Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

@Marshannon - same here! Can't wait!

Marshannon and TravlinMom See you ladies 11/2!!!

Congrats Eds Mom!

See you then! I'll be at Sarge's Meet & Greet the night before as well, so if you're going to that, maybe I'll run into you then as well.

Ok.I got to get more detail on that.I know I have to get tickets so I hope I can make it to that if it's not that far apart 

TravlinMom we will be at sarge too!  See you in 2 weeks!

🙌 

WHOOP!
WHOOP!
WHOOP!
ATTENTION ON DECK!

WE HAVE A SAILOR!

BZ to TravelinMom and her Sailor!!!

WHOOP!
WHOOP!
WHOOP!
ATTENTION ON DECK!

WE HAVE A SAILOR!

BZ to Eds Mom Danielle and her Sailor!!!

Eds Mom Danielle, Marshannon and TravlinMom -- You may want to Send private messages to each other (You can make your own 3 way chat) and set up a place to meet in the Hall at PIR just in case you can't meet up at Sarge's for any reason.  I had a couple of moms that I was supposed to meet at Sarge's but our flight was weather delayed and they didn't get my posts from this group and we didn't have a chat so we missed that chance.  I met up with some other moms but not those that I had wanted to stay in touch with.  They are not on here anymore either. 

Congratulations to our new sailors!! And Moms have a wonderful time at PIR!!

Be sure to come join us in Beyond BC if you haven't already. - Beyond BC - Navy For Moms (ning.com)

Here is information for Sarge's Meet n Greet - 

SARGE'S MEET & GREET  - BACK AS OF 3/18/2022

Plan to arrive the day before PIR so you won't risk missing PIR and go to Sarge's Meet and Greet from 4pm to 8pm the evening before PIR at the Lakehurst Event Center (go to http://www.mynavytaxi.com/events.html to RSVP). Sarge has a taxi service and he is a wealth of information. His cell number is 847-212-0246. His Meet and Greet and services have been getting great reviews. Find Sarge on N4M as OldSarge.

This discussion of mine shares how to send private messages - Private Messages - Creating & Sending + OPSEC

Reminder: Once your loved one has made it to A school - please be sure to update your profile page to sailor's status as: Enlisted. - it really helps out those of us who are keeping an eye out on members in various stages of their time here on the site. 

Today's PIR happening live now:

LIVE PIR 10.19.23

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

PIR DECEMBER 2023

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 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.

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

PIR JANUARY 2024

PIR DECEMBER 2023

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 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.

January PIR group is now posted.

Thinking of all our troops, and especially those in the fleet, and our recruits this evening.

Congratulations to everyone last week at PIR! And just like nearly overnight, it’s off to A school somewhere. Wow. Very exciting! 

Thank you so much for the information about winter clothing. I am still feeling a little bit at a loss as to understanding what might be needed that is provided for by the Navy and then thinking too, what sailors are responsible for or pay for from their own pay or what is good to have or need with you. I think I have this series of thoughts that just like as mom, as long as I know what’s going on, then I can be source of help to my son. If he asks me or two people are better than one in figuring things out. Only, it isn’t so easy now! The Navy isn’t exactly sending out daily announcements or a newsletter for moms! 

Wishing all rest and relaxation for your evening. 

Lara - as hard as this is, you are just going to need to trust - for me in the Lord, but also in the Navy. There will be some clothing things that you son will need to plan to pay for, maybe not immediately, but in the future. So, as I said, have him make sure he puts a little money each paycheck aside for a clothing allowance. If he never needs it by the time his service is done, then he has money for a new wardrobe, because likely his size will change in some form or fashion from when he went to BC. 

If your son is at GL during the wintertime, he will definitely be clothed well from previous pictures that have been posted on their FB page. Once he is at A school, if he feels like there is more cold weather gear that he needs, then you may purchase those or better yet, put money into his bank account and let him buy what he needs. He can probably get it cheaper than the NEX or at least not have to pay sales tax. 

Lara, I think the letting go of all things related to being there for our children, helping them buy clothes, make decisions and gradually let them out the door is one of the hardest things we do as military moms. You are not alone. It is a growing process for both mom and sailor. 

For everyone - Please know that we appreciate you sharing your worries and concerns. We might not come across as completely empathetic as you would like, but that is mostly due to social media and the fact that for those of us that have been at this a lot longer, we sometimes forget how daunting BC was, because we may be dealing with more immediate issues with our own sailors or families. This is another reason that I like to encourage our more recent PIR moms to also stick around and share here, because their memories are much fresher. None of us have all the "correct" answers, but we all can encourage. 

Gm I truly appreciate each and every one of you all.This has been very helpful to me.

Yes Lara.. letting them go and make their own decisions is just the worst lol.. mine ate 4 day old bean dip that had been opened and then put back in the drawer.. he had some gastro issues.. sigh.. first words out of my mouth to hubby was 'we failed as parents..". first words to him. were, 'oh f*ck you did what'.. we are all living and learning.

Marshannon - We are glad you have joined us!! 

