Welcome to
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.

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:

OPSEC GUIDELINES

Events

Add an Event

**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.

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.

Format Downloads:

Graduation Info
PDF – 2.7 MB
PNG – 2.3 MB
JPG – 3.4 MB
Printable PDF – 2.0 MB

Latest Activity

Trey replied to Darlene's discussion 'Boot camp' in the group Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

6 hours ago

MamaKatie replied to Darlene's discussion 'Boot camp' in the group Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones)

6 hours ago

B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet) commented on Melissa Greenfield's group 'Michigan Moms (and Family)'

yesterday

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.)

N4M Merchandise

Shirts, caps, mugs and more can be found at CafePress.

Please note: Profits generated in the production of this merchandise are not being awarded to the Navy or any of its suppliers. Any profit made is retained by CafePress.

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

Badge

Loading…

Get Badge

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

View All

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Grad & Go Info to add comments!

Comment by Mn Navy Mom on July 11, 2010 at 9:15pm: Woo'sMom.....good luck to you and your daughter. My son needed his bright crawlers...sour type chewy candy...:) It is fun to be able to give them their special treats :)

Comment by rachelsmom on July 11, 2010 at 8:09pm: Sobe thank you for the great information. My daughter is going in as an undesignated airman that is why her A school is only 3 weeks. Just to learn the basics.

Comment by Woo'sMom (Donna) on July 11, 2010 at 1:55am: Mn Navy Mom ... thanks for the great information. My daughter will be a GNG (to Pensacola, btw) after PIR 8/6/10. I will be sure to pack her a back pack with her phone, and music player, her Sodoku puzzle book, and BEEF JERKY AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS!!!! (her favorites) I bet she misses those. Will take your advice, too, for NEX shopping LATER in the day. Congratulations on your new Sailor!

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on July 10, 2010 at 10:01pm: Thanks MN Navy Mom (Renee) - it really helps to get others experience on this site. I'm sure everyone is bored of reading mine! LOVE your tips! And you are the only one I've heard from that was told the bus left at 2am and it did. Lots of our sons/daughters were told 2am, but by PIR it changed to 5am.

Congratulations and get some sleep tonight - I bet you guys are exhausted. Aren't you glad you didn't fly home today? That's why I encourage people to stay until Sunday, even if their sailor flys out on Saturday. Enjoy Chicago - and being able to talk/text your son anytime you want to! Lisa (Sobe)

Comment by Mn Navy Mom on July 10, 2010 at 9:25pm: To all GNG mom's.....I promised that I would post things I learned to this site once I got through my son's graduation. Most of this has been posted before, but here goes...

My son graduated 7/9 and was GNG to Pensacola for A-Deck school. Graduation ended about 10:30 a.m. and liberty started. He had to go back to his ship to get pictures he had ordered and this is a nice time to spend time in the NEX waiting and buying souvenirs....:) Tip #1: However, an even better time is to come back a little early (he had to be back at his ship at 7:30 p.m., but since he was worried we would be late, we got there at 6:30) and then there are very few crowds.....We spent all afternoon doing things he wanted: out to eat, to the mall, went to movie (really liked this relaxation), down to Lake Michigan for a long walk and many pics, then to NEX outside of base, then back. Time went so fast.............

We had asked him to write down the airport, airline and time (like Sobe has stated), but he forgot the airline LOL so typical. Luckily, we were able to figure out through Google searching of departing planes that he would be flying out of Midway.

The new grads were woke up about midnight and were on the bus around 2 a.m.- plane was to leave at 6:35 a.m. We got up around 3 a.m. and met him at airport around 4:50 a.m Took us longer than we thought so tip #2: get up earlier to have more time.....:). My son did remember to wait and meet us by the ticket counter, we got our guest boarding passes and got through security with no problems.

Yes, we did bring his phone, I-pod, a book, and some snacks in a black backpack that he was able to take with him. Having his phone back brought a huge smile. Many recruits did not have and I think this is due in large part to not hearing that this is possible. Be prepared for the tears at the airport, but it is truly amazing to see the large group of sailors in their dress whites all over the airport...you will burst with pride. Any questions, let me know and I will try to answer.....Best of luck!!!!

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on July 10, 2010 at 8:55pm: Hoppi hopped right on that one! And yes, you ARE a fixture Hoppi and we sure appreciate it!

Sandy - there's a post within the last 24 hrs that discusses how to get cell phones, laptops, etc. to your new sailor who is staying in GL for A-School and is NOT a Grad & Go. Keep us posted when you find out if he is or isn't.

Comment by Sandy's_sailor son on July 10, 2010 at 8:42pm: Thank you Hoppi aka Angie. At least I know where my sailor son will be.

Comment by Sandy's_sailor son on July 10, 2010 at 8:18pm: Thanx Sobe. I appreciate your help.

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on July 10, 2010 at 8:14pm: Sandy - I have no idea, but I know someone who might! I'll send her a message and post the answer when I get it. She works at Great Lakes A-school and is a fixture on the N4M site - helps us alot too. We don't always like her answers (the truth hurts sometimes), but at least we get the right ones! It may take her until Monday to answer me.

Comment by Sandy's_sailor son on July 10, 2010 at 5:32pm: Hello Sobe, My son Brenden said that he does not know if he is a Grad n Go. He is going to be an AECF. Do you know if "A" school for that is at Great Lakes?