Birthday at bootcamp

MilSup4Life · 09-29-2012, 04:31 AM

I was working on my calender for next year and it suddenly dawned on me that my son will turn 18 while he's in boot camp, about week 5. I know there's all kinds of warnings from folks about making sure nothing draws attention to a recruit. What happens, if anything, if there's a birthday...especially a major one? Will he get razzing? Anything he needs to prepare for? As for the family, should we not send cards? Should we just send letters instead? I'm hoping we'll get to take him out after PIR and celebrate both, but don't want to totally dismiss this major day.

maggio1994 · 09-29-2012, 05:44 AM

Well from what I hear you do not want anyone at boot camp to know it's your birthday.

Sending cards would probably give him some extra (probably unwanted) attention as well.

You'll get time to celebrate after PIR, the length will depend when he leaves for his a school.

I would just say happy birthday in a letter, or ask him if you want to send a card or not.

MC · 09-29-2012, 07:18 AM

I'll be celebrating my 20th birthday in bootcamp. As a precaution, I asked my family not to send any cards. Letters are fine for me, and I figured I could celebrate before or after bootcamp.

LT Guppy · 09-29-2012, 07:19 AM

Cards aren't a huge deal as long as they don't make noise.

MilSup4Life · 09-29-2012, 11:37 AM

Thanks for the heads up on the music cards. I'll make sure family knows. Personally, I find them extremely annoying so not something I would pick anyway. :-) His A School will be there, so I'm hoping we have time together after he moves his gear. I figure we'll celebrate then. I was just hoping it was atleast OK to send cards. If I wrote a birthday letter, I'm sure I'd get too sappy since it's a "big one." So it's birthday card and fun, encouraging letters.

I appreciate the in-put. I want to make sure we don't cause him any additional PT. If he deserves it, he can go till he drops...but don't want it to be because mom sent something wrong.

jhampton002 · 09-29-2012, 12:16 PM

My birthday shipmates did 8-counts per year of there birthday. So your son is turning 18? Well my Chief would have made him do 18 8-counts.

MilSup4Life · 09-29-2012, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhampton002

My birthday shipmates did 8-counts per year of there birthday. So your son is turning 18? Well my Chief would have made him do 18 8-counts.

Oh my! Do the Chiefs know without anyone pointing out the birthday? Like, do they check their rosters or something? Maybe I should just tell my son I'll be thinking of him not doing those 8 counts on his birthday and skip the cards. Yikes!

LT Guppy · 09-29-2012, 01:36 PM

Though really, he'll be doing 8 counts regardless of his birthday...

MilSup4Life · 09-29-2012, 01:44 PM

Yeah, I'm sure...but hopefully, not 18 sets just because it's his birthday. :-) Could be worse. Atleast it's not sharks. He's tall and lanky, so long legs and arms. Recruiter told him to get practicing because he'll have to do them and it's always harder on people built like him. He's having a hard time getting everything off the ground high enough. vbg

llamayamaa · 09-29-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhampton002

My birthday shipmates did 8-counts per year of there birthday. So your son is turning 18? Well my Chief would have made him do 18 8-counts.

Oh no! I'll be turning 28 while I'm in boot camp! I second MilSup4Life's question- do they check your files to see if you have a birthday while at RTC?

culp7 · 09-29-2012, 04:21 PM

18 sets of what?

LT Guppy · 09-29-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by culp7

18 sets of what?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQT-wZdP28

cttaef21 · 09-30-2012, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamayamaa

Oh no! I'll be turning 28 while I'm in boot camp! I second MilSup4Life's question- do they check your files to see if you have a birthday while at RTC?

Might depend on your RDC, but I turned 22 in boot camp and didn't hear anything about it...It was in the middle of the week, but it was a very easy day for the most part

vabchsue · 10-01-2012, 08:23 AM

My son turned 19 at BC and nothing was said/done. We sent him a card and just made up for it once he finished there and was back here.

jhampton002 · 10-01-2012, 07:34 PM

Ha no his shipmates will turn him in and say it is his birthday. I wouldn't tell anyone when his birthday is. And they don't check your record for when your birthday is.

Seabiscuit · 10-05-2012, 01:58 PM

Send him cards, even if he gets "caught" with them the worst they are going to do is a short IT session (8 counts and mountain climbers are no longer allowed I believe) all in good fun. It's the closest he's going to get to a Bday party while in there. We had three guys have birthdays while in and even though they had to do a 30/30/30 the got double dessert. Let him have the experience and a story to tell.

jaxx10 · 10-06-2012, 09:06 AM

I totally agree with you Seabiscuit... Though im still waiting for a ship date ... If i leave this year i will be having a bday and turning 37.. jawdrop:

not afraid !!!

