The Page, What does ??? mean? (A Guide to Navy Abbreviations and Terminology), will help you with many of the new terms you will come across. 

Make at least change 3 at the bottom of OPSEC and PERSEC (Making Changes to Your Profile) (clickable link) and change the Privacy Settings for this page from "Anyone" to "Members." 

There may be other changes you need to make as well, so read and consider each of the changes. 

Since your recruit has a contract for Hospital Corpsman (HM), sometime between now and the end of BC, join HM (Hospital Corpsman) A School in San Antonio and check out Basic Medical Technician Corpsman Program Facebook Page. You may also want to check out Corpsman Moms.

The Rating Information Card for HM can be found at https://www.cool.navy.mil/usn/enlisted/rating_info_cards/hm.pdf; it indicates 19 weeks, but "A" School is 14 weeks after classing up. There is also info on the HM rating in https://www.thebalancecareers.com/hospital-corpsman-3345823.

Your Sailor will most likely fly out to "A" School the day after PIR. See PIR Day and Liberty During PIR Weekend to help you know how to plan your weekend.

If your Sailor is picked for the Field Medical Training Battalion (FMTB) then check out Camp Lejeune and FMTB-East Moms, Families and Friends (FMTB will actually be at Camp Johnson, which is down the road from Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC) or Camp Pendleton corspmen and FMF Corpsman moms. If your Sailor becomes eligible for SARC, check out SARC, Special Amphibious Recon Corpsman.

RTC will stream PIR live beginning at 8:45 am Central Time at https://navylive.dodlive.mil/.

amysmom 18,

I see you recently joined the Moms of Daughters 2 group and I want to welcome you!!  We are a close, friendly, supportive group of Moms and look forward to getting to know you and your sailor.  I see you are new to N4Ms and your daughter is in boot camp now?  Please feel free to jump in and join our conversations on our group page.  You can ask any questions you may have, talk freely about your feelings, fears or concerns, or just chat about life.  We are all in different phases of our daughter’s Naval careers - from newbies to those whose daughters have been in for several years - from officer to enlisted!!! We support all our sailor girls and each other as well. Not just during the Bootcamp days but the weeks and months following, as they go off to school, first duty station, or first deployment.  Let us support you when you're missing her, lend an ear when you need to vent, and celebrate with you when you want to brag!!  Again, Welcome Aboard!!!!!

Arrival and What Happens at RTC within Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones) will let you know what is happening and what to expect.

Be sure to join your PIR group once you get The Form Letter, which now arrives 9 to 14 business days after your recruit's arrival at RTC. Let me know when you know your recruit's ship and division. I will have more info for you.

Welcome to Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones). I look forward to sharing this journey with you. Be sure to check out the Pages (found under the pictures of the Members) for information on what to expect and to help you prepare for PIR. Start with OPSEC and PERSEC (Making Changes to Your Profile) and Arrival and What Happens at RTC and read 1 or 2 pages a day and then go back to them as you need the info. 

If you would like information on your recruit’s rating (job/occupational specialty) or field, then let me know the rating or field. There are groups for most specialties and/or "A" Schools and knowing that will help you to better plan for PIR weekend.   

Take care and blessings to you and yours.

You may receive an "I'm still alive!" call in week 3 or 4 (calendar week, not DOT), but that call can come before or after that depending on when the RDC is able to schedule the phone banks. (It has been coming during the third weekend after arrival for many lately or early in the following week.) The call may be only a few minutes to a half hour or more depending on how long the RDC schedules the phone banks. Don't expect a call, but do have your phone available from 8ish am to 8ish pm Central Time and be pleasantly surprised when you receive a call.  The "I'm still alive!" call or other calls the RDC schedules usually come in the mornings on weekdays except on the day of a PIR because the "I'm a Sailor!" calls, which are typically made 1 to 7 days before PIR now, are in the afternoon and evenings, but calls can come anytime during those hours on Saturday.  Calls on the day of a PIR or on Sunday come between 1 and 8 pm. Calls for security reasons or for information are generally made during regular business hours.  Remember "No news is good news!" See Phone Cards and Phone Calls. 

Possible times for calls scheduled by the RDC: 

8 am to noon M-Th 

1 pm to 8 pm F or Sun 

8 am to 8 pm Sat 

Calls for information or due to a problem usually come during business hours, M-F 9 to 5 pm. 

Calls are totally up to the RDC. Don't expect a call, but have your phone available at all times (especially from 8 am to 8 pm Central Time M-Th and Sat and from 1 pm to 8 pm Central Time on Fridays and Sundays--calls at other times are possible, but generally indicate a problem or a need for information) and be pleasantly surprised when you get a call. See Phone Cards and Phone Calls.