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**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.
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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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Our PIR experience - Nov. 22nd
Hi everyone.
I decided to write out our experience in case it can help anyone.
We booked a hotel through some online booking service...my oldest daughter did it so I can't remember which one. I'll update if I can. It was a hotel in Waukegan and it didn't seem too bad.
I booked the flight through sato. We flew Southwest to Midway because it doesn't fly into O'Hare. I suggest you do this the soonest possible, I wasn't able to due to my other daughter's school schedule. I did it about 10 days before and could only get a flight after 9 pm. We got to Midway around 11 something and took an Uber to our hotel in Waukegan. It was over an hour drive. Needless to say we didn't make it to Sarge's Meet and Greet.
Unfortunately, we didn't have a restful night there, on the plus side we had free shuttle service at 7 am to the base. We were the only family who didn't have our tickets, so the bus driver was kind enough to drop us off at the Nex to get our tickets at the Recruit Family Welcome Center. She also came back to pick us up and take us to the entrance.
Walked in, had our IDs and tickets checked, got scanned and walked quite a bit to the ceremony building. It was a COLD hard walk for someone overweight and from Texas, lol. You enter the first building and towards the exit, anyone who has a bag gets checked again - I would avoid bags if I ever had to do it again.
When you enter the final building you get a chance to buy some drinks (maybe snacks, not sure) and you can also buy "coins" at this point.
There were 911 graduates on this day, so there were A LOT of people but not too many bleacher type seats. We were not able to sit in front of my Sailor's division and had to go upstairs. It took us a while before we found seating for the 3 of us together and we were so far we never saw our Sailor. I read somewhere today that someone took binoculars - wish I would have read that before going!!!
When the ceremony was over, getting downstairs was also quite difficult. When we finally did I couldn't figure out where her division had been (so I suggest you make note of a "landmark", lol). Her friend had gone and had been able to sit in front of her division so I got a call saying they were waiting outside. My daughter saw me before I saw her. I gave her the tightest hug ever and got super emotional at that point!
From there she went to go pick up something at her "bunker?" so we waited at the NEX there on base. It was quite a walk for her, so it was a while. When we were all together again, we walked to the parking lot where our bus driver said she'd be waiting for us. We got on the bus and waited for the rest of the families and a couple of other Sailors.
Back at the hotel, she changed into the pajamas and slippers I had taken for her and we let her sleep (she had been and was still sick with a slight fever and terrible cough).
Views: 331
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Comment by Luckyme on November 27, 2017 at 3:33pm
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Thank you for sharing! This is very useful!
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Comment by Phoenixmom on November 27, 2017 at 4:27pm
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The Form Letter will also tell you the date of PIR, so you can start making plans for your trip. There are many hotels in the area and there is information in the grad pack and on this site about them. If you fly in, renting a car will make your life easier. Also, if you are flying, some airlines, such as Southwest, will allow you to change your flight if something happens without a charge, so you do not have to book refundable tickets
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You must pick up your tickets for PIR at the Recruit Family Welcome Center either Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday before 8 am. (For PIR dates that are on a day other than Friday, the Recruit Family Welcome Center will be open two days prior to PIR and the morning of PIR.) Picking them up the day before PIR would be ideal. Guests must pick up their own ticket using the ID that was indicated in the Security Access Form that was included with The Form Letter and returned to the recruit.
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This whole ticket thing is very New, I cant imagine having to do that but they have made some changes. I would suggest picking them up earlier like either wed. or thurs.
FROM THE RECRUIT FAMILY WELCOME CENTER:
If you are attending a graduation ceremony, you MUST personally obtain your ticket, you cannot pick up tickets for others. Tickets will be distributed at the Recruit Family Welcome Center, located inside the Navy Exchange Burkey Mall, Bldg. 3452, 2650 Green Bay Road Great Lakes, IL 60088
Additional information on ticketing is also available on our website at www.bootcamp.navy.mil. (See http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/faq.html#grad_ceremony.)
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The Recruit Family Welcome Center will be open on the following days and times: Wednesday [1:00 PM to 6:00 PM], Thursday [10:00 AM to 6:00 PM], and Friday [5:30 AM to 8:00 AM]. ***Certain federal holidays may require adjusting days and times. Please refer to the command website for those specific updates***
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Gates open at 6:15 at least they did when we went not sure if that has changed also. because it is cold over in Chicago or Waukegan I would drive but get in line early, that is to also get good seating because you do want to sit in your Loved ones Div. and also it gives you time to be able to shop with the vendors inside PIR.
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Thanks for posting, all of these comments are very helpful. After PIR, how much time is allowed to spend with our Sailor?
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Comment by FireTeamLeaderWife aka FTLW on December 1, 2017 at 3:48am
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Angela - It depends on where they are attending "A" school.
Sailors that will be flying out to their "A" school usually only have PIR day for visiting with Family and friends.They are bused to their respective Airports in the wee hours of Saturday morning (1-3 AM). So, they have Liberty with you directly after PIR until they have to report back to RTC in the evening. It is not common, but occasionally a "fly out" may not leave until Sunday AM. This is usually due to flight availability. So, booking for a Sailor who will fly out ...we advise that if you CAN afford stay until late Sunday or even Monday then do so on the lucky chance that your Sailor will have extra Liberty. Just be prepared that it is not common and if they do not get extra Liberty then you can relax or sight see.
The Sailors who are flying out will not know their itinerary until a day or so, sometimes PIR day, before PIR. Ex: My son thought he was flying out the right away. While I was flying to PIR on Tuesday (we had a Thursday PIR as it was Memorial day weekend) he called and let me know that he would have Liberty all weekend. Got the message when I got off the plane. Luckily, I took the advice given here and had booked until Sunday evening.
If your new Sailor will be attending their "A" school in Great Lakes at TSCGL (Training Support Center GL,located on the main base up the road) then they will be granted Liberty for the weekend. They will have a brief time with you directly after PIR and then leave you to be bused up the street for in-processing. This can take 3-5 hours. Once they are done they will contact you to let you know and then will have Liberty until curfew (usually 10 PM). Then they will have "Cinderella" Liberty on Saturday and Sunday...which basically means there are no overnights. They will let you know when to come get them in the AM and 10 PM is the usual curfew.
All times are subject to change.
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