New Moms Be Aware...

[Concernedad]

After my Son left Boot Camp, he let me know that many of the RDC's read this board for fun. Posting in what may be seen as an overreacting or distressed manner does not help your SR. Especially if you mention his name and division in some of your posts.

You certainly wouldn't want to give the RDC's any additional reason to take notice of your SR.

[JessicaB-Sailor Mom]

Exactly...my son told me that his RDC called him into the office one day and asked him about something that I had posted...so they definitely read N4M's...they are not suppose to but they do.

[Anti M]

They aren't encouraged to do so, and they usually are too busy, but no one is prohibited from reading this site.  

But RDCs are not the only folks at Great Lakes who can read here if they choose.  I always tell the GFs that if their sailor is breaking/bending a rule to NEVER post about it.    Like the ones who write letters in their racks after lights out.  If it leaks here and the wrong person notices, the entire ship can lose their letter privileges for a week.  Or the GFs who were going to pretend to be cousins over Christmas to get the family adopt a sailor day.  Yeah, that got noticed.

This rule of thumb goes for the entire sailor's career.  If it will get them into hot water, don't post it.  Ever.  Never draw attention to yourself when it is anything short of being outstanding.

"You can party naked on the quarterdeck if you're quiet enough."

[Denise-- Seabee Mom]

OK so now we have people once again saying they RTC reads these site and single out the SR for what mommy said. Thought I would ask them what they think...

OK so since my question about the envelopes went over so well I got another one for you RTC.
I hear that you all sit around all day and monitor websites. Go back and take it out on the recruits.
No one as anything better to do then read websites up there? hahahahaha

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command
Where do people hear such rubbish? I don't believe everyone even realizes that many of the RDCs don't even know our FB page exists! They are on the base with these recruits from the moment they wake up until well after the recruits have gone to sleep, seven days a week for two months. Does anybody seriously believe that at the same time they are doing paperwork and training anywhere from 55 to 100 recruits in a division that the RDCs actually have time to merely sit on a website and read it???

Perhaps a recruit here and there has told their loved ones that their RDCs read comments online however, that does not mean that every single RDC is wasting valuable training time by following the comments of recruits' loved ones and then taking it out on the recruits.

Our advice to everyone is to stop worrying so much and listening to absurd rumors. If anyone hears of a rumor of any kind that is being posted on our Facebook page or Forums, we welcome you to bring it to our attention so we may dispel it and give the actual factual information. RTC only monitors this page and our website. Any information posted on other social media websites is not monitored, thus, the information is not official nor reliable.

Our e-mail address is: [e-mail]

[CaptainFatso]

I think the RTC site is cool and I think the PAO office does an outstanding job, BUT it is the public affairs office. It's job is to put the best and most professional face they can on the Navy and they do a d@mned good job of it.

What do I think?

I don't think the RDC's staff a watch over facebook or N4M, but I do think they are sailors. I do think they may occasionally peruse these sites and I'm convinced that few of them would pass up the amusement that a potentially embarrassing post might represent.

In fact, that is partly what motivated me to use a pseudonym like Captain Fatso. A last name and a grad date is about all an RDC needs to put two an two together. Later it will his or her shipmates that piece the puzzle together.

Anti M nailed it when she said, "You can party naked quarterdeck if you're quite enough".

I love that line.

[Concernedad]

Hey, I don't care to make an issue of it. I don't even care that they read the board. However, my son said, in one of the training classes where they had an overhead projector (dating myself), they had up there one of the posts from this board.

I only started this thread as a warning to those women who may be screaming out the injustices of the Navy and their policies. The last thing you want to do is draw extra attention to your SR. We have all heard the stories about the SR who gets the musical birthday card in the mail.

P.S. must have missed the envelope issue?

[CaptainFatso]

I ended up sending a musical birthday card on purpose. Heck, I would've done it even if wasn't her birthday.

I even put "GO MARINES" on the outside of one envelope.

After all, I was a sailor.

[Denise-- Seabee Mom]

Hey dont get your your you know whats in a up roar....hahahahaha

Yea you did. There was fuss over the color envelope. And like always I stepped into shit. I don't know why  I bother trying to step out of it..lol

http://www.navyformoms.com/profiles/blogs/what-about-color-envolpes

And yes some of the things that are posted here is so over the top. The personal things that people post should one be talked about in therapy. My son would kill me.  I have found also that mom's tell on other mom's. Its not that anyone is reading. Its mom 1 talking to mom 2 and putting their life story out on the table to total strangers.Mom 2 tells son and then all shit hits the fan.

Dont post your recruits potty habits. Or your family's dirty laundry. If nothing else this isn't the place for it 

[Concernedad]

Now now, my balls are not in an uproar, I'm not even sure that would be possible anymore.

I guess I missed the great color envelope debate. What's funny about his response above is his claim that while "many of the RDC's don't know the websites exist" is not the same as saying "none of the RDC's read the board". The truth is, the guy who responds on Facebook doesn't really know any more about what they read than we do. Perhaps he can do a poll of the RDC's? Try suggesting that to him.

My own guess is, what RDC won't go that extra mile in order to find one more way in which to discipline the SR's?

 

P.S. I see you changed your wording a bit, but I'm not gonna. :)

[Angie]

I think it is funny that people think that the RDC's have nothing better to do than sit on here and search for something to get at a recruit. 

 

Recommend that if your recruit ever gets to the point they can be an RDC....that they go there and be one...than find out how little time they have to do anything besides train recruits.  Even spending time with their family...going to see their kids in a school play...even taking themselfs to medical if they are sick.  Reality check...some people on here have over active imagations and if they for one second belive that the RDC's would do that...yea.. not happening.  And as for the recruit saying something that the RDC's have done...recruits like to make up stories...if something like that was true that RDC would be in BIG trouble. 

[CaptainFatso]

I have a great deal of respect for the job an RDC does, but I'm not quite ready to nominate them for sainthood. Lots of us have worked incredibly arduous schedules at some point in our life.  While I recognize how political correctness and sniveling parents in internet age may have impacted the program a bit, I refuse to believe that boot camp has completely devolved into a completely boring Orwellian sterility.

That said, I think your point about recruits making stuff up and/or exaggerating is spot on and that this really ought to temper anything we hear.

[JessicaB-Sailor Mom]

The most important thing for everyone to carry away from this debate is to always practice OPSEC when you have a loved in in the military. ESPECIALLY on a public forum such as this site or Facebook.

It truly doesn't matter if the RDC's look at this site (or if they have a son/dtr to do the looking for them) The main thing to remember is that ANYONE can look at stuff posted on here. If it's personal info they can use it to their advantage. I cringe when I see N4M's with their E mail addy as their profile name. I really cringe when I see personal stuff posted on here. Everyone forgets from time to time...that's what the delete button is for (sometimes it may be too late though-the damage is done, the info has been noted)

The new N4M's especially tend to forget OPSEC and those with loved ones in boot camp tend to get over anxious and freak out ( I did that several times during boot camp days). There is a "learning curve" so to speak. So, try to give folks a break and be "gentle" when you tell them about OPSEC (unless they are repeat offenders-then let 'em have it!)

[Concernedad]

Angie, so you're saying it's more likely my Son just made it up when I asked him as opposed to the guys on Facebook not being aware of it? Can't even imagine a reason why my son might lie about it. It wasn't an issue to either of us.

Jessica, you seemed to understand my whole point of the thread. New Moms, be aware.

Geez, sometimes things on here get analyzed way too much.