My son shipped to RTC on 8/26 and graduated 10/23. It's been quite a ride, so I thought I'd share a few of my thoughts & comments for families of recruits who are headed for, or currently in RTC. (These are my experiences & opinions, yours may be different.)
Communication will be limited. You WILL get a call when they arrive. You SHOULD get two more (1 at roughly mid-point & 1 just before graduation). You MIGHT get more if your recruit: [1] is getting security clearance, [2] earns the right & has time. If something else important comes up, you will be notified.
Recruits may, or may not, write personal letters. Be happy IF you get letters, but DON'T be angry if you don't. (They are extremely busy.) You, on the other hand can & should write. I wrote my son virtually every day. I shared updates on favorite sports teams, news of the day, good things going on at home. I did not share negative items. (I didn't tell him that I missed him terribly, or that it was tough not seeing him, or that I was constantly wondering what he was doing.) I finished up every letter with words of support: "You can do this." … "We are proud of you.." … "You are past the half-way point." … "You are part of a great team.." … "Keep your eyes on the prize.." My son quickly learned to look for the encouraging parting comment. He loved getting mail - ALL recruits do!
ALL families are concerned about how things are going for their recruit. My son said the first days were tough, but they kept him so busy he didn't have time to worry. If your recruit experiences difficulty, they can get help. The Navy has seen it all. Your recruit is in excellent hands.
About PIR (graduation)... The days leading up to it are agonizing, but they WILL pass. Get to the PIR ceremony as early as you can so you can get a good seat. Ride the hotel shuttle if you have the option. When you see the line of cars driving onto base, you'll see what I mean. When your new Sailor marches into Ceremonial Drill Hall with their Division, the look of "Military Bearing" might stun you. The PIR ceremony is formal & respectful. So dress appropriately. (Watch the weekly PIR videos to get an idea of how they go.)
Your new Sailor will have some liberty after graduation. You will be amazed at all they learn. Making beds perfectly, making socks smile, the "gig line" on their uniform, marching to cadence, and hating "ten-counts." Seeing my son in his dress blues, walking tall & proud, was simply indescribable. Good Luck, the wait is worth it!
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Thanks for the insight. Our son left on October 14th. We got our address letter last Saturday and a call a couple hours ago. It was great hearing his voice and the enthusiasm of how training was going.
We write him daily too, mailed a stack of cards and letters the afternoon after receiving the address. Also, altered friends and family of the address and asked them to write too.
Definitely will follow your advice regarding PIR.
Thanks again!
Well done Greg! We Admins preach these things all the time and I'm glad to see you've validated what we said a number of years ago- things remain the same at a fundamental level. And you learn that the 8 weeks at boot camp also apply to mom and dad- they have to learn much of the same things their new sailors are! The most important- communication is limited and to always be upbeat and positive in the communication you do have with your sailor! The Navy has been doing this for a long time- they know what they are doing and know what to expect from the recruits and what they can achieve if they set their minds to it!