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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

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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.

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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

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**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:

RTC Graduation

**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.

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Graduation Info
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Grad & Go Info

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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!

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Comment by Paula PIR 6/4 AWOAN Mom on June 20, 2010 at 3:31pm: Those who are Grad&Go to GL usually takes 2-5 hrs after Graduation they report to their baracks pack everything up and move their belongings to their new barracks along with their processing of new orders. After they meet you at a designated gate for pick up and almost always have the weekend with liberty. My son was a grad&go to Pensacola but we have a friend who is now there and is a grad &go to GL. My son new he was a grad&go in the first letter he wrote home (3 weeks in).

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on June 20, 2010 at 2:34pm: Hoppi - As it turned out for our PIR date - the first two division numbers were mainly made up of G&G's, not all, but most. It just so happens that those first two division numbers also had BS-21 5-6 days earlier than the remaining six divisions with same PIR date. When we noticed these patterns, N4M's from prior PIR groups told us that this is the way it usually works out. That was their experience, and this was ours too. But you are correct, it's not set in stone.

When we post comments, we are giving "our" story and we hope that people will know that each experience is unique. None of us are experts, we are just moms/dads/GF's/spouses, etc who are sharing our version. Let's keep that in mind when we post, when we read and when we respond to comments.

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on June 20, 2010 at 2:17pm: Great question Incognito! Your recruit will know the airport, airline and flight time by PIR day, "maybe" earlier - but don't count on that. Your recruit will check in at ticket counter when s/he first arrives. If you ask them to wait in the ticket area, you can meet them there. Go back into ticket line with your recruit and ask for a special gate pass for military families. "Most" airlines in the Chicago area will do this, but they don't have to. If you can't go past security, then hang out in ticket area and had electronics to your sailor then. They won't know a gate number until they arrive at the airport - and those change often, so watch the boards (I fly 4-5 times a month, so this is something I know!).

Funny story: My son forgot to look at his ticket before he went to PIR that Friday morning, so when I asked him what airline he was on, he blanked out. Then I asked, do you even know which airport? Another blank look! This info was available to him before the ceremony that morning - he just forgot to look at it!!! We told him to call us from the airport from a pay phone to tell the info. He called at 6am, told us Midway airport, Air Trans airlines and the flight would leave at 12:51 pm. We drove down to Midway (almost an hr) and met him at Air Trans ticket area, got our security passes and went inside with him. So, there is always a way to work things out!

Comment by jgoody/new Nuke mom on June 20, 2010 at 2:07pm: My sailor had his ticket by the time we got to PIR; so we knew the time & airline. I met him at the baggage claim & from there we went to the airline to get the passes & found out the gate. Granted, it meant that I had to be at the airport at 6 a.m. to be sure that we met up. She should know whether or not she's g&g before you get there & you can get particulars after PIR.
When did she report to RTC & when is her PIR?

Comment by Always "Incognito" on June 20, 2010 at 1:54pm: I dont think my SR is a g&g, but I am not certain and it has me a little worried. According to her last letter dated June 13 she says she had no duty for Liberty weekend because she is on roving watch. (thats the trade off to having to get up every other night and do watch for 2 hours) So I want to be prepared for anything, so if we go to the airport to give them things and spend extra time with them how do we know what gate to go to? Do they have their flight and gate info that they can give us? How do the logistics of this actually work?

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on June 20, 2010 at 1:41pm: My son wrote early on that he "thinks" he might be a G&G, then about 3 weeks prior to PIR, he wrote he IS a G&G. We couldn't wait to make our flights because costs go up the closer you are to your departure date - so we planned to be there the whole weekend even if we couldn't be with him. He flew out on Saturday, but we spent 4+ hrs with him at the airport and had a really good time there with him! Then we enjoyed Chicago the rest of the weekend. If your driving, it's easy enough to change your plans that week, but those of us who have to fly need to make plans earlier. I like the way ours turned out. Being a G&G mom was awesome, because I handed him his phone at the airport and we have been in constant contact for the last two weeks - something I was craving after 8 weeks with no contact. There is a silver lining in everything!

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on June 20, 2010 at 12:36pm: Kathryn just helped answer the Great Lakes G&G question from another group I am on. I will paste it below. Remember, this is one mothers' experience, not everyone's will be the same.

My son was a Grad and Go. His A school is @ GL so I got to visit with him for 30mins after graduation. They say processing could take up to 5hrs. My son called me Friday night about 5:30-6:00pm and told me He had liberty till sunday. He was able to spend the night with me He did have to check in twice a day ( 7am and 8pm) every day. His liberty ended @ 8pm Sunday night. They are not allowed to go to some places. Like Flanagans is prohibited and all of the Martin Luther rd was off limits. Hope this helps

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on June 20, 2010 at 12:31pm: Yeah, people are posting! Lots of good points have been raised.
I'll try my hand at the latest question:

Janice - We had sailors going to Charleston in my son's PIR on 6/4 and they flew out on Sat (JGoody posted this below), and she was allowed past the security gate. They flew on Air Tran airlines, so at least we know that company allows this.

Here are some Pro's on your loved one being a G&G:
Pro: You can spend quailty time with your new sailor at the airport, whether it's in the ticket area or beyond security, or both.
Pro: If they are flying out on a day you are still in the area, you can hand them their cell, ipod and laptop at the airport. You cannot give it to them earlier because nothing can be brought back to the barracks at boot camp.
Pro: If they have their phones, you will have total access to them, which is a blessing after 7-8 weeks of non-communication!
Pro: They are out of boot camp! Even though they have graduated, as long as they are still at RTC (boot camp), they are subject to those strict rules. Leaving early can be a blessing in disguise, as Pam mentioned below!

The Navy has a "hurry up and wait" theory. But we want our military to be that way so they are always ready. So thanks Hoppi for reminding us that they need to make room for more recruits at bc, so our new sailors need to move on, even if they can't class up right away at their A-School.

Comment by jgoody/new Nuke mom on June 20, 2010 at 12:19pm: My son's PIR was 06/14, he was g&g to Charleston & left on Saturday. THey went out of Midway on a 3:00 flight. He had to leave for the airport at 5 a.m., & we were able to get passes to go to the gate with him. Midway has virtually nothing outside of security, so it was good to be able to go in with him. I'm thinking the USO at O'Hare is outside of security? They got their plane tickets on the Wednesday before PIR so he knew when we got there all of the details of when he would be leaving. I was able to bring him a small carryon with some clothes (he wanted boxer shorts!), his cell phone, sunglasses, camera & some did bring laptops. I also brought his favorite tennis shoes, he was thrilled.
He couldn't keep any of this until we were at the airport.
That is the upside of grad n go; you don't have to ship that stuff to him.
In seemed like the recruits who had their BattleStations first were the ones that were grad & go, so if anyone is wondering that might be an indication.