My son started boot camp on 5/22/2012. We received his box-o-stuff a week later with the form letter and his return address. My wife immediately wrote him a letter as any loving mother would do. Alex just finished week 2 last weekend and my wife kept saying, "I have to keep my phone with me in case he calls..." I told her that you do not want to get a call from him since those calls usually mean he has been set back a week or something like that. Those calls are not usually good news, I told her.
So, on Saturday while we were at a restaurant having a late lunch her phone rings and she said, "It's Alex!" My heart fell but she was so excited. She ran from the noisy restaurant to take the call. I waited for our food. She came back very quickly with big tears in her eyes and I thought the worst but she said that he was named "Sailor of the Week" and earned a one-minute phone call home to "tell you that I love you mom..."
I was so proud and I can't tell you the wonders it did for my wife to hear his voice!!
When I went through boot camp (1983 in San Diego) there was no reward as “Sailor of the Week” during boot camp. Is this a new thing? Do they pick a "Sailor of the Week" every week? Do they do it by Ship, by Division, by the entire RTC? Are the rewards for this honor always a phone call? Can anyone answer these questions?
I guess my wife will be keeping her phone in her hand for the next 6 weeks...just in case.
Replies
you have to remember that the RDC's are also balancing those calls vs the feeling homesickness that often follow a call with mom or dad.....it is a tough balancing act
Rick, Thanks for the nice reply. As I said, in my day, calls to home were unheard of (I know, how cliché). I agree with you, "phone calls home" would have to be a great motivational tool for the RDCs to encourage "performance=reward" behavior.
I’m actually a little surprised at my wife and her reactions to this whole thing. She was a Navy girlfriend and a Navy wife. I guess being a Navy MOM is completely different ;-)
Good luck to your son and your family as well. It must be exciting to have PIR so near.
Rick Binkley said:
Chris....while the mantra of "no news is good news" is usually spot on, earned calls home can and do occur. My son is in week 5 and has called home 3 times...each time I see the 847 area code on my phone, I have to admit to a sinking feeling...in week 3 my son along with 2 others got a 20 min call for scoring perfect on an exam. I had always heard before that they all called as a division. the following week, I recieved another call which was the mid point call for 20 mins...and last week the division got to call for an hour for a good zone inspection. RDC's have to be adept also to see who may a little bolstering morale wise and to give others an incentive to perform better.My son is in an 800 division and says his group has yet to jell so alot of work before PIR to come together. I haven't heard of sailor of the week for BC but who knows...we are down to less than 3 weeks so I can see a light at the end of this first leg of the journey...best of luck to your wife, yourself and especially, your SR.