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!

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:

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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Hello BC Moms!!!
I totally understand what you are going through, my SR just graduated Friday and is in A school in Pensacola. I saw a post about letters, Write! Write! Write! I encouraged family and friends to write as well. I wrote a letter or sent a card everyday. I thought of it as keeping my son company. We just returned home from GL yesterday and while it is still fresh, I want to share our experience with you all. First of all, please do whatever you can to attend PIR, IT IS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE!! We flew into to Milwaukee, for us it was cheaper (flight with Southwest) and less traffic driving from Milwaukee to Great Lakes. It was a 40 minute drive to GL, no traffic. Traffic in and out of Chicago can be terrible! We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lake Forest, 10 minutes from the base. They offer a Naval Graduation discount...ASK FOR IT when making the reservation! Not sure of other hotels who may have a similar offer. We have an EZ Pass for tolls and used it with our rental car. We used Budget, they have the I-Pass in their vehicles if you need one. We drove through two tolls between the hotel and airport. Sarge's Meet & Greet was pretty cool, get there early! We did not stay until the end. We were exhausted and had to go by Walmart, which is across the street from Sarge's M&G. Do a trial run to the base going down Buckley to Ohio St gate and a trial run taking the shortcut. We arrived at the gate early on PIR morning (before 6am), didn't need to use the shortcut. Process getting on base and parked was a breeze. They did open the doors before 7am...which was awesome! Division signs are posted so you will know where to sit. Bring your camera, iPad, phone, etc. You will want to record and take pictures. After the ceremony, the family is able to visit the exchange to eat, shop, and purchase more pictures. We took our SR out to eat (15 mins from base) and hung out at our hotel. It was laid back and relaxing. My SR was excited about being off base! We took our SR back to base and drove him to the chapel (that's as far as we can go). At 1:00am Saturday morning, we made our way to Midway airport to spend those last few hours with our SR before his flight out. It's great to walk them all the way to the gate and watch them board. Always have your ID!! Please feel free to ask any questions, I'm sure I left something out. Enjoy the journey!!

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Replies to This Discussion

Welcome! I'm still choked up Nancy....it's a wonderful experience!

What a story...thank you for sharing.  My son graduates the 19th and I cannot wait.  Was disappointed that I didn't get a call this week and was/am worried.  Any idea as to why I wouldn't get my weekly call?  

Weekly call?  What weekly call?  No one is guaranteed that many calls.  If you have received one every week...you are lucky!

It's rare to receive a weekly call. I heard from my SR almost weekly until the last two weeks. Then he called after battle stations and he was able to talk for over an hour. Remember, no news is good news!!! Hold on.....you're almost there!

You guys are so lucky...I have not received anything..no call or letter yet..(other then the I am here safe call!)..

My son is graduating July 24th..and also going to Pensecola for A School...I am trying to book flights..and he was not sure if he would have the weekend or leave on Saturday...so is it safe to say he will most likely leave Saturday and I should book our return flights for Saturday?  I hate not knowing!! 

We were in the same boat! My SR didn't know until the end what day he was leaving, so we played it safe. We left early Monday morning. I'd leave late Sunday or sometime Monday if you can. 

 Thank you so much!! We my just end up driving to play it safe!!

@ChristinaNavyMom
Just thought of another question, what do they wear when they fly to A school? Civilian clothes, camo, dress white?

Dress whites, if it is the season for the dress whites. My SR said they can not travel in any other clothing. 

So do you have to be at the airport at the exact time your sailor arrives?  Or can you meet up with them at a later time?

I think it is something you can work out between you and your SR. He told us the bus was leaving at 1am from RTC, so we left at 1am from our hotel. 

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