900 divisions that were different from the rest but that has changed. Maybe someone will have some info they can share with you. It’s been 2 years since my son left for boot camp. 
also, I think someone was checking to see if unvaccinated family can pick their sailors up after PIR outside the gate for like a dinner or something. So that may still be an option. I may have missed the answer to that one. 

Good Evening everyone!! I called in the reserves!! Thank you!

I have had a busy day and still not done, I hope all are well and I will reply when I am able. 

The two times I have visited my sailor at GL A school this year I went on base both times to and fro and never had to show my vaccine card, I had it with me anyway and a mask in my pocket as well in case I needed it because the threat level on base moves up/down

Trey - That is good to know. My wonderment still though, is that is the A school side of the base and not the RTC side, where things still remained strict, at least for my sailor when he had to report back that night before he flew out for his A school. They could not bring cell phones or anything they had not been allowed to have in BC back with them after liberty, we had to deliver it to them at the airport. I just wonder, if they have to show their tickets (as has been mentioned in the past), to get back on RTC or I thought even the GL school side. I would assume that if you could not pick up a ticket without having showed your vaccine card, then probably you would not be able to pick up your sailor either.

Good Morning Everyone!!!

Welcome to any of our newest members!

I have another busy day but will try to catch up as I am able and post my welcomes on profile pages. This is the best group to be in whether you have a loved one getting ready to leave for BC or currently there. Be sure to post your questions, concerns, emotional ups and downs, here - this is where more members see your posts. 

BNMHs  = Big Navy Mom Hugs!!

Bootcamp living streaming begins soon. Watch it here: (3) U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command | Facebook

RTC Public Affairs - YouTube

or you may watch past ones at the YouTube page.

Recruit Training Command Home Page (navy.mil)

Be sure to bookmark the above site, that was my go-to site before I found N4M. 

RED Fridays

And Remember to Wear Your RED!     On Fridays we wear RED to remember everyone deployed!

Here's the link to today's PIR:

LIVE PIR JULY 22

Ok Ladies,  It's OFFICIAL! I have heard from RTC and YES, Following PIR Sailors are Permitted to leave base and CAN Meet their Loved ones Vaccinated or NOT, OFF BASE! So For those of you who cannot attend PIR due to your Vaxx Status, You can Still Travel to GL and Meet your Sailor at the Gate Following PIR to spend whatever Liberty time they have with them!! (This includes overnights if they are granted that permission/Liberty) Once they leave the base they can go pretty much anywhere that's not specifically off limits so meeting Family would be just fine. Please ask your sailor to specify where you would like them to meet you!  You may not look very different but I can assure you that your Sailor will and you may not spot them right away unless you know where to look! (There is a Train Station Lot just outside the East gates that may do very well for meeting Them!)  HAPPY PIR to Those who are there today and to those who are making plans to attend!!

This is great news, thank God! BelovedbyHim, Thanks for contacting RTC. This fills my heart with hope. 

SoS_Survivor_45 -- You are welcome!  I KNOW you are not the only one but it is still good to know that you can Travel to GL and meet your Sailor after PIR at the Gates.  You would have to leave the hotel before Liberty call on the live stream and all other rules and conditions apply but you can at least get the day (Assuming they have everything in order!)

Good Morning!!

I think I am caught up with reading through posts and welcoming new members. If I missed someone, please come say Hello!! We are glad to have you!

One of the ways to connect with each other is to make friends on this site. When I first joined, Lemonelephant was still doing a lot of the moderating and reaching out to new members and sending them friend requests. I do not do that as much because I also don't delete any of my friends after a lot of inactivity. However, please feel free to reach out to me or others and send your own friend requests, I generally accept anyone that asks to be my friend. 

With that said, I have updated my discussion above, with a reply, because I realized, I never actually shared how to go about making friends on this site - just how to send PMs and some information regarding what is public and what is private on this site. Private Messages - Creating & Sending + OPSEC

Good Morning Everyone and welcome to all of our new members. We are glad that you are here.

I am a mom that helps out on here also. I have not been posting a lot lately as I have started back to school and I've been pretty busy.  :)

I am also a pre covid mom. My son has been in a little over 5 years now. He also started right after high school and he is my youngest.

I always say don't not post someone will answer you and we have all experienced those feelings. 

On the weekends it can get quiet but post anyways.  :)

BBH- thank you for posting that. I thought I had heard it from another mom or read it somewhere. So that is good news for us all. 

Some of the things that I always say on here when mine first went in write everyday. I wrote mine twice a day, once in the morning and once before I went to bed. This helped me as much as he loved getting them. Now, they may say oh don't send me letters but that is not true. :) They want to hear from us as much as we want to hear from them. Then we you get that form letter you can mail your letters off right away.

