This site is for mothers of kids in the U.S. Navy and for Moms who have questions about Navy life for their kids.

FIRST TIME HERE?

FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO GET STARTED:

Choose your Username.  For the privacy and safety of you and/or your sailor, NO LAST NAMES ARE ALLOWED, even if your last name differs from that of your sailor (please make sure your URL address does not include your last name either).  Also, please do not include your email address in your user name. Go to "Settings" above to set your Username.  While there, complete your Profile so you can post and share photos and videos of your Sailor and share stories with other moms!

Make sure to read our Community Guidelines and this Navy Operations Security (OPSEC) checklist - loose lips sink ships!

Join groups!  Browse for groups for your PIR date, your sailor's occupational specialty, "A" school, assigned ship, homeport city, your own city or state, and a myriad of other interests. Jump in and introduce yourself!  Start making friends that can last a lifetime.

Link to Navy Speak - Navy Terms & Acronyms: Navy Speak

All Hands Magazine's full length documentary "Making a Sailor": This video follows four recruits through Boot Camp in the spring of 2018 who were assigned to DIV 229, an integrated division, which had PIR on 05/25/2018. 

Boot Camp: Making a Sailor (Full Length Documentary - 2018)

Boot Camp: Behind the Scenes at RTC

...and visit Navy.com - America's Navy and Navy.mil also Navy Live - The Official Blog of the Navy to learn more.

OPSEC - Navy Operations Security

Always keep Navy Operations Security in mind.  In the Navy, it's essential to remember that "loose lips sink ships."  OPSEC is everyone's responsibility. 

DON'T post critical information including future destinations or ports of call; future operations, exercises or missions; deployment or homecoming dates.  

DO be smart, use your head, always think OPSEC when using texts, email, phone, and social media, and watch this video: "Importance of Navy OPSEC."

Follow this link for OPSEC Guidelines:

OPSEC GUIDELINES

Events

**UPDATE 4/26/2022** Effective with the May 6, 2022 PIR 4 guests will be allowed.  Still must be fully vaccinated to attend.

**UPDATE as of 11/10/2022 PIR vaccination is no longer required.

**UPDATE 7/29/2021** You now must be fully vaccinated in order to attend PIR:

In light of observed changes and impact of the Coronavirus Delta Variant and out of an abundance of caution for our recruits, Sailors, staff, and guests, Recruit Training Command is restricting Pass-in-Review (recruit graduation) to ONLY fully immunized guests (14-days post final COVID vaccination dose).  

FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UP TO DATE INFO:

RTC Graduation

**UPDATE 8/25/2022 - MASK MANDATE IS LIFTED.  Vaccinations still required.

**UPDATE 11/10/22 PIR - Vaccinations no longer required.

RESUMING LIVE PIR - 8/13/2021

Please note! Changes to this guide happened in October 2017. Tickets are now issued for all guests, and all guests must have a ticket to enter base. A separate parking pass is no longer needed to drive on to base for parking.

Please see changes to attending PIR in the PAGES column. The PAGES are located under the member icons on the right side.

Format Downloads:

Latest Activity

Navy Speak

Click here to learn common Navy terms and acronyms!  (Hint:  When you can speak an entire sentence using only acronyms and one verb, you're truly a Navy mom.)

N4M Merchandise


Shirts, caps, mugs and more can be found at CafePress.

Please note: Profits generated in the production of this merchandise are not being awarded to the Navy or any of its suppliers. Any profit made is retained by CafePress.

Navy.com Para Familias

Visite esta página para explorar en su idioma las oportunidades de educación y carreras para sus hijos en el Navy. Navy.com

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Great Lakes A School Q&A

Information

Great Lakes A School Q&A

The purpose of this group is to allow family of new sailors assigned to school at Training Support Center Great Lakes a chance to voice questions to a Student Division Commander

Location: Great Lakes, IL
Members: 2332
Latest Activity: Mar 12

Discussion Forum

What happens after ASchool?

