Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

MomofK - I can see your post in the July group.  Can you not see it?

Thank you to everyone for welcoming me, this is going to be so hard for me. This is my youngest son, so we are also facing en empty nest. This is a big year of changes for my husband and I

Hang in there Sandra! We are here for you ;-D

@Sandra - I get it. We just became empty nesters as well. My husband is taking way harder than I thought he would! We had about 2 months notice that our kid was going Navy. We had homeschooled his whole life and thought he'd be taking college classes locally in the Fall, and would be living at home for another 4+ years. That was a surprise! So now our last one is out the door and talk about lifestyle change, esp as he just only got his drivers license. I'm super happy for the choices he made though, I know it's hard to know what you want to do with your life at that young age, and he was excited about having a solid career at such a young age as well. As the recruiter said, our country is basically protected by 17 - 25 year olds! Crazy when you think about it. 

We're here to support you! Are you looking at an August PIR? (Graduation) Mine only just flew to Chicago last week.

@TravelinMom, no I believe September. He decided last summer so we have had some time to get used to him leaving. I figured it would be easy but it just seems like the closer his date get's here the harder it is

 I understand. I was super sad for a whole day about a month and a half before he shipped out. After that, it seemed there was too much to do for various reasons. Not that I don't get sad from time to time but I'm so happy for him coming up with a direction in life on his own (no easy feat!) and acting upon it. 

Everyone's journey is different, and it's crazy what things around the house or in town will get me choked up. I also know he'll be a lot happier once week 3 is done and I'll feel a lot better about it for him as well.

Good Morning Everyone,

My son reported to BC last week, and I received the Sandboxx text on Tuesday. The app information seems to be evolving, and I sent a letter before it was complete. It did have his division, ship number and physical address, but I think it went to my son like First Name Last Name, and did not have SR on it. I have changed it to be correct, (I think), but wondered if the letter will deliver anyway?  

My next question, is will the actual official letter with his mailing address and the Commander letter come from him in the mail, or because we signed up for Sandboxx, will we use the information from that?  (Maybe this is a question for Sandboxx, but maybe someone else has used this and knows?)

When using SR, even if he is E-2, it is still SR, correct?

His brother was in the Army, and back then (8 years ago), it was all USPS, and it is nice to have the Sandboxx app, but it feels different. 

Thank you for your support, it is nice to have this support from other mom's that have been there.  

BennyLj2023!!!

From the time my son started BC, right up to now, even though he's an E-2, his mail is still addressed as SR, Last name, First name....so, yes. He's been in BC since October because of stress fractures to both legs, twice. Hoping his PIR is the end of July.

BennyLj2023!!! - Everyone at BC is referred to as SR (seaman recruit) no matter what rate they went in at, E-1, E-2, E-3. 

To my knowledge (which this Sandboxx stuff is evolving), if your loved one signed your email up with Sandboxx then there will not be a paper form letter mailed out via USPS.  (It is a money saver for the Navy, I assume, is why they are doing it this way.) Be sure to read the comments below by BelovedbyHim about how the mail is handled.  Ship # / Div# & Street address is all you need to start mailing letters. 

Be sure to go to the RTC Bootcamp website and look through all of the information there, especially FAQ, and pay attention to the scroll down bar on the right. That was my go to site during BC. You should find the Security Access Form on there that needs to be printed and filled out. As well as tentative graduation dates. 

Be sure to go to this link - https://www.navymwrgreatlakes.com/programs/e04ba348-f0c5-404f-9055-... - It is not easy to figure out but on that page you should find this link https://www.navylifegl.com/rtc - This one is the information about hotels and such in the area. They used to mail this out in the form letters as well and I don't know if they are supplying the links for this in the Sandboxx texts or not. 

All of the above links are copied directly from RTC website. If you click on one and it gives you a government warning, ignore and just click otherwise it will not open. It is a safety feature on their side. 

patti - It is good to hear from you!!! Be sure to keep us updated!! How is your SR doing? 

Thank you everyone for the information.  

Patti, I hope for July for your SR as well for graduation, it will be well deserved.