Another thing boot camp is as much for us as it is for them. While they are getting stronger so are we. 

Staying busy is key. Oh and another thing keep your phone on you at all times and that ringer on loud. You don't want to miss any calls as you just don't know when a call will come thru.

God Bless and once again you will make it thru this journey and we are here for you every step of the way!!

Hey is there anywhere we might see pics of them in training during boot camp? Anywhere that would follow certain divisions? Thanks!

CBMom, if you look at the top of this page it will give you a link to the RTC Facebook page, I never seen my son there but they do post pictures of the training. I know when Covid first started they had pictures of the Sailors making face mask too. When you get to the sight just push on photos. I hope you get a chance to spot yours.

Hey CBMom- here is some other links as well.  :)

https://www.navy.mil/viewGallery.asp

Yes, check out https://www.facebook.com/NavyRecruitTrainingCommand and http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/. They will have lots of information for you. https://www.facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining also has items at times.

https://www.facebook.com/ASBPGreatLakes has pics of some of the recruits who give blood while at RTC. Those donations occur about 2 weeks (10 to 16 days depending on the division) before PIR.

You may also find pics in https://www.navy.mil/viewGallery.asp.

Northwoodsmom- Hey and thanks for posting that.  :)

Hello!  My SR called yesterday and requested that I send her running shoes.  Does anyone have any guidance on sending mail other than letters? 

I have always been told if they call and request that you send something specific, then they have received permission to do so.  I know the rules on running shoes has recently changed where they cam wear their own and do not necessarily have to wear those issued. 

It has always been my advice to have your recruit wear their running shoes to MEPS when they ship for BC. My son said most of the recruits throw theirs in the trash when they leave BC because they are so hard on their feet. Also allows them to have their own running shoes when they get to A School. 

Amy:  just make sure you send nothing else in that box. Maybe a note but no food or snacks or anything like that. Just the shoes she asked for. She will be required to open the package in front of the RDCs. Anything other than what she received permission for could get her in trouble

She is already at BC and did get special permission for her shoes to be sent due to injury.   I am wondering, can I send them Fed Ex or UPS?  I thought I read somewhere that they could not get mail that way.  I just want her to have them as fast as possible.

I was planning to send her a letter and some stamps along with the shoes, would that be OK?

I would say a letter and stamps is fine. No actual "things" like socks and underwear, etc.   I think mailing priority mail through the post office would be the way I would go. All mail has to go through the mail room no matter how it is shipped. USPS would give you the tracking number and insurance on it. 

Amy- That should be fine. Then she can have her stamps right away and a leeter to boot.  ;)

shanny- Hey and thanks for answering. Stay safe out there.

Just went through 15 pages of messages! Congrats Lisa and your Sailor! 

BelovedbyHim, thank you for the insurance information. I was told I could remove my son when he arrived in GL. I read another post on FB somewhere about an SR that got sent home with an injury and had no insurance to pay for follow-up. I haven't removed him yet. 

I got real letters on Thursday. He arrived in GL 6/28. He let me know where he is in his training and just started his 2nd week of training and I thought it would be his 3rd. He said his PHold was long because of the holiday. 

He said his division is immature (what I feared the most for him), goes wild after lights out, and are mean to each other. Hopefully they find their way to teamwork sooner rather than later.  

He actually asked to go home and was told no LOL He is in a better frame of mind now "medically fit for full duty and ready to kick some a$$!"

I've been wearing my red shirts on Fridays, got my blue candles, and have been sending something in the mail almost every day. I love reading everyone's comments here.

Nurse Kim:. I’m happy to hear that things are looking up for you SR!  Remind him that the real navy is not like bootcamp!  Although my sailor made some great friends in bootcamp-he left 2 years ago and is living with a guy from his division in bootcamp and is good friends with so many more. Hope his division can get it together quickly

CBMom -- From time to time they will post pictures on the RTC Facebook page but don't ask them for your Div or Sailor or they will avoid them on purpose! I haven't seen a lot posted that is not part of PIR but I've been super busy and not spending a ton of time looking.
Amy  -- Typically when they call home and are expecting the package it's not a problem.  You can send it either Priority mail or FedEx (Whichever is cheaper/easier) and she will have to open it in front of her RDC's to make sure there is no Contraband so don't send anything besides maybe a few letters in the box but otherwise it's allowed. All the information you got from Shanny was Spot On!! Normally you cannot send letters this way because they don't get delivered any faster and FedEx would be a waste of $$. That said.... Sandboxx letters are delivered by FedEx.
nursekim -- I'm thrilled that you got a Letter!! Yes P days can go long and Yes the Holiday added time to that. Now you KNOW where in his training he is and you can plan forward from there. It's not unusual for them to ask that... I'm glad that he's in a better frame of mind and doing well.  If his Div doesn't get their act together, their RDC's will be Happy to "Assist" with the attitude Adjustments!!
The Insurance issue is such a mixed bag. Yes, the Navy technically is covering them but if they get sent home before completing it, getting back on coverage is a MESS! Until Covid we always told folks to wait till completion of BC then they HAD to take them off because leaving them on coverage was a problem for so many reasons.  I still advise waiting till after BS21 then you have those 2 weeks till PIR to get it done.

