Great Lakes A School Q&A

Good Morning Ladies, how exciting about all the good news, Librarianmom Congrats to your Sailor, I will miss you. Hugs to you and your Family have a Blessed Christmas and a Very Blessed New Year! many wishes to you Sailor in Hawaii.

Butterball I am so anxious !!!! our Sailors will  be with us shortly!

Ima have a Great time with BOOTS! Hugs back at ya!

Congrats librarianmom!  Come back and visit the group, we'll miss you!

Congrats Librarianmom!!  That is wonderful news.  Thank your sailor for his service, my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

I have an early day today but I would like to leave a prayer for all, And I wish you all a very Blessed Holiday.

Lord I pray that all of us Mothers/Friends/Grandparents continue having strong Faith to entrust our Sons/Daughters into God's hands no matter the outcome, and that we continue to find creative ways to support our loved ones, emotionally, and spiritually, from a distance. Amen!

Lord I ask that you look after our Sons/Daughters that they are able to physically rest and restore themselves in order to function on an everyday basis, and that they remain steadfast and not "loose heart", but continue in prayer causing them to grow stronger in the Lord. Amen!

Have a Great Holiday everyone! leaving for the Day to get things situated. Much "Hugs" to you all.

Help me Navy Moms, please go to Bartow Police Department and look for the 2nd Annual door decoration contest. Please like the door that is the Captured Santa, that is my door, I need votes to win. Thank you in advance for your help.

My Sailor will be home in approx. 10 minutes!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.  My son will be home around 3:30.  Hoping the weather doesn't delay his flight.  I hope you all have a wonderful and Blessed Holiday season. 

Wishing you all the best and merriest Yule with your loved ones.  I had a quiet Solstice, did some baking and letter writing.  May the New Year bring joy, peace, love, success and accomplishment in all we do, for all we love.  

Congratulations Bandmom, still have 7 plus hours to go for me. Bursting at the seams

Merry Christmas MOMs.   What a blessing to have this group to reach out to and support.  I have been in faithful prayer over our recruits, ourselves and group admin that offer so much wisdom.  May your days be merry and bright and may we trust the Lord even when they are not so merry or bright.  Love to you all.

Good Morning Ladies Back on the scene but down and out with a Cold. Got the surprise of a lifetime, My son was suppose to come in Friday evening well I was cleaning up Friday afternoon and my doorbell rang so I went to answer it but didn't see anyone so I opened up my security door and whoa and behold it was my Son, he made it in earlier was so shocked to see him I must say it was the best surprise ever! The Lyft Lady was clapping her hands and was so excited for me, he also caught my Husband off guard and of course DAD shed some tears. Glad to see you all had a wonderful Christmas. Much Love to you all!

Phoenismom, what a lovely surprise!  I am so happy for you all.

Best healing wishes and energy for you, so you can get over your cold and enjoy time with your sailor and family.  Love and light and hugs.

Thank You Anti M, Don't feel to much about being here at work but I am just hoping this day goes by really quick to get home and get more meds in me and rest.

Good Morning Ladies, I'm back! I was out sick last week but feeling much Better. My son is still home and it has been such a Wonderful feeling having him home.

I have a question he heads back Sat. is there any major problems that will delay him getting back to midway?

Hope you all had a wonderful New Years and may all your Blessings and much more come this new year.

Barefootie, the FC A school graduation is very small.  You can attend if your sailor knows, as they will need to come get you at the gate and escort you onto base. Mostly it is some saluting, reading the honor grad stuff, possibly a short speech, a few pictures when they hand out the certificates, and that's it.  We had ours in the hall, but that was some time ago.  I think if they know there will be visitors, they are a little fancier.  No marching or music or anything too ceremonial like PIR.

Phoenix, the only problem he might have is the weather,  If a flight is delayed, then he just gets something from the airline saying his flight was cancelled or delayed, and be sure to call the quarterdeck number on his leave papers and let them know.  Should be good to go otherwise.

Barefootie, yes you can go to the graduation. They should have chairs set up for family, and you can record/take pictures. Like AntiM said, your sailor will have to escort you on base beforehand, so make sure you're early, so he/she is not late. 

By frocking, I think you mean the promotion ceremony? He has to ask just to make sure there's even going to be a real ceremony or if it'll just be part of one of their routine briefings. I went to my husband's even though it was just along with morning turnover, but his grandparents and myself were the only ones in attendance, so it was a little awkward as everyone was in formation around us, and we just had our little chairs up front lol. His grandfather pinned him, and we had to sit through all their news/updates/heritage etc., but then after everyone was dismissed we got to take more pictures :). 

I never knew any family member who attended a frocking, as it was just part of one of the morning musters.  As Allison has said, it can be arranged, but it is not much of a ceremony.  Experiences will vary wildly on this.  

Thank You Anti M will be watching the weather.

Hi Ladies, 

I hope your holidays have been wonderful!!! Having my sailor home was such a gift for all of us. He and his siblings  laughed and bickered and hung out and laughed some more.  We've had a wonderful visit and i'm sad it is almost at an end.