MomofK, I know if I have my Schools WiFi on I can not post. I have to shut it of and just use my mobil data. It sometimes will say your not secure . Perhaps that will help.

MomofK -- While many calls come on a Sat or Sun don't expect that it will be then.  My sons first call was on a Friday mid-morning.  He called home and I missed it by just 5 minutes.  His dad got to talk to him for a bit though.  Most calls are around an hour but the first one may be less because they need to figure out how to use a calling card so that takes time and any call may be shorter if there is a long line either that they had to wait in or of other SR's waiting to call.  If they had other things to take care of during that time they may also only get to make a short call or they may choose to skip it all together.  They are NOT required to call home.  That first call home may also be emotional! 

Sandra  -- you are not alone.  When my son left I was a hot mess.  I cried and cried as if someone died.  I was so proud but I was a Navy wife and I knew what he had signed up for. I was such a mess.  Finally one day I went in his room, put his Senior Picture on his pillow and let him have it. I yelled, I cried, I screamed, I Beat the bed, I raged and I mourned and then voice raw, eyes red and swollen, clothes disheveled   I opened the door.... There stood my husband.... Shell shocked would be a good description.  He quietly asked if I was ok or did he need to take me to see some one "Of a professional kind".  I burst out laughing!!! The catharsis was just what I needed but Oh my!!! If you decide to do something similar warn your family or make sure you know you are home alone!!!  This place is your safe place to share ALL those feelings!!! Pride, Fear, Joy, Anxiousness.... All of them....

BennyLj2023 -- SR just stands for Seaman Recruit.  Yes, your letters should still get through even without that but it's good practice for when they get in the fleet.  As I stated several pages back now, they have to train a Recruit to be the Recruit Mail Petty Officer and then they will have mail call.  All letters arrived before that happens are placed in a separate area until that RMPO is trained, and then they have to sort that mail in order to deliver it.  Sometimes they don't get to it right away, it can take a while for those first letters to be delivered.  We suggest keeping an electronic copy and numbering your letters so that if letters don't arrive in order (or at all) Your SR can let you know and you can share that with them.

MomofK - I am so glad the Desktop view worked for you!!

Good Morning Everyone!!  - Today is RED Friday!! We Remember Everyone Deployed, by wearing Red. I started out with just a regular Red T-shirt, but some will buy fancy Navy or Red Swag, wear bling, or now I just wear one of my sailor's Red shirts that his ship had made for a fund raiser. It is a good way for me to remember my sailor every week and share my military appreciation as well. 

Another PIR - If you have a chance, I recommend you watch one of the recent recorded ceremonies before attending PIR. That way, you can FFW through sections but also get a sense of how the ceremony runs and what you might need to be aware of for any expectations you have personally. 

Congratulations to all of our new sailors!!

Please join me in welcoming Shebamom to our group. We are glad you have joined us. Please come say hello and share a little of how your Navy journey has been so far. 

I first found this site almost 6 years ago, about the week before PIR and have stuck around since. 

BennyLj2023!!! Thank you! Poor kid has been in BC since October! 

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

 PIR AUGUST 2023

 PIR JULY 2023

 PIR JUNE 2023

Hi 

  Thank you for allowing me to join. My family has served in every branch but the Navy so navigating my son at basic has been a challenge. 

    I do have a question about a text message I received for Sandbox for letters from my son. Can anyone tell me if this is legit?

Today's live PIR - here's the link:

LIVE PIR JUNE 2 2023

Shebamom - Yes, the Sandboxx text message should be legitimate. Be sure to read this post about it and the newest updated information we have with how it is being utilized at BC now - Sandboxx App for BC

Also, be sure to scroll back through some of the recent pages of posts here, as we have had several other newer members also ask about the Sandboxx app. 

Sandra-

When my kid left for BC, I was sad...but I realized that this was his decision and it would be good for him.  His life consisted of:school, work, video games until the wee hours of the morning, sleep until (or later), I got home from work.  In one of his phone calls, he told my husband that he wished that he joined sooner!

He's been in since October due to stress fractures of both legs 2 x! We are proud of his persistence, dedication and maturity (and funny stories)!

