What PIR weekend may be like for those flying out of GL

[Chipmunk]

This is meant to share information for those whose sailors are flying out of GL. There is other information posted in the BC Mom pages but those follow the "normal" protocol. I am sharing our experience and also explaining some exceptions to the normal, which have been common among my fellow friends, especially those in the Nuke Moms group.

First of all, after PIR, the Midway Ceremonial Drill Hall is only open for about 20 min or so till all the families clear out with their sailors, after hugs and pictures. A mass exodus begins behind the drill hall, as family members are allowed to walk over toward the Chapel and the NEX area, just follow the crowd. The NFCU branch at RTC is also open and they had drinks, cookies and restrooms available to the visitors. Although liberty is called immediately following PIR, each sailor is responsibile for their specific orders. Those staying in GL for A school have their own set of requirements which are discussed elsewhere. Sailors flying out from GL, generally are released for liberty immediately following PIR to spend the afternoon / early evening with their family. However, there are exceptions which I will explain later. Your sailor is the only one able to tell you their flight information. If your sailor forgot to write down the flight information, or didn't think they had any way of carrying it, as my son thought, they are allowed to return to their ship to retrieve it. That is about a 40 min round trip walk, in the meantime, you may visit the Photo Nex, or the regular NEX and look around. On RTC, you are not allowed to go to their ship with them. The Nex also carries deli type sandwiches and meals in their refrigerator section, if you have to wait long for your sailor. You may make purchases, they just won't be tax free.

At this point in time, if your sailor is free for liberty, they will know when they must report back to RTC that evening. It is always best to be early, even an hour, as there was a long wait line to drop sailors back off at RTC. You are not allowed to drop them off and let them walk back on RTC, they must be driven in. (It is my understanding that each person returning to RTC must have their ticket with them.) There is parking between the chapel and the Nex, so you can return a little early, park and then shop or just visit and take pictures with their fellow sailors. It is a good 20 min. brisk walk (no running) as I recall for them to return to report in at their ship or other designated spot. They can not be late and on time is considered late!  They may NOT have any electronics or cell phones. They are still on RTC, not off site, as those that stay in GL are. If they haven't already packed, they will need to pack, and prepare for one of two very early leave times on the bus. ( I choose not to post times for OPSEC) They will get what amount of sleep they can, before loading the bus. I took a small black drawstring bag to GL and we packed it at the motel: cell phone & charger, favorite running shoes, and a lightweight change of comfy clothes, that he knew would fit in his backpack. I took these to the airport the next morning. If they have a laptop, bring it in it's carrying case, it should hopefully be allowed as another carryone item, or place in the backpack.

Sailors will fly out from one of three area airports, usually the day after PIR, to their A school location. You should have the flight and airport information from your sailor. If they had to go pick up their orders after PIR and you see them, be sure to take a picture of the flight info or write it down. Do not leave RTC without knowing from your sailor their flight info. Remember they won't have any way of calling you with the information, unless they borrow a phone once they get to the airport. Your sailor will know which time their bus is leaving, so you can judge when they should arrive at the one of three airports. You may meet them there as soon as they arrive. If your sailor flies out of O'Hare, they will be dropped off near the USO office that is outside of security and be greeted by a USO volunteer who gathered all the sailors in one area. We were given instructions as to when to meet back for heading to the ticket counters and also a reminder that someone needed to stay with the sailors luggage. Each sailor has a large sea bag, a garment bag, black backpack, plus their manila envelope containing their orders to keep track of. The sailors fly out in their dress uniforms ( Tide To-Go pens for the whites / lint rollers for the blues). The backpack does not meet uniform regulation so it is carried in their hand, along with their garment bag, and orders, while they wear their sea bag. The USO is open for the sailors to visit and get food, beverages, and use the restroom (other restrooms are also available). The USO is small, so on the weekends only sailors and ID'd military are allowed. Other family members are asked to wait outside, however, they did give our sailor food to share with us.

At the appointed time, the USO volunteer lead all the sailors and parents to their appropriate terminal for ticketing and baggage check in. The parents followed but waited until another check in area was opened where we received our guest passes. Be sure to have ID's for all parties, including children to receive gate passes. (Our group was very large - probably 100 sailors getting ticketed for various AA flights that morning - smaller groups may operate slightly differently). Once you and your sailor have gate passes, you will proceed to the security checkpoints and go through TSA security. Remind your sailor the day before, what the TSA guidelines are for liquids and what may or may not be placed in their backpack, especially if they are new to flying. They will check their sea bag and garment bag. Once passed security, you may proceed to the gate with your sailor until their flight. We actually watched the takeoff. Food may be purchased now, and empty water bottles filled. We definitely had some odd breakfast times. My son slept for almost an hour on my lap. He had one of the earliest flights out and we spent almost 6 hours with him at the airport!! 

