Welcome to boot camp - FAQ

[Arwen]

Welcome to boot camp. Here's a few things that may help you out in the first few weeks.

How will I know that my recruit has arrived safely?

You will get a very short (5-10 second) call from your recruit soon after s/he arrives at RTC Great Lakes. It sounds like they are reading from a script. "Hi mom, I arrived safely. I can't talk, I love you, bye." Don't try to get them to talk longer, this will just get them yelled at by their RDC. This call may come as early as 5 p.m or as late as 2 am.

If your recruit brought his or her cell phone with them you will be able to talk and/or text while they are at their hotel, a little at MEPS, at the airport in your home area, and at the airport in Chicago. They may be in the Chicago airport USO for several hours waiting for the Navy bus that transports them to boot camp. They will eat dinner at the airport (the Navy gives them a "food chit" to pay for it). As soon as they get on the bus, they have to turn off their phone. Recruits who have their cell phones are usually allowed to make that last call home on their own phone.

So, what does my recruit actually get to keep?

The ONLY things they will be allowed to keep are their wallet, a small religious medal (it must be the same size or smaller than dog tags), a small religious text (Bible/Torah/Book of Shadows, etc), and a tiny address book. For their first few days they are given a sock to store their personal items. If it doesn't fit in the sock they can't keep it. Everything else goes in The Box.

Put an activated phone card, a book of stamps and important addresses and phone numbers in the wallet. Recruits will be able to get Navy stationery at the mini NEX at boot camp.

What is The Box?

The first thing you will get is "The Box" or "Kid in a Box." No, there is no note inside, and the return address is a generic one. Do not try to use this address to send things to your recruit. Also, the box will NOT have the note in it. The letter and a short personal note usually arrives some time the same week, usually after the box, but I do know one mom who got the letter a day before the box.

Warning: this is a FedEx box of dirty laundry, clothes they have been wearing for 2-3 days and their cell phone and anything else they brought with them. You may also find items from the list the recruiter said your recruit can bring to boot camp, such as bras and underwear. This collection of items has been stewing in its own juices for several days, and during the summer, baked to perfection. Open with caution. This box usually arrives 4-7 days after their arrival in boot camp.

You will find that there are a few things that are the same in nearly every box. Your sailor's pants will be rolled-up to the knee. This is because they go straight from being fitted for new boots to packing their boxes. They are never given permission to unroll their pants. If your sailor brought personal electronics or anything else small, you will find it in their shoes. Usually the phone goes in one shoe and the battery in the other.


When will I get my recruit's address and graduation information?

You may be able to learn your recruit's division assignment and address from his/her recruiter 2-5 days after leaving MEPS. If your recruiter can not find the information, you may have to wait until your form letter.

Your form letter usually arrives 7 to 10 days after recruits arrive at boot camp. It has a lot of information, including the exact address to write to your recruit, your recruit's PIR date, and about six lines for your recruit to send a short personal note home. Keep this letter in a safe place, it also has the internet password for your PIR parking pass.

Only one form letter is sent, and the recruit determines who gets it. If the recruit has several options (a "significant other" and parents, or parents who do not share an address) and you do not get the letter, check with the other people who may have received it.


When will I get *real* mail?

Recruits will not be allowed to write home for their first week or two, I got my first real letter about a week after I got the form letter. Your letters may not catch up to them for about three weeks, so those first few letters may ask why you're not writing. Don't panic, ii will get to them. Date your letters so your recruit knows when they were sent.

The first letters you get will probably be very unhappy in tone. Many begin second-guessing their decision to join the Navy. Most sailors snap out of it by their fourth week and letters begin sounding more positive and even enthusiastic.

For the first four weeks of training recruits are only allowed to mail letters out on Sunday (they actually get sent Monday), so expect your letters Wednesday or Thursday. On weeks with a post office holiday, it arrives a day late. If you live very close to Chicago you may get it a day earlier. Later in training they can send mail more often.

Recruits receive mail every day once their “Mail Petty Officer” is trained. The MPO must be selected and trained in the legalities of official mail delivery before the division can get their mail, and that sometimes takes time.

When will my recruit get to call home again?

Your next phone call will come during Week 3, which is actually their fourth week. The first week is processing and does not count towards training. Recruits have three guaranteed calls during boot camp: the "I'm here" call the night they arrive, the "I'm still alive" call in the 3rd week of training, and the "I'm a sailor" call in Week 7. Any other calls have to be earned.

Some divisions earn a half-dozen calls, others never earn an extra call. If they are going to earn calls it will probably be in the fourth week or later. It is rare for recruits to earn a call during the first half of boot camp.

