This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
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.
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:
**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:
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.)
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.
Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com
I am on every link on all these sites and getting so confused. I'd like to know how long BC lasts......some say 7-9 weeks and my son tells me 8. I'd like to know as I would love to be there when he graduates. I thought I read somewhere that the Navy provides the airfare and that hotel accomidations are my responsiblity. I am just so confused and my job is kinda strict when it comes to taking time off. Is there any way to find out if I have to purchase airfare/hotel for the ceremony? And how long he will be in BC......like an approximate time frame. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Tags:
Ladyrocker, It's easy to get confused with all the info you are trying to take in! BC on average lasts about 9 weeks total; to count 9 Fridays from the day he arrives at RTC will give you a good idea of his graduation date. But keep in mind that it is possible that it could be only 8 Fridays, or even 10, dependent upon how the divisions are formed...whether he's in a push division or he is in P-days for a longer time period. You will have no way of knowing for sure which it will be until you get the form letter from your SR. About 2 weeks after he arrives at BC, you will receive this form letter. This letter is very important and will tell you your SR's mailing address while in boot, his graduation date, and a password that you will need to print out your gate pass in order to attend PIR. The Navy does not provide airfare; you will be responsible for your own transportation to & from graduation as well as accommodations.
thanks C&G'sMOM for replying. At least a have a little bit more to go on. I so want to be able to attend his graduation but not sure if that will be possible. Am I the only mom out there with this problem. It saddens me because I so want to be there! :(
My son leaves on the 22nd also. I will be anxiously awaiting the form letter to arrive.
My newest concern is, he has found out he has to have his wisdom teeth out and they are impacted:( His recruiter said they will take them out during BC. Is this something he should have done before he leaves. I am the typical overprotective mom, I want to make sure he is ok and wont have to be in a lot of pain.
Hi proudnavymom and thanks for replying. So sorry about your sons wisdom teeth.....sorta sux .....but I would hope that all will be ok and that they will take great care of him. So where are you from? I am not sure how to add you as a friend. This site leads me in all different directions and I start to forget where I was and who I want to add. Since our sons are both leaving for BC on April 22nd I figures that we have alot of concerns and things in common. I too am very over protective and well I am counting the days .....lately all I do is cry a whole lot. I am also trying to find a person by the name of "tbailey". They posted something that I wanted to reply to and I am going crazy looking for it again. My internet provider is driving me insanely mad .....I need to find another because at times especially when I need to vent it goes out on me. I hope to hear from you and find out more about you and your son as to where you are from. My son and I are from Philadelphia Pa.......looking forward to meeting new moms with similar concerns and hoping to build new friendships/supporters during our Navy venture.
I found a lot of info on this site. Hope it helps
wow.............thank you......very informative link.........I think I am going blind.......I've been on it for almost 3 hours now. So much to read and learn.......btw do you know what "ship 5" is? Got lost on that one. Well.....I'm going to read some more depending on how long I can keep my eyes open. Thanks so much for the link. :)
http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/ship5/index.asp
I found out what Ship 5 is. It is basically a holding facility for recruits who are injured and waiting to re-enter training or who are waiting to go to A school after graduation.
My son also leaves on the 22nd of April. Not sure if you got your questions answered or not. But I can share what I do know. I have heard that the length of BC is 8 weeks plus the first week which is called P-Week. So in reality it could be 9 weeks. You should receive a letter after about 2 or 3 weeks telling you when they are scheduled to graduate. I am not sure about the Navy paying for air fair...that sounds like a stretch to me, I would plan on paying your own but keep checking on that just in case.
