Navy Dads
NAVY BOOT CAMP
Navy Boot Camp: Questions & Answers to what your Sailor will be doing at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, IL.
This Support Group is for Families & Friends with Recruits attending Navy Boot Camp.
Sam
Aug 20, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
Today's RTC Daily Reminder
GRADUATION ACCESS:
On graduation morning, the gate opens at 6:30 a.m. and the ceremony begins at 9 a.m., concluding at 10:30 a.m.
Guests must use Gate 8, located on Ohio Street, off Buckley Road and directly across from the Metra training station.
If you are driving onto the base, each vehicle must have a gate pass downloadable from our website using the password that only your recruit will provide. RTC is a restricted base and no other command base stickers are valid here. All vehicles MUST have a gate pass.
If you do not have a gate pass, you can either take a hotel shuttle or taxi to the gate and then it's only about a 100-yard walk to the visitors center for check-in.
Guests arriving after 9:15 a.m. will not be allowed into the drill hall for the ceremony and instead will be escorted to the chapel to watch the live stream. Late arriving guests are not allowed as we do not wish to disrupt the ceremony with guests arriving well after it has started and trying to find seating. Please allow plenty of travel time to arrive promptly and take into consideration that — depending on the size of the graduation — there can be anywhere from 1,500 to 4,000 guests all arriving in a short time span.
Aug 21, 2015
Sam
Aug 23, 2015
Richard J. Ramirez
Sam, glad to hear you got that first call from your son Kyle and good to hear about his progress. Nearly two years into our Son's commitment (come November), we still dust off letters from him while he was at Basic when he visits us on leave and read them together. We'll keep Kyle and the rest of his shipmates in our prayers today.
Aug 23, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
RTC Reminder of the Day:
WEEKEND LIBERTY
The amount of weekend liberty recruits have to spend with loved ones and friends depends on where they will be doing their “A” School.
For those staying in Great Lakes, they will transfer across the street to the main base where the schools are located right after the graduation ceremony. They will have a few minutes to chat with family before they must return to their barracks to pack up their belongings. Their check-in process can take a few hours and they typically are ready to be picked up around 3 p.m. They will then march to the front gate to meet their families and have the remainder of the weekend for liberty but they must return to the base each night. Families waiting for their recruits to finish the check-in process should be aware that they do not need to remain at RTC as, again, it will be quite a few hours before the recruits are ready to be picked up at the main gate on the other side of the base. Directions to that gate are available at the Public Affairs desk located in the lobby of the visitor’s center.
For those recruits going out of state for “A’ School, they typically fly out early Saturday morning and will only have Friday for liberty. Only they are able to give you their exact itinerary so if for whatever reason their flight isn’t until Sunday or Monday, only they will have that information. They mainly fly out the following day and many families will meet the recruits at the airport. Please note that these Sailors are traveling on Navy orders and are not allowed to leave the airport while awaiting their flight. This includes the O’Hare Hilton located at the airport; they are not permitted to visit the hotel.
Aug 26, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
RTC Reminder of the Day:
Great Lakes Naval Museum: The Great Lakes Naval Museum is open to the public. If your recruit is staying in Great Lakes for their "A" School, they will spend a few hours checking into their new barracks right after graduation. In the meantime while you're waiting, feel free to visit the museum which is located just outside the front gate of the main entrance to Naval Station Great Lakes. For more information, please visit their Facebook page.
Aug 27, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
RTC Reminder of the Day:
Guest access list, gate passes
There are no actual “tickets” or “invitations” for Pass-In-Review/Graduation. Rather, the recruits submit the names of their guests to be included on an access list. During their first week of training, they send home a form letter containing graduation information including the names of their intended guests. This letter is for your informational purposes only and not the official list of names. Only your recruit can make any changes to this list and they have up until two days prior to graduation to do so. Everyone needs to stay in communication with their recruits to confirm which names will be on the guest access list so be sure to write to them or discuss it during phone calls.
