Some Hopefully Helpful PIR Tips
TICKETS:
There are no actual "tickets". Your sailor will put 4 names on a list and turn it in. They do not turn extra people away at the gate. Just bring photo ID. We had extra people who were not on the list and they were not held aside until everyone else was seated. We all walked in together. Children under 12 do not count on their list of 4 guests.
PICTURES:
Our recruit ordered the largest picture package that was offered which included a 10x13 of his division. The price was about $160. It is nice to have a lot of pictures, especially wallets to share.
PARKING for PIR:
There was a loooooong line of cars from Buckley Road to turn onto Illinois into the base gate. After the graduation it took 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot. We had people in a second car and only one parking pass, so here's what we found. Go around the line of cars waiting to turn right into the base on Illinois (you can't turn left into the base, the left turn lane was blocked with a cone). Then turn right onto Ohio and it will lead you to a small Metro parking lot. This is actually right next to the graduation hall, but there is a barbed wire fence between the lot and base. It is a short one block walk from this Metro lot to the gate. It is a long one block walk if PIR is during a snowstorm like the one on 3/21 was. But you will save a lot of time going in and out of the gate in a car if you park at this lot and walk in and out.
NEX:
This store was MOBBED right after PIR. There were 825 graduates that day. We hit this store the next day when we picked our sailor up for the day and bought some souvenirs. Their prices were better than what I'd found online for T-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. They also had two small tables set up in the graduation hall before PIR. The one by the door where you enter had a much shorter line than the table at the far end. **I believe these tables were cash only**
GETTING BACK TO BARRACKS AFTER LIBERTY:
We were told to drop our son off at the chapel, then he had to walk to his barrack. He made it back with 30 seconds to spare Friday night, literally. So allow time for your recruit to walk to his/her barrack. They are not allowed to run in their dress uniform.
There are no actual "tickets". Your sailor will put 4 names on a list and turn it in. They do not turn extra people away at the gate. Just bring photo ID. We had extra people who were not on the list and they were not held aside until everyone else was seated. We all walked in together. Children under 12 do not count on their list of 4 guests.
PICTURES:
Our recruit ordered the largest picture package that was offered which included a 10x13 of his division. The price was about $160. It is nice to have a lot of pictures, especially wallets to share.
PARKING for PIR:
There was a loooooong line of cars from Buckley Road to turn onto Illinois into the base gate. After the graduation it took 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot. We had people in a second car and only one parking pass, so here's what we found. Go around the line of cars waiting to turn right into the base on Illinois (you can't turn left into the base, the left turn lane was blocked with a cone). Then turn right onto Ohio and it will lead you to a small Metro parking lot. This is actually right next to the graduation hall, but there is a barbed wire fence between the lot and base. It is a short one block walk from this Metro lot to the gate. It is a long one block walk if PIR is during a snowstorm like the one on 3/21 was. But you will save a lot of time going in and out of the gate in a car if you park at this lot and walk in and out.
NEX:
This store was MOBBED right after PIR. There were 825 graduates that day. We hit this store the next day when we picked our sailor up for the day and bought some souvenirs. Their prices were better than what I'd found online for T-shirts, coffee mugs, etc. They also had two small tables set up in the graduation hall before PIR. The one by the door where you enter had a much shorter line than the table at the far end. **I believe these tables were cash only**
GETTING BACK TO BARRACKS AFTER LIBERTY:
We were told to drop our son off at the chapel, then he had to walk to his barrack. He made it back with 30 seconds to spare Friday night, literally. So allow time for your recruit to walk to his/her barrack. They are not allowed to run in their dress uniform.
Tags: graduation, parking, pir, tickets, tips
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Amber B on -
Kim you have given me some valuable info. the parking if you have a green pass is it still better to park in the metro lot?
Amber
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Permalink Reply by Tmama on -
Hey all - did any of the sailors get to spend the night off base? When would you find out? I have only booked for Thursday night at The Red Roof Inn. Shall I book for the whole weekend "just in case".
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Permalink Reply by Jo on -
My son told me that very few sailors would get to stay off base. His whole division had to be back every night -- and I had my hopes up that he would get weekend liberty because his A-School is in GL - but no such luck. I think as with the military -- it is just really hard to tell. And each division's privileges really just depend on their Chief like what time liberty call is, the watches they stand, what they can wear - my son told me that some divisions got to wear their pea coats, had their watches secured, etc. but their Chief wouldn't let them.
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Permalink Reply by Tammy T on -
Thanks Kim.. that helps alot. Any and all info is a plus to us. 23 days and counting...!!!
I am writing Travis and informing him about the pic pkg. We will be taking the shuttle to and from PIR from the Navy Lodge.
Teresa: The Sailors have to be back on base every night. if they are not grad n go then you should be able to spend time with them sat and sun all day ( I think like 7:30am - 8pm). That is what I am getting out of it.
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Permalink Reply by Jo on
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Tammy - I left a message for someone else about this - I can't remember who it was or what thread it was on. But did the Navy Lodge actually tell you they had a shuttle? I just stayed there and when I asked about a shuttle they told me they didn't have one. Just thought you might want to double check this.
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Permalink Reply by Tmama on
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I know the Red roof inn has a shuttle and it is advertised as being around one mile from GL.
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Permalink Reply by Tmama on
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That's what it seems like to me too --- guess I better change my reservation!!
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Permalink Reply by Trish Mealy on -
Kim,
Thanks for the info...my son is in his second week of boot camp. Were looking forward to attending graduation. I can't wait to see him...I haven't even heard from him yet. It's going to be a long six weeks!
Thanks,
Trish
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