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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Choose your Username.  For the privacy and safety of you and/or your sailor, NO LAST NAMES ARE ALLOWED, even if your last name differs from that of your sailor (please make sure your URL address does not include your last name either).  Also, please do not include your email address in your user name. Go to "Settings" above to set your Username.  While there, complete your Profile so you can post and share photos and videos of your Sailor and share stories with other moms!

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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.

OPSEC - Navy Operations Security

Always keep Navy Operations Security in mind.  In the Navy, it's essential to remember that "loose lips sink ships."  OPSEC is everyone's responsibility. 

DON'T post critical information including future destinations or ports of call; future operations, exercises or missions; deployment or homecoming dates.  

DO be smart, use your head, always think OPSEC when using texts, email, phone, and social media, and watch this video: "Importance of Navy OPSEC."

Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:

OPSEC GUIDELINES

Events

**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:

RTC Graduation

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.

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Navy Speak

Click here to learn common Navy terms and acronyms!  (Hint:  When you can speak an entire sentence using only acronyms and one verb, you're truly a Navy mom.)

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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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Today has been so hard. I have tried to hide my feelings, but I can't stop the overwhelming feelings. My son decided a long time ago this was his career choice. I have store by him and provided support and encouragement. I truly do want him to be happy. But today, I can't stop the tears. I have one week left with him and I am trying to be strong. I keep thinking how much this will change our family. I worry about his younger siblings and how this will affect them. They are 8 and 9 years younger and love their big brother so much. I know I need to stay strong and refrain from crying especially when he leaves. But I do not know how I can prevent this. I feel like I am on an emotional roller coaster. What is the best way to get through this? How do you let them go? How do you say goodbye. The thought of no communication for 3 weeks is hard. One last question....how many weeks do you count out on the calendar to plan for graduation....I have heard various things. I was told 9 weeks (one week of processing and 8 weeks of actual boot camp. But I also heard 7 to 9. My husband has to plan
His vacation out as soon as possible to get approved. Thanks and I am so glad I found this forum because I need lots of support to get through this.

Views: 1050

Replies to This Discussion

Hi Michelle.  My daughter leaves on 7/23 too.  I know exactly how you are feeling, but I have been through it all before in March of 2012 when my son left for boot camp.  He is currently serving in Japan.  The first 2-3 weeks are the hardest, but once you get the box and the letter and then a personal letter or 2, it does get easier.  I was a little more apprehensive this time because of it being my daughter, but I know that she is a strong girl and the Navy will only make her a stronger young lady.  What job will your son be doing?  Mine will be a corpsman and will be in Texas for A-school after boot camp.  My husband is already planning for us to go to Texas over Christmas.........lol!!!!!!!

The N4M site is a true blessing!  Everyone on here knows exactly how your are feeling and they truly care and understand.  After boot camp it gets so much easier.  They can have their phones and laptops and you can text, Skype, email, talk all the time.  I joke with my son all the time saying that I talk more to him now then when he was home!! 

You will be fine and it will get easier as the days pass.  Before you know it, you will be sitting watching him graduate and you will never have felt so proud as you do in that moment.  I hope you  keep in touch with me since we will be going through the next weeks together.

As for PIR date, it's looking like the 20th or the 27th of September, but it's not set in stone until the form letter is mailed home.  My son's boot camp was 8 weeks and 2 days, but they are all different.

This is an emotional roller-coaster of an experience and you will have good days and bad days.  My husband, myself, and his 2 sisters all broke down when we left him at the hotel.  We tried to be strong, but that didn't happen.  We're a close family and I think if we didn't cry he would have been upset.......lol!!!!!  We even have it on video and we watch it and we laugh so hard!!  You and your family will be just fine :)

Enjoy this last week with your son and I hope to talk with you more as we embark on this journey.  Take care and Navy mom hugs to you........((((((hug)))))).

Hi Cheryl. Where in Japan is your son? Mine is in Yokosuka

Hi.  My son is there too.  He's been there since Sept 2012.

Dec 2012 for us.

Does he like it?  It took my son about 3 months to start feeling comfortable.  He was just home in June for 2 weeks and it was awesome. It was nice that he could see his sister before she leaves for boot camp.  Could be a while before they see each other again.  Or they could end up in Japan together.  Now that would be funny!

It took Kyle a while to get comfortable as well. He will move in barracks this week, I think he's looking forward to that. The language barrier aggravates him still. We won't see him until December ( except for FaceTime ). :0)

My son is a Kyle too :)

He lives on ship and likes it for the most part.  Except for lack of space.  Not sure if he will ever move into the barracks!  He hates paperwork and last we talked to him he had just gotten the forms to fill out. 

Mine hasn't really complained about the language barrier, just way to much sushi for him......lol!!!

December will be here before you know it and it will be like he never left!

That's funny. Same name. My Kyle did his paperwork when he got there. He had a shipmate from school who got there 2 weeks before him and he made sure Kyle did it. Lol

Cheryl are you on fb? There's is a wonderful Japan navy moms group there. I love them. Lol

Since your future Sailor has a contract for Hospital Corpsman (HM), sometime between now and the end of BC, join HM (Hospital Corpsman) A School in San Antonio and check out Basic Medical Technician Corpsman Program Facebook Page. The Rating Information Card for HM can be found at https://www.cool.navy.mil/enlisted/rating_info_cards/hm.pdf; it indicates 19 weeks, but "A" School is 14 weeks after classing up. Your Sailor will most likely fly out to "A" School the day after PIR. See PIR Day and Liberty During PIR Weekend to help you know how to plan your weekend.

PIR will more likely be 09/20/2103 or 09/13/2103 than 09/27/2013 for those arriving at the beginning of the week. Like you said, you'll have to wait on the form letter to know for sure.

Thanks for all the info!  I joined the group and am looking for to meeting more wonderful Navy moms!

I know that graduation date can be any of those Fridays.  Was only telling Michelle what my daughters recruiter relayed to us.  Only the form letter will have the official day........lol!  We live in IL and my husband told work that he needs off  all the Thursdays and Fridays in Sept and Oct just in case...............lol!!!  He told them he would only be gone for one and will be working the rest.  Luckily his boss has been through this with him before with our son.

Recruiters keep planning for 10 weeks lately for some reason and it does happen for some, but more won't be there that long, especially not those arriving at the beginnning of the week.

It sounds like your hubby has a good plan and an understanding boss.

I hope my daughter has PIR on the 13th because our youngest daughter has homecoming on the 21st and has already been asked and has a dress.  She did say that he sister's PIR is more important and it doesn't matter what day it falls on.  She will be going to PIR for sure.  Would just be nice if it worked out for everyone. 

My husband is lucky to have such an understanding boss and he is such a support of anything for the military.

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