Ima I am right beside you the whole way, it has been so much fun having him home again, it's like I don't want him to go or let him go. He mentioned he wasn't ready to go back to the freezing cold. thanks for sharing!

my son will be attending the A School in Great Lakes right after he graduates from BC the first of February.  I have heard of family buying better sheets, towels, mattress topper.  is this something I can bring to his graduation to give to him before he starts school?  and care packages, they are able to receive these in A School correct?  is there a microwave and fridge?  thanks!!!  

Do not purchase any bedding until he checks in and finds out the rules for his particular barracks.  They each have different rules when it comes to personal bedding.  He certainly cannot leave a mattress topper on for inspections, and the lockers/wardrobes are fairly small.  Items such as towels must be stowed when not in use, so not too many.  Most of that cannot go to his first command with him if he is assigned to a ship, so don't load him up with a lot of stuff right away.

Care packages are allowed. Many shared rooms have a small fridge and microwave, but not all.  If a barracks has had problems with pests, food might not be allowed unless it is on sealable hard containers.  He can ask about these details when he checks in after PIR.

Sandi when my son began A school there in Great Lakes we basically took him to buy new tennis shoes, New Undies, and his hygiene, and a blanket. and some t-shirts. he didn't want to take too much back. They do there own wash so you can ask if he would like some detergent but normally they can buy at the NEX.

ok awesome!!  thanks so much for the information:-)  this helps a lot for sure.

Good Morning everyone,  I hope everyone had a great Christmas Break.  I like all of you (I am sure) are keeping an eye on the weather.  Even though our sailor will be driving back, roads in the midwest can get treacherous.  I am hoping an praying that everyone in the east can get back on time, and that those in the south and west do not have delays because of weather in the east.  Safe travels to all sailors this weekend. 

Good Morning all, Happy Thursday, I have to admit the time with my son has been fabulous, to see the changes he has made and the young man he has become, But I did notice he is less talkative shows no emotion very head strong. Not use to seeing him that way. I have two more days with him and then he is off, I feel like I am missing him already and he is still here, I guess just being a little selfish? Maybe? I know soon he will be getting deployed and cant help worrying about it, and especially about what kind of communication we will have with him. Well thanks for listening and may you all including Sons/Daughters have a safe travel and also have a Great Day. Daily Bread of the day (Bible verse)

Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

For  those driving, here is the Illinois DOT page, which gives advisories and helps planning.  Every state has a DOT page, a very good resource.  Drivers should give themselves a little extra time, they don't get to use the same weather excuses as those who are flying.

https://www.gettingaroundillinois.com/

Here is the flight delay page for OHare and Midway:

http://www.flychicago.com/business/media/delays/pages/default.aspx

Safe travels to your sailors!

Safe travels to everyone! Be safe and stay warm

Mazzie528 I am feeling the same, I don't want to let go, I thought I was being selfish, and I find eyes filling up with tears as I speak on it.

I know my son is so strong minded I wish I could be half of that, My daughters and Husband say I'm a Crybaby, I sit and watch TV and if a sad commercial comes on I start crying or anything that touches my heart. If I see another person crying I start crying, my family laughs at me. So yea they are waiting for me to break down.

LOL! that is to funny! gotta love it Mazzie528.

Phoenixmom and Mazzie528, we are all in the same boat!!! My family is just used to me crying at anything remotely emotional...I am doing my best to keep up a good face in front of my sailor and trying to enjoy the last few days we have together during his leave.  I am trying to focus on how amazing his adventures will be!!!

I haven't lost it yet, I think when I find myself alone like driving to work I think about it and tears just come, but I am really enjoying him, he is so busy with his friends at the moment, didn't really know how good his friends really were until these past couple of days, he is very fortunate to have friends like them. H e seems to be one of the last to get orders, he mentioned most of the people in his class which is a EM rate have got orders for Spain, Hawaii and Virginia which I hear is one of the biggest and nicest base. so he is hoping they don't give him his orders right away, said that if he gets orders later he may be able to come home for at least a week before he ships out. Fingers crossed. Thanks Ladies!

I had a special treat this morning...my sailor came with me to Preschool and made bread with my class, did circle time with us and sang a silly duet with me...it was PRICELESS!!!

Good Morning Ladies, Sad to say my Sailor has gone back.....Woke up sick Sat. morning for some reason I cant shake this cold, took him to airport wasn't able to stay with him because they will only let one family member be with him and of course we all met to send him off...Yes I did cry and he hugged me tight and said don't worry MOM I will be fine. I don't want you to cry. So I sucked it up and away he went. He said he enjoyed his time at home Loved his room. so now we play the waiting game. No delays in flight did text me and said it is  extremely cold and was safe. Have a Good Day Ladies.

Hugs, I am so sorry you have a cold on top of everything.  Sending love and light.  Glad your sailor was not delayed, travel has been so awful everywhere!  Even here flights were grounded for fog.  

Thank You Anti M this cold seems more like bronchitis hopefully not because it sure is dragging me down. Been medicating but it doesn't seem like its working.. Yes we were pretty worried but it was safe landing. The weather over that way looks horrible, from Florida on up, Butterball if you are out there I hope all is safe with your Family.

Hi Anti M I have a question, Do you know of A school in Great Lakes having New rooms?