Sailors PIR, grad-n-go, to GL "A" school

[Hoppi aka Angie]

Just a few words of advise for the family memebers whose Sailors PIR and are grad-n-go to the GL "A" School base the same day.

It takes anywhere from 2-6 hours for them to be allowed on liberty from the "A" School base. So make sure you give your Sailor your cell phone number and tell them to call you when they go on liberty.

You will not be able to drive on the base to pick up your Sailor. Either tell them to meet you at the visitor center or the USO.

Yelling at the Petty Officer's who are taking you to the USO to wait does nothing to help get your Sailor out to your faster.

Demanding to talk to the "person in charge" also does nothing to get your Sailor on liberty faster.

Screaming at the person escorting you, stating the Navy dosen't care about parents does nothing to get our Sailor on liberty faster.

[Hoppi aka Angie]

Recruits find out a few days to a week prior to PIR if they are grad-n-go. If he is not grad-n-go, he will be moved to a hold ship on the BC base. If he has to wait longer than a few days, they may have him cleaning the base or doing basic tasks.

If he does get to move to the "A" school base the same day as PIR, he will leave PIR than go to his "A" School where it can take about 5 hours for them to be allowed to have liberty from the "A" school base. You can go over to where he will be staying at "A" School, but you will have to wait for him to come get you from the USO or visitor center. You will not be allowed to just wonder either of the bases.

Does that answer you question?

[Lorraine]

Laraine- Hello!! My son Mitchell is PIR also on 3/13/09! It sounds as though you are counting down the days until then, also. I can not wait to see my son. He is going to A school in GL. He said that thought he would be able to be with me for the weekend except for the time he had "watch" duty. Lorraine (Mitch's Mom)

[Laraine(Tim's mom)]

Lorraine, so nice to hear from you! I cannot wait to see my son. There are times, I swear my heart actually aches! I am so proud of him, he is very homesick though. Is Mitchell going to corpsman school? I"ll have to write to Tim and ask if he knows Mitchell. I have been talking with another mom, renee, and her son and my son are bunkmates. Sometimes it is a small world! I have had one phone call only, would like to talk with him this weekend. Hope he can call. Not sure if he will have any responsibilities after PIR. We are planning on staying the entire weekend. We only live about 5 hours away. Hopefully we'll spend alot of time with him.
So nice to chat with you. Laraine(Tim's mom)

[PEGGY...PROUD MONTANA NAVY MOM]

Not all sailors are grad n go. My one son was and the other wasn't. The one that was grad n go knew and was able to tell me 1 month before his PIR date. Now this might have been because he PIR on 12/5 and the other one PIR in October.
My grad n go sailor I got to spend 15 minutes with so that he could fly to MS and class up right away. Of course this being the Navy and all he is still waiting to class up so it is a classic case of Hurry up and wait. Something that the Navy is well known for.
I would definetly hope that all people go to the PIR regardless if their sailor is grad n go or not. It really means a lot to them and it is the proudest moment of your and their navy career.

[Renee (Jacob's Mom)]

Hi Laraine!

Hey your son Tim and my son Jacob are bunk mates!!! I got a packet last week that said our son's division was Grad n Go. Don't worry mom, Jacob said that Tim was doing great! Just keep encouraging him!!

Blessing,
Renee

[Laraine(Tim's mom)]

Renee, sometimes it is a small world! I have only had one phone call from Tim, last Wednesday afternoon. He is so homesick. He is enjoying all the letters we send him. Can't wait to see him again. The time does go by fast. Did you make your reservations yet? We are staying at the Residence Inn. We have stayed at residence inns before, they are nice. Hope the boys pass all their tests. Tim will be staying in GL for A school. Not sure about the amount of time he can spend with us each day. Hopefully I will get another call soon.
Laraine

[Bernadette]

My son's PIR was 2/8/08 and he was a grad n go to Pennsicola. We spent 25 mins with him after graduation and I would not have missed it for the world!!! We made arrangements to fly out of O'hare Friday afternoon to be able to spend time with him at the airport prior to our flights... plans changed and he found out Thursday before graduation he was flying out of Midway instead. Sometimes it isn't about the cost it's about your kids! We took the shuttle back to the hotel after graduation and other parents wondered where my sailor was and when I told them he was grad n go another mom said and you flew from Baltimore (700 plus miles) for 25 minutes with him??? Absolutely, and I would do it again if I had to! I would encourage any family of grad n go sailors don't think about the time with them think about seeing how your child has changed and has become a United States Sailor and anytime with them is better than no time. My son said all he kept thinking was we would change our mind and not be there since we wouldn't have the weekend with him... no way!

[Heather]

I have been hearing more and more about people who have had their recruit stay overnight. Whats this about? I just keep reading more and more stories about it. Just wondered how thing determine who stays overnight and who has to check in every night. Any input would be appreciated lol Im confused

[Hoppi aka Angie]

Your Sailor will be told what his liberty is like after PIR. It depends if the Sailor is grad-n-go to an "A" school in GL or not.

[Eileen (DIV 274 Andrew's mom)]

Thanks for the advice, I can't imagine doing any of that though. I do have some questions though. I never heard of grad n go. How do you find out if your son or daughter is one of them? How do they get stuff from home that they need if they leave so fast, should we bring it to the boot camp graduation? My son is supposed to be going to the nuke school, I believe in Charleston, not really sure though. Will he most likely be grad and go???

[Hoppi aka Angie]

It may be on the grad packet the people receive for PIR, but thngs change all the time so one day the soon to be sailor will be leaving boot camp on the following Monday to go to their "A" School, and the next they leave the day of PIR.

As for bringing stuff from home they need, they have been issued everything they need, if it wasn't given to them in bootcamp it is a privilaged item. They can not take anything onto the boot camp base that they where not issued. So if they leave the same day, you can meet them at the airport and give them what ever items you feel they need. If they don't leave tell Monday and you leave Sunday, than the items must be shipped to them at their "A" School.

As far as guessing if someone is grad-n-go, there is no way to tell.