When you leave for your "A" school after boot camp ~
 

When you leave for your "A" school after boot camp you might have to wait for your airplane. If it's a long time, just take a break and go to the USO. It free food and you can relax and use the computer...
Here is a link:
http://usoofillinois.org/ohare-center-terminal-2-uso/

btw: Remember there is a big difference between you departure time and your boarding time. The boarding time is the most important. You have to be at the gate according to your boarding time. If you get their at the departure time, then the door to the airplane is already shut and sealed. You will miss your flight.

Is our plane ticket paid for and delivered to us? Do we have to pay for it and order it, or just pay for it? How does that work?

The navy will take care of all the arrangements and pay for it, you just need to be there on time..but most times you are traveling from bootcamp so just get on the bus!

Thanks

When my family comes up for graduation, can I have them bring my laptop, cell phone, and iPod to the airport? Or when I get to a-school will they take them away again?

Great info thanks Craig! Question, what does USO stand for?

USO stands for United Service Organizations and is a nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military.

If you fly out Sunday night or Monday or any time that week after boot, and they can stay to meet you at the airport..then yes, you can take them with you to your A school.

What about if we are flying out on Saturday morning very early after PIR, can they still meet us at the airport to bring the laptop and cellphone?

If you're flying, yes they can. Have them meet you at the USO. There's plenty of food and things going on around the USO to kill time. Its a great organization and they take good care of all the military that comes through Chicago. I highly recommend family drop off cell phones, iPods and the like before your flight. When you get to where you're going and you are in indoctrination at your new command, you tend to have lots of free time and these things will help (til you get busy with actual school anyways). Plus its great for the waiting and the flight too.

As for the tickets, you'll get them about 2 days before graduation at your TOPU brief (Ticket and Order Pick Up). The Navy foots the bill, they give you what you need and you go. That's about it. Its a shockingly painless process aside from how tired you will be (The bus to the airport leaves at 1am typically, even if your flight is at 3 pm).

The USO office is open 24/7/365, they can meet you there any time. After your TOPU brief you'll know exactly what time your flight is and what time you'll be at the USO, they can come any time between then. Also, if your family is there, you can go to a ticketing agent and get a gate pass for your family so they can go through security and accompany you right to the gate and you can spend extra time with them before you fly out. I think (not positive) the USO office can also get you a gate pass. I highly recommend you do this if there's time.

Is it alright for your family to give you something (for example my laptop bag with laptop and such) at the airport? Would love having my laptop sooner than later. Smaller things I imagine you could fit into your sea bag, but a bit worried about adding an extra bag to it.

An extra bag is fine as long as it fits within the airlines carry on regulations. You will have your sea bag and garment bag for checked luggage and a backpack for a carry on (these 3 items are all issued to you). A laptop bag should be fine as most airlines allow one small carry on and one carry on for the overhead, but its up to the airline. Just remember, you can't have it until you are at the airport, you can't bring it back to RTC the night before.

Nice, and there shouldn't be any issues when I arrive at my A school either? No regulations I need to worry about? Heading to Corry Station in Florida.

It varries command to command, but other than the standards (weapons, etc), no not for a laptop or cell phone

Thanks for all the info. Don't know why I am worried about all the minor details, but I appreciate the information.

does anyone know how long they'll have after graduation before they go to A school. my husband is a nuke an is graduating in less then a month and before he left he said he would hav anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks off and now i'm hearing he only has a day before he goes to a school. i hoping someone could clear this up for me. please and thank you

Did HE tell you he only has one day? Also, even if he has to stay at boot for up to 2 weeks, you would only be able to see him over the weekend of his PIR.
If HE hasnt told you he is grad-n-go, he most likely isnt and you will have the weekend with him.

before he left he said he his recuiters told him that he would hav 3 days to two weeks off. and thn his mom said shed done some research and said that he only had a day and i looked on the navy graduation web site and it kinda said the same thing. but never said he was a grad n go in any of the letters ive go so far.

Sorry to say, but it sounds like your mom just doesnt want you to go...so since HE hasnt said he is grad-n-go, count on at east the weekend with him! So you said in a chat post that your mom is "controlling" and that you are an only child...you need to break that apron string now. You say you are married, be the wife your husband expects and go see him! He has made money while in boot, I am sure if you write him he will pay for it!

no it was his mom who told me the one day thing and im trying to with my mom shes just uber stubborn. but she said if i wasnt able to find someone to go w shed come w me, she told me after work today. so il b going either way

This is probably a stupid question but is there a bus that picks us up from the airport that takes us to our A school?

I'm wondering the same thing haha

Not always... it depends on your school, when you arrive, and how many are with you. You'll have the number for your school's quarterdeck and be instructed to call them when you arrive; they may send a bus, a duty van, or they may tell you to take a cab and save the receipt for later reimbursement.

Glad my a school is in great lakes

Just don't miss your shuttle, or you're walking over there with your seabag... I saw it happen a few times. ;p

How far is it ? I thought I had to walk but transportation is better

HAHAHAHAHA have fun with that. My first A school was in great lakes, from december to March.... coldest I've ever been in my life

I live in Ohio so I am no stranger to the cold :drunksailor: so my girl can come see me on liberty which is great although it would be nice to to in the south for school

You DO NOT want to be in the south during the summer trust me

Yea I know . My a school would start sometime in November:juggle:

Summer= May-October

I remember last year going to Mississippi in July for a baseball tournament and it was 113. I told myself that that's the last time I'm going to that place ever again

Yup. That's the South for ya. It's not so bad if you're used to it. I feel bad for the people that come to Florida from up North. They'll be miserable if they're outside.

My A School is in Great Lakes but it shouldn't be bad at all since it will be March when I go to my A School and July when I finish unless I get held at boot camp.

Yeah, Great Lakes is nothing in the summertime.

Yay I'm going to be at Great Lakes for A-school November until at least March... I'm going to freeze.

What about if your a-school is in Great Lakes then can they give you the phones and everything else?

You'll be checked into your barracks over at NSTC before you meet your family on liberty, so they should be able to give you your phone and whatnot to take back that evening... you'll also have all day Saturday and Sunday for liberty.

Question about Graduation
 

Do they inform you through letters if they were to be a "grad n go"? How would they know that they are that, and when would they know? His graduation is on August 29th, and he will be attending A school in San Antonio, Texas. So do you think we will have the weekend with him?

Some of the information in this thread is old. Generally speaking, last I heard, anyone who isn't staying in Great Lakes for A school will get sent to the airport early Saturday morning. Only those who have A schools in Great Lakes will have the whole weekend to spend with their families.

Hello, I had a quick question about this post. If they ask you to take a cab, how will you pay them? You won't have your wallet (cash) or any way to pay, right? Thank you.

You pay for the cab yourself, and you'll talk to PSD about getting reimbursed. The reimbursement would come in your next paycheck. I haven't heard of anyone taking a cab. They usually send a duty driver or you can ask the quarterdeck if they have the number to the duty van so they can pick you up.

Hi someone told me that even if their flight to Pensacola is on Sunday, that they are still taken to the airport on Saturday morning. Can you confirm if this is true or not?

I'm not sure if every A school is the same but Corps school in San Antonio let us have everything. My dad brought my stuff to the airport in Greatlakes along with a small suitcase full of normal clothes that I packed for that reason before I left.

Why would you not have a way to pay? Even at boot camp you need a card and a little cash. If you don't have an account going in, then you can start a navy federal account.