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Navy For Moms

This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.

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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.

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Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:

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FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:

RTC Graduation

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.

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Graduation Info
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B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet) replied to B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)'s discussion '*STARTING JANUARY 6, 2025 BOOT CAMP CHANGES FROM 10-WEEK TO 9-WEEK SCHEDULE'

16 hours ago

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Grad & Go Info

Information

A place to ask questions or give answers to those who have recruits that are a G&G or who may be a G&G

Members: 144
Latest Activity: Aug 16, 2023

When I heard my son may be a Grad & Go, I had a ton of questions. The first one was: What the heck is a Grad & Go?? Now that I've experienced it, I wanted a place for N4M users to come and post questions and hopefully get some answers. Every recruits experience will be slightly different, but there are lots of "norms" that we can share with you that will answer a lot of questions. Remember, there are no stupid questions!

So, what is a G&G? It's a recruit that leaves boot camp before PIR weekend is over to travel to their A-School. They usually fly out on a Saturday, but occasionally on a Friday. This means a limited time to visit with them when you come out for their graduation. Some G&G's are just moving across the street because their A-School will be at GL (Great Lakes). If they are required to move over before PIR weekend ends, they are called a G&G. These two types of G&G's can be quite different, each with it's Pro's and Con's. If they have A-School in GL, but don't move over until after Sunday, they are not considered a G&G.

How do we plan our travel if we don't know? I can only share what others have shared with me. Most everyone made plans as if their recruit was not a G&G. That's what my family did too, and we loved our decision. We flew out Thursday, flew back late Sunday. We enjoyed our Sailor until he flew out Saturday afternoon, then we went and checked out the Chicago area on our own. If you are driving, it's a little easier to change hotel plans a few days before, but flight changes cost $$.

Can we meet them at the airport? YES! The Navy uses all three local airports (O'Hare, Midway and Milwaukee) to transport new sailors to their A-School city. You are allowed to meet your new sailor at the airport and visit with them there. You can even request a special pass from the ticket counter so you can go through security with your sailor and sit with them at the gate! "Most" airlines allow this and they do this free of charge for military families/friends, as long as you have an ID and if your sailor is there with you. You can have a lot of fun at an airport (great food too)!

What if they tell us they are on a Chartered Flight? The charter flights are cheaper for the Navy to use than commercial airlines, so they may be using them more and more. The cost of the flight is pre-determined by the exact weight of everyone and everything onboard. This includes the recruits' seabags. If the parents were to meet the recruits to hand off laptops and other items, now the weight of everything aboard has changed and that may not allowed. Because it's a chartered flight, obviously no one is allowed to go out to the plane to meet their recruits as the plane is not at a regular gate. I know it sucks for the families, but the transportation is all about cost efficiency and isn't concerned about families unable to meet the recruits. This made sound harsh, but the Navy is like other departments in the goverment and needs to keep costs down. New Sailors are not allowed leave and do not have to be granted liberty after bootcamp. Yes, it is customary to receive Liberty after bc, but just know that it's not a right, it's earned.

SEND YOUR RECRUIT THE G&G QUESTIONS POSTED IN THE DISCUSSION AREA TO THEM NOW SO YOU WILL KNOW THE INFORMATION BY PIR DAY!

Can we give them their cell phones? That depends. If you are meeting them at the airport (whether you pass security gate or stay in front lobby), then YES, you can give them cell phone, ipod and even their laptops (don't forget to pack all the chargers/cords!). As long as they can carry it onboard the plane, they can take and keep these items with them at A-School. They "check" their big 55lbs sea bags in with the airlines, so they have no carry on except their manilla envelope (their orders). If you had too much fun shopping at Gurnee Mills Mall that weekend, they are allowed to have a small backpack or gym style bag - but be sure it's a solid dark color (Black or Navy Blue), free from adornment if possible. If they are a G&G over to Great Lakes for A-School, they can have these items AFTER they are processed into that base. In other words, once they call you to pick them up after moving over, then you can give them their "toys". I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but it has been noted by many recent N4M members that those who are a G&G to Great Lakes ONLY, and that move over to A-School on that Friday right after PIR, only those families they are allowed to keep their new sailor with them all weekend. Once they have actually completed the move on Friday (takes 5-7 hrs), you can pick them up and have them overnight for the entire weekend!!! They may have to muster (roll call/check in) over the weekend, but otherwise they have liberty. There is NO OTHER situation that I am aware of that allows a new sailor to stay away overnight after PIR. Those who are G&G's that are flying out that weekend are NOT allowed to stay overnight with their family, they must go back to RTC (boot camp) that Friday night.

The HARD FAST RULE IS: Your new Sailors can't bring anything back with them to boot camp. They are considered to be in bc while they remain on the RTC (Recruit Training Command) side, even if they have already graduated. Handing them money or a debit/credit card is okay, because they are allowed to have their wallets at boot camp, but you can't give them their cell phones or anything else if they have to report back to boot camp that night. Wait until you see them at the airport!

