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Comment by Lala Ribbon Queen PIR Ribbons on October 24, 2011 at 7:04am

I am so glad you guys will have Thursday and Friday with your Sailors. The whole weekend would be amazing but 2 days is still so awesome. You will all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I think if I were going to be there I would have to stay and do my Black Friday shopping in Chicago. That would be exciting I am sure :-)

Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on October 24, 2011 at 3:39am

Milwaukee is the shorter drive and better than Midway for traffic. You go through downtown to get to GL with Midway...I think it was at least 50 minutes with NO traffice when I went at 1AM to meet my son.

I flew into O'Hare and I guess I was lucky or something...I liked it. It was about 35 minutes from Great Lakes. I arrived about 2PM on a Tuesday and flew out midafternoon on Sunday. I drove through pounding rain and AVIS told us to add two extra hours for rental return...they were done checking us in befoe I unloaded the car. When I got off the shuttle the curbside check-in took care of us so fast1 ALl it cost me was a tip.Didn't waste my time trying to figure it out myself.

I sacrificed cost for ease of travel. Took a non-stop flight as it was my sons firat time flying. Didn't want to change planes.

Comment by Diana(PO3/IT3) on October 24, 2011 at 1:55am

Okay, I just found my answer to exactly when will my daughter fly out and how long should I hang around. In case anyone else was wondering, this is what came off of the official facebook page from the US Navy Recruit Training Command (and, of course, all that could change but I feel better about our early evening Friday departure...):

Recruits who graduate on Wednesday, Nov. 23 and are staying in Great Lakes for A School will check into their school right after graduation. They will find out their liberty hours for the weekend at that time. All other recruits are scheduled to fly out on Friday, Nov. 25, meaning, they will have liberty on Wednesday and Thursday only.

Comment by Macaroni2 (12/008) on October 23, 2011 at 9:38pm

@ Dianna: I do know that Midway is South of Chicago about 40 min or more depending on traffic. My cousin lives south of Midway and she told me that it is best to avoid it if I'm going to Great Lakes, because Chicago has crazy traffic and tolls. I was thinking about O'Hare, but I chose Wisconsin when i saw the prices for flight & car rental, plus, due to the traffic that I would have encountered from O'Hare to Great Lakes, it will end up being about the same distance from Wisconsin to Great Lakes. A few past recruits and their families said Wisconsin is the way to go for easier travel. I hope this info helps with your decision.

Comment by Diana(PO3/IT3) on October 23, 2011 at 9:18pm

@navywife: Like the idea of "Funny Card Friday". I, too, have trouble with what to write daily. I alter the more detailed letters with a pic letter, word searches, etc to make sure there's something every day coming in...

@diannep: In trying to make plans on coming out, I ended up choosing SW but flying into Midway because I had seen in another link that was a good one to use besides Milwaukee. Now, I'm reading it's a nightmare to travel to and from?? My son and his dad are flying IN to Milwaukee but we are all flying back home from Midway. Now I wonder how much time I'll need to figure in for traveling...?  Still in a quandry as to changing my flight home for later in case my daughter doesn't fly out to A School until later that weekend verses Friday which I was told at the facebook Recruit Center page that would most likely happen... I guess it is what it is. Tough to predict what's the best course of action....

Comment by navywife on October 23, 2011 at 9:07pm

Cheryl, something you might want to check on.  We looked in to the insurance to, but found that it doesn't cover that type of cancellation.  It's mainly only for cancellations due to medical, illness or death.  Most airlines will cut you some slack and only charge you the difference in ticket price if you have to switch.    

On another note, we started something after the first week that I named,  "Funny Card Fridays." I picked out a bunch of funny cards and we all sign a little something on it and send one out every Friday. It helps to give me a break from writing because sometimes I have trouble finding new things to say.  

Comment by diannep on October 23, 2011 at 8:36pm

Yes, Cheryl:  During "training" week 4 (not bootcamp week 4), they have a real turnaround.  They have accomplished alot by then, and they are in the "rebuilding" stage after having been through the "tearing down" stage.  So you will see more positive comments in letters and in phone calls.  The prize is in sight then!

On the refundable tickets....VERY expensive.  I had to change my tickets (nonrefundable) when my son was at bc, and it still was cheaper with the $150 change fee than if I had purchased refundable (new flights were actually cheaper than original ones).  If you want to play it safe, purchase Southwest tickets...no change fee, 2 bags ship free.  They fly to Milwaukee and to Chicago-Midway.  Milwaukee is usually cheaper and no traffic.(45 minute drive to GL)...Midway is further away and TRAFFIC!  At some point, they all feel like they may not graduate on time (they are threatened with this by RDCs to motivate them).  But in most cases, they do! 

Comment by AZKmom on October 23, 2011 at 7:28pm

Cheryl..sure hope your daughter feels more confident this week. Sounds like you wrote the perfect reply to her.

Comment by Ship12 Div 008 (Cheryl -CBs Mom) on October 23, 2011 at 6:17pm

@FYI to ALL: I read in one of the links here (I go to so many links on this site... I don't remember where it was) that we are able to send our daughters makeup for Picture Day which is usually around Day 4-5 (week 4 day 5); they suggested sending overnight or 2 day shipping.  I picked up some mascara, liner, lip gloss,etc. for CB yesterday and will send them tomorrow, marking on the box "Picture Day/PIR Makeup".

@AZmom- That was so very kind of that young man to offer to write your son! I'm sure that experience will teach your son to "pay it forward" as well....  :-)

One more month!!!!  I read that week four is where SRs start feeling accomplished and start seeing light at the end of the tunnel.  In her letter home the other day CB asked us to pray very hard for her to graduate on time and to be sure to buy refundable tickets for graduation- and in parentesis she wrote (REALLY- I'm worried I may not graduate on time).  I let her know we did purchase insurance for the tickets, but we have complete faith that she will graduate on time (even though she may not feel like that right now)... and I shared with her what I read about week four... to help her focus on the positive. Laugh... I think they also start shooting guns in week four, too, which she is excited about (she is a great marksman!!). 

Comment by AZKmom on October 23, 2011 at 5:44pm

Peggy...I was cheering for the Saints that year!  

Tiffani...Steelers fan also (except for when they play the Packers, Roethlisberger fan..not so much.

Alohagirl...Agree...Dallas? Why?  Though we do live in Romo country here.  He grew up not too far from here, his high school is in our conference. 

And Tiffani...very funny about the college teams!

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