After PIR-Friday and Saturday Departures (What is Grad n Go?)

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

What is Grad n Go?

Here is a link to the group:
http://www.navyformoms.com/group/gradgoinfo

It has new AND old info on it. Here is my current understanding of G & G.

(Any veteran Moms…please correct me if I am wrong OR add to this!)
Okay. My Sailor just PIR'd on 5/26. I just looked at my form letter and it didn't say anything about Grad-n-Go specifically so i am wondering if they have changed the form letter.
There has been a lot of discussion about the term "Grad-n-Go".

I cannot find the term on the RTC website under Family Information.
The G & G group explains that the term is obsolete.
So, what does that mean?
Means, I wouldn’t bother using it.
They are now called:

Friday and Saturday Departures

Friday Departures
Means those Sailors attending “A” school at Great Lakes. They “depart” Friday, after Graduation, to move over to Naval Station Great Lakes from RTC. This can take from 3-5 hours. I do not know how much time they get directly after graduation to spend with you before they have to go move their things and get settled and briefed. I am sure it is not very long though.
When they are done they may spend the rest of PIR day with you. They will be given a time to report back to their compartment. Then they should get Saturday and Sunday to spend with you. Times and such will be given to you by your Sailor. This could change daily!

Saturday Departures
Means those Sailors attending “A” school somewhere other than Great Lakes.
They usually get to leave right after PIR and spend the rest of the day with you. This is subject to change. The time they report back to RTC on Friday …is subject to change! (Are we seeing a pattern here?) It is usually 8-9 PM.
They then get ready (or already are) TRY to get some sleep and then muster up and board the buses to go to their airports around 1-2 AM Saturday Morning. Thus the Saturday Departure. Their flight could be ANYTIME on Saturday…the Navy only makes ONE trip for all Sailors.
There are three airports. Midway, Milwaukee, O’Hare. You won’t know which one probably until PIR day.

Here is what happened to me:

Mine PIR’d on a THURSDAY (Memorial Day weekend) and was supposed to depart FRIDAY AM. (Think Friday and Saturday as the norm). He was attending “A” school AWAY from Great Lakes.
While I was flying to PIR on TUESDAY he called and left a detailed message that everything had changed and he would now not leave until Sunday around 1-2 AM!
“Subject to change.”
His report time every night was different. His Pick up time in the AM each day was different. He had watch on Friday from 4-6 PM and none on Saturday.

So, what I was told to do was book to stay the extra days if I could.
I am so glad I did because it ALL changed! I would not have got to spend time with him if I had gone home Friday and he would have been stuck on base. I just decided that IF he did leave Friday that I would take a vacation!
SO...

The Basics are:

Friday Departures
Great Lakes “A” school- need 3-5 hours after PIR to move over to Main Base and get the rest of the day and weekend with Family. (No overnights though)

Saturday Departures
Those traveling to other bases for “A” school should be a Saturday Departure-but there can be variables.
You won’t know anything definite until you speak to your SR. They will keep you informed. Mine did, but it changed twice during BC and AGAIN while I was en route.

It’s just the way it is.

[joel's_rackie]

Thank you for sharing this!

[Sonie (Ship12.Div 226)]

Thank you this helps out a great deal. We will be making a 14-15 hour drive.

[diannep]

Yes, FTLW:  Just looked at my form letter...from Nov 2009....there was mention of GradNGo in mine, but after that, they were phasing out that term so probably have already deleted it.

On Fri Departures moving over to GL base:  Make sure they have their phone card with them to call you when finished moving.  After having the first time of liberty with you, they can return with their cell phones. 

As far as time spent right after PIR with these sailors, it is very brief....because they need to get them over to the other base and moved in.  But the good news is, like you said, they usually get daytime weekend liberty with family...except for any watch duties. 

On Sat Departures, not sure that they leave from Milwaukee because I have never heard of that...but it certainly is very possible!  I have only seen Ohare and Midway mentioned on the site before...but in the Navy, we never say never!  So it is very possible that all 3 airports are used.

Yes, absolutely....you all PLEASE book through the weekend...just in case.  I have seen too many posts over the past 1.5 years of ladies who thought their sailors were leaving early on Sat morning and booked their own flights out that afternoon...only to find out that their sailors were not leaving until Sunday (as FTLW said, changed plans).  Very sad to leave your new sailor when they still have liberty.  Better to use any extra time after a sailor leaves for sightseeing. 

Great job, FTLW!  Good info here.

[Darlene]

I am so glad I read this before I canceled my Saturday night hotel reservation!  My SR told us 2 weeks prior in a letter that he was leaving at 2am on Saturday.  Then when we walked up to him after PIR he told us he had an hour with us then he was moving over to GL base and that he would have the whole weekend with us.  6:30 am till 8:30pm both Saturday and Sunday.  He is on hold for right now for 5 weeks.  So glad I didn't cancel those reservations!!!!!  (we also got him for a couple hours Friday evening, enough to go to dinner.)

[Lisa]

Yes Great info!! Thank you very much for sharing. We are juggling so many plans that this additional info is very helpful!

[FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW]

Bump!