Senior recruits (those in their final 2-3 weeks of training) are more likely to get a call home on a holiday, but even holiday calls are not guaranteed.

A few recruits call in the second and sixth weeks to get additional information for their security clearance. They won't be allowed to chat at that time, they are to give you a list of items they need, and a phone number to fax it to.

How can I get in touch with other moms/girlfriends/wives from my recruit's division?

When you learn your recruit's PIR date, look for a PIR group to join on N4M Groups. You will have between seven and 15 divisions per PIR group (A PIR Group is all divisions in the same week of training, who will graduate together). Since there are usually only 5-10 moms from each division, and all divisions in a group are at about the same level of training, you will find better conversations among PIR groups than just a single division.

If one does not yet exist, you will want to start one. Try to find something distinctive as your group icon, it makes it easier to find on a list of groups.

What is an 800 or 900 division?

Divisions with a number in the 800s are in training for Naval special forces – SEALs, divers and similar. Their training is slightly more rigorous than other divisions, but is essentially the same.

Divisions whose number begins with a 9-- are performance divisions. They are in the band, choir, flag team, rifle drill team or are “guides” for PIR guests.

How does the Navy decide when divisions begin their training days?

Because of limited time and space for classrooms and training buildings, divisions in a group start training on different days, 2 or 3 divisions per day. For example, on Monday Div 001, Div 002 and Div 003 all start day 1-1. On Tuesday Div. 004, 005 and 006 start day 1-1, whole 001, 002 and 003 are on day 1-2. Divisions who are on the same day of training are "brother divisions." They get to know each other and generally know what is happening with their brother division(s).

How much time will my recruit have for relaxation or “time off”?

Each Sunday morning recruits are given four hours off to "relax," but it is relaxation only in comparison to the rest of boot camp. They may spend the time writing letters, attending church services - pretty much whatever they want to do within their barracks - except sleep.  Technically they can spend the whole time staring off into space, daydreaming, but it is clear they are expected to use the time wisely, such as studying for an upcoming exam, putting an extra shine on their shoes or going over drills with other recruits.

Military holidays run on Sunday schedules. The holidays that may affect recruits in this group  include Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

My child is leaving on X date, so is PIR eight weeks from that date?

PIR is usually NOT 8 weeks from arrival at boot camp. Recruits spend 3 to 10 days processing (doing paperwork, physical exams, etc). When they finish processing their eight weeks begin.

Their first day can start on any day of the week, but PIR (the public graduation ceremony) is almost always held on a Friday (Thursday if there is a Friday holiday). Sometimes they finish their official eight weeks before PIR, occasionally they're still on their seventh week and continue training after PIR weekend.

If there are a lot of holidays during their training (holidays do not count) it can set them back in their training schedule. My son had Christmas, New Year's, President's Day and MLK Day. - he lost a whole week!

So it can be longer or shorter, depending on many factors. Some recruits manage to get through boot camp in as little as 7 1/2 weeks, others take as long as 10 weeks, without being set back or delayed in training. It entirely depends on timing and luck.

What about Thanksgiving and Christmas?

On Thanksgiving and Christmas all recruits receive a “free” morning to relax, write home or go to church. They do not get the entire day off, they return to training in the afternoon. All recruits get a traditional holiday dinner. Some senior recruits may be “adopted” by Chicago-area churches, service groups and families for a home-cooked meal.

Divisions scheduled to graduate on November 25 will probably PIR on Wednesday the 24^th and will be allowed to spend the four-day weekend with their families. Some local hotels have kitchenettes, so you may be able to have a homemade Thanksgiving dinner with your recruit at your hotel. They will probably have to return to RTC each night, but on occasion recruits have been allowed to stay out for the entire Thanksgiving weekend. Your recruit will know more when the date gets closer.

Divisions whose schedule would normally have them PIR on December 24 will likely graduate on the 17^th. Those scheduled to graduate on Dec, 31 may graduate on the 30^th or January 7.

Keep in mind that because of the doubled-up graduation groups, there will be a LOT of divisions at PIR. In 2009 there were 17 divisions for the pre-Christmas PIR. Do not even try to get extra guests into PIR. It will be very crowded and your extra guests will be left outside. If extra guests wish to be there for the weekend, they should plan to remain at the hotel room until you return with your new sailor.

[Tamme]

Great information, Arwen. My son leaves November 15 so will hit all the holidays. We have been wondering how it will effect the PIR date.

[Kris]

Thank you for the info. My son leaves Nov 2. I was wondering how they would handle Christmas.

[karenmjm]

Thank you, my son left the Monday after Thanksgiving, so he will hit all the Holidays, too. This is really good information, I feel a lot better "knowing" what to expect.