Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Beloved by him - Thank you for the reassuring message and the low down on letters! Certainly appreciate all the advice and rule knowledge :)

Logan's Run -- While this info is based on how it's been in the past, Remember that your SR/Sailor is always your best source of information.  In this case you were worried he'd get in trouble and I doubt that will happen but it's always best to ask your Sailor.  BC is an odd situation in a Navy career in that normal sources of Communication are not available.  It does get easier to communicate after this!

TravelinMom - my daughter was in RCU for few months recovering from stress fractures in her legs. At the time, in 2021, she was allowed to get stuff like word-find puzzles, adult coloring books (with colored pencils, NOT MARKERS), language study books, but not magazines. She shared them with other SRs because there is NOTHING to do in RCU and they were going out of their minds. They had an informal library. Check with your RCU because things change over the years. If you can send them, mail one book at a time, or the extra postage will cause the package/envelope to be opened in front of everybody. Not cool for your SR.

TravelinMom - I meant to say "check with your SR" !

Good morning Moms. I know my son didn't write much but the communication was so different between Dad and Son compared to Mom and son. I think we are their safe harbor and they can say things to us that there wouldn't necessarily say with their Dads and vice versa. At least that was the case with my son, even his voice was different while I listened to him talk with Dad. More assured, more confident but with me it was softer. I always tend to read between the lines but my hubby takes it for what it says. Mom's seem to pickup on things then worry about every detail even after BC this seems to be true. This is a long journey, I do overthink everything which makes it harder on me and I wish I could learn to go with the flow like my husband. The Navy is teaching me to trust that I have given him a great start in life. My son has thanked me for giving him great morals to follow which made me happy. You've done a remarkable job Moms creating strong kids who answered the call to serve and protect others. Now days that is so difficult to find. We sum it up as Pride but it is so much deeper than that!

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

PIR OCTOBER 2023

PIR SEPTEMBER 2023

 PIR AUGUST 2023

**REMINDER** BEGINNING OCTOBER 5, 2023, RECRUIT GRADUATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED EVERY THURSDAY (NO LONGER ON FRIDAY), EXCEPT FOR THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING, WHEN GRADUATION IS ON WEDNESDAY.

@Ummi - My SR did say "he heard" that he could receive books. But I asked him to get confirmation and write me back. Scuttlebutt isn't the same as approval! But I've been mailing him a book I chopped up and weighed and have been mailing in 15 envelopes so he has something to read while getting the approval info to me! lol!

TravelinMom - That is some dedication!! Have you been numbering his envelopes, so he knows which order they go in. I am sure the pages are numbered as well, but if an envelope should go missing, that is something that is often recommended on here, to number your envelopes. 

TravelinMom - Chipmunk's right. Numbering them helps if something gets lost. I also used to take a pic of each page with my phone so I could re-create the letter if my SR said she didn't get a letter.

My SR, who was in RCU for roughly 4 months out of the 10 months in BC, told us to send a book at a time, because when he went back to his bunk, there was no room to store all the books (Maximum Ride Series, Stephen King novels, etc.) we kept sending. Basically what I'm saying is, send 1 or 2 books at a time. This is through our experience; things may have changed

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

PIR OCTOBER 2023

PIR SEPTEMBER 2023

 PIR AUGUST 2023

**REMINDER** BEGINNING OCTOBER 5, 2023, RECRUIT GRADUATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED EVERY THURSDAY (NO LONGER ON FRIDAY), EXCEPT FOR THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING, WHEN GRADUATION IS ON WEDNESDAY.

B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN Thank you for the Blue Star Mothers information.  I had a lovely chat with my local chapters president and will be trying out their next meeting.

This is such a great source of information and support!

Thank you everyone!

The pages of the book are numbered already and I have stapled them into little packets. I told him he can pass them around as he's done with them or toss them, it didn't matter. No need to hold onto those. As for letters to him, I haven't numbered them but I have them all saved in Word files so could re-print if needed. I know I'd mess up the numbering after a while so figured it wasn't that big of a deal. 

TravelinMom - I wrote all of my messages to my son's email, then I printed them and mailed them to him. That way he had them and I did as well for future. 

New photos up on the RTC Facebook page.... https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=664718605696357&set=pcb.66...

**FB Notes.... Do NOT ask for specific Div's or SR's to be photographed.  DO NOT tag your SR but DO Click on the photo to save and share with your friends and family!
DO Thank the RTC Public Relations team for the opportunity to see your SR's in action (Even if it's not YOUR specific SR.)