Even if your sailor is not flying out until a later afternoon or evening flight, they will still be taken to the airport usually on the later of the early buses, and at least at O'Hare, I believe will be greeted by the USO volunteer. You must be there with your sailor before they go through security in order to get a guest pass. If you don't do it in the large group, or are at one of the smaller airports your sailor will have to wait for you. They will have to go to the airline for their flight and ask for a guest pass for you. We were reminded that this is a privilege that the airlines offer military families. Id's must be shown and you and your sailor all go through security together. Keep in mind the earlier you do this, the less likely you are to encounter crowds and long lines. If your sailor is waiting for you, they should get their tickets and bags checked ahead of time, preferably with any other sailors in their group. This will help insure their checked bags stay together when loaded. If they go on through security you can not get to them and they won't have their phones. It is my understanding, from other posts, that the USO areas for the other two airports are within the security area. And I believe that O'Hare has one within the security area as well. If you can not be there when your sailors bus is to arrive at the airport, then my suggestion is you plan to meet them at the ticketing counter of the airline they are to fly out from, if at the smaller airports, as it may not be feasible to meet at the USO. Also, encouarge your sailors, if they don't have a mate around to borrow a phone from to ask someone. It is always my pleasure to let someone in need use my phone to reach a family member.

Keep this in mind though, depending on the A school and number of sailors flying out there will be one sailor in charge of a group. (I forget the title) but that sailor is responsible for making sure that all of their sailors board the flight. In our sailors case, the leader was responsible for securing the transportation from their destination airport to their reporting duty site. My son's group was so large, once they arrived, they had to wait for a 2nd transit to transport them and their luggage. This is one of the reasons it is not recommended to give your sailors an extra piece of luggage with clothes, etc. even if the airline will fly it for free when they travel on orders. As you plan your time to rendezvous with your sailor, please keep in mind all of the other variables and that other young new sailors are all trying to get to their destination, under orders, without any mishap. Stay as flexible as possible and keep your family and your sailor at the gate where they are to board. If you are waiting a long time and need food, send a family member to get it, not your sailor. The airlines started early boarding and had room for our sailors to actually fly up front, so they were ushered on first, but we had a straggling sailor and our leader was getting very nervous about all of them boarding together and being on the plane, her responsibility was to make sure they were all there. So be considerate. It is hard to say good-bye but be strong and let them go.

Now for the exceptions:

#1 - Your sailor may not have their orders finalized prior to PIR as was the case with our son. This seemed to have happened a lot this fall with various ratings, the main one I saw this happen to at our PIR was Nukes and Subs. Needless to say, we sat in the top row of the Great Hall balcony and when we reached our son to finally get a hug after PIR, his words were, "I am not on liberty yet, I have to get my orders still, I will meet you at the Nex or outside the chapel. I have to go." And he was off. We waited almost 6 hours, I believe, outside the NEX and later the chapel, seeing our son pass back and forth a couple of times, gleaning tidbits of info. We finally figured out where there was food in the NEX, since they no longer had a food court as another mom had told us. The last time our son passed by, he finally had his orders. Thankfully, my husband thought to take a picture on his phone of the flight info, or we would not have known. It still took a long time for our son to get from the NEX to his ship, find someone by then to check out with and walk back to us near the chapel. (He was also developing blisters on his heels due to the dress shoes.) By that time it was after 4:30 pm as I recalled. We headed to our motel which had a restaurant next door. While our sailor showered and napped in comfy clothes we ordered pizza and brought it back to the motel room where we ate. Due to the long delay with finalizing his orders, my son could not find his RDC to check out with and did so with the Quartermaster. My son gave his word, he would at 8 pm, regardless of the other's return time. Ahead of the crowd, we returned him at 7:30 pm to the parking lot. He checked with a few shipmates, deciding to head on back to his ship. He made it just in time to report to the Quartermaster. (Don't underestimate your sailors knowledge of how long it takes them to traverse RTC! He was encouraging us to leave earlier.) Our PIR was before the tickets, so we stayed on site to wait for our recruit. He had no way to call us, and our pass was only for PIR. If I was doing it now, I would check when I pick up my tickets to find out if you have a delayed sailor whether you need to stay at RTC or if you can come back and pick them up with only your ticket. Especially if your sailor hasn't told you in their "I'm A Sailor" call that they have their orders finalized and in their hands. I was just glad our plans to take the shuttle had not worked out and we had driven to RTC.

