Saturday, November 1, 2014

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.

95 comments:

  1. Your blog is an awesome source of info. thanks so much!! My son recently left (7/21) and I am trying to be organized. He is in the 800 battlion and I know he said he goes "across the street" for 4 weeks for indoc after graduation, is this "A" school?
    We were looking to stay at The Best Western or The Red Carpet Inn (which is cheap but recently renovated? have you seen either of these when you were there? they are about 2 minutes away from base? Any info would be appreciated..thanks!

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    1. Thanks I'm so glad it's helping you! And, if he goes across the street he's staying in great lakea at least for those 4 weeks. My husband is an FC and he we were there for a whole year.. He had tech school and then A-school. But different rates have a school in different places. Great Lakes has FC's, ET's, GM's, pre buds, and probably a lot more, that's just all I met....Anyways, You should have all weekend with him as long as he's staying. I don't remember seeing the Best Western but I'm sure I've driven past it 1000 times. I do remember the Red Carpet Inn. It's not the nicest place from what I temember, but if you have realistic expectations and don't expect it to be a nice hotel then you'll be fine. It's not in a bad area but it's not in a great area either. To be honest most things around base are kinda ghetto. Gurnee is nice and parts of waukegan are good around the Walmart but they'r also expensive. I think there's a Days Inn near base that's pretty cheap and may be better than the red carpet. But I'm not positive. I've never stayed at either. Regardless, you won't be the only people going to PIR staying wherever you stay if you're near base. As long as your son can take a clean hot shower, alone and relax he should be happy. You can also try the navy lodge but I think it's around $90-$100 a night.

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    2. Sorry for any typo's I replied on my phone! My internet has been down :(

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    3. My husband graduates the 29th and is going to aecf. His a school with be there for a year. Were you able to move up with him for the year?

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    4. Hi karolina. Yes. I was able to move. We found an apartment, I moved myself, and then he was able to move off base and in with me once his live ashore packed we th through his chain of command. It can take a week or 2 or a month or 2. It just totally depends.

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    5. I have a similar situation to yours! My boyfriend and I have been together for about 5 years, but decided not to get married before boot camp.. So now, we have decided we do want to get married. This is week 3 of boot camp.. I have read everywhere else that him getting to live off base with me is pretty much impossible but your posts are so encouraging! When did you get married? Did you move there before or after you were married and when did he put in the request chit for permission to get married? I appreciate your time and patience :)

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    6. Kelley - I posted this a while back, it answers a lot.

      http://evataylorthompson.blogspot.com/2014/12/getting-married-during-school.html

      Him living off base is possible if he's the right rate. Certain rates have much longer schools than others. My husband is an FC and his total schooling was 2 years. I moved after we got married. He filled out the chit to get married as soon as he was Phase 2. Then once married he put in a chit to live off base.

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    7. THANKS TO DOCTOR OSAZE WHO HELP ME BRING MY EX WIFE BACK AFTER FIVE YEARS, MY WIFE LEFT ME FOR ANOTHER MAN BECAUSE OF A VERY SLIGHT QUARREL.
      I TRIED ALL MY POSSIBLE BEST TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT MY WIFE WAS HAVING A BAD ADVICERS TELLING HER NOT TO EVER RETURN TO ME,UNTIL I CAME ACCROSE WITH DR OSAZE'S TESTIMONIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ONLINE, ON HOW HE HAS HELPED PEOPLE BRING THEIR EX LOVERS BACK, AND I DECIDED TO TELL HIM MY SAD LOVE STORY, AND HE ASK ME TO DO CERTAIN INCANTATION AND WITHIN SEVEN DAYS, MY WIFE RAN BACK TO ME, AFTER DOCTOR OSAZE PERFORM HIS MAGICAL SPELL.
      IN CASE YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH SIMILAR PROBLEM, AND YOU NEED DR OSAZE ASSISTANCE, YOU CAN CALL OR WHATSAP HIM ON +2347089275769 OR +18565020158 EMAIL DROSAZE39@GMAIL.COM

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  2. Thank you so much for all this info! I was wondering if you can give a good recommendation for a graduation gift, I wanted to get him new shoes but if he won't be able to use them till later that may not be great. Maybe something sentimental or something I can get engraved? Any ideas will help! Thanks in advance

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    1. Im glad I can help! As far as a gift goes you can do a lot of different things. I got my husband an engraved bottle of champagne however he couldn't drink it or keep it with him...so...not my best idea haha. I asked him what he would have wanted and he said nothing. He was just glad to see me.

