Graduation Information please

[az1cowgirl]

I am leaving tomorrow to attend my fiance's graduation ceremony
at Great Lakes, IL. I have already been through an Air Force
graduation but I would love it if you would share information on what
I can expect. Here are a few questions to get started but PLEASE give
me any information that you feel is important for me to know.

1. I am in Arizona, where the temperature is still 85 degrees. In
Waukegan, the forecast is for 32 degrees! Yikes! How warmly will I
need to dress for the indoor ceremony? Is it comfortably warm in there?

2. After the ceremony, how and where do we find our sailors?

3. After the ceremony, how soon are we allowed to leave base?

4. Does the Navy have the 3 second rule in regards to hugging or
kissing our sailors?

5. How far is the walk between the parking lot and the graduation
center? (this will help me decide how high my heels are going to be!)

6. The graduation brochure says that liberty is between 7-8:30 am and
TBA in the evening. In your experience.. .what time was TBA?

Thank you all very much for your responses in advance. I am a nervous
wreck as it is and your help is much appreciated.

Linda

[Sarah]

I'm posting this although Linda you've probably left already - but maybe it will help others who will be going to Graduation soon. I was there for my son's graduation a couple of weeks ago, and here's the scoop:

1. Chicago is COLD! We're from Florida, so like Arizonans, we REALLY felt the frigid temperatures! Take clothes to cover just about every bit of you while you are outside...however, the graduation ceremony takes place in a heated arena, so layering is the key! You will not be cold inside... Get to graduation early...my daughter-in-law had us leaving the hotel at 5:30 so we could be at GL at 6:00. We were basically first in line...(Park at the Waukegan train station lot, just a short walk south of the main entry - god those poor commuters must hate "graduation Fridays! It is the best kept secret, but you've got to get there early..) Then you have to wait till 6:30 before they will allow you to go to the arena. We got front row seats, and you sit according to division, so you can see your sailor, who will be right in front of you. GET THERE EARLY! And get that good seat...it is worth it!

2. You will find your sailor, don't worry! We were lucky, my son was in the front of his division, so not only did we spot him, but he spotted us in the bleachers...as soon as they announce "liberty begins" get down there and hug your sailor! It might sound like organized chaos, but it really isn't. It's like "homing" devices were activated, and everyone found their man (or gal)!

3. You can leave the base immediately, although if they ordered pictures, they have to go and pick them up first (and of course pay for them) in order to leave.

4. Kiss away! Nobody is going to mind! Like I said it's organized chaos - your sailor won't get into any trouble, the bosses knows how excited everyone is!

5. The walk really isn't a big deal, although they are doing construction around the ceremonail hall, so it is MUDDY! I don't know how well high heels will cope with the terrain!

6. Our sailor had to be back on base by 8:30, and was anxious to be there in plenty of time, so you need to make sure that you respect his wishes. We dropped him off at around 7:30 on Friday and Saturday, and about 6:30 on Sunday.

Have a wonderful time - and take kleenex! Just thinking back to seeing my sailor for the first time brings tears to my eyes. And I had the privilege of handing him his daughter for the first time - she was born while he was in boot camp, and was two weeks old when we went up there...he was crying, his wife was crying, I was crying, and although his daddy probably won't admit it, he was crying too. It is truly a wonderful experience. ENJOY!!!!

Sarah

[az1cowgirl]

Wow Sarah...what a wonderful thing that you got to hand your new grand daughter to your son. To be a part of that special moment must have been one of the most emotional and special things to be a part of in his life. My own son graduated from Air Force boot camp in September and it was so emotional for me. Now to go through this with my fiance just a few months later...I'm on proud overload!!!

[az1cowgirl]

Thank you so much everyone. I am now here in Waukegan and for this Desert Girl from Arizona...IT'S COLD!!!

However, I did follow your advice and I brought clothes to layer. When my plane landed at O'Hare, I was shocked to see the snow falling...yikes! I drove by the base once so I could kind of get a feel for it tomorrow. I am now in my room and anxious as all get out about seeing my man tomorrow.

Again, thanks so much for sharing all of your experiences with me. This board has been a God send.

Linda

[Suzie T]

Would love a followup regarding graduation, etc. when you get a chance!

[Ruth McLaurin]

Don't worry you'll be fine, but your heart will race the whole time.
Make sure you wear layers, it will be windy so a good coat or jacket. It is a good walk to the staging area where graduation is held, so if you can walk in heels okay, but it's about 3 city blocks. Get there as close to 7:30 as you can, so you can sit near your fiance's unit - they will have the class number posted on stands so you can guess-timate where he will be and sit in front of them. Bring binoculars or a camera to find him and then when they are done, you can find him. They didn't have any hugging rules that I was aware of, I'm a mom of 2 sailors and spent the entire time hugging them - at least it felt like it. You are allowed to leave base right after graduation, but he might want to take to you the NEX or show you around - but most likely he will want to get the heck out of there. Give yourself plenty of time to get back in time if you go into downtown Chicago- traffic is stupid. Enjoy and tell them "thank you for serving" from us!

[emily giles]

i just got back from my son's graduation at Great Lakes on 11-14...
- get there by 7am at the latest. Seats fill up fast. Check your camera. My pics were fuzzy.
-they will march in side doors at 9am. They announce the divisions as they come in and the division numbers are on a flag. The bleachers have sections for divisions. sit in the section for his division.
-They will stand at ceremony and you can gawk all you want when you pick him out. I wanted the speakers to shut up so I could go get my kid!
-no 3 second rule or Id be in jail. They can leave with you after the ceremony is over. If they have duty they may have to be back at base early, otherwise they can stay out till 9pm or so, but get him back soon enough for him to walk back to base.
-they cannot drink on liberty. A movie that weekend is a good idea so he can rest.
-the walk from parking lot and grad center is short. Have you drivers license
Do not take pictures outside of the graduation center. I got pulled over for trying to take a picture of the gate.
They are excited when they reach the signal light to get off base!
He will know what time he has to be back usually its 9pm or if they have duty its about 5 or 6. My son had duty Fri nite, but stayed out till 9 Sat and Sun. make sure to get him back to the base early and if you go the Navy Pier in Chicago leave by 7pm to get back to Gurnee. He cannot be late.
take lots of tissue. I cried for 2 hours when I left Josh and went home Sunday.
Enjoy. Oh the px may be a point of interest. And you can buy a division tshirt at the graduation while you wait for the ceremony to start about 15 bucks.
Let us know how it went!!!!
Oh yes, if you have a laptop, take it. They havent been on the internet in 8 weeks! if you have his phone, take it, but you will have to leave with it too. I took Joshs and he used it that weekend. When I got home, they sent him onto Pensacola Florida and I overnighted his phone.....

[Hoppi aka Angie]

FYI it is the NEX not the PX. PX is another service. Navy calles it NEX :~}

[emily giles]

NEX???? what does that stand for and what is the difference from px???

[az1cowgirl]

NEX stands for Navy Exchange. I'm not sure what the P stands for...maybe Post. My son is in the Air Force and on his bases it is called the BX for Base Exchange.

[Colleen]

Is Midway airport closer to the base than Ohare?

[emily giles]

no

[Colleen]

Thanks Emily. I noticed that some people flew in to Midway, so wasn't sure of the reasoning.