B'sNukeMom - You have a Great Weekend as well! 

NewNavyMomof1  - Welcome Aboard!! This is the best place on our group page, to come ask questions, post any comments, say hello, and share how your BC journey. We are here to support you. 

Welcome newnavymomof1!

Whew!  You guys are good! Thank you guys so much!  Thank you for providing your thoughts/experiences.  I will take it all into consideration before making my decision.  I will keep everyone updated ☺ #I GOT THIS - LOL

Welcome to the group NewNavyMomof1!!

NewNavyMomof1 - Be sure to keep your phone close by you and your ringer on loud. Answer all calls, as you never know exactly how your SRs call will come in, especially with using their calling card. My son's calls came on Saturday, but that is not the same for everyone!!

Bootcamp0924 - You are welcome!! And YES, you've got this!!

Bootcamp0924 -- Lots of missing information.... Will you be with her for a Major Holiday?  A kitchenette may be useful.  Is she staying in GL for A school?    Driving in Winter is no joke but they cannot walk from the Navy Lodge back to base.  While it is closer, it's not always easier.  There is NO food nearby so you HAVE to leave even just to pick up fast food.  That is where I stayed all those years ago but we only had the day and didn't really sleep much the whole trip! (Left Thurs am early came back Sunday night/Monday am early! Slept 15 hours the whole weekend!! )

NewNavyMomof1-- If this Friday is your 3rd Friday then I'd keep your phone charged, close and LOUD!! Week 4 seems to be the most common week for the first phone call home and with the holiday coming up, it just increases the odds. It's not a for sure but.... *Fingers, toes, arms, legs, eyes crossed*.  You are looking at a PIR after the first of the year.  IF you scroll up on this page you'll see the Estimated training timeline.  You didn't mention exactly when your SR left (and that's fine) but using that timeline may help give you an idea of what they may be doing.  (Keep in mind that if they left on a Thursday or Friday, your first Friday likely is the following week) The holidays may also delay training so while 10 weeks is normal, for SR's beginning training that overlaps all 3 Winter holidays, you may have 11 weeks total before PIR.  If your SR chooses to "Sign up" for Sandboxx you will get their address and DIV (And thus PIR) information quicker.  You DO NOT have to use the Service but your SR does need to Opt in upon arrival.  This is a recent change and there is a whole bunch of information about it in the September pages if you want to scroll back.  There may also be information above in the Sandboxx pages.

Hi, NewNavyMomof1!  That is so exciting that a letter is on its way.  Hope it arrives quickly, AND you get a phone call soon!

Bootcamp0924 - we stayed in the Navy Lodge with a kitchenette.  We were there over Thanksgiving and used the kitchenette as a buffet for the T'giving meal we bought from Cracker Barrel.  We were with our Sailor for 5 days, and if we were in a room with no kitchenette, it would have been great.  We drove to Wakaugan for meals often, but we liked being near base for drop off AND for pickup!  They were supposed to be free to leave at 8:00, but several times he would text us at like 7:15 or 7:30 and say, "They are letting us leave now." and we'd hop in the car and be there in 5 minutes to pick him up.

belovedbyHim -  Thank you kindly for sharing your experience ☺. I will be there for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Also, she would need to be back on base by a certain time. It would be great if she can get overnight liberty for Thanksgiving.  If/when the weather is bad, staying at the Navy Lodge just might be the best option.  That'll allow me to get her back safely and quickly. 

MomofJoseph - Thank you kindly for sharing your experience too ☺.  We will be there for 5 days and we will probably do something along the same lines for Thanksgiving day. I am looking forward to anything and everything with her!

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

PIR JANUARY 2023

PIR DECEMBER 2022

PIR NOVEMBER 2022

Be sure to RSVP for Sarge's Meet N Greet.  Remember, PIR is on WEDNESDAY this week so the Meet N Greet is Tuesday. Here's the link:  

Sarge's Meet N Greet

I've been having continued issues with the bootcamp.navy.mil website - very frustrating!  Anyone else having issues with it?  I've reached out to RTC for help so hopefully I get an answer soon.

