Graduation Details Needed if anyone knows...

[Marianne (Aaron's Mom)]

Hello everyone! My son is graduating A School a week from today in Pensacola and I was wanting to see if those who have attended A School graduation have any suggestions or tips that would be helpful when attending. His father and I are going to attend, but I was hoping to be a little more prepared once we get there. We have been to visit him a couple of times since he has been there, so we are somewhat familiar with the base and Aaron has given us an idea of where the graduation is held, but any other tips will be appreciated more than you know.

Thanks so much for any help!!!

Marianne

[Melissa (Tucson)]

I was the only parent attending my son's "A" school graduation in San Diego. It's very low key and informal. Matt's was held outside, with most of his instructors and few higher ups attending. You may want to rethink going if it's a long expensive trip. The whole graduation lasts about 30 minutes. Nothing like Boot Camp!!

[Marianne (Aaron's Mom)]

I had heard that it was very informal, but our son has told me that his rate is the only one that actually has a formal graduation ceremony. He's in Aviation Electronics and he said that they will have to dress in their dress whites and there are a few special performances and things like that. I don't know why that rate would be the only one that did things differently, but apparently it's almost as big as the PIR ceremony. It's not that expensive to go anyway...but I would want to be there even if it were expensive...just to be there, I guess. Thanks for the info Melissa!!! I do appreciate it!!!

[Melissa (Tucson)]

Let me find some AE moms and get their opinion of the graduation ceremony. Yes, the Sailors do wear their dress uniforms for graduation.

[Proud Mom Of Jon]

Thanks for your posting. My son is graduating "A" school today Surface Sonar Tech in San Diego - 2nd in his class. I feel better knowing that it is a smaller affair in general than bootcamp grad. Still I wish I could be there, we live in NY. What an accomplishment ! ... I'm so proud of him.

[Arwen]

I've never heard of an A school ceremony worth attending (as a parent). Yes, we dressed in our dress whites/blues, but the whole affair was held in the rec room and it lasted about two minutes. They made a quick speech, gave us our orders and we left. That was it. It was a lot like the swearing-in ceremony you may have attended at the MEPS center when your son left for boot camp.

This is the kind of ceremony held for ceremony's sake and is not meant for an audience. The military does a lot of these (promotions, awards, etc) and while they are formal, they aren't a "show" like PIR. I've never seen a parent, or even a spouse, attend one. They're kind-of private, for those directly involved. Sometimes reenlistments can include a small family audience, but those too are usually private, informal affairs too.

The ceremonies that expect an audience include PIR, launching, commissioning, decommissioning, and change of command. Also, the awarding of major medals such as the Medal of Honor or the Navy Cross.

One problem here is the term "formal," which is used differently in the military than the civilian idea of formal. Sailors wear their Cracker Jacks for all sorts of things, being in your whites does not make an event "formal." It simply makes it a non-working event.

Having been through this kind of thing, it would be the height of embarrassment to have had my family show up. Maybe AE is different, but I think your son needs to ask more questions before you start making plans.