Storytime : My brother had had his 19 bday while at marine bootcamp and he retells WITH A HUGE SMILE everytime.. that that morning the DRill instructor lined everyone up and announces that today was a SPECIAL day ... some one was having a bday ... and that they would be having a little birthday party... he had to pick 4-6 friends (cant remember) ...then got IT the hell out of him and his friends ...LMAO ... his friends were hating him ...but at graduation. The instructor asked him if he had liked his unforgetttable Bday party ..

til this day he tells it and says it was an experience he's glad he had! and his buddies still laugh and curse out my brother ...

Dianakit12 · 10-07-2012, 08:22 PM

I know in my DIV we had a few people that had birthdays... Someone told our RDC's about it and the whole day we worried we were gonna get IT'd just because it was her birthday. It came time for taps and we were all pretty confident we weren't gonna get IT'd. Ha! Right as everyone was ready to mount racks, one RDC called out, "LOCK AND LOAD!" So much for not getting IT'd.

Another time, our RDC's waited until taps to announce it to the rest of the DIV that it was our MA's birthday. We thought we were going to get IT'd like last time, but no. He just told everyone to sing happy birthday XD One time, it was our third RDC's birthday and our second RDC came out right before chow and told us to all sing happy birthday to her really loud, 'cause she was over in brother DIV's compartment. Great times x3

culp7 · 10-07-2012, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabiscuit

Send him cards, even if he gets "caught" with them the worst they are going to do is a short IT session (8 counts and mountain climbers are no longer allowed I believe) all in good fun. It's the closest he's going to get to a Bday party while in there. We had three guys have birthdays while in and even though they had to do a 30/30/30 the got double dessert. Let him have the experience and a story to tell.

both 8 counts and mountain climbers?? damn people must have been getting hurt or something, cause they ain't that hard lol...

tcmartin1994 · 11-04-2012, 06:59 PM

After I signed my contract I asked my recruiter about it, because I will be turning 19 at the halfway point of RTC. He said if I have some of the more laid-backs RDCs, they might let me get an extra phone call home, but dont count on it. I guess it just really depends on your RDCs.

Sbrennan188 · 11-26-2012, 02:28 PM

A buddy of mine happened to get a birthday card with conffeti inside of it at RTC. His buddies got to do some extra PT while he ran up and down the line tossing the conffeti singing "It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to!" Then when they were done he had to clean up the conffeti, picking it up one piece at a time and running it over to the garbage can. So be carful what you send.

Haasino · 11-26-2012, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guppy2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQT-wZdP28

They don't do 8-counts anymore... now it's 10-counts! Get there! Hooyah, zero! Lol...

TrooperTaff · 11-28-2012, 08:09 PM

A few kids had birthdays in my divisions. Nothing happened to them. But then again it just depends. If your RDC finds out I'm sure some thing like 10 counts or just getting made fun of would happen. No biggy

cakers00 · 12-09-2012, 12:44 AM

Same here, except I'll be 29 while I am there.

I have already requested to my friends and most of my family so far not to draw any attention to it.

AnnaGB · 12-09-2012, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haasino

They don't do 8-counts anymore... now it's 10-counts! Get there! Hooyah, zero! Lol...

wait what are the other two counts consisting of?? lol

cakers00 · 12-09-2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnaGB

wait what are the other two counts consisting of?? lol

we were trying to figure that out at the last DEP pt we had. we were unsuccessful.

LT Guppy · 12-09-2012, 07:01 PM

Not sure which version they're doing.
When we did 10 counts in the police academy, it was an extra pushup.
1 - crouch down
2 - Plank
3 - Down push up
4 - Up push up
5 - Down push up
6 - Up push up
7 - Split legs plank
8 - Plank
9 - Crouch
10 - Stand

AnnaGB · 12-09-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guppy2010

Not sure which version they're doing.
When we did 10 counts in the police academy, it was an extra pushup.
1 - crouch down
2 - Plank
3 - Down push up
4 - Up push up
5 - Down push up
6 - Up push up
7 - Split legs plank
8 - Plank
9 - Crouch
10 - Stand

ah, ok that would make sense

LT Guppy · 12-11-2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guppy2010

Not sure which version they're doing.
When we did 10 counts in the police academy, it was an extra pushup.
1 - crouch down
2 - Plank
3 - Down push up
4 - Up push up
5 - Down push up
6 - Up push up
7 - Split legs plank
8 - Plank
9 - Crouch
10 - Stand

FYI I just noticed in my DEP Guide to Success (START Book) this is how they demonstrate Body Builders.

jdAECF · 12-11-2012, 09:27 PM

all wrong.

