materfamilias - just checking in on you. I haven't been on the groups much today, so you might have posted something. Just wanted to see how you were doing. 

Welcome!! Please read my blog to give you an idea of what the first few weeks may look like.. First Things First-- The Quarantine Edition Up and to the Left is a link to all the Navy Lingo! It is titled Navy Speak and you can find it here. We are here to get you through the “Great Silence” of the next 4 weeks (ish) and the 10 weeks of BC (ish). You will come to learn that No News Is GOOD News and everything is Needs of the Navy. You life will be Hurry Up and Wait and it’s ok to make plans but they are subject to change until after they have happened so it’s best to embrace the Motto: Semper Gumby!! (Always Flexible!!)

The Expected timeline will look like this
Day 0 -- Travel, Arrival and "I'm Here" scripted phone call
Day 1-14 -- ROM (Restriction of Movement/ Quarantine-- Lots of studying and waiting)
Day 15-21 Arrive Onboard RTC and begin P-days (P-days- Initial Processing Days) including 2 days of P-hold (Weekend)
Day 21-- Complete P days. (Initial PFT & Run)
Day 22-- Begin training and mail form letter out. Look for it to arrive around 1-2 weeks later)
All of this is assuming no exposure to COVID with additional ROM
Training typically occurs Monday - Friday but we have heard rumors that Saturday’s are now training days as well.
Normal PIR will be 10 Fridays after departure from Home but it can be less by 1 but it can be extended by ???? (lots!!) It just depends on how many times they get caught in the “Ring of Fire” but do not get COVID. IF they get COVID, Once they are recovered they will not be removed from training again even if they are in the “Ring of Fire”. (so there is that small silver lining if kids get sick)
I Hope you’ll come and join us on the Main Boot Camp Moms page: https://navyformoms.ning.com/group/bootcampmoms You may have to scroll down a ways to reach the comments but we’d love to get to know you and answer any questions or concerns you may have or just be a support from others who “get it”.

Because you have a son or daughter that is getting ready to leave for boot camp soon please sit down with them and have a real good talk about what to expect. 

Since Covid has hit things have been all over the place - they get put in quarantine, they get out of quarantine, they get put back in quarantine. A normal 8 week boot camp can drag on much longer and it can take a huge mental toll on them. It's important that they understand THIS IS ONLY TEMPORARY! They need to be physically strong but more importantly they need to be MENTALLY STRONG! 

Let them know that they probably won't even get a letter from home until they are at least HALF WAY through boot camp. NO you haven't forgotten about them - it just takes that long for them to train someone in the mail room so they can get their mail. The first couple of weeks they may question their decision to join - and that's normal! But they need to be strong. This is just the beginning of their Navy career and they need to learn to be FLEXIBLE. 

Remind them they are STRONG and THEY CAN DO THIS. Before they leave ask them HOW BAD DO YOU WANT THIS?

materfamilias - Some of your questions you might want to copy and post over in the BC Mom group comment wall. Some of the moms who had SR recently leave for or go thru BC might know the answers better than I do. 

Here is what I know, your son will not receive his flight information until after he is sworn in at MEPS, prior to them transporting him to the airport. You can meet him at the hotel, and have dinner with him, assuming those activities are allowed in your city. They will have a group meeting at some point in the evening and my son had to get to bed early because they left very early in the morning. 

As for electronics - I would not send those. A paperback book that can be left. A small Bible is allowed. Put contact information inside the Bible. I think they go to RTC and pick up their Navy gear, make their "I'm Here" scripted phone call and then box up their personal items. If you think he needs a warm jacket to travel in then I would suggest he wears something that can either be donated or might squash down small enough to fit inside the box. I really don't know how much room they have in the boxes. They will be issued all the navy gear, including cold weather gear that they need for BC and to go with them to their A schools. I don't know if they are being allowed outside at Ft. McCoy or not so they probably won't need the warmer clothing much until they get to RTC. 

materfamilias - Welcome to the BC Mom group! I am one of the moms that follows our new members and I help out on the group offering encouragement and support. I see you have one still waiting to leave for BC. Please don't hesitate to still come say hi, introduce yourself and let us know the approximate time your loved one is leaving. If you haven't read it yet this is a good one before they head out.  Read before leaving - What BC may be like during COVID      And then Arrival and What Happens at RTC    which includes updates due to COVID. These you might want to review with your loved one prior to their departure. If you can get a pay phone phone card before they leave so they can activate it now, that is good. Be sure they have their charger as well for their phone because those are now boxed and kept at RTC. 

If you post in the group the other ladies will share more information in our group comment section (scroll down the main page, past our discussions to a comment wall - that is where we do our daily chatter).  Welcome to the Navy life - we are here to support you in any way that we can - the more you share and visit the better we get to know you and are able to help. 

My son has been in 3+ years and is out serving in the fleet now.