This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
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Join groups! Browse for groups for your PIR date, your sailor's occupational specialty, "A" school, assigned ship, homeport city, your own city or state, and a myriad of other interests. Jump in and introduce yourself! Start making friends that can last a lifetime.
Link to Navy Speak - Navy Terms & Acronyms: Navy Speak
All Hands Magazine's full length documentary "Making a Sailor": This video follows four recruits through Boot Camp in the spring of 2018 who were assigned to DIV 229, an integrated division, which had PIR on 05/25/2018.
Boot Camp: Making a Sailor (Full Length Documentary - 2018)
Boot Camp: Behind the Scenes at RTC
...and visit Navy.com - America's Navy and Navy.mil also Navy Live - The Official Blog of the Navy to learn more.
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Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:
Events
**UPDATE 4/26/2022** Effective with the May 6, 2022 PIR 4 guests will be allowed. Still must be fully vaccinated to attend.
**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
**UPDATE 7/29/2021** You now must be fully vaccinated in order to attend PIR:
In light of observed changes and impact of the Coronavirus Delta Variant and out of an abundance of caution for our recruits, Sailors, staff, and guests, Recruit Training Command is restricting Pass-in-Review (recruit graduation) to ONLY fully immunized guests (14-days post final COVID vaccination dose).
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:
**UPDATE 8/25/2022 - MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED. Vaccinations still required.
**UPDATE 11/10/22 PIR - Vaccinations no longer required.
RESUMING LIVE PIR - 8/13/2021
Please note! Changes to this guide happened in October 2017. Tickets are now issued for all guests, and all guests must have a ticket to enter base. A separate parking pass is no longer needed to drive on to base for parking.
Please see changes to attending PIR in the PAGES column. The PAGES are located under the member icons on the right side.
Format Downloads:
- Graduation Info
- PDF – 2.7 MB
- PNG – 2.3 MB
- JPG – 3.4 MB
- Printable PDF – 2.0 MB
Navy Speak
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Navy.com Para Familias
Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com
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Dealing with an empty nest
Today is 06-20-2012, my name is Pam and my son Waylon left out for boot camp, he arrived in Chicago at 8:30pm. If anyone read this please don't hesitate to share give ideas. I really wasn't prepared for his leaving, let's just say reality has really started to kick in. I am not ashamed to tell it but I have been crying like a baby all day and miss him a lot already. On my job I work late hours and get off 2 days at 10:00 pm and 2 days at 2:00am, each time I got off he heard the car pull in the drive and came out to help me with my bag and I will miss that a lot. One thing that helps me is when I took him to MEPS he said Mom all I want is a smoothie, because there is no telling when I will get another one. He is the last of all the stepchildren and my two and I have to let go some how. I keep telling myself that this will help him become a better person and a responsible one. Thanks for reading
Views: 618
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by pamelag on
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Thanks for the wonderful suggestions and I will give the emptynesters a try when I get the PIR date. May God bless you and your sailor. Cyber hug back at you!
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Permalink Reply by Bathan6 on
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My son left on June 5, and he is my first (of 4) to leave the nest, and it has been and is hard, the hardest for me was when I got his box of clothes... BUT just remember after the box comes the form letter with his address, ad then a letter from him...I would like to say it does get easier, but when I got his first letter today, I could feel the homesickness in his letter, so keep writing, and send pictures and clippings. and soon it will be over then you can see him at his PIR
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I know how you're a feeling! It's been 3 years this month since "my baby" left for boot camp and I still miss him like crazy every day. I thought i'd lose it the day we drove him to the bus but it wasnt until a week or two later that it really hit hard.
The first few months were the hardest, but keeping myself busy was the key. I lived for letters during boot camp and phone calls after that. He's stationed in Guam, so Skype and Facebook have been a Godsend. I've only seen him a handful of times in the last 3 years but knowing that he LOVES his Navy life and is doing everything he dreamed he would helps.
Hang in there, it gets easier!
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Permalink Reply by Pooks on
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My daughter has been in the Navy for a little over 8 years now. When she left I stood in the door of her room and cried many many nights. She has gone through 3 deployments and the surge. She has also gone on many dets. Dets are detachments where they go to another base and work there for several weeks. As the time passes it does get easier. It was easier for me when my other daughter joined the AF. I still cried and missed her, but realized at the same time how proud of them I was. I do not recommend sending cards that talk or sing. My youngest had to dance and sing with them in boot camp lol. Send cards daily if you can, even if they just say I love you and miss you. Pictures are also great things to send. Once they are out of boot camp and can have their phones back get ready for daily calls and/or emails. Keep yourself busy doing things and groups like this are lifesavers. Stay strong and you will get through this!
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i went through alot as well..it was hard and still is hard to cope my daughter has been gone since august 6th it is now going on 3 wks and everyday i miss her more but i keep telling myself she is makin a better life for herself and she deserves the best.. keep thinking the best and how strong and positive your kid will return ....
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Permalink Reply by Robby's Mom on
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Hi Pam. I know that was months ago so I hope that you are adjusting now and feeling a little better. I think it is just hard for all moms but harder on some of us. My son just went in 4 weeks ago. His PIR is 10/12. I am going through the same thing. It has been a year of changes for me personally and Robert leaving was just not what I was ready for. We are a very close family. Just when I thought I would be able to adjust he made his call home and I wasn't there to receive it. He did leave a message though and I could hear in his voice that he needed to hear from me as much as I needed to hear from him.Now I'm back to square one emotionally and I find myself crying all the time. I do know that he is in good hands though and he too will benefit from this. I am just hoping to hear that the feeling I have right now will mature into something more positive. I have found a lot of comfort in the chat room at Navy4Moms. I don't talk much but I read and see I'm not the only mom having a hard time.
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Permalink Reply by Pennadair on
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I, too, am dealing with an empty nest. My son left on November 1, and I have not made it an entire day without crying. I had no idea it would be this difficult! When does it start getting better, or does it?
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Permalink Reply by Angela mom of Bryce on
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Hang in there how you are feeling is normal. I also have a empty nest since my son has joined. He has been in for 7 months and I still miss him everyday. I didn't think it was gonna effect me the way it did too. I am a night owl and I am here if you need to talk. Take care and God Bless.
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