1. crouch
2. push up position
3. knees to right armpit
4. push up position
5. knees to left armpit
6. push up position.
7. down
8. up.
9. crouch.
10. stand.

HOOYAH ZERO

LT Guppy · 12-11-2012, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdAECF

all wrong.

1. crouch
2. push up position
3. knees to right armpit
4. push up position
5. knees to left armpit
6. push up position.
7. down
8. up.
9. crouch.
10. stand.

HOOYAH ZERO

Could be an OCS/RTC difference, or just and RDC's preference. But, the way I listed is how it is instructed in the Officer DEP book.

AnnaGB · 12-12-2012, 12:26 AM

Well whatever it ends up being... it sounds like lots of fun... JK! :P

Bingle · 12-12-2012, 06:41 PM

During my time at great lakes we had a guy turn 38, we all called him grandpa haha. Anyway, the only thing that really happened was the RDC's gave him crap for being the same age as our Chief, other than that we didn't hear much about it. Had one guy turn 18 as well, nothing happened....Had some of the chillest RDC's though, at least as chill as a RDC can be.

09-29-2012, 04:31 AM	#1
MilSup4Life Newbie Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 6 Rep Power: 7	Birthday at bootcamp I was working on my calender for next year and it suddenly dawned on me that my son will turn 18 while he's in boot camp, about week 5. I know there's all kinds of warnings from folks about making sure nothing draws attention to a recruit. What happens, if anything, if there's a birthday...especially a major one? Will he get razzing? Anything he needs to prepare for? As for the family, should we not send cards? Should we just send letters instead? I'm hoping we'll get to take him out after PIR and celebrate both, but don't want to totally dismiss this major day.

09-29-2012, 05:44 AM	#2
maggio1994 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois Posts: 110 Rep Power: 18	Well from what I hear you do not want anyone at boot camp to know it's your birthday. Sending cards would probably give him some extra (probably unwanted) attention as well. You'll get time to celebrate after PIR, the length will depend when he leaves for his a school. I would just say happy birthday in a letter, or ask him if you want to send a card or not. __________________ Maggio

09-29-2012, 07:19 AM	#4
LT Guppy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,858 Rep Power: 343	Cards aren't a huge deal as long as they don't make noise. __________________ Officers: making simple stuff hard since 1775 ACTIVE DUTY SAILORS - Click here to have your account verified

09-29-2012, 01:36 PM	#8
LT Guppy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,858 Rep Power: 343	Though really, he'll be doing 8 counts regardless of his birthday... __________________ Officers: making simple stuff hard since 1775 ACTIVE DUTY SAILORS - Click here to have your account verified

11-28-2012, 08:09 PM	#23
TrooperTaff Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 79 Rep Power: 14	A few kids had birthdays in my divisions. Nothing happened to them. But then again it just depends. If your RDC finds out I'm sure some thing like 10 counts or just getting made fun of would happen. No biggy __________________ Alright meow.. Beachmaster Unit One -Coronado, CA

09-29-2012, 07:18 AM	#3
MC Newbie Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 21 Rep Power: 9	I'll be celebrating my 20th birthday in bootcamp. As a precaution, I asked my family not to send any cards. Letters are fine for me, and I figured I could celebrate before or after bootcamp.

09-29-2012, 11:37 AM	#5
MilSup4Life Newbie Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 6 Rep Power: 7	Thanks for the heads up on the music cards. I'll make sure family knows. Personally, I find them extremely annoying so not something I would pick anyway. :-) His A School will be there, so I'm hoping we have time together after he moves his gear. I figure we'll celebrate then. I was just hoping it was atleast OK to send cards. If I wrote a birthday letter, I'm sure I'd get too sappy since it's a "big one." So it's birthday card and fun, encouraging letters. I appreciate the in-put. I want to make sure we don't cause him any additional PT. If he deserves it, he can go till he drops...but don't want it to be because mom sent something wrong.

09-29-2012, 12:16 PM	#6
jhampton002 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 42 Rep Power: 11	My birthday shipmates did 8-counts per year of there birthday. So your son is turning 18? Well my Chief would have made him do 18 8-counts.

09-29-2012, 01:44 PM	#9
MilSup4Life Newbie Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 6 Rep Power: 7	Yeah, I'm sure...but hopefully, not 18 sets just because it's his birthday. :-) Could be worse. Atleast it's not sharks. He's tall and lanky, so long legs and arms. Recruiter told him to get practicing because he'll have to do them and it's always harder on people built like him. He's having a hard time getting everything off the ground high enough. vbg

09-29-2012, 04:21 PM	#11
culp7 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 114 Rep Power: 18	18 sets of what?

10-01-2012, 08:23 AM	#14
vabchsue Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,295 Rep Power: 137	My son turned 19 at BC and nothing was said/done. We sent him a card and just made up for it once he finished there and was back here.

