Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Thank you all! 

Sandra- I hope all goes great with your SR's OPFA. How exciting PIR is next week. So happy for your family💙

G'sNavyMom - Congratulations to your son!!

Sandra - We are rooting for your son as well!!

Everyone  - Please join me in welcoming Janna to our group!!

WHOOP!!!
WHOOP!!!
WHOOP!!!
ATTENTION ON DECK!!!!

WE HAVE A SAILOR!!!!

BZ to G'sNavyMom and her brand new SAILOR!!!!

Sandra-- No news is good news!!! Time to get those bags out! Pack the spare hanky and get your arms and neck limbered up for the second best hug of your life!!!! (I can never decide if the first time holding them is the best or the sailor hug....?)
Have a wonderful time and then come back and tell us all about it!!!

BZ and BNMH to G’sNavyMom!!! 

G’sNavyMom - Congratulations to you and your family!!  Very exciting for all of you!  BZ!!

Sandra - Best of luck to your son for OPFA!

Welcome, Janna!

Thank you everyone for all the encouragement you have given me, knowing what to most likely to expect definitely helps because you have no control over anything in this situation. This was such a learning experience to say the least, I know I have a lot more to learn going forward. My son called me yesterday afternoon and sounded wonderful, he passed his OPFA with no problems. He was excited for dessert for dinner, apparently they don't get it until they pass. He also informed me he lost 20lbs total, I didn't think he had it to lose. I cannot hardly wait to see his beautiful face next Friday and can't believe it's happening. 

Sandra - So happy for you,  your sailor and your family! Congratulations to your son!! My son said the same thing about looking forward to ice cream, lol. I hope all goes great with your travels to PIR. We're right behind you😊💙⚓️🫂

Great news, Sandra! Now you can relax and just look forward to PIR. I didn't sleep much the nights leading up to my son's PIR - way too much adrenaline and excitement - but it was so worth the exhaustion.

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

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 2023

PIR SEPTEMBER 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.

Angie - Welcome to the BC Mom and Loved Ones group!  We are glad you are here. This is the comment wall and the best place to ask your questions, post and share about your ups and downs, feelings and get to know others on this site. Also, below are posted the PIR groups, be sure to join the one that matches up for your SR (seaman recruit). When the dates are available for the December PIRs then B'sNukeMom will get them posted. 

Angie posted a question above asking when she would get her first phone call from her SR. As I recall mine came around the weekend of Week 3 but that was several years ago. Anyone else have other dates to share? 

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

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 2023

PIR SEPTEMBER 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.

Hi Angie and welcome😊My SR called Sunday of his 3rd week at BC. The first few weeks are tough for our SR's (and us too), so don't be surprised if your SR doesn't sound happy and cheerful. It does get better for them. I can suggest to you to write, write, write. My son said letters and cards sent to him is what is getting him through BC. We're here if you need anything 💙⚓️

aslrebecca - Hopefully B'sNukeMom or BelovedbyHim will also chime in. But here are my thoughts from things I believe have been shared in the past. 

1st - I believe mail has to be addressed to a specific SR, or in this case RDC. Mail that is addressed randomly will not be delivered and may be returned to the sender. That is why if you want to send a letter to a SR that may not be receiving mail, you have to put that letter in an envelope with your SR's name, or you have to get their name from your SR. - So, just based on this information alone, I do not think it would be prudent to send something to the RDCs. 

Also, if you send something to your SR for them to "give" to their RDC that could cause a lot of "hazing", embarrassment and possibly IT (intense training, i.e. physical exercise). 

All in all, I don't think it would be in your SRs best interest to send a care package to the RDCs, especially when you are not allowed to send one to your SR. I have heard of schoolteachers who have a SR at RTC send cards that were made by their students to all of the SRs in a division as a thank you, and I suppose you could include one for the RDCs. I believe there are also at least two other senior leaders for each division as well. They would just be cards of appreciation and that might work. Generally, the cards are all sent in a large manila envelope to the SR and then it will most likely be opened in front of the RDC. I would also let your SR know in advance and wait for their reply as to whether or not they wanted you to do this. They may not want the attention drawn to them by this mailing. Most of them want to stay under the radar. 

