Recruits can buy phone cards at the RTC NEX adjacent to the phone banks. No one misses a chance to call home for lack of a phone card.

Hey all,

One thing I did not do when my daughter left was to make sure she had a phone card to call home.  After the initial arrival phone call your recruit will need a phone card to call home.  I live in a small community and most places do not carry them anymore but Fred Meyer carries them in all their stores in the electronics department.  Your child can bring $20 worth of calling card.  That's 300 minutes of phone time.  Please look at this link to familiarize what you can send.…

Our story.........This is my one and only daughter(my lil Princess), she left for bootcamp on March 15th. Her PIR is 5/13. When she graduated high school she went to college(in Illinois) for 2 years on a full ride volleyball scholarship, she also was a cheerleader there as well. She loves loves loves volleyball, but when you get on college level you need height. She was an outside hitter mainly and a setter. Anyway after her 2 years she didn't get picked up by any other…

Ah yes here we are again...

So far I've sent off my recruit to boot camp, received the phone call and also received the "The Box".

It was P-4 and I was so excited to get the smelly clothes and contraband from the kid.  Just like college...sending laundry home to mom. LOL...

I have forgotten to mention the NavyforMoms.com website.  I spent so much time on the website getting familiar with how the process goes, getting links for all my family and friends to look at and to…

Hello all again...

So my girl shipped out 7 days ago today at 1:45 p.m. PCT on March 21st, 2016.

Her plane left Washington State, changed in Colorado and finally arrived in Chicago Illinois about 10:30 p.m. est.

She still had her cell phone on her so she called as soon as she landed and before she could get on the bus while it was still "safe". LOL.

Once the recruit gets on the bus they make their way to the RTC.  It took about an hour and a half.  Once they…

Oh boy!! Here it is - shipping out...

I previously wrote that after the final swearing in the recruits got finger printed and got their packets.

Recuits can only take a minimum amount of items.  The closes on their backs, their wallets, an ipad if they want for the flight and their cell phones.  In the next blog "The Box" we will talk about all these things.  Most important if you are a Navy recruit remember you have to ship this stuff home so only take what you are allowed.…

Hello again,

I hope you are all well and making it through.  This blog will talk a little bit about my girls final MEPS day, official swearing in and shipping off to the RTC in Great Lakes, Il.

Sami had to be in Spokane the day before to ship.  She was required to be at the hotel provided by MEPS in the afternoon.  She had to check in with the MEPs reps at the hotel and be assigned her room.  There seemed to about 15 kids there for signing up and shipping out.  Some of the kids…

Hello all,

My name is Hallie and I am a proud mentor/friend/step-mom of a new recruit.

This is going to be quite the adventure.  The adventure has already started.  Every persons journey is going to be different. I can only share what ours has been so far.

Once my girl signed up, and because she was 20 she pretty much handled everything on her own.  Our kids want to be adults and handle as much as they can on their own.  The decision to go into the Armed Forces is such…

My daughter wont graduate until October from basic but I'm trying to plan ahead as much as possible. Any suggestions on hotels closest to location of graduation that provide transportation to and from? Also, what are the best rental car places at the airport? Thank you in advance :)

Hi!

My son has joined the Navy in the delayed entry program and will go to bootcamp April 19th.  He's lived away from home for about a year with his girlfriend, and I'm just afraid of the "unknown".   He's a man of few words.........so getting information from him is a little rough sometimes! 

I was wondering, should I get a power of attorney for him?  Is that necessary?  Is there a way to connect with him while in bootcamp?  Is the graduations date SET based on the day a…

I got a 30 minute phone call with my SR today.   She said most in her division have the crud,  but there is no time for being sick,  still so much to learn and do.   She said she was selected or appointed  to being one of the flag carriers for graduation.   She said she's not even sure how she got that appointment.   Lol. But,  other than being a little under the weather she said things are not as bad as she thought  they would be.  So,  please lift up Ship  02,  Division 923 recruits to…

The 22nd has approached too fast!  Tuesday will be here and my baby will be on her own! We are having her a going away gathering on Saturday and I hope I can handle that! We went through her stuff in her room today and that was hard.  We found a lot of memories buried in her closet!!  That was fun but hard!    She's ready Im not!  Patiently waiting!!

Has anyone heard from the Sailor since their arrival?