Navy PIR For Dummies: Boot Camp Graduation

PIR 
So your son/daughter, boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife is about to graduate from Navy RTC, boot camp and you're going to his or her graduation.... Now what? I had a million questions as I'm sure you do to. I searched and scoured through the Internet to find all the answers but I would have loved if they were all on one place. So, having gone through PIR myself for my boyfriend, now husband in February 2014 and currently living in Waukegan, IL. I'm just going to go down my list of questions that I had...Starting with the one question I'm sure almost every woman asks herself every time she has to go somewhere.

What the heck do I wear?! 
Check out my lookbook for different outfit ideas!

I actually had trouble finding some good information about this particular topic. The navy 4 mom's website had some info. But I wanted examples. I wanted to know what other women wore. (because, I'm weird like that haha)

CHECK THE WEATHER!!!!

What to wear completely depends on what time of year your soon-to-be sailor is graduating. Mine graduated in February. The day he graduated was about 5 degrees. Cold. Now I'm from Cleveland so that's not too different from my weather at home. But for someone from the south or out west, I'm sure its a bit of a shock. What I've gathered from research and experience is: Just Look Nice. Think "Going out to dinner" attire. You haven't seen your sailor-to-be in a long time. They'll be happy to see you no matter what. And ladies, your boyfriend or husband has been around smelly men and girls who literally aren't allowed to look cute or hot even if they wanted to. So, trust me, he'll be happy to see you. You don't need to wear a fancy nice dress and high heels. You can if you wish, and you might stand out a bit in the dead of winter but by all means....Just be classy. And don't feel like you need to go out and buy a new outfit if you can't afford it. If you can, go for it! ;) If not, work with what you have, or try a thrift store.

I wore black skinny jean/pants. A black and white polka-dot long sleeved shirt with a sweater and a cute necklace. Black heeled booties. A warm coat, scarf and gloves.

If I were a guy, I would have worn khaki pants, really dark jeans or corduroys with a button down shirt or a sweater and a leather shoe/boot. Coat, hat and gloves. Maybe a sports coat or blazer depending on the weather.  Guys have it easy.

I wish I had thought to do an OOTD. I don't have a picture with my whole outfit. But you get the gist.

This worked out perfectly. Now you do have to walk a ways to the building and then wait, outside. So make sure whatever shoes you wear, are comfortable enough to walk a decent way, in whatever weather may be happening. That wasn't fun, but it doesn't last forever. Once you get inside its warmer. I wouldn't say that it's warm. They open a big garage door for the ladies and gents that are graduating to come in...from the outside. So, I was glad I had a sweater.

If it were summer.... I would have worn a maxi dress with cute sandals. Or a tasteful sundress.

If it were fall.... skinny jeans/pants or leggings (I wouldn't wear jeans unless they were really really dark, it is a ceremony), a cute top or sweater with flats or boots. Maybe a little cover up or kimono if you wear a cute top. It can be cool in the mornings but warm during the day.

If it were spring.... Totally depends on the weather, it can be warm or cold. Check the weather. I'd opt for dressing like fall or winter. Layers.

How do I get there? (my times are estimated!)
We drove because we're from Cleveland, Ohio, only 6 hours away. But for those of you who have to fly, there are a few airports within an hour- hour 1/2 of base. There's O'hare. Its only about 25 miles from base but with Chicago traffic it can easily take an hour and a half to two hours. Midway is a little further away but you can probably fly a little cheaper. It would take about An hour and half to an hour and 45 mins. Or you could fly into Milwaukee, again, it may be cheaper than O'hare and about the same travel time. Its about an hour and half to two hour drive down to Great Lakes. If you can, definitely rent a car. It will be worth it if you are staying the entire weekend. Honestly, it would probably be worth it if you aren't. Cabs can be expensive and unpredictable. When your sailor has set times he or she has to be back on base you want to be able to drive them there yourself. Look on travel websites like Priceline or Expedia for flight+rental car combos, flight+hotel+rental combos and each one individually. Compare prices to find the best deal!