I realize this seems uncaring, and thoughtless, but one thing the military is big on is protocol. And I am not sure this fits with protocol. In certain places of employment, gifts are not allowed to be given or received. It is a nice thought and gesture but that may be as far as it goes. 

aslrebecca - You can take your SR a gift for after PIR - just remember they won't be able to take it back with them if it's something big. They have very limited space and then they will be moving and they have to carry everything they have!

We got our son a black "G-shock" inexpensive watch from Kohls that was his PIR gift.

And I agree with Chipmunk - although the thought is nice, nothing sent to the RDC.....

aslrebecca - B'sNukeMom was replying to both of your questions at once, I believe. You may bring gifts with you for your new sailor when you travel to GL, but I am pretty sure are not to be gift bags, or bouquets or any such paraphernalia brought into the Great Hall for the actual Pass in Review. You may give your sailor his gifts in the hotel room or when you are out for dinner, if you would like. 

And I concur, they do not have a lot of room for carrying extra stuff, especially if they are flying out to their A school. So, keep small gifts in mind. 

aslrebecca -- It looks like your comment is gone but I'd still like to address this.  While yes in a sense the RDC's are like a Teacher, They don't see it that way.  They see your "child" as an Adult and Future Co-worker.  They are the Boss.  Just like it's not appropriate to send a "care package" to your boss, it's not necessary or appropriate to send one to the RDC's.  If you want to bring them a Thank You Card (not a gift card), You could give that to them after PIR but PLEASE let your Sailor know you are planning it first!

On a slightly separate note for all our new moms -- Unless we message you, please don't remove your comments. Also if you decide to leave N4M please don't delete your account.  If you do so an important bit of information leaves with it.  In this case it was a Very good question about Thanking the RDC's for their care during Boot Camp, by removing the question other moms who have the same wonder will have a harder time finding the answer.

I received a call from my son earlier today, perhaps about 5:30!! It was so wonderful to hear his voice, just so reassuring to hear his thoughts on how he felt it was going. Hoping you received a call too, Babyshark mom!! I believe tomorrow is week 2 day 3 —but I could be off, and I was so excited to talk to him and it went so fast that I completely forgot to ask him! 

Lara -- YEA!!!! I'm so happy for you getting a Phone Call!!!! That call is soooo Amazing!! When you come back to earth you may remember about a million things you wish you had said.  We recommend keeping a note pad handy to write down whatever you want to ask or say. Hopefully that will help when your next call comes in!! (They can earn additional calls so there is always hope for more!!)

aslrebecca - I am sorry to see you delete your messages and even possibly leave the group. 

Lara - Yippee for a phone call!!

Good Morning everyone! Well, I am back, sort of. I finally have a brand new computer that is actually working properly. The first one I bought was not. Now to see if we can get my old computer fixed so that I can still use it as well. 

I will be off and on still as I am involved in a lot of things here on the home front with my sailor family and also trying to make plans for visiting them. It has been over a year since I have seen them. 

For those with loved ones getting ready to leave for BC. Cherish the moments that you have with them now. I know you want to plan and have an idea of what future holidays, and such are going to look like, but those things will just have to be dealt with as you get closer to that time and actual up-to-date information. 

I would also encourage you to have your loved one sort through items in their rooms and maybe pack some things up and get rid of other things. You do not have to change their room if you don't want to, but 4 - 6 years is a long time, and lots can happen. Some of us have had our sailors return home, some have reenlisted, and some like mine ended up marrying another sailor. Even with my kids who went to college, I would think, "Oh, they will be back home and able to go through their stuff!" - NOPE!! - By my son's time to leave, you would have thought I had learned my lesson, but no - and now I have no idea when he will even be able to come home and sort through things. - I fully expected my son to return home and be back living with me now. As happy as I am for him, unfortunately no. May you glean some wisdom from my misjudgment. 

Good Morning and Happy Monday!

It looks like aslrebecca has left Navy for Moms completely.  Sorry to see her go. (And by doing so, all her comments are gone too.)

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and is ready for a new week! 

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

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 2023

PIR SEPTEMBER 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.