Reminder:

PER RTC FACEBOOK PAGE....(Regarding Thanksgiving)

Divisions set to graduate 11/23 will have the option to spend Thanksgiving day with their family before being shipped to A school.  They will not transfer until Friday or Saturday of that week.

B'sNukeMoM️MMN -- Yes. Page not available.  I have a couple of other websites that I frequent that are also down.  I've been following up with them on their FB pages (At least those that have them.) I'm sure there is something more to it.

Good Evening!! I have been on a little this morning, later today, and now, but I have not had any glitches. Sorry. 

For those of you getting ready to head to RTC  may you have safe travels!! 

Just a reminder - once you have a sailor, or have been to PIR, please feel free to come join us in the Beyond BC group. 

If you have a daughter in BC or serving be sure to come join the Moms of Daughters 2 group.

If you would like to join the Christian Navy Moms please come and request to join. 

Here is the link to the Group Page where you may search for groups on this site. 

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

PIR JANUARY 2023

PIR DECEMBER 2022

Here's the link to today's PIR in case you missed it:

PIR 11.23.2022

I heard back from RTC and they confirmed "the new website is experiencing connectivity issues and causing us much headaches."  I'm glad to know it's not just me - and you BelovedbyHim!

I found a work around so I can at least get the info I need.  Hopefully RTC will get the issue resolved soon!

Oh!! So, it was the RTC website!! I had not been on that one for a bit. I thought you meant N4M. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

For those of you with your new sailors, enjoy every moment!

If you have not changed your sailor's status to Enlisted on your profile, be sure and do so. And be sure to come join us in Beyond BC. 

When you have a chance, be sure to share your PIR experience here in the comments and up in our discussion. 

Happy Thanksgiving! Thinking of everyone here who has a sailor in boot camp during the holidays. Our sailor left for RTC the week of Thanksgiving 2 years ago (believe it or not time does fly). Due to his job we hadn't spent Thanksgiving with him in awhile, but Christmas was tough. Try to find ways to include your sailor in whatever you are doing. I think someone on here did a "flat Stanley" kind of thing with a photo of their sailor. A new tradition might help you look forward to the festivities. 

B'sNukeMoM -- I'm so glad to know it's not just us. 

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

PIR JANUARY 2023

PIR DECEMBER 2022

Welcome Bri -- Please introduce yourself and let us know where you are on your BC Journey.  This page is what you all make of it.  The more you ask or share the more we know what you need and how we can support you through this time. 

Bri - Good evening! I just got on my computer and saw you had joined this group and the Nuke Moms group and you had posted a comment!! - So, you are starting out strong here and that is good. My son is also a Nuke and that is probably one of our most active groups for rates on this site. 

You have a bit of time before PIR, but be sure to look at my discussion above,What PIR weekend may be like for those flying out of GL                    - 

Bri-- Glad to have you here and happy to help.  If you look above on this page you will see a timeline that will give you an idea of what your SR (Seaman Recruit) is doing.  There is also a section above and to the Left side that is titled "Navy Speak", that will help you learn the lingo. 
Right now you are in what we call "the Great Silence" it's that first 3 weeks of nearly no communications.  Depending on if your SR opted into Sandboxx you may or may not have an address, DIV and PIR date.   As you are counting the Days that your SR is in, remember that you need to add a Hold day for Thanksgiving.
The 22 would be Processing Day 1 (P1), Wed would be P2, Thursday was P-hold, Friday would be P3, Sat and Sun would be P-hold days as well.  Monday will be P4 and Tuesday will be P5.  Wed should be be Training day 1.  You are looking at PIR most likely the first week of February. If he's in a Push Div he may be the last week of Jan. but the Feb date is the most likely. 
If your SR did not opt in to Sandboxx you can expect to get the form letter in the mail in about 3 weeks from departure ( Most likely the  second week of Dec) since the letter is not mailed till the last processing day or first day of training.  We advise that you keep your phone handy and your ringer on LOUD and answer ALL calls while your SR is in BC.  Any calls that come in now are usually for more Information and your SR cannot visit.  Those calls are made with their Instructors present so while I suggest asking for Div number if you don't already have it and be sure to tell him you love him, just know they will be brusk and not sound like themselves.  The first "Social" call usually comes in week 3 or 4.
We are here through the good times as well as the hard times.  Feel free to laugh, cry, vent or celebrate (We really love to celebrate both the big and the little things!) so share as you wish.

