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**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).
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**UPDATE 8/25/2022 - MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED. Vaccinations still required.
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RESUMING LIVE PIR - 8/13/2021
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Boot Camp and the Holidays
Hi out there. My son is 20 and will be leaving for Boot Camp on Nov. 28th - right after Thanksgiving. What is the deal with Christmas and Boot Camp. I assume there is no celebrating Christmas....
The little perusing of the website that I have done, it is good to know hog many moms are out there feeling this same way that I am .... I am DREADING the holidays and can't believe I am dwelling on this in September.....Kathy
Views: 506
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by 3athlete on
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Kathy - You are kind to say that I am being a very prepared Mom - but I had to admit that I am selfishly thinking about the loss in the household over the holidays and the Empty Nest here. Your idea about early Christmas is a good one. I had not thought about that. I had thought maybe late Christmas in January once he graduates - though I don't know if we will see him long enough after that for it to be a reality. Mostly it is my own emotions that I am dealing with. Just keeping it in check here. Kathy
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Permalink Reply by lemonelephant on
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NEX gift cards or prepaid VISA or Mastercard are good anywhere.
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It is great that you are getting this info early. As Kathy(Momof'IT'Marshall) indicated, those who arrive around the holidays may end up at the RTC an extra week (sometimes closer to 10 weeks rather than the typical 8 1/2 weeks at other times of the year), which happens due to skipped weeks when there is no PIR and/or the shortened training days around the holidays. Not everyone gets to call on Christmas Day, but the RDC's do try to schedule calls around Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or New Year's Day and with some divisions being adopted for Christmas, it gives more opportunity for the other divisions to get to call. Your future Sailor will not have been at the RTC long enough to be among the ones that would get adopted for Christmas.
This year, you may wish to do Thanksgiving and Christmas together and then have a blue candle at the table for Christmas to remember your SR. You will figure out ways to celebrate those special days when you can't be together.
You may wish to join the group, DEP-Leavin for bootcamp in November. You will meet others with loved ones leaving that day/week who may be in the same TG and have PIR together. I also suggest you join New Members Stop Here and check out the Pages and Discussions there.
Your future Sailor may want to join http://www.navydep.com to learn the ins and outs from the DEP point of view. Craig runs that and will steer you to some good links on there.
(Group names and the link within this reply are clickable links.)
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Thanks for all of your thoughts and ideas. I will follow up on the links you have suggested. I know for now it is one day at a time... So much to think about...K
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You are very welcome.
Here are some things you can do between now and when he leaves:
1. Assist your future Sailor in getting his slim black wallet ready. (See the discussion, Help (clickable link), to know what he needs to take.)
a. Decide if he is going to use NFCU (I suggest that he does.) or his own financial institution. He will need to have form 1199A completed at his bank (the bank has the form) if he will use that and put the form in his wallet.
b. Get the calling card numbers.
2. Help you future Sailor decide what he will wear to MEPS and if he will take a change of clothes or not. He must have clean underwear (boxers) and socks at MEPS. Also discuss his options of sending the clothes back in the box, trashing them, or donating them.
3. You need to determine if you are going to MEPS and airport and find out from the Recruiter when you should be there if you are.
4. Talk with your future Sailor about how you want to handle any bad news. My Sailor told me he only wanted to be notified if his father, sister, or I were to die. He asked that news of any other deaths or hospitalizations, even grandparents and close friends, be kept from him until after PIR. Fortunately, we did not have to face that.
5. Decide if you need a power of attorney. You may need this if he has bills that you will need to take care of. You may also need this if he were to be hurt while at the RTC. (Talk about BEFORE they leave for bootcamp.... goes into more detail on this and other things you will want to take care of.)
6. Help him determine the names of up to 4 people who he will be listing on the Access List. (See page 2 of the Family Guide to help you decide.)
7. Call and put his cell phone on military hold while he is at BC beginning the day after you expect him to arrive. Set it up so that you can call the day before PIR and remove the Hold so that he wil be able to use his phone on Liberty and once he gets to "A" School.
8. Have him help you decide what to do about the things in his room.
9. Relax and enjoy the time you have together.
I hope that helps.
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Oh wow. Lots to think about. My coping strategy to date has been to put it out of my mind, but I am realizing it is looming now. Time to begin talking I guess. Thanks for all the handy info. K
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You are so welcome.
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Permalink Reply by Barbydahlzz ALUM 09/075 USS JPJ on
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Hi Kathy, my son left for boot early nov last year...his training group was lucky to be "adopted" out for christmas..meaning they were allowed liberty on Christmas day. Those parents who were lucky enough to be around RTC could adopt their SN and i think one shipmate... take them out for the day... the SR;s whos families aren't available were adopted by church groups... My Sailor went to a church group... they had an excellent meal.. played video games, had facebook time..all the civilians handed over their cellphones so the SR's could call home...THEN pictures started to surface on facebook.... where i FOUND MY Sailor.... I cried but it was the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!! Im hoping that your SR's training group is selected for adoption for the holidays.. Hugs to you
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This sounds hopeful. Something to look forward to. Thanks so much for your thoughts.
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Your future Sailor will not have been at the RTC long enough to be part of the Adopt-A-Sailor progam for Christmas this year. Those who are adopted are in the next 2 TG's that will have PIR after the holiday. Your son's PIR will be at the end of January or beginning of February. Those who will be adopted most likely will arrive at the end of October or beginning of November this year.
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Permalink Reply by Leisure-Ley on
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Hi Kathy, my son leaves Nov 20, his recruit couldn't give me a answer regarding that but he did say that navy bootcamp will be changing from 8weeks to 12weeks and he felt my sons arrival date will be after it is implemented. Ask your recruitor, Let me know the response you get.
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