The list on the morning of graduation is firm and guests cannot swap out names should a guest on the list be unable to attend and another would like to take their place. There are no exceptions and all guests’ names MUST be on the list or they will not be allowed into the ceremony.
The gate pass is for your vehicle only if you intend to drive onto the base. It is not for each guest; it is for your vehicle only. The gate pass is available by downloading it from our website at http://bootcamp.navy.mil/upcoming_grads.asp and it is available beginning 11 days prior to your graduation date. You must use the password that only your recruit can provide. You cannot call RTC as no one will release it to you; only your recruit can do so. RTC is a restricted and all vehicles must have a gate pass to enter.
Aug 28, 2015
Mark Andreatta
Does anyone know what the time frame is for the phone call in which our recruit tells us his travel orders from RTC? I got a call two weeks ago from my recruit and he said we should get a call form him today. He has PIR on Sept. 11. I know things change rapidly around there, but I just wanted to make sure that at some point we would be getting a call.
Aug 29, 2015
Kevin Kalinec
Mark...most of the recruits get their travel plans on Thursday prior to Friday's PIR (other than where they'll be attending A school which you most likely already knew before he went to RTC).
As a result, you most likely won't know his flight info until you see him after PIR. If he's staying at GL for A school, you'll have to wait a couple of hours for him to be processed, but he will likely have liberty for the remainder of Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Congratulations by the way!
Aug 29, 2015
Mark Andreatta
Aug 30, 2015
Navy Dads Co-Admin Tom
You won't hear from him until after BattleStations....He will be leaving on Saturday in all likely hood. Join the MA group for further info!
Aug 30, 2015
Sam
Aug 31, 2015
Scott David Blaine
We have one in Boot Camp now and one goes in Sept (Twins) the second will be doing A school in Great Lakes so we don't think it will be an issue for us to get him a suitcase of his clothes. The first one will be going to Dam Neck via flight- does anyone know if he can take a suitcase as well as his sea bag with him, or are they only allowed a certain amount on the flight?
Aug 31, 2015
Ron Fordham
Hey, our sailor who just flew to Charleston weekend before last was carrying a very heavy seabag, hanging clothes bag (folded in half) and a backpack. They are responsible for their own bags. She stuffed some things we took her into her backpack which still had a little room. Adding another suitcase would be tough to carry. If you can ship the majority of it and just give the basics to add to the backpack, that would probably be best. Others can chime in on this. She did check all but the backpack, but still had to carry it from the bus that dropped her off all the way through the airport to the check in counter, then had to carry it once she got her luggage in Charleston to her transportation there and then again carry it to her room from the transportation drop off area. It's a lot of walking carrying all that stuff she said. We're shipping her some of her other things once she's settled in Charleston.
Aug 31, 2015
Kevin Kalinec
Ron is absolutely correct...our sailor didn't want anything but his cell phone when we met him at the airport on Saturday (which was 3am by the way). He said he would let us know when he was able to wear civilian clothes and when to send them. His PIR was 8/7 and it was two weeks after that before he wanted us to send anything.
Aug 31, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
RTC Reminder of the Day
Final phone calls:
Recruits will do their final phone calls home upon completion of their final test, the 12-hour, overnight Battle Stations-21 (BST-21). This test can take place anywhere from eight to two days prior to graduation, depending on the number of divisions in a training group. Only up to four divisions at a time are allowed to do the test in a single night.
The divisions will participate in a capping ceremony in the morning upon completion of the test where they trade their “Recruit” ball caps for “Navy” ball caps. They will then return to their barracks, chow and hygiene and then typically march to the phone center in the afternoon, depending on when their RDCs have scheduled a time slot for them.
We do not give out BST-21 dates, nor do we allow the posting of such information on our page, so it is up to the recruits to divulge this information in letters or phone calls home to inform you of when to expect their final phone call.
Sep 2, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
RTC Reminder of the Day
Entrance Gates:
On the morning of graduation, guests will enter the base using Gate 8 located on Ohio Street, across from the train station. There is signage directing guests to this gate. Guests will also exit this same gate after the ceremony, however, the gate is only open until about 1 or 2 p.m. at which time it is closed to vehicles.