Happy PIR Friday!!! Do we have anyone here this week???
https://www.facebook.com/NavyRecruitTrainingCommand

Good Morning Everyone!! 

Did anyone receive a phone call this week?

Are we getting mail?  My letters generally arrived on Thursday. 

If you are still in that silent period - remember "No News is Good News" it means your SR is on track and moving forward with their training.  And you are getting stronger, able to bear those times of lack of communication, for some, during school but especially when they are out in the fleet. 

Chipmunk- I received 2 letters last wk, and we have more coming today. No phone call this wkend but maybe Sunday we will get one, hopefully. I love my sons letters, but they are short with very few details. I have always said he is a man of few words, but it is so good to hear from him. His letter on Friday said he was doing well, and passing his tests. He mentioned something about having an insanely great brisket, he said it was like it was made in Texas. That made me smile. he got a little taste of home. I miss him so much, but at the same time grateful he is doing well.

Sandra

We received two letters last week and another is coming today. We also, received a phone call yesterday!! My family was all together for a birthday celebration,  so my son was on speaker able to talk to the whole family. What a gift it worked out the way it did!! He told us some very heartfelt things of how grateful,  thankful and blessed he is for having us as his family and thankful for the love and support we're showing him. He misses us very much, as we do him too.  He told us he's passed all of his tests, he's enjoying the food, made a few buddies, he says he has awesome RTC's and is motivated and focused on doing his best and getting to PIR. Best phone call ever. We all needed that💙⚓️

Does anyone know when the division artwork is available?

G'sNavyMom- That sounds like an amazing phone call, good to hear he is doing so well.

Sandr

Sandra - thank you so much. And, the same for you. It's so nice to hear positive feedback from our SR's. My son mentioned the brisket too. He loves brisket and enjoyed it! I'm glad your son is doing well too. Fingers crossed you receive a phone call soon💙

G'sNavyMom - What a perfect phone call - music to a mom's ears. Sounds like you've raised a wonderful young man. I didn't know anything about the division artwork until my son mentioned it in his final letter from BC. At PIR he surprised me with a sweatshirt with his division's flag on it. Pretty cool!

joe-mom - thank you so much! I'm super proud of him💙That is wonderful you received a sweatshirt with your sons division flag! I keep looking on the site for my son's division, but it's not available yet. I wasn't sure when they are posted. Congrats to your son and your family. That's so wonderful.  I can't wait for our PIR!! 

Where would we look for the division artwork, I feel like I saw that information somewhere but can't remember now?

G’sNavyMom - I didn’t know anything about the division artwork until my sailor presented the family with t-shirts that had it on the backs. I had no idea they did anything! He may have mentioned that they were designing their division flag, but it never occurred to me that it would be an entirely unique thing!

Diahn - that's so cool! Each division is so unique.  Do you know who designs them?

Sandra - My son sent home a postcard his first week that had the information on it. I believe the website is: myffr.navyaims.com. click on the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic. Then click on division apparel. Search for his/her division 

G’sNavyMom - I’m not sure exactly - I know the entire division had a hand in it as far as what to include. I assume either someone in the division had some drawing ability or they had a bank of images to choose from and once they were happy with it they turned it in to their RDC who sent it to get turned into a file that could be used to create the flag and then was available to order on t-shirts and hoodies.

Diahn - that's so cool! 

Sandra & G'sNavyMom - Wow!!! Two letters in a week, that is wonderful!!  Phone calls are the best but when they don't come just know that they are working hard. My son's letters were also short, He always said he only had 10 minutes to write. 

I am glad they are enjoying the food, that is good!

G'sNavyMom - That birthday phone call is priceless!!

G'sNavyMom - This information is from the pages in the upper right which Lemonelephant put together. I don't know if the link that you shared is more up to date than what is in this information or not. Division T-shirts

My son bought shirts for all of us for Christmas (well not quite all of us) and then later, I was still able to order a couple for his oldest sisters.  My understanding is that they all work on ideas for their division flag, but 1 maybe 2 people do the actual artwork. Because of my son's job in his division, he did not get to spend much time with the division when they were designing the flag. 

Here is the link to the website again - Welcome (navyaims.com)

And the T-shirts or hoodies are not available for ordering from outside sources, I don't think until after PIR, but I believe my son had actually purchased ours while he was at BC, because he had packed them into his seabag and then could not get to them at the airport. So, he had to pack them and fly home with them at Christmas time for us!!! 

