This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.
FIRST TIME HERE?
FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO GET STARTED:
Choose your Username. For the privacy and safety of you and/or your sailor, NO LAST NAMES ARE ALLOWED, even if your last name differs from that of your sailor (please make sure your URL address does not include your last name either). Also, please do not include your email address in your user name. Go to "Settings" above to set your Username. While there, complete your Profile so you can post and share photos and videos of your Sailor and share stories with other moms!
Make sure to read our Community Guidelines and this Navy Operations Security (OPSEC) checklist - loose lips sink ships!
Join groups! Browse for groups for your PIR date, your sailor's occupational specialty, "A" school, assigned ship, homeport city, your own city or state, and a myriad of other interests. Jump in and introduce yourself! Start making friends that can last a lifetime.
Link to Navy Speak - Navy Terms & Acronyms: Navy Speak
All Hands Magazine's full length documentary "Making a Sailor": This video follows four recruits through Boot Camp in the spring of 2018 who were assigned to DIV 229, an integrated division, which had PIR on 05/25/2018.
Boot Camp: Making a Sailor (Full Length Documentary - 2018)
Boot Camp: Behind the Scenes at RTC
...and visit Navy.com - America's Navy and Navy.mil also Navy Live - The Official Blog of the Navy to learn more.
OPSEC - Navy Operations Security
Always keep Navy Operations Security in mind. In the Navy, it's essential to remember that "loose lips sink ships." OPSEC is everyone's responsibility.
DON'T post critical information including future destinations or ports of call; future operations, exercises or missions; deployment or homecoming dates.
DO be smart, use your head, always think OPSEC when using texts, email, phone, and social media, and watch this video: "Importance of Navy OPSEC."
Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:
Events
**UPDATE 4/26/2022** Effective with the May 6, 2022 PIR 4 guests will be allowed. Still must be fully vaccinated to attend.
**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
**UPDATE 7/29/2021** You now must be fully vaccinated in order to attend PIR:
In light of observed changes and impact of the Coronavirus Delta Variant and out of an abundance of caution for our recruits, Sailors, staff, and guests, Recruit Training Command is restricting Pass-in-Review (recruit graduation) to ONLY fully immunized guests (14-days post final COVID vaccination dose).
FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:
**UPDATE 8/25/2022 - MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED. Vaccinations still required.
**UPDATE 11/10/22 PIR - Vaccinations no longer required.
RESUMING LIVE PIR - 8/13/2021
Please note! Changes to this guide happened in October 2017. Tickets are now issued for all guests, and all guests must have a ticket to enter base. A separate parking pass is no longer needed to drive on to base for parking.
Please see changes to attending PIR in the PAGES column. The PAGES are located under the member icons on the right side.
Format Downloads:
- Graduation Info
- PDF – 2.7 MB
- PNG – 2.3 MB
- JPG – 3.4 MB
- Printable PDF – 2.0 MB
Latest Activity
Navy Speak
Click here to learn common Navy terms and acronyms! (Hint: When you can speak an entire sentence using only acronyms and one verb, you're truly a Navy mom.)
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Navy.com Para Familias
Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com
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Great Lakes A School Q&A
Information
The purpose of this group is to allow family of new sailors assigned to school at Training Support Center Great Lakes a chance to voice questions to a Student Division Commander
Location: Great Lakes, IL
Members: 2331
Latest Activity: Mar 12
Discussion Forum
leave after A/C school-- orders are confusing
Started by MANDY. Last reply by Anti M Aug 16, 2019. 2 Replies 0 Likes
What happens after ASchool?
Started by SailorMom18. Last reply by Phoenixmom Feb 13, 2019. 1 Reply 0 Likes
BECC Info?
Started by adubz33. Last reply by SuBHuni34 Nov 29, 2018. 9 Replies 0 Likes
Comment Wall
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Comment by proudnavymom on July 10, 2017 at 6:17pm
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4:00 ! wow that is almost the whole day. yes he is staying at GL. That is going to be a long wait!
