I just found out we have two hours after graduation

[CarolJ * Courtney's Mom *]

In my daughter's letter she mentioned only having two hours after graduation to spend with us, as this is in her first letter home does she really know this soon? Does that mean she is a grad and Go? We booked the room for the entire weekeknd thru Monday and are not changing "just in case". Just looking for other mom's opinions or experience here.

[CarolJ * Courtney's Mom *]

that's a good idea, If her recruiter doesn't know I may give them a call and see what I can find out. Thanks!

[Karen Gallagher]

depending on her rate she may know now that she will be a grad and go.. if she is a nuke yes she may know as they are almost always grad and go. It has been more and more that the recruits are send to school almost as soon as they grauduate.

You will know for sure when you get that grad packet and no the recruiter will not necessarily know for sure. Hang in there you will know for sure soon but if she told you that they must have told them that the division is all grad and go

let me know if I can be of assistance

[Kathleen Cottom]

well i know that my daughter was on duty so we had a few hours after her graduation but we could see her the next day. If the have orders to ship out to A school right after graduation that is all the time you get. I know that people staying in Great Lakes for A school got to stay with their families and had over night off base passes. So what time we get really has to do with their orders. Seems early to know to me but I would trust your daughter. I know that rooms get tight so i would keep your room. Good Luck

[Michelle Pendel]

Hey Carol it's Michelle (Zach's mom). Zach hasn't mentioned anything like this in his letter, but I would definitely notify her recruiter, because they should know for sure. I am surprised too that they know this soon. Where is your daugher going for school and what is she going to be??

[CarolJ * Courtney's Mom *]

Hey Michelle, She is going to be a Yeoman and I'm not sure where her A school is they told her it could be GL or Mississippi. So who knows at this point, but I am going to make some phone calls today how is Zach doing? And your Dylan and Trent?

[Shirley]

Oh no Carol. I hope this is wrong. If not, you just need to make those few hours the best ever. Even if you only get a minute make the most of it. Wow this must be hard. It should be against the law that they have to go that soon! There should be required rest time with family after BC. Lets hope its too early to tell. I'm glad you at least got to hear from her. Donny has only sent one letter. I'm feeling a bit unwanted right now. Oh well, at least it was happy little letter. Have a good night and I will be thinking of you. Shirley

[Tammi]

Hi Carol,
Im sorry that im not much help, because i havent even heard from my son, so i dont know how much time we will have with him? I missed his first and so far only phone call, and he keeps writing and saying that he hasnt recieved any mail yet and it has been a month!!! Im so in the dark about everything ! Hopefully your page will help me .Anyway have a great day. tammi

[Lisa in Michigan]

Oh my N4Ms friends. This thread breaks my heart. The not knowing how much time you have with your sailor is upsetting. The boyfriend or girlfriend taking up some of that precious time is painful. I can only offer you this advice. Remember you are going to see something that will stay in your mind and heart forever. PIR is the most awesome ceremony you will ever see. No one can take that part away from you. After the ceremony, try not to think of how much time your have, just enjoy whatever time you do have with your new sailor. And remember, once they get to their A-school, they will call more often and that rock in the pit of your stomach will go away because you will no longer feel like all contact has been cut off. Make sure they get a cell phone once they get to A-school even if it is just a prepaid. Just having that phone number so you can call anytime and leave a "call mom" message is a blessing. After PIR, the "blackout period" is over. Relax, enjoy the ceremony, hug your sailor, and smile because just being there is the purest form of love between a mother and her sailor.

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

It does mean she is grad 'n go however they won't know their orders (flights) until the day before PIR. Alot of it comes down to will she be staying in GL - even those sailors are getting grad 'n go which simply means they have to move to the other side of the base that day but then they receive liberty.

Where is your daughter heading for A school? You can go to the airport and wait with her, sometimes they take them over a few hours before then need to be there but they must ride on the bus with the others.

My sister ran into the same thing with her son - she got 10 minutes with him after the PIR and was able to go back to her hotel and cancel the room for the rest of the weekend. Most hotels in the area understand the grad ' n go situation and have a fair cancellation policy.

Don't know how far you are coming from - you may want to see the Chicago sites still.

[Christine]

i will be interested to know the answer. my son left this week and he is going to A school at Great Lakes. They usually graduate on a Friday don't they?

[Mary, Proud Mom of Nick]

Graduations are always on Fridays, unless it is a holiday week.

[Mary Bowling]

My daughter graduates oct 31 and we also booked for the whole weekend so I hope we get more than 2 hours
Mary