#2 - Not every sailor that is going to A school out of state will necessarily fly out with their TG or other division mates. Some sailors are held back at GL for various reasons in what is called THU (Temporary Holding Unit). This is not on the RTC site, I believe it is with the housing for the A school sailors. This generally happens because something is missing from the medical or security file that MEPS did not catch. My main familiarity is with this happening to the Nukes headed to Goose Creek, SC (GC) for their A school, but it can happen to other sailors as well. There can also be delays at the A school, such as when the various hurricanes hit, and local evacuations or airports closures were in place, the sailors stayed in GL. Sailors in THU are allowed to have their phones and laptops with them. Their stay in THU can be anywhere from a 1 -2 days to several weeks. I am familiar with various scenarios of recent THU time, from other friends of mine. While in THU, your sailor will be assigned a job or task to do, and some say it is worse than bc, and they just want to get to A school. Depending on the school, being held in THU doesn't necessarily mean your sailor won't class up with others from his TG, so continue to encourage your sailor. While your sailor may not be happy with this situation, I know moms especially who really appreciated having the extra time to spend with their sailor that weekend.

#3 – Any other scenario not yet known or shared that deviates from the normal expectation!!

Bottom line, stay flexible. If your sailor actually flies out, they will most likely do it sometime on Saturday, whether early morning or later afternoon. If they are held in THU, then they will be allowed liberty on Saturday and Sunday, just like those sailors that stay in GL, if they fly out on Sunday, it will still be limited. Plan your travel as best as you are able to accommodate alternate scenarios and remember, only they can give you, their flight info, and you are not to share that with others. Do not post anything online about their travel, until you know they have safely arrived at their destination and reported to their new command. Then you can let family members know they are safe and sound. Phones are allowed only at the airport or in THU, they are not allowed to return to RTC the evening of PIR with their phones. Those who do are in violation of protocol.

These comments are based on our experience with a Nuke sailor flying to SC the end of August 2017, which was also prior to the new "ticket" rule.

[Gigi]

Airport meetings should be pretty standard. Since their boxes has not sent home I’m hoping they will have their phones back with them just even on the bus. Oh yeah about the mask, even it’s not required I would def use it. Still scared. Just gathering info but I’m all booked. I’ll see him when I see him. This will be just hubby and me date if it’s not going to happen to see our Sailor. The Good Lord will make it happen. Please pray for us. 

[partyofseven]

Hey Gigi,

The last I heard they receive their boxes after PIR. So they should have their phones with them. I would use the mask to well I do now so when it's time for me to fly I will use my mask on the plane. That's good that you are all booked. 

Prayers that you will be able to see your Sailor when it is time.  

[Chipmunk]

I am trying to update this with information from recent PIRs that have just started back up in August of 2021 - Anyone that has been to PIR and has information on what the weekend looks like for someone who has a sailor transferring out of GL to another A school may add information. As of Sept 1 2021 there are no commercial flights for the sailors, they are being transported privately by military or other means to the best of my knowledge. So there is not any time to visit with your sailor at the airport. 

I was given permission to repost the following information from Pizanche after she posted it in BC Moms group main page on Sat, Aug 28 2021 at 6:34 PM. 

Morning. 1st off, thank you all for your kind words!!! PIR was yesterday and I wanted to share my experience. Remember you may not get the Sailor call until Thursday, it’s ok!! Also I drove on base. 
We picked up our tickets on Thursday, very organized, make sure you have your ID and Covid card!! You can’t get through the doors with out them.  

Friday was long and emotional. The entrance gate was very confusing because when you put the address is Apple Maps, it doesn’t recognize it, Don’t worry, it brings you to the correct place, don’t try and go in the wrong gate. We were at the gate about 6.30 and there was already a long line. Again, have IDs, ticket, Covid card for everyone in the car, our and ready to show. Also they are checking registration and insurance, so have those out also. It was very organized, and they will get you to the parking garage. You must have a mask on at all times (IL is back to having a mask mandate starting 8/30). We walked out of that garage and there was the next check point, same.. IDs tickets, Covid card. We got out bags checked here ( some people didn’t and went forward to the next bag check) make sure you have your bags open, it goes faster. They will stamp your hand so you won’t have to have it checked again.  Again this process was organized and painless. We walked through a very cool small museum on the way to the drill hall. (2 lines, one for who got their bags checked and one for those that still needed it) show the stamp and very quick . Into the drill hall now- it is huge!! They have places you can buy stuff and coffee/water. The coffee place you can use credit cards. But faster with cash. We found my sons division and sat high on the bleachers (I’m short so I could see better) you wait hours, but it is so worth it!!! 

My son is flying out Saturday, so his Liberty was only Friday, but I am glad I got that with him. We had a great day!!! Lots of laughing and talking. Dropped him off at the chapel near the gate near the NEX at 2000. Lot of folks in this parking lot. Hung out for another 1/2 hour and off he went. The RDCs are recommending that back on base by 2000 and leave family/friends but 2030 to get back to the compartment by 2100. 

