Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Good Morning and Happy PIR Day!

You can watch it live here:

LIVE PIR APRIL 11, 2024

Lara - "bison" lol!

Lara -- That's what all the Mom's said to their Son's as they shipped out... Bison!!! (lol)

I watched the PIR online and saw my kiddo performing! Her PIR is 2 May, but she is in the 921 division and is a flag :)  Was good to see her chubby little face! I'll admit I had to look for her specific flag to make sure it was her, my eyes are getting old. They all looked so good in their uniforms!

AxolotlMom - Yay!  So glad you got to see her - that's exciting.  I got to see B perform in a PIR prior to his too and I remember how good it made me feel ;-D

You're getting close to PIR - woohoo!

Woohoo Axolotmom.. always gotta love those extra glimpses we can get and hoard in our heads and hearts..

AxolotlMom --- WHOOP WHOOP WHOOP!!!!! That's Awesome!!! No, it's not your eyes!! They all look soooooooo different in their uniforms!! I doubted my eyes even when my sailor was standing right in front of me!!

Happy Monday!  

As for liberty...i know on Thursday after graduation, they must remain in uniform. What about on Friday, do they need to be in uniform that day too? If so, which uniform will they be wearing? I know I could just wait til that day comes and see for myself, I'm just genuinely curious.  Wishing all that have big tests this week good luck!!!!!!!

AxolotlMom - I believe this is still the rule:

Sailors will be in their dress uniform on the day of PIR and in the Navy Service Uniform (NSU, AKA peanut butters) on the following day/s of Liberty and at the airport.

This link gives you a breakdown of the training schedule at boot camp.

BASIC MILITARY TRAINING SCHEDULE

Just got a call from my kiddo! She passed her OFPA test, next step BATTLESTATIONS!  Then she will officially be a sailor! Oh I cannot wait! She said that her division has been doing stuff way out of order. 

That's great news AxolotlMom!  The finish line is near!!!

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

PIR JUNE 2024

PIR MAY 2024

PIR APRIL 2024

Axolotmom— so awesome to hear that she is just moving forward each day!! Super exciting to know she is close to Battlestations! 

My son wore his Navy Service uniform over the weekend. Something I didn’t think about until I was watching him over the weekend was in how people in the public arena were responding to him when we were out and about! Very neat! 

Congrats AxolotlMom! Almost there... best of luck to your daughter in the final weeks.

Uniforms: My son wore his service uniform the day after PIR, and then had to wear his dress blues at the airport on Saturday. That was November 2022 so maybe it's different now. I agree with Lara - it's so cool to see them get recognition in public. Lots of "Thanks for your service." The greeter at Bass Pro Shops told him it was an honor to have him in their store. Makes a mom proud.

Another quick question...She wants her laptop to take with her to A school in South Carolina. Can I send that back with her when I drop her off on Friday evening?  Or would it be considered contraband? Would I need to wait til she goes to the airport and just meet her there on Saturday and give it to her then?  I wasn't planning on going to the airport as we have a 14 hour drive back home, but if that's what i need to do, i will of course.

AxolotlMom - First of all congratulations to your daughter. Second, I forgot she was headed to SC for A school. I know it means a long drive for you all, we did the same one - we took two days home because we were very tired from the entire weekend and we stopped in MO at my hometown to visit both of my parent's graves as well. 

I would suggest you plan to take her laptop to the airport. It has been seven years since my son was there almost, but they were not allowed to bring their phones or laptops back with them to RTC after liberty. We had to meet them at the airport. My son left way early in the morning for the airport and we actually spent more time there with him, than we did after PIR. He also had PIR on Friday and flew out on Saturday, so it was slightly different. If you still have time to get a letter to your daughter, you might suggest that she ask her RDC for clarification on the rules for getting laptops from family, since now they keep their phones at RTC and I don't know when they are distributed back to the sailors. We had to take my son's phone and Kindle to him at the airport. He did not have a laptop, but it would be much better for her to fly with it to SC than having to pack and mail it to her. 

I posted this discussion after my son's PIR in 2017, and it has been added to over time - there may be some helpful information, some of it may have changed though. 

What PIR weekend may be like for those flying out of GL

Also, if your sailor is in dress uniform, I believe they will be switched to the white uniform by May, if they haven't already. My sailor had PIR on Friday and flew out early morning on Saturday in his dress whites, so they had no down time. Hopefully, the new change allows a little bit of breather for everyone. 