      What you get completely depends on him and what he's into. If he likes shoes by all means get him shoes. He'll wear them eventually. And if they're athletic shoes he can wear them in the gym. Other people I know got watches, Cologne, clothes. They can't do or wear much at first but eventually they are allowed to be normal again.

      Another rout you could go would be to talk about planning another visit when he has more Liberty and can stay out over night with you. Depending on where you live and your budget, it can be very doable. I'm from Ohio, so I was really close. I took the mega bus and we split the hotel.

      I wouldn't go crazy buying him a lot of nice things. And you can always bake him some treats. He can keep them in Tupperware in his room.

      Hope this helped a little!

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  3. Thank you so much for all this info! I was wondering if you can give a good recommendation for a graduation gift, I wanted to get him new shoes but if he won't be able to use them till later that may not be great. Maybe something sentimental or something I can get engraved? Any ideas will help! Thanks in advance

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  4. Thank you for this information, I hadn't thought about making home made food to bring.. I believe my SR grandmothers brownies are in order

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    1. Thank you for checking it out and commenting! It makes me so happy when I know I'm helping you guys! And yes, your SR's brownies are definitely a MUST! My husbands roommates quickly became his best friends after they realized he had tupperware containers full of cookies and brownies. :)

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  6. Thank you so much for this forum!! I really needed something like this. My son is graduating 11/6 and I had no clue on what to wear, what to do, and how it works. This is wonderful!!!

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  7. Thank you for reading it! I'm glad it helps! :)! Have fun at PIR!

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  8. When did you all get married if you don't mind me asking? Was it before bootcamp or after?

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    1. We got married after boot camp, when he was in a school. It probably would have been easier before but we weren't ready.

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  9. You are so sweet. Love your post. Thanks for bringing so much info into one place. You are right, it's literally bits and pieces all over the internet! We are going to PIR 2/5/16 for our son. :)

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    1. Thank you! And I'm glad this was helpful to you. Have fun at PIR!

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  10. After 8.5 years of marriage, my husband joined the Navy. His PIR is 1/29/16 and I can't wait. Thank You for your post!

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  11. Your post was so helpful! Definitely helped with some of the anxiety I had. My fiance's graduation is January 29, 2016. i can't wait to see him!

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    1. Good I'm so glad it helped! I know how it feels when the anxiety sets in!! Good luck and have fun at PIR! Bundle up!

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  12. The part about what to take for them for after graduation was super helpful! I didn't even think about what clothes he would want from home. Thanks so much for this blog, it calmed me down on a stressful night. Also I was planning on giving my recruit a letterbox to keep all his letters from me in, is that something that he could use when he's across the street in A school? You mentioned your husband kept tupperwares in his room so I was wondering if there would be room for a box.

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    1. Depending on the size of the box, it should be fine. He'll have a small closet eventually. Everything has to be kept put away, so the less clutter the better. Also keep in mind he may move A LOT once he's in a school,or not at all. My husband moved to 3 different "ships" before he finally stayed somewhere long enough to get comfortable. He ended up keeping his letters in this clear velcro bag that he bought at the NEX. However, I ended up just keeping them at home because it was just taking up space for him. Luckily once he's in school he'll have a phone and internet access, so, no need to send any more letters. :) good luck!

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  13. Hi Eva! Thanks such much for posting! TONS of great information!! My son's PIR will be next month...seriously how cold is it going to be? I'm flying in so I'm wondering if I should wear multiple jackets on the plane lol or several layers since I'll only have one checked suitcase I'm able to bring.

    Also did you guys stay locally after PIR or did you guys venture off into Chicago? We booked a hotel about 20 minutes from great lakes. We got a suite & mini van thinking that if some of my sons buddies didn't have families who were able to make it to PIR they could come back to our hotel to relax or go out to lunch/dinner or if we had time go into Chicago. So if you guys did make it to Chicago any tips about a what we should do or see would be awesome.

    Thanks so much again!

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    1. Layer!!!!! It's COLD in the winter. A good inter coat and a thick sweater will do wonders. Also leggings under your pants isn't a bad idea either.