Walkers can still exit through the turnstyle gate there, but they cannot enter back through that gate. Guests will then use Gate 6 on Illinois Street for the remainder of the weekend.
If your GPS system leads you to Gate 55 located on Ray Street, DO NOT use those directions as they are incorrect and guests will not be allowed entry into that gate; it is for personnel only.
Also, guests are not allowed to access RTC prior to graduation morning, including those with military IDs as RTC is a restricted base.
Sep 3, 2015
Mark Andreatta
Got a letter today!. My Recruit says he is going through Battle Stations on Thursday (tonight) and that he will call us tomorrow. He said the "confidence chamber" sucked a#%(his words) and that he has to do it again this week. I thought they only had to do this once? Oh well, he will face worse in A school with the OC spray. Said the days are getting shorter and that is excited about PIR.
Sep 3, 2015
Mark Andreatta
Got the Final Call! I officially have a Sailor in the family!! BattleStations ended and my son is hanging out at the NEX for the next few hours. Sounded excited and charged up. Said his feet hurt a little but is really proud of his new hat! Bravo Zulu Division 299! Bring on A School!
Sep 4, 2015
Ron Fordham
Sweet! It's an awesome feeling. Congrats.
Sep 4, 2015
Scott David Blaine
We have one that will be attending A school at Great Lakes - does anyone know if he will be able to bring a suitcase of clothes back with him if we bring it to him after PIR?
Sep 4, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
he will not be able to wear civilian clothes for a while after he starts at A-school as he will have to "phase up"...that usually takes a couple of weeks
Sep 4, 2015
Mark Andreatta
The only thing we are taking to him at for after PIR is his phone. And from what you all are saying, I need to meet him at the airport with that.
Sep 4, 2015
Ron Fordham
Sep 4, 2015
Ron Fordham
same with small laptops. Oh most request a new pack of regular underwear :-) The navy issue isn't very popular after boot camp :-)
Sep 4, 2015
Mark Andreatta
Sep 5, 2015
Navy Dads Co-Admin Tom
Sarge has provided service for years and can't be beat! The Meet & Greet is a great time to meet other families and have any last minute questions answered....highly recommend!
Sep 6, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
RTC Reminder of the Day:
Change in procedure for random photos:
To better give recruits’ families and friends a better idea of what they are experiencing during boot camp, we will begin photographing a weekly series of photos that will focus on an area of their training, such as firefighting, swimming, weapons training, etc.
We no longer will post random photos of just recruits, such as marching or in their compartments. Whichever divisions happen to be present when the photographer is present, those will be the ones who appear in the training photos.
As a regular reminder, we do not take photo requests nor do we keep tabs on which divisions have appeared in photos.
We respectfully ask that everyone please refrain from sending us e-mails and Facebook messages requesting we photograph a specific division as those requests are not honored.
Sep 8, 2015
Richard J. Ramirez
Great idea about the photos! Looking forward to seeing the new process implemented.
Sep 9, 2015
Scott David Blaine
Anyone with family in Division 355 - PIR 10/23?
Sep 10, 2015
Greg H
My son is in Div 358 - PIR 10/23.
Sep 18, 2015
Brice Hendrickson
Anyone with family in division 331-pir 10/2? My sons in that division.
Sep 21, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
check out the link for some photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153555678999651.1073742...
Sep 25, 2015
Louie Patton
Got the Form Letter today! It was just nice to see his handwriting! We immediately put his address on the letters we had been writing him since he left on October 1st, put stamps on them and rushed them down to the Post Office and put them in the mail. Cant wait to get a REAL letter from him. He's on Ship 14 Division 022 Anyone with family on that ship or division?
Oct 9, 2015
NavyDads Admin (Paul)
Thanksgiving Adopt-A-Sailor program
Each year, RTC coordinates the Adopt-A-Sailor program that gives active eligible recruits the opportunity to leave the base for Thanksgiving to spend the day with their families. The following general guidelines will explain who is eligible to participate:
Only the senior-most divisions who will graduate Dec. 4 and 11 are eligible to participate. These recruits will send home a form letter/application that must be signed and returned for approval.