I took a look at my SR's account and I noticed he has a transfer coming out that says Certificate, does anyone know what this is?

Sandra - If your son has a NFCU account, it is possible that he is putting money into their Early Start CD (sorry if I am remembering the name incorrectly.)  NFCU has a special CD that earns a fairly good interest rate for up to $3000.00 which your SR can start putting money into as soon as they have their direct deposit from DOD going into their bank account. 

Chipmunk- That is kind of what I was thinking but when I think of Certificate's I am under the impression that they are opened for a certain amount and can't be added to until maturity. I will have to read about how this one works.

Sandra - I have the same understanding that a Certificate of Deposit usually has one deposit date and then you earn interest until the maturity date. However, I know our local credit union has a different sort of deposit option for a similar type of starting savings certificate. I don't recall how NFCU's is set up, I just know about it because my son was able to set one up before he left for BC.  

I was sweating though because they have to have their initial DOD deposit into their checking account to show that their account is active, within 30 days of opening the CD, for them to earn that special rate. We opened my son's CD up before he left for BC, and it took longer for his first direct deposit to occur in NFCU than I thought it would!

I looked into it and yes its a little different with the Navy CU, deposits are allowed. That's a great option

Sandra - Yes it is!

Does anyone know if all the recruits have to stand watch in BC, my son mentioned he missed class time because he had to stand watch but it was ok he still did well on the test

Sandra, yes they do have to stand watch at BC. Sometimes they miss calls home because they are on watch duty.

That's sad, but maybe it doesn't happen too often if they rotate out

Sandra - You learn early in BC that life is not fair! While other SRs were SIQ (Sick in Quarters) because they had their wisdom teeth pulled, my son and others were having to pull extra watch duty. He said the middle shift one was the hardest, because you just went to sleep, then had to get up to stand watch, then go back to sleep or try to before you had to be up for the next morning. To this day he still claims that he was able to march in his sleep at BC!!

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

PIR OCTOBER 2023

PIR SEPTEMBER 2023

 PIR AUGUST 2023

**REMINDER** BEGINNING OCTOBER 5, 2023, RECRUIT GRADUATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED EVERY THURSDAY (NO LONGER ON FRIDAY), EXCEPT FOR THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING, WHEN GRADUATION IS ON WEDNESDAY.

Good Morning Everyone!!

Reminder - For new members, this is the best place to come ask questions about BC or share your ups and downs. 

Good morning, everyone.  16 days away from our SR’s ship date and I’m questioning the airport time when leaving from MEPS.

Wondering how many parents go to the airport.  We want to go but also don’t want to “helicopter” too much.

Thoughts or suggestions from those who have already traveled this road?

As always, thank you in advance!

Hi babysharkmom... I don't think they encourage it, after BC is different.. They get on a bus super early that morning, head to MEPS I think, then to the airport and they are being shuttled. We were in such shock that I don't think we would have been able to deal seeing him get on the plane. leaving him at the hotel was bad enough. Did'nt want to make him cry in front of his fellow recruits either. There was a group of them from Dallas going so he wasn't alone and they could support each other.

You could ask his recruiter though, probably get the most correct yes/no answer for your information..

Big Hugs.. it sucks,, but we get through it. with support..

BabySharkMom -- I did go to the Airport. I was a hot mess and probably should not have gone Only because of that reason but we did. We met up at the USO where the Nice folks there let us in (NOT Typical) and we left after about 2 hours. (He had another 3 to go) They usually fly out late, The Navy doesn't want them hanging in Chicago too long but they want this day to be a VERY long day, and they usually are flying with a couple of other SR's but they are Not bonding, They will likely never see the other SR again. (Smart SR's will find the USO and Nap until their Flight and then sleep on the plane as well!! They are going to be awake for the next 48 hours upon arrival at GL)
The recruiter will not tell you yes or no (I found ours to be less than helpful once he tricked us into letting our son go to MEPS)
Just remember it's completely up to the airlines if they want to give you a Gate Pass.  Not all of them will.
Either way... Have your SR call your phone and leave you a voice mail that you don't listen to till you NEED it (That may be Meps day or it may be sometime in the next 3-4 weeks... You will know) Tuck a note to them in their BLACK wallet (They can keep this)  and tell them to wait to read it till they NEED it.  Remind them to Opt-IN to Sandboxx so you can get the address right away even if you don't use it to actually send any mail. 
Then you can come here and tell us all about it!