Discussion Forum

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Comment by lemonelephant on October 28, 2013 at 11:41pm: The term Grad N Go is outdated. Up to date info can be found in the Pages within Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones) and in your PIR groups.

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on March 28, 2012 at 12:32am: Hello Navy Moms! I think it's been well over a year since I have been on N4M. I started this group almost two years ago when my son was a G & G. I am sure a lot of things have changed, so I am hoping that people have posted more current information. My son is an ITSN who is now stationed on the USS Mt. Whitney in Gaeta, Italy. My friends son left for BC today, so I will be back on to help her through the long 8 weeks. Thanks for keeping this group going! Sobe (Lisa Marie)

Comment by ProudNavyMom on November 1, 2011 at 10:12pm: Hi Ladies. I'm new to this group.. Just found it while searching in the groups. I've been on N4M's for about a month now.

My son left for boot camp on Oct 6th and is now just about at the halfway mark and will PIR on 12/02/2011. The first couple of weeks were very hard, but I received the first letters from him last Thursday (he sent 3 in one envelope!) and my first call from him yesterday. I got to talk to him for a whole 17 minutes!!!

My son is a grad & go!

I'm looking forward to contributing in this group and hopefully making new friends along the way.

Comment by Binker & Bro: 2X Nuke Mom on July 26, 2011 at 9:57am: Hey All!

I'm running around to all my groups and dropping this in. Please get out and vote and steal this and drop it into your groups. With all our navy moms, sisters, dads, wives, girl and boy friends, brothers, aunts, uncles, husbands, etc, Molly should never have a chance of losing! If everyone votes, she should be #1 by the end of the day! VOTE!

Just went and voted for Molly for the day. She is down to #9! Come on everyone. Have to vote!!!

Marybeth, I usurp your message and repost for the info. Thanks for reminding me!

http://pep.si/lifT1C - Ok my Nukettes (and you too William LOL) - we have reached a CRITICAL point with the Pepsi Refresh contest for Molly's Adopt a Sailor - overnight we slipped from 5th place to 8th place, and only the top 10 finishers in the $50K category will win the grant. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE click the link and vote. You can vote via FB, sign up with email account(s), AND Text the message 107637 to 73774. That's a minimum of 3 votes per person per day.

And for the Pepsi drinkers amongst you, you can use up to 10 Power Vote codes per day per email address. They're on the yellow caps and inside specially marked 12/18/24 packs.

Voting ends this Sunday July 31st - so please vote at least once per day. THANK YOU!

Comment by TxLadyJane(ET Nuke Mom) on April 22, 2011 at 4:47pm: Officially from the RTC Facebook Page:

Patrick Lally
what does grad and go mean?
about an hour ago · Like ·

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command It's an obsolete term. It used to refer to recruits who flew out of state for A School within hours of graduation. Then it referred only to those recruits staying in Great Lakes for A School. Now it doesn't mean anything.

Recruits who stay in Great Lakes for A School check into their school the same day as graduation. Those going out of state for A School will fly out the following day unless there is an issue with flight availability, then they might be delayed a day or two.

Comment by TxLadyJane(ET Nuke Mom) on March 27, 2011 at 5:02pm: If your Sailor is a Saturday Departure, GO WITH THEM TO THE AIRPORT, if at all possible. We were able to see him interact with his new Shipmates and hear more stories about his Boot Camp experience. My husband did not go, but me and his Fiancée did. I wouldn’t trade this time with him for the world. He had to be there at 0100 hours, we got there about an hour later, they were still dividing up into departure groups so we had plenty of time before we all had to go through security which opens at 0500, the security was no problem either, they let us though with a GATE PASS. This was at Midway. Once our Sailor was handed his boarding pass, we just handed the Ticketing people our ID’s (must be a driver’s license or STATE ID card). The reason I mention this is because we had “military ID’s” and they didn’t want us using these. I also was able to get photos of the people that he hung out with during Boot Camp. This is a MUST. Please do this if you can even if you get little or NO sleep. His Fiancée and I only got 3 HOURS sleep, but we did this, and it was worth every moment.

Comment by Mamamary805 (Joe's mom) on March 18, 2011 at 10:24pm: Nalison I know exactly how you feel......=(

It's been about a week since I found out that my son was a Sat departure, I am just glad that I am going to get to see him even if it is for one evening. I am going to have a plan a, b & c.

Comment by nalison (ship7div110) on March 18, 2011 at 6:44pm: Just found out my son is a Saturday departure, how sad I am to find this out!!! :(

Comment by Mamamary805 (Joe's mom) on March 12, 2011 at 5:52pm: @redsmom-my son is going into Aviation in Pensicola so he will be a Sat departure.

Just wanted to how grateful I am for Navy Moms & all the wonderful information it has!

Thanks...........=)

Comment by Mamamary805 (Joe's mom) on March 12, 2011 at 5:49pm: TxLadyJane-my son just told me he leaves on Saturday so than it is not a Grad n Go correct, he is a Sat departure?

Just trying to get used to it, we were under the impression we would get to see him all weekend but apparenlty it changed......=(