Explanation of Phases

[Casey (Wife of Ryan, Nuke MM)]

First of all, Jake Gallagher's posts on the main page of this group are verrrry helpful - check them out! However I thought maybe a discussion just on phases could help. If your Sailor has had a different experience or you know more specifics about one of the rules, please feel free to add!

**Note: My Nuke is an MM who PIR'd on 4/24/09, got to Goose Creek the same day, started his A school classes about 2 weeks later, and phased up to Phase II this weekend (05/31/09).

For each phase, there are rules. Phase I has the least privileges. PLEASE TAKE THE RULES SERIOUSLY - breaking them can lead to very serious consequences ("45s", Captain's Mast, getting kicked out, etc... especially for an offense like drinking when out of phase and ESPECIALLY for providing alchohol to someone who is underage)

"phase up" / "phasing up" : to move up to the next phase (i.e., "Today I phased up from Phase I to Phase II.")

Phase I: Arrival to Goose Creek - 4 weeks.
- Curfew of 12:15am every night.
- Can't leave the barracks until 5am.
- No drinking, regardless of age.
- No driving allowed, on or off base. They can RIDE in cars, just not DRIVE. I have been told that they cannot even ride bikes, and I have visited the base 4 times now and have not seen any Phase I-ers on bikes (you can tell Phase I-ers because they're in uniform on the weekends)
- Must wear uniform at all time, on or off base, even on weekends. Exception for the beach.
- Not allowed to travel beyond a 75-mile radius. (Note: this radius is a straight-line radius. For example, my home is 1.75 hours from their base, but since a straight line from the base to my house is less than 75 miles, it is allowed.)
- No overnight liberty requests allowed (except for, perhaps, extenuating circumstances)
- Girlfriends/fiancees/wives: EASY on the handholding/kissing/PDA if in public. Don't take it personally if your sailor is wary about your arm being around his waist.

Phase II: 4 weeks - 8 weeks
- Same curfew on weekdays/weekends
- Can request overnight liberty on weekends (must fill out an overnight liberty request "chit")
- Of-age Sailors may drink
- Sailors may (after appropriate paperwork has been approved) bring their cars on base and drive on and off base
- Civilian clothes are allowed after classes on weekdays and on weekends
- Not allowed to drive past a 350-mile radius (if the destination is just outside the radius however, the Sailor may get an Okay from his/her Chief to drive past 350 miles). If the destination is further, the Sailor must fly (and I believe must provide the flight itinerary to his/her Chief)

Phase III: 8 weeks - ?

- Overnight liberty automatically granted on weekends
- Otherwise, same privileges as listed above
- I'm not sure about travelling rules - can anyone else be specific on a Phase III-er's travelling privileges or if there are any restrictions?

I hope this helps!

[Chris]

I was just putting the rules out there as they are clearly written. Whether you're performing well and your chief likes you and your not a screw up so you get the benefit of the doubt, thats a different story.

Those on this forum who are looking for information because they're about to be immersed in this crazy world should be accurately briefed on the rules as they are written and not how they're enforced, because anything else is by and large the exception, not the rule.

[Casey (Wife of Ryan, Nuke MM)]

...I didn't mean any disrespect. I was giving an example of something I've definitely learned a FEW times from the Navy so far (and the military in general... My dad was in the Marines for 21 years), which is that not everything they say is going to happen, happens. Everyone's looking for as much information as they can get, so I try to give the "official" info but then also my experience, and I usually put a disclaimer that it was just my experience and not everyone may get the same results, or I use words like "may" or "possibly", etc. I'm thankful for your input, and good luck with your future endeavors!

[Sighthndlady]

Thanks for all the info. My son PIRs 1/8/10. I assume he'll be going directly to Charleston from Great Lakes. So - do I just pack all his stuff like his laptop, cell phone, IPOD, etc., etc. in a big box and ship it to him there? Any restrictions on that kind of thing in Phase I?

When it's time for him to come get his POV - who pays for the plane ticket?

[Casey (Wife of Ryan, Nuke MM)]

No restrictions on that stuff :) I'm not sure about the POV though :( Maybe if you post that question in the regular Nuke Moms comments, one of the other ladies will know :)

[Sighthndlady]

Thanks! I'll get him to give me a list when we go up for graduation. It will be fun to pack his box. We'll worry about the POV after his gets to Phase II. I was planning to sign over the car to him as part of the PIR celebration. Kind of takes the specialness out, though, if he can't actually have the car for another couple of months.