Welcome Bri!!!  Glad you've joined N4M!!  This group was / is so helpful to me in my journy. My son left for BC on 7/11 and finished on 9/23. It was (and still is at times) a bit of an emotional roller coaster - but I got a lot of peace from learning all that I needed to know from the Moms that have gone before me. 

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving!!

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

PIR JANUARY 2023

PIR DECEMBER 2022

Welcome Bri! and Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone!  My SR had to spend the holiday in RCU - he has three more weeks of rehab for his stress fracture.  I talked to him Thanksgiving week and he sounded pretty good - a little down in the dumps and bored...but hanging in there.  The good news is that he found out he will likely go back to a 900 Division once he is cleared - he was happy about that!  I've sent him several books because all he gets to do really is read. He said that hopefully this week, they'll let him start doing more and he might be able to do the firefighting training and confidence chamber while in RCU to get that completed.  It's been so long and he'll still have 6 weeks left once he's cleared.  Next week would have been his graduation date had not gotten injured.  But he's good and has a very positive attitude.  Thanks for your continued prayers! Are there any Sailors graduating this week from this group?

Happy Tuesday!

Here's a video posted online (6/13/22) that shows the 10 weeks of boot camp:

What US Navy Recruits Go Through

And if you are interested in seeing what happens during the "Confidence Chamber" aka gas chamber here is a video link:

Boot Camp Gas Chamber

Here is my discussion on the Sandboxx App - click on the link:

Sandboxx app while in BC

**Only to be used while in boot camp.

Be sure to RSVP for Sarge's Meet N Greet.  It's held on the Thursday night before PIR.  Here's the link:  

Sarge's Meet N Greet

Latest update from RTC:

COVID Message Board

* * * The Latest Guidance - Revised Pass-in-Review Policy * * *

Due to a change in COVID-19 status, as of Nov. 10, guests attending the weekly graduation ceremony are no longer required to show proof of vaccination to gain access to Recruit Training Command Great Lakes.

However, with the removal of mask wearing and vaccinations, guests should take whatever precautions they deem appropriate for themselves based on their personal risk factors. Vaccinations and subsequent boosters are still strongly recommended by the CDC. Disposable masks are available at the front desk of the RTC visitors center for guests who may wish to utilize one.

Recruits graduating in the next few weeks are being given the opportunity to phone home to notify their families of this change in policy so they may make changes to their guest access lists over the phone. If your recruit graduates in December or later and you want to change the guest list based on this change, it is recommended you mail a new Guest Security Access Form to your recruit. This form may be found at www.bootcamp.navy.mil under the Graduation tab.

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

PIR JANUARY 2023

PIR DECEMBER 2022

CHRISTMAS ADOPT-A-SAILOR info below from the RTC site.

Good to hear about his positive attitude Tootie.. really wish it didn't put him back but better to heal right.. 

Tootie - positive attitude and mental acuity are definitely key to have during boot camp.  So glad he's got both!  Hopefully he'll heal quickly and be back in a division ASAP.

B'sNukeMom - your "monday post" made me laugh! I can sooo relate! Thanks for the chuckle! 

Tootie - that's tough on your SR for sure! I agree that attitude and key! He can do this - just needs to keep patience, focus and determination! 

Got the call yesterday. My son is officially a US NAVY SAILOR.  Soo proud of him and cannot wait to see him.  

lapdja, congratulations so happy for you both. Give that Sailor a hug from us when you get to see him.

lapdja - Congratulations to you and your Sailor!!!!

lapdja - Congratulations! BZ!!

way to go new sailor and mom.. lapdja... BZs and big hugs

Happy Wednesday!