Grad and Go

[mamawalrus]

This was put together by gigi65 (thanks!).

These are the items you will want to mail to your recruit NOW so they can hand you the answers on PIR day. They will not know the exact answers until 1-3 days prior to graduation!

 

Dear (son/daugher),

Once you have your plane ticket, complete the answers below and then take it with you to PIR and hand it to us after the ceremony (don't mail it):

 Airport_______________________________

 Airline________________________________

Flight #___________________________

Flight time_________________________

First destination (if more than one flight) _____________________________________

Time the bus leaves RTC_______________

Are you on a special "chartered flight"? ____

[JessicaB-Sailor Mom]

This is for the Grad and Go sailors. Do you know where your rct is going to A school? You won't find out about G&G for a few weeks so just  relax....this is just a quesitonaire that you mail them so if they are G&G to somewhere other than Great Lakes you will know when to meet them at the airport and which airport.

[Arwen]

Sometimes sailors (Grad and Go, aka G&G) in the first two divisions leave directly from PIR to the airport to travel to their school. They are only allowed 15 minutes with their families before leaving. However, families MAY meet them at the airport to hang out at the USO to have some time together, and to give them their phone, laptop and other personal stuff before they fly to their A-school. In order to get a TSA pass into the airport, you must have their travel information.

 

I have seen some families do a 3-way trip. They fly to Chicago for PIR, then fly to their sailor's A-school city to spend tihe rest of the weekend together before flying home. It's not too expensive if you have plenty of advance warning. One family actually managed to get on the same plane as their sailor.

[CastonguayShip02Div912]

when should i make reservations and airfare?

 

 

[JessicaB-Sailor Mom]

bump

[Momofasailorgirl]

FOUND THIS ON THE US NAVY RECRUIT PAGE ON FACEBOOK THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL

 

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command

Grad & Go refers to those recruits checking into their A School in Great Lakes the same day as graduation. They grad, and then they go. If a
recruit is flying out on Saturday, he/she is simply called a Saturday
departure. No recruits fly ou...t
of state on the same day as graduation. They may fly out on Saturday,
but never on Friday. RTC did away with out-of-state Grad & Go's
quite a while ago.

Recruits checking into A School at Great Lakes will get about an hour right after graduation to spend with their
families. Then they will go across the street to check into their
school. That process can take up to five hours, however, the upside is
that they may receive overnight liberty for the remainder of the
weekend. They will not find that out for certain until they get to
their school.

If your recruit will fly out on Saturday, you will at least have the entire day and part of the evening to spend with him
on his liberty.

[Arwen]

As of one year ago (my son PIR'd on Feb. 19, 2010), they had three types of GnG sailors.

 

GnG who stay in Great Lakes. These sailors go back to barracks after a 15 minute visit, then spend the next 5 hours moving to another part of base and checking into their school. When they are done they get a "normal" liberty weekend.

 

GnG who ship out to the airport immediately after PIR. Contrary to what the RTC Facebook website says, two full divisions from my son's PIR group did this 10 months ago. Many of the parents from those divisions didn't bother going for PIR and a 15 minute visit. Too much money and time spent for a very short event. This is why I suggest meeting them at their A-school for the longer visit. I valued my 3 days with my son far more than any 3 hour ceremony.

 

GnG Saturday-ship, a type of GnG who get Friday with their families, then go to the airport Saturday. You can meet most of these sailors at the airport for a visit and to give them their computers and other gear. I suggest purchasing a Navy camouflage backpack for these items, they will need the backpacks later, those are what they are allowed to carry while in uniform at A-school. They can be purchased at the NEX on Friday, by you or your recruit. Some Saturday-ship sailors will be on charter flights. You will not be able to meet them at the airport, they are delivered by bus directly to their plane, and do not spend time in the airport.

 

How do you know if your recruit will be GnG, and which type? Wait, they will tell you. Sometimes they know by the fifth or sixth week, other times they are told a day or two before PIR, and you won't know
until you get there. Usually the first two or three divisions are all GnG, but not always, and individual sailors in other divisions may be GnG. But the vast majority of recruits are not GnG, they have the usual PIR liberty weekend and remain at RTC for a few days the next week.