Liberty

[Penny]

Hi, I am new to this so please bear with me.  My son graduates in April from BC.  I have heard so many different stories about his Liberty.  He wants to go and eat at the Hard Rock Cafe but I have been told that they cannot enter any establishment that serves alcohol.  Is this true? He is only 18 so he can't drink anyways.  If so, can anyone give us some ideas as to where we can take him other than fast food.  Thanks

[Uli]

HI Penny Welcome !!!!!, are we talking about my #2 son.
No dice, kiddo is not 18, so he is not to enter any establishment that serves Alcohol during PIR Liberty.
Most reputable places will tell you that at the door, since the Grads are in the Uniform of the day, and will look like BC grads.
He will have his orders drilled in to him anyway.
You have the best place in the area right in the Parking lot of your weekend accommodations, a Greek named Family Restaurant serving American fare. You also have Ponderosa in the same Parking lot. Down the Rd you have Steak places galore along with an I Hop. Up the pike a bit, you have the fanciest Burger King you have ever seen, every table has it's own underground parking space, it looks like a Spa, we'll show you, not that you have to eat there. But oh they have some good places in that corner of the world, not your usual hangout for the PIR Crowd.
Navy Hugs

[Penny]

Thanks Uli, yes it is your #2 son. I am so glad to hear that you will be attending. It means a lot to all of us. Will you be staying for the entire weekend or will you leave after graduation??

[Uli]

we have reservations for Thursday and Friday night, the rest of the weekend he is all yours MOM, we have to talk before we all leave. I am getting very excited, E is just shaking his head. What do guys know.
let's give Frontier some business.

[Penny]

Will do. Will wait until after Easter as we are swamped. You and Emil have a great Easter. Do you know if James is going to try and make it??

[Arwen]

Most good restaurants serve alcoholic beverages on request (even basic pizza places sell beer!), if the Navy forbid recruits from all of them the recruits would be stuck with fast food only. Nor would they be allowed to catch a baseball game (because they sell beer!)

They are allowed to eat in restaurants and cafes that serve some alcohol with the food, but not bars or pubs, where alcohol is the primary item of sale. They cannot drink at any establishment, no matter how old they are. Alcohol is forbidden to PIR weekend sailors, period.

I hope this helped.

[Uli]

Penney his orders and recruit training will explain.
When you are out and about, it'll be interesting to see if you and Bobby can pick out the "undercover" duty people that are looking for PIR Liberty people and A-School Liberty people to mess up.
James is not able to get the time off, they have 5 out already, Spring break time, that along with the new OPSEC restrictions, due to massive deployment numbers this month, they are swamped in his location as well as their counterpart in CA.

[Stephanie]

That is not what my son was told, they can't drink period. We went to many restaurants that served alcohol, while he is of age, he did not drink. In fact one restaurant had a cigar bar and they smoked outside so as not to smell up our sailors/sons uniform as they can not smoke either, not that ours does. Big rule, be back to base on time or liberty is revoked, happened to a bunkmate of my son. Poor kid had one hour of on base liberty the next day. Scared my son, we were always early.

[Penny]

Thank you for your comments. I have so much to learn. Have a great Easter.

[Uli]

# 7 is about the most important one for the Parents to learn, the Sailors will have their orders. They will know what to do, and when to do it, they also have their emergency Phone #'s in case of any problems.
We have been to several PIR weekends over the last few years, have seen the pushy Mommy and Daddy get their kids in trouble.
The Navy and it's sworn personal is in charge, nobody else.
Some of us have seen the devastating results, like Stephanie said.
RULES ON LIBERTY

Rules on Liberty

Liberty is ‘time off’ from the daily routine. Graduating Sailors will be granted liberty to go off-base during the day with their families.

1. Graduating Sailors may not smoke, drive, or consume alcoholic beverages while on liberty.
2. Graduating Sailors must stay within a 50-mile radius of RTC.
3. Graduating Sailors must remain in their complete uniform while on liberty. If they are engaging in physical activity or swimming, they must be in authorized Navy issued workout gear.
4. Liberty expires at 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 p.m. on Sunday. No overnight liberty is authorized. Due to security checks and transit time, please allow ample time for graduating Sailors to walk back to their assigned ship prior to the end of liberty.
5. Families may not enter the base after graduation and will need to meet graduating Sailors for liberty at the main RTC gate.
6. Graduating Sailors departing RTC for follow-on training the same day as graduation or in a duty status will be granted limited on-base liberty.
7. Graduating Sailors receive an in-depth liberty briefing prior to their graduation day.

[Arwen]

Regarding #5, when we went in February they allowed families on base with their PIR parking pass through Sunday. Families were limited to meeting their sailors at the small NEX/Ricky Heaven area just inside the gate, and could drive in as far as the end of the parking lot near the chapel to pick up or drop off sailors.

They also allowed family returning early with their sailor into Ricky Heaven to hang out, eat and play video games until the sailors actually had to head back to barracks. Also, many who had watch during the day that didn't allow them enough time to go back out for liberty hung out there with their families.

Of course this can change at any time, but this was my very recent experience.

[BR549]

Sometiems they do get to spend the night with you, we had our son for the whole weekend even at night he just had a phone number to call and check in once in the morning and once at night.