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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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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

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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 Pam on November 28, 2010 at 5:46pm: CarlyRose - It depends on if they have room for him to move into the barracks when he graduates from bootcamp. My son went through A School at Great Lakes for Corpsman and was not grad n go, so we had to have him back Friday, Saturday andy Sunday by 8:00 p.m. Those that were grad n go after him were able to stay with family the entire weekend.

Comment by CarlyRae (ship12div034) on November 28, 2010 at 4:55pm: hello everyone! my bf is currently in boot camp and i just found out he is Grad n Go. However, his A school is in GL. What does this mean for PIR weekend?? His rate is GM (gunners mate) if that helps??

Comment by Alysia-Redsmom (VQ-4/ATO) on November 24, 2010 at 1:40pm: Blue candle burning in the absence of my SR :(

His PIR date is 1/14/11 and I was wondering if there is any evidence of him being listed as Grad N Go by DIV number of job assigned? Any insight from you seasoned Navy Moms would be greatly appreciated.

Comment by TheRightThing on November 11, 2010 at 4:09pm: Lisa! All good things to you!
Cathy

Comment by SOBE,PIR 6/4/10 IT Mom, Italy on November 7, 2010 at 12:21am: Hey everyone - glad to see that we have seasoned moms to answer all these questions. I've been off-line for about 4 weeks, but my surgery went well and I am recovery slowly but surely. Good news - it wasn't cancer! I won't be on this site as often as I used to be, but will check in more often. Thanks to all of you who held me up in prayer - it worked!!!!! Love, Lisa

Comment by Pam on November 4, 2010 at 7:53pm: There are many different A Schools at Great Lakes. So depending on which A School your talking about, it could be several different gates. My son went to Corpsman A School, which is literally across the way from where PIR is held. He could look out his barracks window and see the PIR building. I guess you would have to have their rate (job) and maybe go to that school group and find out specific gate information. Hope this helps.

Comment by Laura (Ship 7 Div 355 PIR 11/5) on October 26, 2010 at 6:35pm: Yes, my son is grad and go and would love directions to pick him up when he arrives at school. Also, are we going to need a different pass to get him at that point or will the pass we downloaded work?

Comment by stlvan(ship12div.341-PIR 10/15) on October 25, 2010 at 10:20pm: Just want to share some Grad & Go info for those who have a sailor that is Grad & Go to Great Lakes. My step-daughter was Grad & Go to Great Lakes. Her PIR was October 15th. She insisted all along that she would not be able to spend the night in the hotel with us after graduation, but because of postings in this group and others I realized that her information might be incorrect. If your sailor is Grad & Go to Great Lakes, there is a very good chance that they will be able to spend the night with you at your hotel. They will not know that for certain until they arrive at the A school part of the base in Great Lakes. These are the only sailors who may get to spend the night with their families so make sure you plan for that possibility. We had the hotel hold a room for our daughter for Friday and Saturday night so she would have a nice place to stay near us in the event that she was allowed to stay off base. We had until 6:00 PM on Friday evening to cancel that part of our reservation. We learned at 3:00 PM on Friday afternoon when she called for us to pick her up that she would be able to stay with us overnight. Be sure to plan ahead for that possibility. We did have a problem finding her when she called to be picked up. Buckley Road dead ends at a detour because of road construction and she had no idea about directions to get there. We kept hearing that grad & go to Great Lakes meant moving across the street. Not really true. The gate we needed to use to pick her up was probably at least a mile or more from the gate we used to attend the PIR. It was very confusing and complicated by the construction and detour. If anyone would like the directions I would be happy to share. Message me and I will e-mail you. PIR was awesome.

Comment by jgoody/new Nuke mom on October 16, 2010 at 10:42am: Oh boy, that makes it really tough. I know that the nukes have a long weekend for the holiday, but that pretty much means nothing for the new sailors.
that is wonderful that she is graduation earlier than expected; not something you typically hear.
I am afraid that you may have to wait to hear from her; which I know could be a long time. I hope that she is good at writing whenever she can. She should know soon if she is g&g & the other details of the weekend. I think my son knew about a month before PIR. One thing about the nukes, they do let them know what's going on. It was all laid out as to where he was going & when, he even had his address at GC well before he graduated.