      We didn't go downtown PIR weekend but we did later on. There's TONS to do. If you follow the link I mention a lot of free things to do and some of them are downtown. The museums are nice.

      http://evataylorthompson.blogspot.com/2014/11/navy-pir-boot-camp-graduation-on-budget.html?m=1

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  14. Hello Eva,

    My fiancé is graduating 2/5/2016 and we both want to tie the knot right after bootcamp as I am new this will be foreign to me what would be the proper steps because he was thinking we could do that weekend but idk if that is all possible because we just want to be set and make sure that paper work is all processed before A-School ends would you mind sharing your process? If it's too much to respond here can you email me at misscandace28@gmail.com

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    1. Hi! Don't try to do it that weekend it's almost impossible and he can get in trouble. I wrote a separate blog about it. Please feel free to ask me any questions that I didn't answer in the blog! Good luck!!!! :)

      http://evataylorthompson.blogspot.com/2014/12/getting-married-during-school.html?m=1

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  15. Hi eva
    I appreciate all the info you share on your blog! Me and my husband had no clue what to expect. My son left this wk on feb 2. How or when do we find out his exact PIR date so we can start planning. We have two other school age kids we have to make arrangements for.
    Thanks so much, Beverly

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    1. First of all, don't worry about your son, he's going to do great! What's going to happen is in a couple weeks you'll get a box with all of his things in it. Once you get the box you'll have his real address if you don't have it already. Some recruiters say they can give it to you but it's almost never the right address and your son may not get what you send. I had to wait for the box. We found out his PIR date a couple weeks after in a letter but I'm sure the time frame is a little different for everyone. You'll have to tell him who will be going to PIR so they can be on "the list" my husband was allowed 4 people, his sisters stayed at the hotel and were able to watch it on a tv there. If your other children are coming to pir with you maybe just let their teachers know the situation now, and keep them updated when you get the exact date.

      I got about 1 letter a week from him every Wednesday. starting around the second or third week.

      Good luck.

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  16. How old were you when you stayed at the Navy Lodge? My sailor graduates mid-april and I'm 20 and my sailor's mom seems to think he won't be able to leave base with me.

    He also has a-school for 2 years in the great lakes right after. I do not turn 21 until the end of July. Will me not being 21 actually be a problem if I want him to stay with me a couple nights a month when I visit?

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    1. I was 24 when I stayed at the navy lodge. However being 20 shouldn't matter because I made the reservation in my husbands name. But that only works for PIR weekend. Once he's in school he'll have to be signed out and only family can sign him out. So mom, dad, husband, wife and so on. And he any stay at the navy lodge no matter what. He also won't be able to stay over night with anyone until he is a certain phase and that can take months.

      What rate is he? Because when my husband was there( he's an fc) , his school was the longest and it was only a year then he want to c school somewhere else usually Virginia or San Diego.

      Hope that helps!

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    2. He started bootcamp as an E3, that's all I know.

      Are you saying that if I'm in Chicago and want to stay overnight at a hotel, or just visit him for the day and sightsee or whatever- he can't do either of those things?

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    3. Not right away (or any time soon) I'd give him at least, at the absolute minimum, a month or 2 to get phase 2. How it works is, once he gets to a school, he'll have a what they call "phases". They have to do a certain amount of things, get a certain amount of papers signed off on and it's just a pain. But once he does all the qualifications he can phase up.....Hopefully this helps.

      Phase I is for sailors who have just arrived. They are required to wear their uniforms at all times outside of their barracks, are not allowed to leave base and are required to muster three times each day.

      Phase II sailors have been at the school for an average of 2-6 weeks. But sometimes it can take a few months. My husband wasn't a phase 2 for 3 months because they moved him so often and every time he was moved to a new ship, he had to start the quals over again. They can wear civilian clothes and they can sign out to go off-base - only with a liberty buddy that is a fellow sailor. They are not allowed to stay out overnight. Ever! Although I believe when my husband was a phase 2 I was able to sign him out for a few hours because I was his wife. But still no overnight stays.

      Phase III are sailors who have been at the school approximately 6-14 weeks or more and have shown personal responsibility. They no longer have to attend evening muster and can stay out overnight. They can also get live ashore approved to live off base with their spouse.

      Also remember that downtown Chicago is a minimum hour and 20 min train ride from base. And the train station is about a half mile to 3/4 of a mile walk to the gate.