I wanted to let y'all know I'm still around, my son is still at BC. Some of you may recall he was originally scheduled to graduate early August but received a pretty bad stress fracture to his tibia and it extended his BC by a couple of months. Sooo... he's nearly done with his Physical Therapy (I don't want to say PT because that means something else there!) and then he can join up with a new Div and finish out his BC training. So good to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! So I've been reading comments but have been super busy doing some trainings etc due to empty nesting and finding my own direction (we were a homeschool family but I'm officially done after 20 years of it!) I appreciate you all! I can't wait for PIR! (sometime in Nov but that's not official yet. So happy for the Thursday graduations now though - we all are!)

Hey TravelinMom.. glad to hear from you.. such good news that is almost done with therapy..  good to stay busy.. I'm still having 'moments' relating to empty nesting myself and also former homeschooler..  

Travelinmom—my goodness, I have thought of you and your son often since I first read of him having such injuries and then if I recall correctly he had even decided to stay there while recovering. It must be such a relief and I am so glad for you and him to be finally close to the end of physical therapy. He has had to show such resilience and patience to hang in there! Recovery from a broken bone is so stressful and has such discouraging moments at times; to balance this in the middle of this entirely new setting and for so long is just amazing. I will keep you both in my thoughts! 

Travelinmom, my son had stress fracture on both legs - 2x! He started BC in October, and FINALLY graduated this July! Hang in there! THere is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Patti! Your circumstances are who I was thinking of, actually. I apologize as all of your amazing stories and experiences blend together beautifully in my mind as a collective force of strength for me! Just unbelievable for you and your son and for Travelinmom and her son and everyone that encounters injury at BC and in the fleet. Such challenging circumstances to endure. Sending thoughts of resilience and recovery to all! 

Travelinmom - Happy for you and your son. PIR can't come soon enough!

Good morning everyone 💙⚓️We received an unexpected call from our SR last night. He, along with the 2 SR's I've taken under my wing have passed their OPFA! I'm so proud of them! Since my son has been at BC , we've received 5 calls!  Getting ready for PIR! It was so good to hear from my son,  he sounded so happy, confident and proud. It made my heart smile. I've missed him so much! Can't wait to see him/them at PIR💙

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

Yay for phone calls!

TravelinMom - thank you for the update.  So exciting that the end of boot camp is in sight!  What a journey for your SR and you!

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

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 2023

PIR SEPTEMBER 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.

Travelinmom- so happy to hear boot camp is coming to an end for your SR. Thinking of your SR and your family and wishing him well⚓️

Thank you so much, Lara! He has grown into a fine young man! In fact, he will be attending his sister's wedding (he's in the wedding party)

So Proud & Happy for your SR & the 2 under your wing! Congratulations on passing the OPA

Does anyone know about how much pictures cost? There is a charge on my sons account and I believe it is for the pictures.

I think it's in the neighborhood of 300-400 depending.. so many pictures.. still have most of them, plus the shadowbox one..

Sandra - Depending on which package they order, the photos can be very expensive. My son ordered the top package and spent around $300, I think. They get excited about what's offered and think they need it all. Now it's all sitting at our house, where it will stay until he establishes some kind of permanent residency. Ah, lessons!

Thanks, this is more... the charge is 541 at the Navy Exchange. With a charge being that much that was all I can imagine it would be. 

Maybe my son has too much time on his hands now, he went on a shopping spree

Sandra - your last comment made me laugh 😅 

When do they have their pictures taken and are we able to view them and purchase them or does our SR only have access to them?

G'sNavyMom- I am not sure what week they took pictures, I was not able to see before he ordered. I will not see them until Friday, so excited. It is totally up to your SR to order them, I made sure that my son understood that I wanted them. I read  a post from a mother who was very upset because her son didn't like the way they came out and didn't order. She was able to order after graduation.

Sandra - oh wow, ok, thank you for this information. I will make sure my son knows to order them. How exciting for you...a few more days 💙Wishing you a wonderful time with your son. Congratulations to him and your family. Safe travels!

TravelinMom -- Glad to know you are still hanging around.  It gets tough to keep everyone straight.  I believe you were the second mom to have a SR with stress fractures who stayed on at BC to heal and hopefully not have to start over!!   I hope you get good news soon and a PIR Date that works for your family to go be with him!