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:

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:

RTC Graduation

**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:

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

Loading…

What is the best way to send big envelopes and packages to my son at A-school in Goose Creek.  I sent him a package (actually a big envelope) which he got a notice about today.  But, when he went to pick it up from the mail room, they couldn't find it.  Should I send packages and big envelopes UPS or require a signature?  They said they would look for it.  He had a long line behind him so he is going back tomorrow.  I had sent him a FedEx package the first week he was there and he got that one but had to have the tracking number.  Any suggestions?  

Views: 280

Replies to This Discussion

I sent everything via USPS -  "If it fits, it ships".  I was able to print & pay for the label online so it saved a few cents.  A large box was $15.80 and it always got there in 2 days (both to GC & then when he was in NY) and that was coming from CA!  You can check the box online to have it send you an email notification when it arrives and you can track the package.  I never had a problem sending it this way - the only problem was getting my son to go stand in line in GC.  NY wasn't an issue because it delivered to his condo/apt mailbox. 

I would fill my boxes pretty full - just make sure you tape them up real well!  You don't want it breaking open before it gets there!

I know some people have recommend getting a PO box so they don't have to wait in the long lines.....

I have only sent my son mail via USPS. This includes USPS envelopes and boxes that all have tracking #'s. He ordered stuff from the web and it was shipped via UPS with tracking #'s. He hasn't had any problems with receiving/picking up his mail from the mail room @ GC. The only issues with the mail room pick ups, are the long lines!!  One time, he waited over an hour to pick up a package. My guess is the staff in the mail room are overwhelmed with all the love from families wanting to bring smiles to their sailors?!

I'm still trying to figure that one out!  I say don't waste money on priority 1-3 day via USPS.  Both times I mailed boxes via that method, the boxes were actually delivered to the Goose Creek PO (which is not on base) within 3 days, however the Navy still has to pick up the mail from Goose Creek.  Both boxes sat in the Navy mail room for 2 days before my son even recvd notice he had a package.  Sending Fed Ex seems to get a more immediate response at least in my experience thus far.  I guess it depends on how important it is for your son to receive the package in a timely fashion and how much you are willing to pay.  Good luck!

Ditto on USPS with a tracking number. I text the tracking number to my sailor and, so far, she has received everything we've sent. She says the mail room often has trouble finding things unless you have a tracking number.

Thanks everyone.  I realized that I had a tracking number on the receipt from USPS since I sent if priority mail.  I went to the USPS site and entered the tracking number and found it hadn't been delivered yet.  I requested text updates and this morning got one that said my package was out for delivery!!!  I guess the slip my sailor got was for another piece of mail and not the package I sent him. That explains why they couldn't find it!!!!!

girl chief - thanks I have forwarded the texts to my son so he knows the status.  By the time he finishes classes today, his package should have arrived!

B'sNukeMoM - I love the picture of the cats!!!!!

I always send mine USPS Priority Mail and then text or FB message the tracking # to my son when I have seen it showing that it has arrived at the destination.  It does take a few days to get a slip from the mail room, but if they have the tracking # they can go there before they get the slip.  Regular mail is another situation.  Once the letter arrives, the mail PO for their class still has to go to the PO to pick it up and bring it to the class, so it takes even longer than usual.  It's better to try to put regular mail in their next box you send unless it's urgent.  Then I would consider putting it in a Priority Mail envelope so that they can pick it up just like the packages.  My son didn't get to pick up his Valentine's Day box on time even though it arrived the day before and he had the tracking #.  He said there was a 2-hour wait in line at the PO and he didn't have that kind of time to waste.  He is DEFINITELY considering getting his own PO Box so that he doesn't have to deal with that any longer.  Also, it helps save the headache of changing class #s etc.  Since my son is almost done with A-school, he will still be there about another 8 months so it will still be worthwhile while he is still in PS.  I hope he gets it sooner rather than later!  LOL

Is it a regular post office or just a mail room.  I got a noticed that said it was delivered but I didn't know whether that was from the post office saying they delivered it to the mail room?  I know the lines are long.  That would be discouraging for sure!  I haven't heard from my son that he got it.  But, I figure he would me again if he didn't!  I did forward the texts to him.  The PO box sounds like a good suggestion.  Thanks.

RSS

© 2024   Created by Navy for Moms Admin.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service