Trey - that cracks me up! It's not just a boy or a military thing, my daughter would TRASH her room in a semester in college so that I had to throw out so much just to get her moved out. She had access to the cafeteria and still ate garbage in her room. Bean dip in a drawer - wow - that's a good one! haha In one of my son's BC questionnaires home (reminded me of this), where we asked about the food, he said DO NOT eat the black bean burgers! Ha - apparently cause some gastro issues as well. I told him no worries, I wouldn't!

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

PIR JANUARY 2024

PIR DECEMBER 2023

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 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.

Can anyone give me more details about the day recruits leave for GL? We were given a Nov 16 ship out date. Now my son just told me that means he needs to be at the hotel near MEPS on Nov 15. I don't have a clear idea about what happens and if we parents can be at MEPS to see any of the swearing in.  

  I'm trying really hard to let my son as his recruiter all of the questions, so in the mean time I'm hoping someone here might be able to give a bit more information.  He will be leaving from Ft. Dix in NJ in case that matters.

Yes.. hi Goatmama.. they spend the night before MEPS swearing in at a hotel so they are all bused around together. after meps they will go to the airport. You can have him ask the recruiter if you can see the swearing in.. there was covid for us so we couldn't but I think it is an option now, some MEPS also record it and put it out on youtube.. feel free to read back up and check out all our links.. and please feel free to keep asking.. we have newer moms around who have recently go/gone through this.. It's been a little over two years for me..

You can go to the swearing in.  Quite a few parents did when my son shipped last month.  I stayed at the same hotel as my son, but he wasn't allowed in my room and vice versa the night before.  We just hung out and had dinner, I had to get him back by their curfew, then we hung out in the lobby and watched instagram reels together.  The next morning he left early, I left when I was told by the recruiter that I should to get to MEPS and get parking as Jax MEPS has very little.  I then hung out in my car until time.  I got to sit with him before, then they went back and then they called the families and friends in.  We watched them swear in, they gave us time to say our goodbyes then they went into a room connected to sign their final contracts.  

When my son left several weeks ago, no one reference to me at any time, the ability to participate and observe the swearing in ceremony. I had seen it referenced on the Internet, but his recruiter never made any comment about it. We did take our son up to the hotel and had dinner that evening and said goodbye. There were other boys there as well that I could see we’re also going to be going to MEPS the next day. I didn’t see other parents with them. I know my son referenced that the next morning they went to MEPS and did the swearing in before going to the airport. 

if you are aware of it being an option, I think it would be great to participate!

Hi, when my son left  in Aug.Myself and one more person was able to go back as his guest at Meps.After, I was able to follow them to airport and stay with him,until he got on his plane.

When my son left we dropped him off at the local recruiters and said our goodbyes there. We went in with him but nothing was ever said about going to the swearing in with him. They drive him down to Indy. Put him in a hotel and the next morning was up early for MEPS and then airport for GL. 

Goatmama, Lisa, and others - being able to attend swearing in a MEPS has been a continual iffy option since Covid. I think it was fairly common beforehand, but since, not all of the recruiters know exactly what is going on and each MEPS has had a different scenario. If you live near your MEPS, then I recommend that you go early that morning, we got there about 8 - 8:30 AM, and at least find out if you are able to attend the swearing in or not. They should have a lounge area for you to wait. If possible, go to the recruiting office with your loved one (YES, I know, we are trying to let them adult -but as far as I was concerned - I was still Momma bear that needed all of the answers - until he swore in and was headed to GL.) and ask for specific information about the night before at the motel, at MEPS and at the airport. 

I was told by the recruiter that we could go to the airport and then the man driving the recruits to the airport said we could not go. (I think he was just thinking we were being sissy mommas.) As it turned out, we had other things to deal with that day and so the airport was out of the question. But every trip home, we took advantage of gate passes and sat with our sailor until he flew back to his school or duty station after leave time. 

As the other ladies have shared, they each had their own experience. So, if you can, just ask, or butt in like you know what you are doing and show up. The worse they can say, is NO, and then you must be willing to listen and turn away. Be mindful, they will have armed security there & screening, at least they did at our MEPS. 

I think the best thing to do is join your local MEPS Facebook page, it will give you updates on the upcoming swearing in, and also post the video in case you cannot make it. Our local MEPS posted updates often, with all the instructions you need. We got lucky because they started allowing parents to attend the wk our son was sworn in July of this year. 

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

PIR JANUARY 2024

PIR DECEMBER 2023

PIR NOVEMBER 2023

PIR OCTOBER 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.

Thank you to everyone who answered my MEPS questions! My son is going to ask more questions today and I will follow up if he doesn't get the specifics. :) 

I would like to say our recruiter was awesome with my son. The weekend before BC he did not head the recruiters advice and “live in a bubble” but went to Purdue for a weekend visit with friends. He come home Monday after sitting in lectures with a friend and rethought the whole military thing. He wanted to go to college and then go into the military. But we called the chief and he walked him through his decision with his dad on the line too. He told him the pros and cons. He would not get offered nuke program again. He prayed about it and left the next week. Point being you are right @belovedbyHim they are not here for us but the recruiters. He was not just worried about numbers but was honest telling him he could still back out and took the time to talk with him and reassure him. 

Congratulations to all of our newest sailors!!

Today's live PIR:

LIVE PIR 10.26.23

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

PIR JANUARY 2024

PIR DECEMBER 2023

PIR NOVEMBER 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.