Welcome to
Navy For Moms

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

Add an Event

**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:

Graduation Info
PDF – 2.7 MB
PNG – 2.3 MB
JPG – 3.4 MB
Printable PDF – 2.0 MB

Latest Activity

Lara commented on 1Proudmamma's blog post 'Daughter Enlisting In Summer...need advice from mommas'

9 hours ago

belovedbyHim commented on 1Proudmamma's blog post 'Daughter Enlisting In Summer...need advice from mommas'

12 hours ago

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

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

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Comment Wall

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

Comment by Anti M on August 2, 2015 at 8:17pm: That info tends not to be online because it varies/changes so much. His phone and laptop certainly. TV and a gaming system... he will be sharing a room with two or three others, it is going to get crowded. He has to put everything in his locker unless the barracks approves a chit to leave it out. Warning: theft in the barracks is always a problem. Also, if he has to change rooms or barracks, he has to lug that all around. And what is he going to do when he heads to C school/the fleet?

Not sure how much stuff he wants to be loaded down with. His choice, and I am painting the worst case scenarios. My advice tends to be on the "travel light" side.

Comment by shellieland618 on August 1, 2015 at 8:01pm: Hello all, my son's PIR is 8/14 and will be AECF at GL, he is asking us to bring certain items with us when we come that weekend. I have searched everywhere for what is allowed and not allowed as far as personal items and electronics (phone, tv, video games and laptops) and am not able to find any current information. Can anyone help out? THANKS!! :)

Comment by Anti M on August 1, 2015 at 7:50pm: Yes. He will need to find and pay for secure parking.

Comment by vince on August 1, 2015 at 12:13pm: Thank you very very much. You're awesome. Can he have a car off base.

Comment by Anti M on August 1, 2015 at 11:59am: I glanced at your MyPage, and see you asked about cars for AECF. No, the single sailors in barracks cannot have a car on base. The married sailors with permission to live ashore need on, and can get permission.

Comment by Anti M on August 1, 2015 at 8:23am: AECF puts them in Great Lakes for a year or so. After boot camp, there will be holds for ATT, a hold for A school, and maybe a hold waiting for C school orders. That last often applies to FC more, very much a hurry up and wait rating during the training phase.

C schools for FCs are in VA and CA primarily. Long schools on weapons systems, up to six months.

C schools for ETs are many and varied, because ETs work on so many types of gear and systems, communications, radar, test equipment, weather gear, and much more. Many of them are in CA and VA, but they can be anywhere. I was an ET, my main C school was in GA and was six months long. But I also went to one for four weeks in Japan while I was stationed there.

If you're looking for a date, even a month in general, if simply is not possible to predict one. FC: 18 months to two years. ET: year to two years. That's why they sign six year contracts, to get the two years of training out of the way.

Comment by vince on August 1, 2015 at 6:45am: Hi guys. Memsber of PIR 8/14. I have a question. Aecf? I know it breaks down to 2 rates. I'm somewhat familiar with the rates. My question is. How long are the schools and are there any c schools before he hits the fleet? Also considering the hold periods. How long can/ will / might he be in great lakes? Thanks.

Comment by Anti M on July 31, 2015 at 11:03am: What rating (job)? Each school is only in one location.

I see you joined the AECF group. Both ET and FC A schools are in Great Lakes.

Comment by Geckostorm on July 31, 2015 at 10:56am: how can we find out where our SR will be for A school?

Comment by Anti M on July 31, 2015 at 6:49am: LOL, wasn't me replying. Some schools ask for a chit for a non-sailor buddy, but either way it is really easy.