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    4. Oh and phases and Liberty CAN get taken away. If they don't keep a high enough grade in their classes or someone messes up they can ruin it for everyone. We had a few weekends ruined because of other people messing up. So also keep that in mind. It seems terrible but it does pass. And you'll be able to see each other eventually. It's honestly nothing compared to what's to come. Deployments stink. Months without seeing or speaking. So think of it as a test. Haha

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    5. Do you know if he can meet me somewhere with a "leave buddy" in Chicago during phase 1 or 2?
      In phase 3 can he stay with me in a hotel even if we are not married by then?

      Also I'm confused with how far he can go during leave, as he was going to take leave for my 21st birthday and fly back to New York.


      I'm angry because his recruiter told me he had the whole weekend to spend with me during PIR, and I can sign him out of base at any time during A-School. He knew we aren't married yet.

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    6. I mean can i meet my sailor and the other sailors he has to leave base with outside base (lol like a chaperoned date) during phase 1 and 2?

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    7. He can go downtown with his Liberty buddy. But they absolutely have to stay together. We've known people who split off from who they sign out with and they got dropped back to phase 1 for the rest of a school! And when he's phase 3 he can stay with you at a hotel. Just not the navy lodge. As a phase 3 he signs himself out and in. And just FYI don't believe ANYTHING his recruiter says. There are a few good ones and a lot of liars. My husbands told him his school was going to be in Florida for 2 years and we ended up in Great Lakes and San Diego. So, do your own research!

      Liberty and leave are two different things. Liberty is their "time off the clock" their freedom, for lack of a better way of putting it. It's his weekends and holidays. And every school has different rules for how far you can go on Liberty because, in theory, if they need him. He HAS to be able to get back to base immediately. I've heard of it being as low as 40 miles and as far as 300. Just depends.

      Leave is like vacation. It's earned time off. He has to apply for leave and it can get approved or denied by his chain of command for all sorts of reasons. He CAN go home on leave. But he only gets a certain amount of days a year just like any job.

      You'll definitely have to learn to be VERY flexible and understanding. Because I can promise you that he won't always be able to do what you guys plan. Plans will have to change, be canceled or he just won't be able to make a lot of things. We haven't had a Valentine's Day together in over 3 years. Planning is sometimes impossible. I've learned to just go with the flow. Try not to get too discouraged. <3

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    8. When is the best time to get married? My boyfriend told me he would ask my father if he can marry me once he's in uniform. I would like to get a court house marriage with just our parents and his sister present to be able to get the privileges immediate family members get (signing him out, etc...) And wait until we have the time/money for the big wedding he wants. But he wants to wait for the big wedding and big reception with everyone we ever knew being there.

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    9. http://evataylorthompson.blogspot.com/2014/12/getting-married-during-school.html?m=1

      I wrote this blog post about getting married during a-school. We did it in Waukegan, il. We did it when he was a phase 2. You can't do it before because he can't get off base.

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  17. By far you have been the best blog my wife left for boot camp Feb 3. I was so worried about not being able to spend time together that weekend. <3

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  18. Hello. Thank you for being so informative! I have a crazy question though; can I take a small fleece blanket and/or hot hands to keep warm? My husbands PIR date is 3/05 and as of right now the high is 50 and rainy so I'm afraid I'll get cold in the drill hall. Thanks! :)

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    1. They might not let you take hot hands but a small blanket should be ok they'll probably have to check whatever bag it's in but. I don't see how that's any different than bringing an extra sweater and you're allowed to do that. It could get A LOT colder too. My brother lives in Chicago and even he told me 50 is very warm for this time of year.

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  19. Hey Eva thank you so much for all the helpful information!! I'm going for my best friend's graduation in April and his family is using the actual tickets but I they said I should still come and there is a separate viewing area for overflow. Do you know anything about that?

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    1. Thanks for reading! You should absolutely go! I don't think there is a way for you to go to the physical graduation without a ticket. However, there are other places to view it! My husbands sisters watched it in the Navy Lodge Lobby.

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  20. Your post was so helpful to read. My son left for bootcamp on February 24th so we only have 3 more weeks to go. Can't wait to see him. My biggest questions were what to wear and what to take him. Your post was so informative and useful. Good luck to you and your husband. I'm so much more prepared for graduation because of you!

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  21. Your post was so helpful to read. My son left for bootcamp on February 24th so we only have 3 more weeks to go. Can't wait to see him. My biggest questions were what to wear and what to take him. Your post was so informative and useful. Good luck to you and your husband. I'm so much more prepared for graduation because of you!