It was a long emotional whirlwind ride, but I am forever grateful that this opportunity  was open for us parents. I know a lot of folks didn’t get to go. 

my son just texted me, he got his phone back and he is on the bus on his way to his flight. 
Again, thanks to all of you and please if I can help anyone with anything, please just ask. 

[Devonson]

As this was posted in 2018, is it still current information?

[Chipmunk]

Devonson - The information about what happens right after liberty is called and the time you will have with your sailor if they are flying out, is most likely as best a scenario as we can portray. 

The difference is you WILL NOT be able to go with them to the airport for their flight out. Most of the sailors are still being transported by military transport to their A schools to limit their exposure to outside environs. We don't have any idea when this will change. We also don't know if your sailor will be transferred over to THU (Temporary Holding Unit) until a larger group of sailors for that rate are ready for transportation. So, there is a possibility that your sailor may have the weekend available to visit with family.

If your sailor is going to THU, then they will likely have to leave immediately after PIR and go for their on-site briefing which means you won't be able to pick them up until later in the afternoon or earlier evening. But if they are able to stay the weekend with you, they need to get a liberty chit approved. So, if you can write them and ask them if they know anything or not. Those on the THU side should have their cell phones returned to them. 

If they are left on the RTC (boot camp side) because they will be transporting out at some point, they will only have the afternoon and early evening as I shared. They will not have their cell phones, they may not return to RTC with any contraband (electronics, any unacceptable items not allowed during BC). 

We have been recommending that you plan to stay through Sun evening or Monday if possible with options for early check out and changeable flights if possible. We drove 12+ hours, just because we wanted the flexibility and at the time flights were too expensive for us. Trying to plan for PIR weekend is just the beginning of adapting to Navy flexibility with schedules. So plan as best as you can, take advantage of seeing Chicago around the holidays if you do stay longer, even if you don't have your sailor with you. 

[Ima]

It looks like it was updated as recently as August of 2021. It is full of fantastic info. I wish I’d had all that when our Sailor first went in!!! We are at the 5 year mark and in some ways, it still seems like yesterday.

[Chipmunk]

Ima - Thank you! I have tried to stay as up to date as possible. Mine has been in 4+ years and yes, despite all that has happened, PIR does still seem like it was just yesterday at times. 

[Angela]

Is this still all up to date?  Also, do the sailors still get liberty off the base after graduation to spend time with their family? Thank you!! 

[Chipmunk]

Angela - As long as RTC does not restrict the sailors from being with their families after PIR then most of what is written is accurate, except for being able to meet them at the airport. That is going to depend on whether or not your sailor is flying out from one of the commerical airports or if they are being transported by another private or military means to their A school. Also, some of those who are flying out are being held in THU (temporary housing unit) and so they might actually be able to spend time with you the entire weekend. I think they must submit a liberty chit (request), so be sure to convey with your SR what your plans are for time in GL the weekend of PIR. 

[Angela]

Thank you so much!

[Chipmunk]

Updating Sept 17 2022 - to my knowledge, the sailors are back to flying commercial airlines and the families are able to meet them at the airport. - If someone has more current information please reply to this comment, so we can update. 

CBMom had asked these questions on the group page and I am posting here with replies.  Question for those that have gone through PIR. My son is likely flying out the next day. How does that work at the airport? (Read my scenario above, it is probably the most detailed, except your sailor should have received their phone prior to boarding the bus to the airport.)   So he won’t know when he leaves until PIR night and will call from his phone then once AT the airport?  If your sailor has his orders, which he should have prior to PIR morning, unless in limbo like my son was, with his flight information. Only your sailor can give you the flight information, in the past we recommended sending a notecard to them so they could fill it out. They do have a breast pocket in their uniform that they should be able to fold the card and put it in there to hand to you after PIR. - Be sure to read through this information as well: PIR Weekend general info the information about the notecard is towards the end but lots of useful info. 

And then just 2 of us can wait with him?  When my son flew out in 2017 there were no restrictions ast to how many family members could be with them.  How do we get permission to wait? Read my discussion. If your sailor is at O'Hare, you will likely meet him in the gathering area with the other sailors and families and the USO attendant will direct you and take you all to the ticketing booths. Otherwise, your sailor has to wait until you arrive at the airport before he can do check-in and then go to the check-in counter with you all to get you a gate pass. Be sure to read previous replies to this discussion about this.  

  Several family members want to see him at the airport but only 2 can right?  No, you should be able to have all family members. That said, receiving a gate pass to actually stay with him until his flight takes off is a privilege that the airlines grant military families, they and TSA still have jurisdiction to decline any privileges.  

[Proudmomof2]

Can you send birthday cards at Boot CA?