Meeting your NEW Sailor at the Airport/USO info

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

Occasionally we see that Family is told NOT to go to the Airport. That it is not allowed. Not true. It IS up to the discretion of each individual airline. I would guess that the state of the world can affect that.

Here is the "skinny" on that:

This is listed in the FAQ's for O'Hare and Midway under the Q. of "Can I escort a child, elderly adult or member of the U.S. military to the gate?":

 "...With the exception of international flights, U.S. military personnel traveling under orders may be accompanied to the gate by immediate family. Please visit the TSA's website for information regarding Military Family gate passes."

(Your sailors are "under orders") (But they are not "on Liberty. if your Sailor has a long time before their flight it's best NOT to leave the Airport. Anything could happen and if they were to miss there flight there would be consequences.)

Here is the TSA link.

TSA MILITARY

Here is what is says:

Accommodations for U.S. Military Personnel

Military Family Member Gate Passes

Family members who want to accompany a military service member being deployed to the boarding gate or greet them returning from deployment at the arrival gate may receive passes to enter the secure area of the airport.

Interested military family members should contact their air carrier representative at the departure/arrival airport for proper local procedures.

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MEETING YOUR SAILOR

1. Your new Sailors will not know their itinerary until PIR day or a few days before. If you did not send them a Flight Info Card (see the separate Discussion for that here on your PIR group) ask them to write down their departure itinerary on PIR day. BTW don't post departure info details (airline, flight # and times)  before it happens...OPSEC.
2. All Sailors are usually bussed to the AP in the wee hours of the morning, it doesn't matter if they have an early or late flight (there may be exceptions.), they send them all at once. Usually around 1-3 AM, but this varies.
3. You will need a Gate Pass to be able to go through Security and stay with your Sailor until they depart.
4. You must meet your Sailor so they can go to the ticket counter to obtain a Gate Pass for you. Have ID for anyone who wishes to do so.
5. Once they have processed in, the Sailors go to the USO (if there is time between checking in and boarding) to wait for their flights.
6. If you do not meet them when the busses arrive. Make sure that they still have a working Phone card on PIR day if they need to call you from the AP so they may meet you and go to the ticket counter with you. 
7. We have never seen Sailors depart from MKE but I included it anyways. 

 

Here is the USO info:

USO Info

USO locations at airports:

O'Hare (ORD), Midway (MDW) and Milwaukee (MKE) all have USO Centers.

 

The USO at O'Hare is located OUTSIDE of the secured area in Terminal 2 above the Delta Airlines Ticket counter - so anyone can access it. Open 24/7. Phone Number: [phone]

USO page for O'Hare 

CDA page for O'Hare Airport USO (CDA -Chicago Department of Aviation.) Has USO amenities info.

O'Hare Map

 

 

The USO at Midway Airport is located INSIDE of the secured area in Concourse C - you must have a boarding pass or courtesy pass to get beyond TSA security area. Both USO's are . Open 9AM - 9PM, 7 days a week (14/7 as military need arises). Phone: [phone]

USO page for Midway 

CDA page for Midway USO (CDA -Chicago Department of Aviation.) Has USO amenities info.

Midway Map 

 

 

The USO at Milwaukee is INSIDE the secured are in Concourse D. Across from Gate D30. It is open 8AM-8PM ,7 days a week. Phone: [phone]

Mitchell Airport USO Guide 

USO Wisconsin USO Wisconsin Page

Mitchell Airport Terminal Guide    This link shows the concourses.

Personal Note:

(I did not go to the Gate with my son...not because I wasn't allowed but we ran out of time. He left at 5:45 and by the time they were done checking in there wasn't time to issue some of us passes. BUT I did get to meet him and visit there at the ticket counter. Other folks were done earlier and had gotten passes.)

[Lilo54]

Do most families meet up with their sailors at the airport.  My son told us he is leaving for the airport sometime after his liberty is over - probably around midnight.  He did not say what time his flight was so I don't know if he had that information yet.  We are not checking out of our hotel until the morning.  Its a long ride to the airport and then back to the hotel.  We are not leaving by air so we won't be going to the airport the next day at all.  Of course, that means we can't give him his cell phone either so we will have to fedex it to Charleston.  Are there any other arrangements that we need to know.

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

They won't know their itinerary until a couple of days or the day of PIR.  (See the Flight Card info discussion as well to send them a card to write it down and  give to you at PIR.)

Many do like to go to get some more "facetime" with their Sailor. Sometimes their flights are early like 6 AM and sometimes it is much later in the day. 

If you have another family that you connect with who could hand off the cell phone for you (maybe he has a buddy in BC and their family could do it if they are going to AP) , some folks do that if they are comfortable with it.

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

I edited my post to add about itinerary.

[Lilo54]

Thanks, I will ask him when we see him.