Tips from the 5 Aug PIR

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Permalink Reply by Bryan K Stewart on August 5, 2011 at 9:43pm

thank you for this info. My wife, daughter, my son's girlfriend and I are going to the PIR on the 23rd of sept

Ship 9 Division 315, and this info answered alot of my wife's questions.

 

Thanks again,

 

SSgt Bryan Stewart  USAF/ REt

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Permalink Reply by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on August 5, 2011 at 10:07pm

also check this discussion post

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Permalink Reply by Rick Davies on August 7, 2011 at 4:45am

Hi Bryan

What day did your son start bootcamp? My grandson left for bootcamp on August 3rd.

I'm trying to plan when his PIR will be.

Thank you

Rick

Bryan K Stewart said:

thank you for this info. My wife, daughter, my son's girlfriend and I are going to the PIR on the 23rd of sept

Ship 9 Division 315, and this info answered alot of my wife's questions.

 

Thanks again,

 

SSgt Bryan Stewart  USAF/ REt

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Permalink Reply by John Fahy on August 7, 2011 at 9:13am

Great advice and thanks! My daughters PIR is 8/26 so very timely.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Boyd on August 9, 2011 at 9:55pm

Thanks for the info. My sons PIR is 8/19 

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Permalink Reply by Rick Gottuso on August 10, 2011 at 10:36am

I was also at the 080511 PIR and my name is also Rick !  I would like to add a few more tips for those of you heading to Great Lakes to see your sailor graduate from boot camp. I stayed at the Red Carpet Inn which is located on Buckley Rd about a 1 1/2 miles from the Naval base located just down the road from the Inn. The Red Carpet is well pretty much what you paid for - the rooms were basic, but clean - the continental breakfast consisted of some packaged pastries, O.J. and coffee - the pool was very nice - 4 feet deep - they have extra towels at the check-in desk for pool usage. They do provide shuttle service to the base and your seat is reserved by when you check into the hotel. The shuttle runs every 15 min. from 6:40 - 7:40 . I was on the 7:10 shuttle and got to my seat inside Freedom Hall in plenty of time . The shuttle drops you off right outside one of the entrances and the security check is quick -just have your Drive License out to show the guard. The line into Freedom Hall was about 25 people long , but it moved quickly - They were checking names off the list and we had one person not on the list and she was asked her to go around to the other side of the building. Once there they assured her she would get inside. In fact I think I think everyone who came got inside - there were still empty seats on the one side of the hall for people to sit in. We entered the Hall at 7:35 and all the bottom bleachers were filled , so we sat on the upper deck and had a very nice view of everything - we lucked out because my son's Division stood almost directly under the Jumbo-Tron which worked out very well . They will show you a sampling of boot camp life on the Jumbo-Tron which is very informative. After graduation most people walk to the NEX building and there is a long line to enter the bathrooms - Go past the first set of bathrooms, past the Subway store and into the game room and there are bathrooms where that you don't have to wait in line. We took the train into Chicago - $10.00 roundtrip per person , but only $4.00 for your sailor. The train station is about 50 yards from the gate entering the base. If your sailor has to be back by 2000 and was told there would be a long delay getting through security there won't be - the sailors just walk right in after showing their I.D. and then have a 25 minute walk back to their Ship. We were back on the base at 1830 thinking he needed to be there well ahead of time then ended up sitting on the park benches talking awhile longer before he left us . If your sailor is flying out the next day they may take him/her to Midway Airport very early Saturday a.m. - You can meet them there and give them a black only backpack with their cell phone , laptop, civilian clothes, whatever can fit into the backpack. You cannot give this to them on Friday evening . The USO man who will greet them at the airport is great - a former sailor and he really makes them feel at ease and will guide them thru the check-in procedure to fly to their next duty station. Hope this helps anyone heading to G.L. for their sailor's PIR - Rick G.

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Permalink Reply by V on August 26, 2011 at 4:02pm

Do all Sailors fly out of Midway?

My husband PIRs on 9/16 and we are trying to figure out how he will get his cell phone back before going to California. They told him that he will not know his flight time until after he returns to base on friday night so he will not have anyway of letting me know when he leaves. Has this been true of your experiences or maybe they are doing more mental games?

 

Thanks for any info

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Permalink Reply by V on August 27, 2011 at 2:26pm

His mom and I will be there through Sunday night. I was thinking they would tell him when he got his orders for A school, I can't see a reason why they would wait until Friday night.

 

Jim, are you saying a payphone at the airport or at RTC on Friday night, just curious.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan K Stewart on August 27, 2011 at 9:19pm

Sorry about being so late with my answer Rick. My son entered the RTC on 26 Jul, with a PIR date of 23 sept.

Rick Davies said:

Hi Bryan

What day did your son start bootcamp? My grandson left for bootcamp on August 3rd.

I'm trying to plan when his PIR will be.

Thank you

Rick

Bryan K Stewart said:

thank you for this info. My wife, daughter, my son's girlfriend and I are going to the PIR on the 23rd of sept

Ship 9 Division 315, and this info answered alot of my wife's questions.

 

Thanks again,

 

SSgt Bryan Stewart  USAF/ REt

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Permalink Reply by Rick Gottuso on August 29, 2011 at 7:55am

v ,

 

Your recruit will know prior to Friday's graduation what airport he will b flying out from and approx what time his bus will leave from the RTC to that airport. My son knew his intenary when he called me after Battle Stations . He completed Battle Stations on the Tuesday before PIR . He called me around 1600 on the day he finished Battle Stations and said he had a meeting earlier that day and was informed of his travel plans. I suggest going to the airport early in the a.m. ( I was there at 0200 and returned to my hotel at 0330 ),  to avoid traffic jams duirng the day,  to meet up with him . You will have plenty of time to talk with him at the airport and give him his back pack.    

V said:

His mom and I will be there through Sunday night. I was thinking they would tell him when he got his orders for A school, I can't see a reason why they would wait until Friday night.

 

Jim, are you saying a payphone at the airport or at RTC on Friday night, just curious.

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Permalink Reply by Lyle on August 29, 2011 at 10:15am

My son is also in Ship 9 Division 315.  We will be there

Bryan K Stewart said:

thank you for this info. My wife, daughter, my son's girlfriend and I are going to the PIR on the 23rd of sept

Ship 9 Division 315, and this info answered alot of my wife's questions.

 

Thanks again,

 

SSgt Bryan Stewart  USAF/ REt

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Permalink Reply by Theresa on September 8, 2011 at 2:31pm

My son left for bootcamp on July 26 and is set to graduate September 23rd

Rick Davies said:

Hi Bryan

What day did your son start bootcamp? My grandson left for bootcamp on August 3rd.

I'm trying to plan when his PIR will be.

Thank you

Rick

Bryan K Stewart said:

thank you for this info. My wife, daughter, my son's girlfriend and I are going to the PIR on the 23rd of sept

Ship 9 Division 315, and this info answered alot of my wife's questions.

 

Thanks again,

 

SSgt Bryan Stewart  USAF/ REt

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