Thank you Chipmunk that was some really helpful information (your link)! They will be in the dress blues for the May 2nd PIR, then they switch to whites. I'll bring a little drawstring backpack with some essentials like you described. If anything else, I can take it back with me if she doesn't need it. I'd rather be prepared :) She will have one more call telling me she's a sailor (she's already passed the OFPA, so we are just waiting on the BS21) and i'll ask her about the laptop then.  

On another note, she made some friends there, but one girl in particular she said she will remain friends with. I'm so glad! She's kind of an odd duck (my kid) so I'm glad she found a friend! They will be in totally different A schools as they have different career paths, but I'm so happy she found a friend :)

AxolotlMom - I am glad that you daughter has found a friend! And that my information was helpful. 

AxolotlMom -- On the Laptop... Yes she will have to answer that question.  I'd still write or Sandboxx the question so she can ask before the "I'm a Sailor" call and provide you with that answer. 
I'm so glad they aren't making the kids fly out in their "whites" anymore.  Yes they look amazing but keeping those "whites" white was so Nerve wracking!!!

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

PIR JUNE 2024

PIR MAY 2024

PIR APRIL 2024

I'm so excited, I finally received my son's information this morning. I was able to get Sandboxx set up last week and it automatically connected him with me today. I created my first letter and sent it to the address Sandboxx gave me only to realize after I submitted it (and it printed) that I didn't have the SR in front of his name and I forgot to reverse first and last names. So I've been worried all day about it and if he will still get the letter or not. It was one of those time where I had it in my head all week to check the name format and in my excitement I completely forgot to check. Has anyone else gone through this? Does anyone know if he will still get the letter or should I just resend it? I've read so much info I'm a little overloaded and struggling to remember. 

WolfpackMom no worries, he’ll still receive your letter! It may just take an extra day or so to get to him. My daughter has had 3 different addresses since she’s been in BC, her original division, a 2.5 week stay in RCU and her current division, and she’s gotten all my letters, they just take a bit more time to sort and transfer. My mom was notorious for not reversing the name at first and she got all of her letters also. So happy you have the information and can send him mail! I find it therapeutic to write and just ramble off my thoughts on the regular. 

WolfpackMom, I never knew I was supposed to use SR before the name...well if i knew, i forgot. I've been just mailing her letters using her first and last name and the address she gave me. (her return address). It takes about a week from the time i send it until she actually gets it in her hands (snail mail). She loves getting pictures. I just take them with my phone and use the walmart photo thing and i think it was like $0.98 to print 7 pictures (that was with tax and everything). 

WolfpackMom -- You are FINE!!! Please let that fear/worry go!!

A tip for sending Pictures is to print them on your computer and then write your letters on the other side.  They have very limited storage space and cannot display any photos at BC so a color printer quality photo will be great for now. 

If you choose to sign up for Sandboxx be sure to use all your Sandboxx before the end of BC and then forget that it exists after PIR!!

Thank you for the feedback everyone. 

WolfpackMom - I am so glad you finally have contact info. 

Londack86 - all the best to your daughter as she continues to move forward! 

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

PIR JUNE 2024

PIR MAY 2024

PIR APRIL 2024

Here is the link to the Official Guide to PIR (Pass-In-Review) Ceremony:

Official Guide to PIR

What to expect at boot camp and FAQ's:

What to Expect at BC - FAQ

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Happy Thursday and Happy PIR Day!

Today's PIR happening now.  Here's the link:

LIVE PIR APRIL 18, 2024

WolfpackMom - Congrats on getting your son's info!  I wanted to say Hi and ask if your username is in reference to NCSU???  My husband and I are both graduated from NCSU.  We hoped our sons would go to State, but our older one is a Sailor (nuke) and our younger son chose Charlotte.  :-)  Not what we planned, but we are proud of both of them!

MomofJoseph- Hi, I just looked up what NCSU was, I can see why you were asking. 🏉 It's from my pack of kids and my husband's nickname. We became the Wolfpack as a family motto. Both of your boys sound like they are doing great. Congratulations! 

WolfpackMom - that makes so much sense!  I have been wanting to meet local Navy Moms, so when I saw your name, I was hoping you were nearby.  :-)  But best of luck to you and your Sailor!  This is a grand adventure, and I would have never made it through boot camp, nuke school, and beyond without the support of these amazing women!

i just got "the call" my girl is officially a sailor! whoo hoo! she is a tired little tuna right now!  

AxolotlMom - BZ to your new Sailor!