How do I get to graduation?
If you can, schedule a cab or take the shuttle if your hotel offers one. Some do, some don't. We tried to use 'Sarg's' cab company but they didn't come, so we hopped in a cab with some other people at our hotel. You can always share a cab with other people. There WILL be other people, just ask if they have room. You're all trying to go to the same place anyway. You can drive, but you may have to walk, pretty far. Make sure you all have your ID's. Drivers license, passport, state ID, whatever. Just have it. For those who need it, I do believe they have handicapped accessibility. Double check if this is something that you or a family member needs.

What happens at PIR?

If you sit in front of the sign for their division I believe the division will be standing to the left. This way you can actually see their faces. PIR is a rather long ceremony.  The quick version: There's a video, They march in with their division and line up facing the audience. The special divisions play music and sing songs, Important people give speeches, They award any of the people who graduate with honors or who did particularly well in some area of their training, More speeches, some people fainted, more music, a few other things, then they call LIBERTY.  (this doesn't do it justice, it really is pretty cool)

Liberty call is what you have been waiting for the entire time. After they call liberty you can finally go see whoever it is you were there to see. Not before. At this point you run down, find your sail-to-be and give them the biggest hug in the world. Significant others, you CAN kiss him or her. Just don't make out because they absolutely will get in trouble and may not be able to see you at all for the rest of the weekend if they are staying in Great Lakes. Save it for the privacy of your hotel room. ;)

If you can, in a letter or your last phone call, ask your sailor-to-be where he or she will be standing in their division. 1. So you know where to look and take pictures and 2. So you know where they will be when liberty is called. Tell them to stay there, or meet you somewhere like against the wall behind their division. Also, tell them what you will be wearing if you know. Even if its just your jacket or a bright colored purse, so they have something to look for if they don't have time to write you back, or call.

Where Should I Stay / What Should I Bring My Sailor?
We stayed at the Navy Lodge. Its cheap and nice and a one time thing. You're allowed to stay at the Navy Lodge for PIR only. Otherwise your sailor has to be a higher rate to stay there. Some other hotels that I've stayed at in the area that are reasonable and nice are Candlewood Suites in Waukegan and Holiday Inn in Waukegan (it may say Waukegan-Gurnee). These are both about a 12-15 min drive to base on a normal day.

Now, if your sailor is going to A-School in Great Lakes he or she will be able to spend the entire weekend with you. This is ONLY if they are staying in Great Lakes. If their A-School is anywhere else, they will have to go to the airport whenever they are told they have to leave. It could be right after PIR it could be Saturday or Sunday. Typically, I've gathered you only get to spend Friday with them, if they have to travel to their A-School. But hey! Its better than nothing and you get to spend a weekend in Chicago. Maybe plan to stay downtown the night they leave. Go see a show, check out the museums or have a date night.

If you're lucky and they are staying in Great Lakes, wonderful! Your sailor still CAN"T stay the night with you no matter where you stay. They can however come to the hotel with you during the day. They WILL want to. My boyfriend (now husband) wanted to take a long shower, put on civilian clothes and just relax in the room. They can wear normal clothes as long as they are behind closed doors in the hotel and no one else sees them. Otherwise they HAVE to be in full uniform. So, if they want to buy all new things, take them shopping OR be sure to bring them some of their favorite things to wear from home. Keep in mind they may have lost or gained weight, so some things might not fit. James lost around 15-20 lbs. (He looked kind of sickly to be honest.)

I brought my husband:
-boxer briefs in any color (first thing he asked for)
-low cut socks
-a pair of jeans
-gym shorts, sweat pants/athletic pants
-a few t-shirts and a long sleeve shirt/flannel
-a hoodie and a sweater
-Converse high tops
-Homemade snacks (cookies/brownies)

I also brought his full size body wash and shampoo from home and some medicine. If your sailor is anything like mine he or she probably got the boot camp plague. James was sick as a dog. If they aren't sick when you see them, I'm sure they will be at some point. So, some Alka-Setzer Cold and a bottle of Ibuprofen will be used eventually. Other helpful things are, Tide-To-Go pens and a towel to sit on if they are in their Whites and lint rollers for Blues and those wool coats.

