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 as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:
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
Latest Activity
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
Shirts, caps, mugs and more can be found at CafePress.
Please note: Profits generated in the production of this merchandise are not being awarded to the Navy or any of its suppliers. Any profit made is retained by CafePress.
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
I'M A BASKET CASE
I hope someone can respond and give me a few words of encouragement on how they got through the days immediately after their son/daughter left. I feel like I'm not going to be able to function. Any advice is appreciated.
Views: 2093
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by MrsZ on
-
I love this idea. My daughter leaves for Boot Camp on Dec. 2. I think your idea of journaling might be the perfect idea for me. If I do it just right, she might want to actually read it some day too. Thanks for sharing!
-
Permalink Reply by CHRISTY on
-
Thank you so much, my son leaves today for the hotel and I am going to by a new journal today. This is a must for all moms. It will mean so much to him and sounds very therapeutic for me. Plus he will be able to seem like he didn't miss the family life as much. Plus he will know we had him in our hearts every single day. God Bless you cjzapp.
-
Permalink Reply by djk's Mom on
-
my son also leaves for the hotel today! I am a mess.. where are you from??
-
-
From Atlanta. It is truly a different experience and only other people that have went through it understands. People that haven't will listen to you and say things like they know what you are feeling, but they don't. They don't get it. I am happy that this is an outlet for people who share the same experiences and feelings so they will not feel all alone.
-
-
Yes Writing totally helps. As long as he knows you are there. He will be fine. Keep me posted!
-
Permalink Reply by Storymom on
-
Hi Bisbee.....I stayed busy too, cleaned a lot of closets, did some "mucking" out of things I didn't need anymore, pots, pans, old pillows, knicky-knacky things ....it helped me embrace a new life for me too, a "transition" to a new life for me and my son....he was going thru changes, I wanted to go thru some changes also....of course I did NOT throw anything of his away! lol!! start cutting out comics or jokes out of the newspaper...get ready to mail those to boot camp, they need a laugh, and they pass that kind of stuff around in the barracks. (nothing political, racy or in bad taste) Also cut out local news items too, if its something he/she might be interested in....stack 'em up and get ready to mail them, one by one, in each letter....lifts up their spirits a bit. I sent my son a few snowman cartoons from the Sunday paper while he was in boot during a harsh winter, 5 years ago..
Also know in your heart he/she are following their own path, and spreading those wonderful wings you helped nurture. Can you imagine if he/she just hung out with you and stayed home until the age of 45 or something??! None of us want that -- we WANT our kids to see the world (and they will, believe me), meet new people, experience other cultures and make new (lifelong) friends.....we just find it a bit lonely and unsettling at first... DE E P B R E A T H...you raised your child well, with love and taught them the sense of ADVENTURE and Self Confidence! Your son/daughter is doing what WE all did as kids....moved on out from Mama's wing...and carved our own future for ourselves. We all made a few mistakes, stumbled a bit, and he/she will too - BE PROUD NavyMOM! YOU did it - you raised a fine youngster! (and time will indeed heal, really it will) After boot, communication will be SO much better! Also, scroll down to the events on the right side of this page...see Blue Candle Event?? go there and read a bit too...light a blue candle in your home/work (any kind of Blue candle) Blue is for Navy, and feel the comfort of the flickering flame's warm glow....I have one at work and on my kitchen window sill....I light it when I'm feeling lonely, or when my son is going thru a challenging time, or on his birthday, all holidays, or while he's deployed. It soothes me, it really does.
Bravo Zulu to you and your Recruit! ya done Good Mama!
-
-
Wow - thank you Bravo Zulu so much for your kind words! My high school senior just enlisted and I'm having a hard time to adjusting. He still has the rest of his senior year left and I already have a lump in my throat and tears just thinking about when he leaves! Your reply gives me HOPE and practical advice. Thank you!
-
-
That is beautiful, my son had PIR Friday and left today for A school. It was wonderful to see him and see the changes in him, he was so worried about getting back on time it was comical, but wonderful. 8 weeks at boot camp was tough, he's not a letter writer so I was lucky to receive 5 (including a multiple choice/fill in the blank one I found on here and doctored.
I know that I'm going to continue to miss him, even with the increased ability to have contact, but you also make another good point that resonates with me...it's their time to leave, make mistakes, and live their lives.
Thanks for the advice on going forward after boot
-
Permalink Reply by JennyAnn on
-
bisbee73 i was a WRECK! our daughter is our only child and we were both so depressed the first couple days...the empty room is the worst ever :( but time really helps!! Let your emotions run their course and let yourself cry and BE PROUD!! We are still really missing her this week but we are doing so much better and can't wait to get the PIR form letter any day now!! start planning graduation if you are going to that...that will be comforting :)
-
Permalink Reply by Bradys_Mom on
-
Hi Bisbee73,
My son just left on Nov. 7th as well. I have been a basket case since he left too. I keep wondering what he is doing and how he is handling all the challenges he is facing. His Dad received the box with his belongings that he took with him today and I am so glad he did not send the package to me. I don't think I could have handled opening it. I worry about him every minute and can't wait to hear from him next. I guess we need to hang in there and by the sounds of things, write a lot of letter.
-
-
My oldest just left this week... Nov. 12th. His box came today already! Although this is the first time I have posted I have been on the site a lot...soaking in the information! He was not supposed to leave until Feb 5th, but there was a spot open, so we really only had about three weeks to prepare. I found the post about the tradition of lighting a blue candle so I went out and bought one today. There are several Navy moms in my community...there kids are all Sailors now and they all went to high school together. I helped them through...mostly just listening and they have been there for me too. Everyone says the time goes by fast...I am sure I will say that too...after! I wrote my first letter today and it really did help!
© 2024 Created by Navy for Moms Admin.
Powered by