10-01-2012, 07:34 PM	#15
jhampton002 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 42 Rep Power: 11	Ha no his shipmates will turn him in and say it is his birthday. I wouldn't tell anyone when his birthday is. And they don't check your record for when your birthday is.

10-05-2012, 01:58 PM	#16
Seabiscuit Newbie Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Send him cards, even if he gets "caught" with them the worst they are going to do is a short IT session (8 counts and mountain climbers are no longer allowed I believe) all in good fun. It's the closest he's going to get to a Bday party while in there. We had three guys have birthdays while in and even though they had to do a 30/30/30 the got double dessert. Let him have the experience and a story to tell.

10-06-2012, 09:06 AM	#17
jaxx10 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 40 Rep Power: 11	I totally agree with you Seabiscuit... Though im still waiting for a ship date ... If i leave this year i will be having a bday and turning 37.. jawdrop: not afraid !!! Storytime : My brother had had his 19 bday while at marine bootcamp and he retells WITH A HUGE SMILE everytime.. that that morning the DRill instructor lined everyone up and announces that today was a SPECIAL day ... some one was having a bday ... and that they would be having a little birthday party... he had to pick 4-6 friends (cant remember) ...then got IT the hell out of him and his friends ...LMAO ... his friends were hating him ...but at graduation. The instructor asked him if he had liked his unforgetttable Bday party .. til this day he tells it and says it was an experience he's glad he had! and his buddies still laugh and curse out my brother ...

10-07-2012, 08:22 PM	#18
Dianakit12 Active Duty Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SoCal Posts: 68 Rep Power: 15	I know in my DIV we had a few people that had birthdays... Someone told our RDC's about it and the whole day we worried we were gonna get IT'd just because it was her birthday. It came time for taps and we were all pretty confident we weren't gonna get IT'd. Ha! Right as everyone was ready to mount racks, one RDC called out, "LOCK AND LOAD!" So much for not getting IT'd. Another time, our RDC's waited until taps to announce it to the rest of the DIV that it was our MA's birthday. We thought we were going to get IT'd like last time, but no. He just told everyone to sing happy birthday XD One time, it was our third RDC's birthday and our second RDC came out right before chow and told us to all sing happy birthday to her really loud, 'cause she was over in brother DIV's compartment. Great times x3

11-04-2012, 06:59 PM	#20
tcmartin1994 Newbie Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 7	After I signed my contract I asked my recruiter about it, because I will be turning 19 at the halfway point of RTC. He said if I have some of the more laid-backs RDCs, they might let me get an extra phone call home, but dont count on it. I guess it just really depends on your RDCs.

11-26-2012, 02:28 PM	#21
Sbrennan188 Newbie Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Howell, New Jersey Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	A buddy of mine happened to get a birthday card with conffeti inside of it at RTC. His buddies got to do some extra PT while he ran up and down the line tossing the conffeti singing "It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to!" Then when they were done he had to clean up the conffeti, picking it up one piece at a time and running it over to the garbage can. So be carful what you send.

12-09-2012, 12:44 AM	#24
cakers00 Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Cleveland, TN Posts: 93 Rep Power: 16	Same here, except I'll be 29 while I am there. I have already requested to my friends and most of my family so far not to draw any attention to it.

12-09-2012, 07:01 PM	#27
LT Guppy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,858 Rep Power: 343	Not sure which version they're doing. When we did 10 counts in the police academy, it was an extra pushup. 1 - crouch down 2 - Plank 3 - Down push up 4 - Up push up 5 - Down push up 6 - Up push up 7 - Split legs plank 8 - Plank 9 - Crouch 10 - Stand __________________ Officers: making simple stuff hard since 1775 ACTIVE DUTY SAILORS - Click here to have your account verified

12-11-2012, 09:27 PM	#30
jdAECF Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 86 Rep Power: 15	all wrong. 1. crouch 2. push up position 3. knees to right armpit 4. push up position 5. knees to left armpit 6. push up position. 7. down 8. up. 9. crouch. 10. stand. HOOYAH ZERO

12-12-2012, 12:26 AM	#32
AnnaGB Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Chico, CA Posts: 123 Rep Power: 19	Well whatever it ends up being... it sounds like lots of fun... JK! :P

12-12-2012, 06:41 PM	#33
Bingle Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 70 Rep Power: 14	During my time at great lakes we had a guy turn 38, we all called him grandpa haha. Anyway, the only thing that really happened was the RDC's gave him crap for being the same age as our Chief, other than that we didn't hear much about it. Had one guy turn 18 as well, nothing happened....Had some of the chillest RDC's though, at least as chill as a RDC can be.