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    1. Awe thanks! I'm so glad I was able to help! Have fun.

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  22. Thank you Eva, your posts have been very helpful. My daughter graduates April 8th. I cant wait to see her!

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    1. Thank you for reading!! I'm so glad I could help! Have fun at PIR!

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    2. I'm meeting my sailor in Chicago to see him graduate. They also told us we will be moving to Connecticut for 7 months after he graduates bootcamp. How will it work? Will I get to bring him home or am I traveling to Connecticut alone or I'm not sure what to even ask

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    3. Daph Hinojos I'm not completely sure how it will work for you. We had to stay in Great Lakes for a long time.But what should happen, is after he graduates they will send him to Connecticut at some point that weekend. Some people leave the day of, some people leave a day or two after. But he won't get to go home with you. Id plan to travel to Connecticut alone. Honestly, for any more we've done. I always plan to do it without my husband because you never know. Id much rather be over prepared. As long as you're married, once he gets to his school he should find out more. He can try to take leave but it may not get approved. The first move is always confusing. But once he gets to his base, he'll have access to Fleet and Family and Relocation and they can give him all the info he needs. He can even get a moving consultation to get it all figured out.

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    4. Yes we are already married. Thank you for replying so fast.
      I asked him about it but he's still clueless as to what will happen. He graduates may 20th. I'm so excited for this. His 3 year old talks about him everyday.
      I'm assuming I will still have to wait a few more weeks until I can move up there. From what the recruiter had said, was we would be having a couple of weeks to get everything moved after graduation. He also said we would have a mover that was payed for by them, to come and move our stuff. But like you said who knows if he was telling the truth.
      If I do move up there early on I still wouldn't be able to see him until he is a phase 2? He can't leave at all to see his family during phase 1?

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  23. Question - everything I have read says only four can go to PIR but my son's recruiter said it would be fine to bring another person. I don't want to travel all the way with five and have someone denied. Can the extra person come on base or what seemed to be the protocol - 4/15/16

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    1. My husband was only allowed to have 4 people. He told us in a letter who he picked to go, so, the rest of our family watched at the navy lodge. The extra person can come on base with you guys but they won't be able to get into graduation unless they're on the list. We had to stand in line and they checked everyones name and ID's with the "list" and cross you off one by one.

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    2. I was just at graduation last weekend and I wasn't one of the 4 people that my friend put on the list so I went into a separate line and they sent me over to the chapel on base and I watched the live video stream from there. As soon as the actual ceremony was over everyone that was in the chapel was allowed to go over to the auditorium and see our sailors. So I would say go ahead and bring as many people as you want, just know that they will be watching from a separate area. The sailors give their officers the 4 names of the people who actually get to go in so just make sure they know who to put down. Hope this helps!

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    3. Awesome!!! Thanks for the info Grace.

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  24. Can I Just say thanks so much for your blog! Super informative!! My boyfriend graduates the 17th.. Super psyched to see him!! It's been crazy weird without him. I'm glad I read your post though, it completely motivated me and helped me understand more of what's about to happen in the next few years. My boyfriend is in Nuke so I'm guessing he might be out pretty often. Do you have any suggestions as far as coping

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    1. Congrats! Sorry for my late reply! But my best advice for coping is to keep an open mind. No matter where you end up and why, try to enjoy it and find the good in wherever you are instead of focusing on the bad. Also try to make friends. Even if you meet people who you typically wouldn't be friends with, you'd be surprised. Some of the best friends I've met at every duty station have been friends of a random military spouse that I've met. Another good thing to do is try to be somewhat careful with your money. I've met some people who are young (in their early 20's) and have already racked up $10,000 of credit card debt, just because they can. Its hard sometimes when you want new furniture, nice things for your apartment, a new car but take it slow and look for things that are used. Most military towns have TONS of people selling gently used stuff because they're always moving. Oh and have FUN! :)

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  25. Hello I do have a few questions. I will be leaving soon for boot camp as well in great lakes. My boyfriend and I were planning to get married before basic. But my ship date was pushed up so I'm leaving sooner. So we agreed to marry with justice of the peace after boot camp in great lakes. My recruiter said that would be fine but I've seen different answers over the web. So would it be ok to marrry during my liberty after graduation? To have the paper work done during a school?