Also, if you are using a mobile device to view this site, be sure to put it into Desktop mode, as it will be a little easier to navigate. I use my laptop and I can see everything easily, and post easily but we are old school here, so the mobile devices can be tricky.

And Shebamom - welcome to the Navy!! My husband was Army, so FYI we refer to basic training as bootcamp here or BC. It will probably take some getting used to, but before long, you will pick up in the lingo. When you have a chance, start reading through all of the information above. Some of it probably needs a little updating, but we do our best as we all volunteer our time to stay active on our various groups here, to keep everyone connected. 

Can anyone tell me what the Training Group numbers, say, 924, 800, etc. are? Is it a special group of say, Marching Band or something like that?

Good Morning Patti  - Have your read this page from those listed in the upper right? - 800 and 900 Divisions - Navy For Moms (ning.com)

I am thinking they have eliminated the 800 divisions as those were for SR training for Special ops and I think for security reasons they have now been integrated into the other divisions. The 900s division is for anyone that will be participating in the PIR, I think 1-2 weeks prior to theirs. They could be musicians, flag bearers, or even "catchers", I think. Lemonelephant put many of those pages together and is fairly thorough with her information. 

Welcome Shebamom!

patti - First of all, prayers for your son as he, hopefully, nears the end of his long BC journey. I know it's been frustrating, but it sounds like he's handled it with grace. Second, I find it so interesting that many of our boys are cut from similar cloth: smart but didn't care for school; huge into gaming; main social life was through friends met through online gaming; recognized that traditional college was not for him; needed structure. My son has had the same reaction as yours to joining the Navy - loves it and has no regrets. He's only 9 months in, but so far, so good. 

I realize that not everyone on this forum has had a great experience with the Navy (or any branch), and I wish your family members well in what remains of their Navy journey and beyond. Hope they all find a path that brings them joy and contentment.

patti - Chimpunk gave you correct info.  There is no longer an 800 division.

Here's the link to the 900's Division which will give you some info on what they do.  My son was a "body catcher".  They will work the 2 PIR's prior to theirs also.

900s Division

@Shebamom - Same boat as my kid! I think he'll love it, too. And hey, Navy was all his idea, not that I'm complaining about that :-)

B'sNukeMom - Thanks!! I forgot we had a link for just 900 division. I clicked on the first one that I noticed. 

FYI - I knew about "body catchers" because I have been on here long enough to read comments by B'sNukeMom several times about her son to know there was such a thing, and to see them at PIR.  - We have a good community here and everyone is welcome to participate for as long as you like!

joemom, it IS interesting about our guys.  I'm glad that they found their niche. Best of Luck to them all!

Thank you all for clearing up the questio of the 800-900 TG. 

add my sailor to the list of gaming friends and other geek stuff. he is into Warhammer hard right now.. Got his associate's but the cost of college was more than we could handle and it seems the Navy has given him a structure needed that we couldn't. We homeschooled too.

Shebamom -- Welcome.  I'm another of the experienced moms who has stuck around to help our new moms get their sea legs and bearings.  The end of this month will mark 10 years since my Sailor left for BC and I still remember it clearly!  This is your place to cry, vent, laugh, rejoice, ask any and all questions!! This is Your Bootcamp into becoming a Navy mom!! All questions not specific to your PIR/Div's you can ask here.  If you post something that isn't OPSEC or PERSEC we will let you know, This is the place to make those mistakes and know that they can be corrected so that in the Fleet you know what NOT to share.

The Training timeline is posted above on this page.  If you all learn that something has changed please let us know so we can continue to pass on correct information.  We do not have a "Secret Spy" channel into Bootcamp. All the information shared here is gleaned from you all (Boot camp moms who have been through it) and confirmed with RTC for major changes.  During COVID things were changing on a near daily basis.  That has slowed but we are still reliant on you sharing on here as well as the little bit we know from "How it's normally been done".  Since several of us have stuck around we have seen many of the same questions and answers over and over... That is what we share.  We are moms who love our kids but we also remember how it felt to be lost and scared, proud and overjoyed, bewildered or just to have a small question... We accept you all as you are and hope that by the end of your child/loved one's journey you only have good memories (Or at least more good than bad.... this is real life after all) and that you Know that you are part of an amazing community of Military Loved ones who never leave a man behind and always support each other.

joe-mom -- Interesting observation!! SPOT on too!!