He or she will have somewhere to keep the clothes that you bring them. They learned how to fold things very small in boot camp. James took almost everything, give or take a thing or two, back to his ship in one backpack. And I brought a lot so he had choices. In his room he had the Ecco rack. (I think thats what they call it) This is like the "extra" loft bed. They have a smaller closet and no desk. But after about a week someone moved out and he got to move to a real rack with more storage space.

Seems like a lot but, after they wait a certain amount of time and complete a certain amount of required things, they can wear civilian clothes again. This can take a month, or 3 months. It just depends. My husband had almost everything he needed to do, done to phase up. And then they moved him to a new ship (which happens all the time) and he had to start all over.

Also..

We also brought him his cell phone and he bought a new laptop at the NEX. If you go to the NEX go to the one off base. It's much bigger. Depending on the time of year, you may want to bring him or her a thin comforter or blanket for their rack, or go to Wal-Mart/Target and have them pick one out. They can have them, at least my husband could. He just had to put it away every day. The two I linked are two that my husband and his rack mate both had in the full/queen size. (I personally love the blanket from target. I stole it.) Just be mindful of fuzzes, they have to keep their rooms immaculate so a shedding blanket is a no-no. There's a Wal-Mart in Waukegan and in Gurnee; there is also a Target in Gurnee.

What is there to do?
I wish we would have known where to go and what was around when my husband graduated. First and foremost. You want to ask your sailor what THEY want to do. They just spent 2 months being told what to do. They may not want to do anything but relax. Maybe get some sodas, popcorn and  rent a red box movie. Bring a TV hook up for the laptop if the hotel doesn't have dvd players or just watch it on the laptop. After they relax, they will want to eat real food. Order take out and keep relaxing or, go out. There is nothing in Great Lakes. I would recommend going to Gurnee or Libertyville. Gurnee has a giant mall: Gurnee Mills with 2 food courts and a lot of restaurants around or just up the road from the mall. Off the top of my head, theres a Joe's Crab Shack, Outback, Red Lobster, Toshi Sushi (all you can eat for $20, may only be for dinner so check the website) Libertyville has a cute little "downtown" with some nice restaurants and a brewery: Mickey Finn's. They can't drink but its a nice atmosphere if that's what they were used too before boot camp. Just look up the areas on google maps or on your phone so you don't waste time trying to find places.

You can also go downtown if they feel up for it. If you do, take the Metra. There's a stop in Great Lakes. Make sure you have change to pay for parking (its one of those ticket machines) and cash for your train ticket. Its around $7 to ride (you can pay on the train) and on the weekends you get a weekend pass good Fri-Sun. Your sailor may even ride for free. There are tons of museums (my husband gets in for free with his Military ID and so do I with my spouse ID), the navy pier, millennium park, Michigan ave. (shopping :]) Just make sure you check the train times and give yourselves MORE than enough time to get your sailor back to base with enough time to get to his or her ship. The only train that takes you back is Union Pacific North (UP-N). They absolutely can not be late. It would be wise to  make sure you can get back in time even if you miss the train you plan on taking. We planned for him to be back in his ship 30 mins before he actually had to be there. So lets say he had to be back in his ship and checked in at 8pm we had him back and he was in his ship and checked in at 7:30. Take into account you may have to wait in line to get him back on base. He or she may also have up to a 30 min. walk back to their barracks. Budget your time accordingly!

Leaving stinks, but remember things like Skype and FaceTime. They make the long distance a little more bearable. And they beat the hell out of waiting for letters once a week.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. I'll answer to the best of my ability or guide you to a source that has the answer if I don't. :)

--->PIR on a budget? Here I share some ideas on how to save money and still have a special PIR weekend.