From what I've heard they don't pay and that isn't even a concern at this point. It's my job. They are so strict and I am praying when I do find out when he graduates that they will allow me the time off to attend. I am so scared they aren't going to allow me to. I know that right after graduation he will go directly to school in Connecticut for 58 weeks. That is all know right now. I keep praying that once I find out his PIR date that they will allow me to take my vacation so I can be there. God only knows how long it will be before I see him again after that if they don't allow me the time. Right now he lives with his dad and I work some crazy hours so I am even going to miss out on the few phone calls they allow. Feeling so stressed .......27 days and counting .....here come the tears again. ;'(
I hear you. It hit me this morning and for the first time I got really nervous and scared for my son. Would it be possible to give your employer a heads up? and let them know the situation? Is it possible for you to spend some time with your son before he goes? That is what I am trying to do. Just little things like going out to breakfast or dinner. Sitting and talking over coffee. Hang in there and know you are not alone.
BTW my name is Melanie, Nice to meet you.
Oh and as far as that boot camp site goes, when I found it I spent hours on it as well. Lot of great info and videos. It really helped me to understand what he was going to be in for and put my mind a ease a bit.
My son said that the best way to get information is through his recruiter but not to over do it. I have met him and he is really nice. So hang in there.
I have given them a heads up what is going on. I maybe able to take off the day before he actually leaves to BC.......I'd like to spend that day with him and to say cya.....(never goodbye)(that seems just to final for me). I told him I'd like to have a small party with close family members and his friends. Time is winding down and I don't think I will be able to get a hall.....so a small house gathering is what I am trying to do. If and when his PIR date is is going to fall on someone elses vacation time and they don't allow 2 ppl to take off at the same time. I am hoping and praying that they will allow me to take at least 4 days of my vacation time even if someone else is on vacation at the time......Like it's not like the place will fall apart if I am not there for a few days. I only have 1 day off a week and I told him that its getting close and that I'd like to spend more time with him. He said he liked the party idea ....and I am waiting for him to email me back with my proposal and what I am planning to do. I think he is upset with me over a facebook post I put up (which was a joke) but he's not answering back .....I just don't know. I am going nuts looking for a great picture to have put on a cake......like an Anchors Away picture......I just work such long hours and can't make phone calls and don't have the time to do all this alone. My mom is offering to help.....but I don't know. I am still crying lot and haven't been able to sleep to good. I am so stressed out.......The links are awesome and I agree with you ...very informative....I have alot saved to find fast ......like if I can't make the SIR the link to watch over the internet providing it doesnt go down on my like it tends to do. BTW nice to meet you Melanie .....I am Kathie. His recruiter is super kewl.....I went with him was he wanted to join. (didn't want him going in there alone) Very nice man and Joey tells me I can call/text him but I really don't want to go through him unless it's absolutely needed. Bottom line ......I am praying that my job will find it in their heart to allow me to attend SIR and understand how important this is to me. If not I will take the day off crying in my apt alone watching it on the internet.....those are my choices as of now.
Thanks for keeping in touch and the links/info............It means so much to me to know that I have someone to talk/vent to. Im here for you also.
Kathie,
Hang in there...Are you a spiritual person? I find that if I put it out to the Universe, God, or whomever you believe in, and totally trust (but not fret) that things have a way of working out. How many weeks do you have off for Vacation? If you have two weeks, one thought is to put in for the full two weeks, one 9 weeks after the 22nd and the week after that. That way you are covered and once you know more you can cancel part of the vacation if you don't need it.
Where do you work anyway? I am putting it out there that all will work out and you and I will be able to meet face to face at PIR. I have faith. And it just feels right to me.
The party sounds like a great idea. I think you should let your mom help if you have a good relationship with her. One thing that parents always want to do is help their kids, no matter how old they are. Besides it will help to take some of the burden off of you. I know what it is like being a single mom. Iv'e been one for over 15 years.
I am taking my son and daughter to ComicCon the weekend before Jed ships off to BC. ComicCon is a huge Comic convention and this years convention is only 4 hours from us. My kids are both very much into movies, animations, graphic arts, and that kind of thing. So ComicCon is a big deal to them. I have wanted to take them somewhere for one last family vacation, just the three of us, and this is one they will always remember.
Hang in there....my thoughts are with you.
© 2025 Created by Navy for Moms Admin.
Powered by