Trey and others - Your sailors will be able to use their GI bill once they are out of the Navy. And while in there are other options for tuition assistance as well. Sometimes our guys need time to just figure out life and what it is they really want to do. It may also mean they will do another 180 on you, but in the end our hope is that they will be happy, productive adults. 

Diahn - Be sure to keep us posted and updated!!

Oh Yes!!! And keep those phones close by and ringers on loud!! I never turned my phone off, I answered calls in church, even the doctor's office. If it is spam, just hang up! But as I recall my first call from my SR on his calling card showed up as not from one of the IL area codes but overseas, so just answer the phone.

And if you think you really might miss a call or not be able to take it, some people change their voice mail message to let their SR know they are thinking about them and maybe hint to call another loved one. 

Well - that’s the first time I have uploaded a photo on here…Sorry it’s sideways! Ha!

Diahn - That is good to hear!!! And a visit to A school - how great!! Thanks for sharing your tidbits. 

As for the photo, there is a way to click on the picture and edit it before you actually post it, but it might be harder to do if you are posting from a phone vs on the computer. Yours is not the first sideways picture we have seen. 

FYI - "IT" is Intense Training, which just means getting extra exercises, like push-ups or such. You might also hear your SR say something about "getting hits".  As I recall, this means they have gotten marks against them for something like how their made their bed or their uniforms not being just so. It has nothing to do with physical hitting or abuse. In other words, hits are like a demerit or mark against you. 

Chipmunk -Thanks! I’ll figure it out eventually. ;)

His A school is about an 8 hour drive for us, and near a nice beach, so it’s not a bad trip!

Also - the recruits may call IT getting beat. Same thing - no physical contact…they just feel beaten afterwards. My son said his division chose to be a strong division over a smart one…meaning they got a lot of beatings. :D

Diahn -- HAHAHA!!!! They CHOSE to be strong rather than smart.... HAHAHA!!! (we all know there was minimal choosing happening there but yes... They could have been smarter. ) My Sailor was part of the "Air Chair Circus".  According to his RDC they were all a bunch of clowns and his favorite "Consequence" was air chairs. (sit without a chair or wall! It's hard to do!! Sailor estimates that he could do it for 30min before he'd fall on his backside.  His thighs were ripped though.)

@Patti, thanks I am hoping for the same outcome. I have so many questions. Do they get to take their own running shoes, will it be possible to send him with a calling card if needed. Will he need to sign up for sandbox and anyone who would like to wright him, sorry so many questions. 

Thanks

Sandra, they go to BC with only the clothes on their backs. When they need new shoes, you can send it to them-black ones. You and he could sign up for Sandboxx, but it costs a few $ to send. My family and friends just sent snail mail.

I believe he can purchase a calling card at the NEX.

Sandra, I just have a second - but if you wish to buy a calling card beforehand so he can activate it, then you may do so. Look at a CVS or Walgreens and ask for Payphone calling cards. Otherwise as Patti said, they can buy them at the NEX and they give them an allowance there to purchase such things. 

I am glad Patti mentioned black as all accessories, including wallet and watches need to be all black, I think Navy blue was okay for a wallet. If he wants to wear his running shoes, even if he can't use them at BC, then he will have them in his "box" to be able to take with him straightway to A school. 

Several sources said you can take your own running shoes to Boot Camp. They will either use them or they won't, I figure. My son's running shoes are grey (just what he happened to have) and are size 13 Wide, with inserts for his high arches. I was told they give you a choice if you want the issued shoes or not. It's good either way, he had them and needed to wear something on the plane, anyway.

Any grand ideas on a graduation gift? I feel this will be a bigger deal than high school graduation for us but he doesn't need a watch nor a knife, and he's not a collector, really. I don't know what's really practical, seeing that he'll be leaving for A school right away, either.

Happy Monday!

Diahn - I fixed your picture for you ;-D

I am on vacation countdown to see my new grandson.... Saturday can't get here soon enough!