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    1. Don't listen to your recruiter (half the stuff they say is verbal diarrhea). People get in LOTS of trouble when they get married graduation weekend. We knew a guy who did it and he didn't have his liberty for a loooong time. Just don't do it. Either do it before basic or wait until you're in A-school and have enough liberty to leave base with your fiancé to go elope. I have a separate post about getting married in a school and what we did, you might want to check it out.

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  27. My future sailor is graduating soon and I was told he could come home for the weekend after graduation he will graduate the day before Thanksgiving. Will he be allowed to come home for the weekend after graduation? He will be attending A school there at Great lakes as well. If he can come home for the weekend can it be overnight at all?

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    1. Congrats on graduating! I hope all of your husbands schooling went well. So sorry I wasn't able to respond. Life got CRAZY! Hubs was gone for 9 months back to back, moved a couple times, had a baby. Life is wild! haha

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  28. My boyfriend graduates in December and he will only be allowed 3 people to come to the graduation. I only know this because I have been looking online. I don't know how to ask him or his family if I was one of the 3 he wrote down to be there or not. Are the names of his chosen 3 written on the form paper that was mailed home to his family or is it something he would have to say through a normal letter? I know his mom got the form letter already but she didn't really say what was on it besides his graduation date

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    1. I hope everything went well and you were able to go to his graduation! I apologize for not responding! Life got CRAZY! Hubs was gone for 9 months back to back, moved a couple times, had a baby while he was gone.

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  29. It should say the names on the letter she got with the date of his graduation.

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  30. Hi ! My boyfriend is graduating in December, and I'm trying to made the hotel reservations , but in every hotel they ask me for military ID , if i don't have it I can't stay , but I don't know if he have a military id or what I have to do :/

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    1. Ah! I hope you were able to figure it out!! Sorry i wasn't able to get back to you. Life got CRAZY! Hubs was gone for 9 months back to back, moved a couple times, had a baby. Life has been intense!

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  31. Thank you for this blog!!! Helped me so much! I couldn't find much before reading this!!! My son just left this week and I have so many questions. I am also an Air Force Mom, and there was a facebook page for Air Force families that guided us on a weekly basis what to expect what the trainees are doing that week with their flight. I wish Navy had something similar!

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    1. You're so welcome! I apologize for just now seeing your post! That would be super helpful! Its sees as though the air force is more organized than the navy! hahah

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  32. My husband left for boot camp the day before Thanksgiving. I recieved his box but I have not received anything about his ship or division or pir date. When should I start to panic? He is also staying in great Lakes for a school as a gm. We were told since his school is longer than 5 months that I can move there and he will be able to stay with me after some time.

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    1. I hope you were able to figure everything out! Were you able to move? I'm so sorry I wasn't able to answer your questions. Life got CRAZY! Hubs was gone for 9 months back to back, moved a couple times, had a baby. Life is wild! haha

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  33. My husband left for boot camp the day before Thanksgiving. I recieved his box but I have not received anything about his ship or division or pir date. When should I start to panic? He is also staying in great Lakes for a school as a gm. We were told since his school is longer than 5 months that I can move there and he will be able to stay with me after some time.

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  34. This is good stuff. We are looking very forward to a 20JAN2017 PIR. Thank you!

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    1. You are so welcome! Thank you for reading! I really appreciate it. So sorry for being SO late getting back to you! Life got a little wild for a minute! Hubs was gone for 9 months back to back, moved a couple times, had a baby. :)

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  35. Hey, my hubby graduates in a few days. He's doing ET. Does the military pay for us to move with the schooling being so long or do you have to pay for the move. I'd love to know. I also really enjoyed the info you gave it was awesome. It's really hard to get good info on this process.

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    1. Hi! Congrats on the graduation! So sorry for the late response! Life got a little crazy for a minute.Hubs was gone for 9 months back to back, moved a couple times, had a baby. But for your question, in my experience. I had to pay for the first move when he was in A school. From there, they payed for our move to his C school because it was a 10 month school. What was your experience?

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  36. You are a doll. One big question ... PIR. Is it Pass in Review? Or what is the exact technical term?

