My PIR weekend Oct. 30th

[vettespace]

Okay, here's my story: Thurs. pm arrive HSV airport for direct flight to ORD in plenty of time for flight departing at 3;26p. Twenty minutes prior to departure time, gate agent says there's going to be a delay (mechanics on the way) don't know how long. This is the last flight out of HSV to ORD. My first thought is "I might have a 10 hr. drive ahead of me since I'm not missing PIR". Fortunately, flight leaves with a 45min delay. Arrive ORD, bags make it, grab shuttle to rental car. Rental car guy offers a new Dodge Challenger for $10 per day more than the full size we rented. Declined, have to save money, then later wished I got it because my son would have thought it was cool. Head to Marriott Courtyard in Waukegan (free internet/printer & coffee, nice place) near the base and arrive between 8:30p and 9:00p. The drive from O'hare was easy with light traffic. The Courtyard gave us a packet of info. that included information on the shuttle service to PIR the next morning. $3 per person each way. Had to let them know at the desk by 11:00p. I knew it was going to be raining in the morning, and had no clue about the area, so we let the desk know we'd take the 6:45a shuttle (they had 6:00, 6:45, 7:30 and 8:15). At 6:45 we're on the shuttle (taxi van) headed to PIR. Excitement is high looking forward to seeing my son! It's dark and raining and we pass a longgggg line of cars waiting to get into RTC. So glad we took the shuttle! We're dropped at the gate around 7:05a to a long line of people waiting to get ID's checked. But before we move too far, a sailor takes a large group of us for a short walk (hoped we were going direct to PIR hall) in the rain to another bldg to get checked in. Here was another longgggggg line of people coming from the parking lot to get ID's checked. But it moved fairly quickly, and soon after getting stamped around 7:30a, were headed for another walk in the rain to a large bldg (Ceremony Hall) 200 yards away. Quickly locate son's DIV 368 sign at the far end of the hall and head for the bleachers, still plenty of seats in the lower sections. Restrooms are in the bldg and MWR was selling coffee, drinks and snacks for those that wanted. Then we sat and watched as the bldg filled up. With 12 Div going thru PIR both the lower and upper decks were full by the start of the ceremony. When the div are announced and start marching in, the first thing I did was locate my son. (I had a small set of binoculars). My hearts beating fast with a great sense of pride and everyone is applauding the div's. Most of the action is directly in front of the VIP section in the center, but two large screens project the images for all to see. Great performance, but I'm really anticipating the Liberty Call! We had lots of VIP's so the ceremony lasted a little longer I think. At Liberty Call (around 10:30a if I remember) everyone tries to meet their new sailors on the floor. Lots of folks everywhere. But found my son fairly quickly from the lower deck and enjoyed a long hug (I had tears in my eyes and I don't cry). Took a couple quick photos inside the hall, since no photos allowed outside). Met some of his div mates. He had to be back at his ship by 12:30p to move over to the corpsman school. So quickly went to the NEX and had a subway sandwich back near the check-in bldg. It was crowded!!! Left my son at noon and took shuttle back to hotel to wait for my son's call later that afternoon (he couldn't take his cell phone with him yet). Around 4;30p he called and said he had great news and bad news. Great news: he has liberty until 9:45p Sun. so he can spend the whole time with us. Bad news: he doesn't know where he's at or how we pick him up and sign him out. I start laughing and tell to meet us at the RTC bldg we last saw him at and he says ok. Well, we arrive at the RTC gate and they send us to the main gate visitors center to meet our son there. We go to the main gate (can't drive on base/they don't allow visitors passes any more) and wait at visitors center that is closed for the day (have to wait for son to call again from pay phone somewhere so he knows where we're at). He calls, he's at the RTC spot, so I tell him to wait and we go back to the RTC gate and talk the guard into letting us pick up our son. Yahoooo! Now we had to figure out how to sign him out to spend the weekend with us. But at least he's in our car. Back to the main gate where a friendly guard tells us there's another gate a couple blocks down just for the corpsman school and we could sign our son out there in the bldg next to the gate. We get there and sign him out for the weekend! His barracks is right next to this bldg. The same person has to sign them back in before liberty expires. We then enjoyed a wonderful weekend visiting Chicago, Gurnee Mall, a Larger NEX nearby and lots of dining out. Got to hear all about bootcamp and got him caught up on the home front happenings. Seemed like my son grew 3 to 4 inches standing so tall. Met several of his Div mates walking around Gurnee Mall. All seemed like very nice sailors. All from different back grounds. I felt bad for some that had family not able to attend the PIR. They all made me proud that they were in our Navy. Sun. afternoon went to drop my son off at the corpsman school and sign him back in, but the gate was closed. Now what do we do, and we've got a plane to catch. Back to the main gate and park in the visitors center. Grab the backpack stuffed with supplies, his lap top, bag of dirty clothes and a small case of water and ask the nearest guard how to get to the corpsman school. He says he doesn't know (must have been a temp) so we get walking in the general direction and find our way...it was a 20 minute walk each way. But got to see a portion of the base past the USO bldg and other neat bldgs along the way. His barracks are right next to the bowling alley, so that's convenient. Our son didn't know if we could go in his barracks, the quarter master said to come on in and wait in the lounge (nice young men). A few were watching football and some were on a bank of internet computers. My son was still trying to adjust to life outside of bootcamp. But later that night when his mom checked on him by text he was at the bowling alley with friends. We made to the airport in time for our flight. Our son starts school this week and we wish him all the best. Lots of emotions and lots of pride this weekend. Congratulations to all the new and future sailors! Final note: watch the tolls at entrances and exits, most were unmanned and you needed $0.50 so pack some quarters. Hope this wasn't too much rambling.