what did they really want?

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Permalink Reply by Barb K. on September 27, 2008 at 9:58am

My son graduated last year and he wanted his I-Pod and his cell phone. As much as he loved seeing us and being with us he wanted to call his friends and to listen to his music. He also wanted some down time to sleep. He slept on the 2nd bed in our hotel room and was like new after that. Congratulations to your sister and to your family.

Barb K.

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Permalink Reply by Nan (Anthony's Mom) on September 29, 2008 at 2:05pm

Our son PIR'd on 9-12 he was able to stay at the hotel the entire weekend with us and only had to phone in on Firday and Saturday night. He had to be back on base by Sunday night at 9pm. He just wanted to hang out with us and take a nap here and there. We broought his cell phone and I brought my laptop which he loved getting on. He wanted Chinese food for his first "meal" and then he was perfectly happy to just "chill". We took him to Wal-Mart and he got some toiletries and boxers too!!!! Enjoy your time. He was grad-n-go but was staying at GL for his A school, which is why he got to spend the weekend with us!

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Permalink Reply by Tracy on November 1, 2008 at 11:15pm

That is what I was hoping my son would be able to do. He is in a 900 div & said that he really wont be able to see us for more than 20 min on Thurs but because of being in that div he doesnt have to do guard duty & can spend the rest of the weekend with us. He is going to A school there also. I hope that is what he was talking about.

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Permalink Reply by Nan (Anthony's Mom) on November 2, 2008 at 6:24am

Great!--more than likely this is what he meant--it's wonderful to get them for the entire weekend.They seem to really enjoy naps!!!!!! Have a blast with your sailor!!!

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Permalink Reply by marie hamlin on November 3, 2008 at 12:31am

Hi Nan,
My son will PIR on 12/05 he also is grad-n-go he will go to school in GL. He said in his letter he will have libety after grad. My question is will he have to wear his military uniform during the weekend or can he dress cilvilian clothers since he has to report to A school right after graduation I'm assuming he doesn't have to let me know. Thanks. He is going in as a Corpsman

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 3, 2008 at 10:57pm

Hi Marie.. as an OLD hand at this (son PIR'd in May) lol I can tell you the basic drill. First of all 99.9% of them will NOT be able to stay at the hotel with you and must be back on the base at around 7pm..ish only a select few get that lucky. However alot of them also get a duty shift that weekend they have to be back at the base for. My son was lucky enough to have it the day of graduation so we went to PIR..got him for a few hours and then he had to be back at the base earlier than others that night. He said that others that got unlucky enough to get duty at some point Sat or Sun tried everything they could to trade with him but he wasnt giving it up for the world! Yes they must wear their uniforms in public at ALL TIMES but of course in the confines of your hotel room they can do anything they want. They petty officers drill into their heads they have spys EVERYWHERE..my son was afraid to go to the coke machine at the hotel out of uniform ;) They have them pretty trained and will know everything they can and cannot do. My son also wanted sweets and any food he could get his hands on but one for warning to you all.. They cannot bring ANYTHING back to the base with them. Nick got in trouble because he forgot he had a few tootsie rolls in his pocket the saturday night we were there and another kid got in trouble for M n M's hehe. Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by marie hamlin on November 4, 2008 at 8:51am

I'm sorry I should of made it clear Corey will be grad-n-go in GL he has to report to his A school after PIR . We get an hour with him after PIR and than he has to move all his stuff (across the street) to his new room. After he has finished his papper work and moved in he will call us to pick him up later on that day. He has the entire weekend (overnight) with us. Thank you god. So my original question was because he already reported for A school that Friday of PIR can he dress civilian during the weekend. I just need to know how much of his clothes should I bring with me.

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 4, 2008 at 12:15pm

No Marie even the Grad and Go's still have to wear their uniforms..unless things have changed since May the entire area and of course all the tourist attractions will be crawling with Navy. You dont want to take a chance and get him in trouble. Also they still have property rules for A school until they earn them. I was lucky and had family very close to Nick in Illinois. I brought his cell phone and laptop with me and left them with his uncle. He as able to collect them about 3 weeks later if I recall. Hope this helps

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Permalink Reply by Nan (Anthony's Mom) on November 4, 2008 at 2:26pm

well, I guess it's different for everyone. My son was able to take his cell phone and some civvies back with him after his PIR weekend with us. He also brought a video game system and a tv---so go figure!!! We also tok him to Walmart on the trip back to A school and he purchesed all his toiletries as well as his sacred boxers!!!! All of this he was able to keep from day 1!!

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on November 4, 2008 at 3:00pm

It may have to due to jobs and schooling etc. I guess If I was going again I would just wait to find out and then either buy if they could have stuff or send it asap after I got home..it only takes a few days anyway ;) With all the airlines new baggage rules it would suck to bring stuff they couldnt have. You son was a Lucky boy!

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Permalink Reply by Anti M on November 4, 2008 at 12:19am

Bubble bath? Only for use at a hotel, they aren't tubs in those Navy barracks. Not unless a LOT has changed! Body wash is a better choice. Don't forget the pouf.

As for wearing their uniform all the time ... I have a funny story or two. I was down in Orlando visiting friends; this was back when there still was a bootcamp down there. The recruits often went on "controlled liberty" to Disneyworld. I was in civvies, of course you couldn't tell I was a Navy E-4 at the time. Three girls were in the restroom "adjusting " their uniforms to make them sexier and cuter. Taking off their hats, tying their shirts up short, rolling up sleeves, etc. I washed my hands and waited quietly until they were done and leaving; I stopped them and informed them they were out of uniform and they'd better get squared away ASAP. I thought they were going to die! They thought their RDC had them trailed ... LOL.

Another time, I was at a diner with two other female friends. We were near the end of A school, all of us brand new petty officers and in civvies. Three sailors at a booth kept hitting on us, telling us outrageous things about the Navy (we get to drive ships on the Lake. Riiiight). They were snipes, E-2 and E-3s, and all of them "out of uniform" with their sleeves rolled up and their ties loosened. Oh, we let them talk and talk ... and then we let them know we knew. It was pretty funny, and we wouldn't have written them up or anything. But it was priceless to watch them deflate at being busted by a trio of cute girls.

One thing a sailor hates to see is another sailor looking sloppy and out of uniform in public, and most petty officers will call them on it, especially if they're senior and the other sailor junior. It isn't a power trip, it is pride. So the petty officers are sort of right about the "spies". The whole dang Navy is watching!

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Permalink Reply by Kellie on November 4, 2008 at 8:54am

lol yea the biggest thing my fiance wanted was some new boxers!!! lol he hated the ones he had to wear in bootcamp, so that was one of the first things we did was go and buy those, other than that he just wanted to chill out in the hotel. we did go to the mall and bought a laptop and a cell phone.

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