This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
FIRST TIME HERE?
FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO GET STARTED:
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!
Make sure to read our Community Guidelines and this Navy Operations Security (OPSEC) checklist - loose lips sink ships!
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:
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
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.)
N4M Merchandise
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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
Badge
Unprepared
16hrs since I received that scripted phone call from my son. Unaware of the "scripted" part and or length of phone call (48 sec). I could hear stress in his voice. Also unaware of being able to have accompanied him to his recruiter meetings for preparation on what to expect after final swear in. Maybe he thought I wouldn't have been as supportive had I attended. Definitely unprepared for this journey. Never been away from my three children. My heart feels heavy. Experiencing detachment with my children becoming adults and leaving NEST that's been built with a strong foundation with walls insulated with ADT security. Now not even being able to communicate with my middle child and only son. I feel as if I'm grieving or had a loss. Emotions from PROUD, SAD, UNCERTAIN, EXCITED for his journey, and LONGING to hear him say "I'm going fishing". Never thought it would be so hard to fold his clothes, walk past his door, pick up his shoes, or not hear his car crank. Wondering if there are other navy moms who have experienced these feelings? Today only cried once and here I am writing without tissues thanks to the support from another navy mom (whose ex navy chief).
Views: 21153
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by CubanGurl on
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Oh my gosh,I feel so bad for you and your husband.its tough,my son left in dec.i missed his first phone call,I wanted to scream! I can't believe they didn't let them call on Christmas,I was sad. Any time you want to reply back,be strong and proud
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Permalink Reply by 1BlessedNavyMom on
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Oh I fear this as well MommaMandi!! My son leaves for boot camp on October 8th and his father and I have had a discussion with him about communicating with us and not just his girlfriend. I expect him to want to talk with her but as a mother my fear is that he will only call her. My oldest son is married so I hope that I am prepared that he will probably only call her. Sigh, it's so hard letting them grow up!!
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Permalink Reply by ProudNavyMomInFL on
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Totally with you mum Z. This is my oldest son and although I still have 2 at home, my house feels empty. He has always been our "toughest" child and didn't think this would be so hard, actually thought I would be just relieved, yet proud, but I am scared, Im worried, Im excited and Im proud....all at once. Def one of the hardest things I have gone through. It's not like college where you can still communicate. It's a lot harder not only not seeing him but not hearing him either. I'm hoping this gets easier but I know N4M is a great tool, a great source of encouragement and support! Hopefully we can all stick together and get through this together! BTW, my son left 8/23, so I am thinking we may have same PIR (graduation date). Well see... His rate is AV (Aviation Technician).
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Permalink Reply by mum Z on
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Son's rate is AM/SG (Aviation Mechanic). Agree with you, hardest part is, NO CONTACT. Just reminding myself he is doing GREAT things. BESIDES, I'm proud to say " GO NAVY " :)))
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Permalink Reply by CopiousAmour on
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That scripted I'm here, goodbye is so hard to hear. My fiancé's voice was so stressed during this call and I haven't heard a thing since.
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Permalink Reply by leana*ship14div426 on
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starting this journey also with a heavy heart. So very excited for all of the new things opening up for him but sad for myself and the feeling of loosing my baby... Where did the time go? really do with he was little again and i could just sit and hold him.
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Permalink Reply by Wtmky76 on
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I completely agree. My son turned 18 the week after they left! He was my first baby and will always be my sweet boy. I am so proud but my heart aches to hear his voice and listen to him puttering through the house. I am counting the days until graduation. Im going to hug him and never want to let go.
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Permalink Reply by PuddlePirate on
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I think it gets better...at least that's what I keep telling myself. I also try to remember how excited I was to leave home, moving 1000 miles away to Navy Prep School. It was a challenging time but so exhilerating too. Some of my best memories are from that period of my life. That's how I imagined my son was feeling at bootcamp, and then we got his first real phone call home. He was doing well, albeit kind of homesick and wishing he could just be a kid and hang out on the couch. Don't we all feel a little bit like that sometimes? I'm struggling with detachment too, but fortunately, my younger son is gives me a few extra hugs every day. He knows I'm struggling. Still, I'm so excited for graduation next month and can't wait to see him at sub school.
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Permalink Reply by NavyMomTimesTwo on
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What you're feeling is normal. I promise. When my oldest joined 6 years ago I kid you not, I was curled up in the fetal position for 3 weeks before he left. My heart just hurt. And when he left there was no consoling me. None. Of course he left the week of Thanksgiving. I had to spend all the holidays without him, without even a call. It hurts. It hurts bad. I have a son there now (my middle son), and I cry over him too. You spend 24/7 with them for 18 years and then BAM! It's like they are just taken from you. I promise it gets better though. Just come here to cry, to vent, etc. My online support was the only thing that got me through this. To know there are others going through the same thing was just huge. Hang in there!
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Permalink Reply by rhonda/ship 13 div 102 on
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Im crying reading your post...My son leaves the 7th of Jan, how will I cope? Im glad I found this site...I thought I was the only one grieving like this..This is just horrible..When Cole (my son) went to meet the recruiter to go to meps, I said, "Please just turn the car around and come home, don't do this just to make me proud.." He said its ok mom..
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Permalink Reply by djk's Mom on
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My Son is leaving 11/25 a couple of days before Thanksgiving ... Everything you are writing is exactly how I am feeling. A piece of my heart being torn out with no medication.
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Permalink Reply by Kirsten on
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I completely understand how you feel I am going through the same thing. I have been crying ever since my son left on the 12th. Haven't heard from him nor do I have an address yet. Don't know how long it will be before I do. Just want to know he is doing ok and that he is not sad. It is the not knowing that is the toughest
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