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Comment by Bree on July 10, 2017 at 5:00pm
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If his A school is going to be there in Great Lakes you will not see him until about 4pm. So go out to have a light lunch, sight see, go relax at your hotel room. If he is flying out the next day he can leave with you spend as much time with him as possible. you can meet him at the airport on Saturday make sure you talk to the airport to get a family pass so that you stay with him in the waiting area until he leaves.
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thank you so much for the info! any advice on the day of the PIR?
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Comment by blackbirdmom on July 10, 2017 at 4:17pm
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You can catch the train at Great Lakes, the station is right there at the base. Parking at the station is $2, I think. Your sailor gets a discounted ticket. I suggest the Ventra app, where you can buy your tickets right on your phone. That station was unmanned every time we were in there, and you need cash to buy a ticket on the train. If you drive into Chicago, there are also apps for parking that are helpful and will let you save money. I'm another one that would rather take train, though. Chicago is a lot of fun, and your sailor may get free entry into some of the museums.
Our PIR weekend, we spent Saturday in Chicago, but the rest of the time was just hanging out, catching up. He wanted to take a private shower, watch a little tv, take a nap on a real bed.
Our FR chose not to have a computer, even though we offered to get him one or a tablet, but he still says he doesn't need it for his classes. Warning, the wi-fi is not always great.
Depending on the ship he is assigned to, some are allowed to have snacks in their rooms, some are not. Often they will be on more than one ship while they are in A school, and they have to move all their stuff.
Congratulations!
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Bree, thanks for that info. I will look into the train and where we can get it. We are staying in Libertyville which is like 7 miles away from the base. Where is the NEX and the Commissary? Thanks so much for the info!
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The first thing my son wanted to do was go to the hotel and take a shower! Remember they have not had a private shower in two months! We drove to Chicago and we had to pay $36.00 for parking, however the City has free Trolley service and that will take you to the Art Museum, Navy Pier, Mellinium Park. I would consider taking the train if I were to ever go back. $8 per per person round trip. Make sure to take advantage of military discounts go to the NEX and the Commissary.
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Thank you so much. That info really helps.
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Comment by Anti M on July 10, 2017 at 12:53pm
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He will be checking into his school barracks shortly after PIR. You will need to wait for him to go get his things on boot camp side, go check in, and then he can meet you. This takes a few hours. You'll want to go eat, maybe visit the museum on base. He cannot take his phone with him for that, but he can have it when he goes back Friday night.
He can have his laptop in A school, although there is no free wifi in the barracks. Most of them pitch in with roommates to buy comcast. A desktop computer may or may not be allowed. It varies. He does not need either for school.What to do? Most of them want to chill out in the hotel room, go online and catch up, maybe go to the mall and NEX. Eat. Some like to go up to Chicago and look around, the Navy Pier and Museums are interesting. Taking the train is often suggested as parking in Chicago can be expensive.
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Hello Moms, new to the group. Son is graduating this Friday and will be staying at GL for A-school. What are they allowed to have there? is he allowed his phone and computer? Also any suggestions on what to do up there this weekend ? Thanks for any info!
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Comment by tpadul on July 10, 2017 at 10:26am
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Just wanted to make a correction to what Allison said about not being able to get on base by yourself without a Military ID, that is not really correct. If anyone happens to be an employee of the Federal government, you can freely go on base by yourself un-escorted with your Federal Governemnt PIV card. You do not have to wait for your Sailor to come meet you at the gate, you can just show your own Federal PIV card that has the chip in it at the front gate and you are allowed on the base and any military base un-escorted.
I am an Immigration Officer with Homeland Security and I go on the base all the time with just showing my PIV card and can also bring others on as well with my ID. So when my wife and I go visit my daughter at A school at Great Lakes we do not have to wait for her to walk to the front gate and escort us back.
I am not sure if this works with people that are contractors for the Federal Government because their PIV cards do say "contractor" on them
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