Started by SailorMom18. Last reply by Phoenixmom Feb 13, 2019. 1 Reply

BECC Info?

Started by adubz33. Last reply by SuBHuni34 Nov 29, 2018. 9 Replies

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of Great Lakes A School Q&A to add comments!

Comment by Anti M on May 12, 2015 at 3:46pm

Great Lakes is a training command, Training Service Center, or TSC, with a number of different schools, mostly technical or engineering ratings.  An OS would not go anywhere else for school.  The location is set, although sometimes the Navy will move a specific school.  

There are training commands all over, but each is very specific.  Those going into aviation tend to go to Pensacola, subs go to Groton, nukes to Goose Creek, hospital corpsmen to Texas, and so on.  

Comment by Vanessa on May 12, 2015 at 3:17pm

oh thank you! That helps! I know its the Great Lakes A School, so there are several of these?

Comment by Anti M on May 12, 2015 at 2:43pm

Because there are several schools, usually you can find a group specific to that school.

He will be sharing a room with two or three others who will be in the same school, although not the same class.  More like a college dorm, with big wardrobe lockers.  They may have personal items, but most must be locked up when they are not in the room.  Some barracks (called ships), do not allow food, some do.  Some allow a game system, but they must have permission.  Their space is limited, and if they must change rooms or barracks, they have to be able to carry it all themselves, or get friends to help.  Keep it simple.

OS A school is ten weeks, but he may be there a couple weeks longer, waiting for other to graduate and have enough students for a class.  They get orders for their permanent duty station about halfway through.

Comment by Vanessa on May 12, 2015 at 1:55pm

Is there any post about the actual Great Lakes "A" School? My SR will be staying at GL and I was wondering if they will have their own rooms and what can he have in his room. OR if they will share a room or if its more like boot camp and they will be in a huge room? How long will they be there for OS? and about when do they find out where they go after A school? Any info is helpful.

Comment by Jennie on April 27, 2015 at 11:54am

yes ashleysmom they are allowed to visit at Navy Lodge-just no overnight stays-

Comment by ashleysmom on April 21, 2015 at 9:02pm

My daughter doesn't leave for bootcamp until July 14, 2015 and I've been looking at hotels for September and want to stay at Navy Lodge. Are they allowed to visit at Navy Lodge and go in your room?

Comment by robin918 on April 20, 2015 at 8:39pm

Hi Rhonda the Courtyard Marriott cost for $94.00 per night - for PIR and the other 2 nights it was $84.00 using other discounts !!!

Comment by Anti M on April 20, 2015 at 6:52am

Gateway on base can be problematic for A school sailors, as it is off limits to them most of the time, and you need military ID to book a room and have base access.

From the liberty phase guidelines:

 2) Students are prohibited from entering Bldg 30 (Boorda Hall), Bldg 62 (Navy Gateway Inns and Suites), the 400 complex (with the exception of BEQ 439) and on-base housing (which includes the Navy Lodge) and Forest City Housing unless you are listed as a resident. During recruit graduation weekend from Recruit Training Command, if recruits attaching to to TSC-GL have family staying in the Navy Lodge or Gateway Inns and Suites, they will be required to route a special request chit to the OIC to be able to enter and meet the family at their room. 

Comment by Rhonda on April 16, 2015 at 1:14am
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all the helpful advice on where to stay (and not to stay), along with prices. I can't stand dirty or hotels in disrepair. I will def call and ask for navy grad discounts when making reservations.
Comment by Jennie on April 14, 2015 at 4:51pm

I just got home yesterday from my sailor's PIR - he is at TSC now for A school.

We stayed at the Navy Lodge and were very comfortable. sailors are allowed to visit (we signed mine every day) they are not allowed to rent the room or stay overnight

If you have ANY questions send an email to RTC and they are very prompt in responding -

we  would recommend it to anyone going. when we go back we have a reservation at Gateway Inn which is on base (I didn't know about that one ahead of time)

 

Members (2332)

 
 
 

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