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  37. Thanks so much for this information I got alot of questions answered I just have one more though my bf is in the navy and I was wondering if my mom would be allowed to come to graduation with me

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    1. I assume your bf as already graduated. If not, she can come with you, she just can't go to the actual graduation. My husbands sisters stayed in the hotel and were able to watch a live recording there. Sorry I'm just getting back to you. Life got a little crazy! My husband was gone for 9 months back to back, moved a couple times, had a baby. Life is wild! haha

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  39. Hello, my boyfriend graduates in 2018 JAN 24. I'm 18 and was wondering if I would be able to book a hotel room by myself because his family and him aren't close; they will not be coming. Also, my family will not be attending with me and I am flying to Great Lakes by myself which is 993 miles from home. He relies solely on me so all of his things and invitation letters such and such will be mailed to me. He has a rate of AV/SG I believe which means he will be in Pensacola? Just curious to if he will be able to come back with me to the hotel room. I'm planning on bring his electronics, but unsure if he is allowed to take it back. I also "plan" on flying back home the same time he flies to FL, if that is possible?
    Thank you for your blog, it answered majority of my questions :)

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    1. Thanks for reading! Since you're 18 you should be able to get a hotel I'm just not sure about the navy lodge, since you're not technically "family" but I believe I booked my own room and we weren't married yet. So definitely call and speak to someone at the hotel and explain the situation and see what they say! As for his rate, I believe av/sg does go to pensacola, I don't know for how long. It probably depends on what he ends up being AE/AT..? I only know what we did and we were in great lakes and San Diego. With the flight home, it depends how long he has to stay in great lakes. Some people have short schools in great lakes some go straight to their schools somewhere else. I would ask him in a letter and see what he says. He may have some idea whats going to happen. Good luck!

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  40. Hi My boyfriend is basic right now and his mom took all the tickets for her his dad and two siblings is there any other way that there would be space for me or a waiting room where I don’t have to freeze outside???

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    1. Hello! That stinks. But there's no waiting room. We had to give our names as soon as we got inside. I know some hotels show it on their TV in the lobby. If you're all staying in the same hotel you'll be able to see him there and of course if you decide to go out to dinner or anything. Maybe talk to his parents about making sure you guys get some time alone together to catch up! Hope it all works out.

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  41. After being in relationship with him for seven years,he broke up with me, I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain, I wanted him back so much because of the love I have for him, I begged him with everything, I made promises but he refused. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should rather contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back but I am the type that never believed in spell, I had no choice than to try it, I mailed the spell caster, and he told me there was no problem that everything will be okay before three days, that my ex will return to me before three days, he cast the spell and surprisingly in the second day, it was around 4pm. My ex called me, I was so surprised, I answered the call and all he said was that he was so sorry for everything that happened, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. I was so happy and went to him, that was how we started living together happily again. Since then, I have made promise that anybody I know that have a relationship problem, I would be of help to such person by referring him or her to the only real and powerful spell caster who helped me with my own problem and who is different from all the fake ones out there. Anybody could need the help of the spell caster, his email: drosedebamenspellhome@gmail.com you can email him if you need his assistance in your relationship or anything. CAN NEVER STOP TALKING ABOUT YOU SIR HIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS:drosedebamenspellhome@gmail.com CONTACT HIM NOW FOR SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEM

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  42. I am deeply in love with every single piece of information you post here. Will be back often to read more updates!

    Altamonte Springs moving companies

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  43. Eva your blog has answerd alot if my questions, even though I'm the Mom. DELEMA need your advice. My son went to boot camp 04/10. His wife is to pass on his correspondence info once she gets a letter. She hasn't received one yet, she went to the recruiter to get the info. If we send him letters before he gets to send a letter, won't that bring him unwanted attention?

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  44. After being in relationship with him for seven years,he broke up with me, I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain, I wanted him back so much because of the love I have for him, I begged him with everything, I made promises but he refused. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should rather contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back but I am the type that never believed in spell, I had no choice than to try it, I mailed the spell caster, and he told me there was no problem that everything will be okay before three days, that my ex will return to me before three days, he cast the spell and surprisingly in the second day, it was around 4pm. My ex called me, I was so surprised, I answered the call and all he said was that he was so sorry for everything that happened, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. I was so happy and went to him, that was how we started living together happily again. Since then, I have made promise that anybody I know that have a relationship problem, I would be of help to such person by referring him or her to the only real and powerful spell caster who helped me with my own problem and who is different from all the fake ones out there. Anybody could need the help of the spell caster, his email: drosedebamenspellhome@gmail.com you can email him if you need his assistance in your relationship or anything. CAN NEVER STOP TALKING ABOUT YOU SIR HIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS:drosedebamenspellhome@gmail.com CONTACT HIM NOW FOR SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEM

    ReplyDelete