Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

Are there any official RTC sites?

Yes, check out https://www.facebook.com/NavyRecruitTrainingCommand and http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/index.asp. They will have lots of information for you. https://www.facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining also has items at times.

Can recruits take anything to BC with them?

Recruits should go with what they have on their backs, their cell phones, and not much else. (See Things to Do in the Last Month Before Your Future Sailor Leaves for the RTC.)

What will the first day be like at BC?

See Arrival and What Happens at the RTC and Ship/Division--How it Works.

How long is the "I'm here!" call and when will s/he be able to call again?

See Phone Cards and Phone Calls.

When will "The Box" come?

It will usually arrive within a few days, but it can take up to 2 weeks to come at times.

I got my recruit's address from the recruiter. Can I trust it?

Double-check the address the recruiter gave you against those at http://bootcamp.navy.mil/contact_recruit.asp, but we strongly encourage you to wait on the form letter before sending mail to your recruit.

When will the Form Letter come and what is in it?

The form letter will come a week or so after "The Box" arrives--10 days after arrival is the average, but it can come sooner or up to 2 weeks after arrival. (You can find a copy of the current form letter at 3. The Official Form Letter from Boot Camp.) This form letter is full of info and you will need it to get the vehicle/gate pass if you are driving onto the RTC for PIR, so keep it in a safe place. It includes your recruit's address, so now you can mail out all the letters you have been writing. There is more on this in Letter Writing & Fun Stuff/Questionnaires to send to your Recruit.

The form letter will also tell you the date of PIR, so you can start making plans for your trip. There are many hotels in the area and there is information in the grad pack and on this site about them. If you fly in, renting a car will make your life easier. Also, if you are flying, some airlines, such as Southwest, will allow you to change your flight if something happens without a charge, so you do not have to book refundable tickets. Plan to arrive the day before PIR so you won't risk missing this very special event and go to Sarge's Meet and Greet (go to Events on the right or in the tab above and move the calendar to the day before PIR and then locate it) and maybe part of another Meet and Greet (Ramada Inn has one and sometimes Flanagan's). If your Sailor's "A" School or training is in GL, plan to leave late Sunday or on Monday and if your Sailor will be flying out, then plan to leave late Saturday or on Sunday to have the most time with your Sailor. (This may need to be adjusted if PIR is not on Friday.) See Saving Money PIR Weekend and PIR Day and Liberty During PIR Weekend.

Sarge has a taxi service and he is a wealth of information and has a Meet and Greet at the Sundance Saloon in Waukegan the night before PIR. His cell number is 847-212-0246. His M&G and services have been getting great reviews. Find Sarge on N4M as OldSarge.

Once you know your recruit's PIR date, be sure to join the group for that. New groups are posted on here or you can go to http://www.navyformoms.com/forum/topics/groups-listed-by-pir-date and join the group for that once it has been created.

How do I know who my recruit plans to put on the Access List?

The form letter will also include the names of up to 3 or 4 people, depending on the size of the TG, that your recruit plans to put on the Access List about 10 days before PIR. If the names on the form letter are not the same as those who will be attending, write to your recruit and give him/her the names that should be listed as they should be written. Recruits sometimes write “Mom, Dad, Bro, Sis” or other similar names to save time and give them more time to write a short note to you (one recruit wrote a single letter on each line); don’t worry your recruit will write the given names on the Access List when the time comes. If you are concerned that your recruit may not know someone’s given name or the correct spelling of someone’s name, write to your recruit and give him/her the names as they should be included on the Access List. Nicknames that a reasonable person would associate with the name on the ID are fine, but it is best if the names on the Access List match the ID’s of those who are attending. http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/upcoming_grads.asp will tell you how many guests your recruit is permitted. Children ages 2 and under do not have to be listed, but all others must be on the Access List in order to attend PIR.

How do I get the vehicle/gate pass?

About 11 days before PIR the link to download the vehicle/gate pass will be posted at http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/upcoming_grads.asp. You will need to enter the password from the form letter using all capital letters and then print the vehicle pass and handwrite in the information to fill in the blanks. You can print off more than one vehicle pass if your Sailor's guests will be arriving in more than one vehicle or just to be certain that you know where one is.

What will happen PIR weekend?

See PIR Day and Liberty During PIR Weekend and http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/pdfs/FamilyGuide_v14Mar2013.pdf.

Donna is not on the site much now and lemonelephant will be helping out along with many others who have begun this journey before you. (Donna, we are forever thankful that you started this group that continues to help so many.)

Be sure to check out the Pages to the right (under the pictures of the Members) for additional information. (You will need to click "View All" to see all of them.)