Got my 1st phone call tonight. It was wonderful but so hard to listen to him cry at the end of our call. He choked up some during, but man did his tears fall when we were saying goodbye. I cried as well during the goodbye. He passed the running on his 3rd attempt. He is the (potential) Education "something". They are not yet done testing, so he is unsure if he will be needed. He did not get his wisdom teeth pulled, which I am surprised. He says that he is fine and learning lots. He did say the "peanut butter shot" was painful, but not as bad as his arms. He said that he has made a couple of friends. They have a Master Chief for one of their RDCs and it is possibly his first time being a RDC. They just got fitted for their dress uniforms. I got 36 minutes, he didn't want to be late. I couldn't get my son to talk to me for 5 minutes on the phone before. And a letter, but no Happy Birthday. He has more important things on his mind. This mama's heart is so overflowed. 

JNMnavymomOH - So happy to hear that you had a phone call!!, Hopefully his comments will give you something else to write to him about. 

BelovedbyHim - I did not realize that the Sandboxx letters are delivered by FEDEX, that is good to know. 

Shanny and Partyofseven thanks!!

Nursekim - Good to hear that you have had some communication as well.  I am sorry to here that your son is in a tough division that is having a hard time figuring out how to get their act together!

CBMom - Hopefully, you will see your SR in one of those pictures!!  

nursekim- Hi and welcome to our group. I am another seasoned mom that helps out on here as well. My son has been in for over 5 years now and I am part of the pre COVID group.  :) So lots of things have changed that's for sure!!

Whoo Hoo for getting letters. I know the first couple of letters and that first phone call can be hard but just keep encouraging your loved one like we always do.  :)

Sorry to hear that about his division and it's a shame that there are some that just don't get it and it takes a while for everyone to get on the same page and work together. They will work it out it will just take time. 

That is great that he is in a better frame of mind. He's got this!!!

I also kept mine on my insurance until after he had PIR and everything was a go. You will be fine if you leave him on there for a little longer.

I love my red shirts to.   :)

JNMnavymomOH- Hi and welcome to our group. We are glad that you are here. It is good to see you ladies posting.

Whoo Hoo for a first phone call and a letter!! That is awesome!! Those first calls and first letter can be hard as they are figuring things out. They are missing you as much as you are missing them. 

Have a good rest of the evening ladies!

JNMnavymomOH -- Those tears on his end are normal.  Education Petty Officer -- he helps organize study sessions for those who need it.  He may or may not keep it the whole time. (Losing it is NOT a bad thing!!).  Not a Surprise on the Wisdom Teeth... They may still come out at some time in the future. 
There are always NEW RDC's it's just not common for the SR's to know.  36 minutes of Heaven when those phone calls come.  Be prepared that he may call again in another week or 2.  I kept a small notepad on me that I wrote down all my questions and his answers.  I'm so glad that you got that call!!

Chipmunk -- That info was released during the insanity of COVID .  If they were moved to a different ship or placed in ROM Sandboxx letters were returned to sender since they and FedEx packages cannot be rerouted by the RTC post office, Unlike USPS mail.  I'd still send anything to RTC via USPS where ever possible.

nursekim, so happy you got a letter.  I know it is upsetting to hear he is in a division that isn't working together. They will weed out the trouble makers and growup the division by extra helpings of IT(intensive training) not fun for those that have the S together but absolutely necessary to teach them they are a team and will need to depend on each other to make it not only through BC but in their future Navy life. The great news They will be awesome! As a rule those that survive and persevere through such hardships become the best Sailors.  He will need all your encouragement because being punished for all the mistakes of others is a downer but he will shine in the eyes of his commanders. Perhaps in some kind of leadership.  Prayers to your son's division that they figure things out soon and to you also for the worry it causes on a Mama's heart.

Good Morning Everyone and welcome to all of our new members. We are glad that you are here.

No question is ever dumb and some one will answer you. 

God Bless and have a great Sonday!!!

Good Evening Everyone!  Please join me in welcoming 0914mel to our group. Her loved one is at BC and I missed posting the other day. 

Welcome 0914mel! My son went in on 7/21. This is a great place to get info and support. 

Welcome!!!   My SR went it on 6/30.

Welcome 0914mel! My son went in 6/9.