Immediate family members only are allowed to adopt their recruit for the day. They may also adopt one other recruit of the same sex from their recruit's division. Your recruit will provide you with the name of that recruit should they choose to invite one. Families cannot submit the name of an additional recruit without the consent of their own recruit. In other words, only your recruit may tell you which additional recruit they would like to invite as you are not permitted to make arrangements with other families to adopt their recruit without your recruit's knowledge.
Unfortunately, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends and fiances are not eligible as they are not immediate family members. Any applications that do not comply with Recruit Training Command policy will be denied. There are no exceptions.
Families will pick up their recruit on Thanksgiving morning, they must stay within 50 miles of the base, and recruits must return to the base in the evening. All hours and pickup instructions will be given in the letter/application.
Recruits who do not have families adopting them that day will be adopted by local civic organizations such as VFWs, American Legions and churches. These groups of volunteers do fundraising year-round to be able to host anywhere from 25 to 150 recruits in a single location for the day. They are treated to a traditional holiday feast, movies and video games, computer time and most importantly of all — phone usage so they may make multiple calls during the day to loved ones and friends. No recruit eligible to participate in the Thanksgiving Adopt-A-Sailor program will be left behind for the holiday.
All other recruits in the non-eligible training groups will remain on base and have holiday routine and a traditional holiday dinner in their galley.
For further information, please contact the Public Affairs Office at 847-688-2405 or e-mail to rtc.pao@navy.mil
For members of the community who wish to adopt Sailors from Training Support Center, Great Lakes, please contact their Public Affairs Office at 847-688-5454, ext. 161 or e-mail to m_grlk_tsc.greatlakes@navy.mil.
Oct 26, 2015
Tracey McCoy
My daughter Kenzie has a ship date of February 8, 2016. Anyone else have a son or daughter leaving on that day?
Tracey
Nov 13, 2015
Charles Wright
@ TRACEY MCCOY, what rate did she pick? my son was initially assigned to go on that day and ended up going much earlier. he was going for missile tech and they called him up early. He left for rtc on sept 8th. We just watched him graduate on the 6th of this month.
Nov 13, 2015
Tony Pitt
My son ships out on Nov. 24th. Yeah. I know. Timing isn't the best. Right before Thanksgiving but that's what they gave him. Anyone else have a future sailor going that week?
Nov 13, 2015
Tracey McCoy
Charles,
She originally contracted as a PACT Seaman, shipping in March '16, but was able to change to MA earlier this week with the new ship date. I am sure your son is happy to be done with basic and at "A" school.
Nov 13, 2015
Charles Wright
he actually said boot camp was fun. he ran track and cross country in high school, so the physical part want going to be an issue. but that being said, he like a school so far. has his own "dorm room", bath room, tv, microwave etc. guess we will see how he feels once class really starts.
Nov 13, 2015
Tracey McCoy
what is his rate Charles? Where is his "A" School?
Nov 13, 2015
Charles Wright
he changed over to hm. wants to go fmf. he is at for sam houston in san antonio.
Nov 13, 2015
Tracey McCoy
My daughter was most interested in HM also, but the not available.
Nov 13, 2015
TJ creech
The hospital I work at sends "care packages" to servicemen for Christmas. My son will be heading to Goose Creek after PIR.
Can any tell me the address to that site and if possible how to send a package directly to him?
Nov 14, 2015
Ruth Smith
Dec 7, 2015
Navy Dads Co-Admin Tom
This week would be week 1
Dec 7, 2015
Ruth Smith
Dec 7, 2015
Navy Dads Co-Admin Tom
Processing Day 5....filling out form after form....getting shots....see the Weekly Training schedule link above....
Dec 7, 2015
Phil
Anyone have a family member in Ship 03, Division 65. Our son is there.
Dec 7, 2015
Ruth Smith
Dec 7, 2015