Rev 1.0
(which means we can have some fun)
Turn right on Buckley Road (Ill-137) Map of the region RTC is North O hare is south Take I-294 north which runs into I-94, then exit on Buckley Road/Illinois-137 Chicago O hare airport is locate here -------->
Recruit Training at Great Lakes The recruit training base in Great Lakes consist of 3 separate properties, Camp Porter, Camp John Paul Jones and Camp Moffett. ~ Camp Moffett is the main in-processing area. This is where the recruits will arrive. ~ Camp Porter is the main recruit training area where most of the training is taken place. ~ Capt John Paul Jones is mainly for housing of the recruits.
Recruit Training at Great Lakes Railroad tracks separates Camp John Paul Jones from Camp Porter Camp John Paul Jones When coming from O hare airport to RTC Great Lakes just head north on I-94, which will turn into I-294. Turn right on Buckley Road (Ill-137), go for 8 miles. You will see Camp Moffett on the left, and Camp Porter on the right. Buckley Road (Il-137) from I-94 Camp Moffett Camp Porter Keep on this road to go to NTC Great Lakes.
RTC Great Lakes ~ Ships USS Kearsarge Ship 11 USS Triton Ship 12 Atlantic Fleet Drill Hall USS Constitution Ship 6 USS Theodore Roosevelt Ship 5 USS Marvin Shields Ship 13 USS Enterprise Ship 10 USS John F. Kennedy Ship 9 USS Chicago Ship 7 USS Arizona Ship 14 Chapel Parking Lot (Graduation) Photo Lab USS MASON Ship 17 for Navet/Osvet In processing Barracks Medical/Dental NEX Recruit In-processing (Where Hell Begins) Golden 13 Combat Training Pool USS Chief & Gas Chamber Pacific Fleet Drill Hall USS Arleign Burke Ship 4 USS Hopper Ship 3 USS Marlinspike USS Reuben James Ship 2 Dental Freedom Hall PFA SAM-T USS Iowa / Battle Stations 21 Visitor Control Center (VIP) Buckley Road (IL-137) Midway Ceremonial Drill Hall (Graduation) USS Pearl Harbor Ship 1 In processing Barracks Uniform Issue/Tailor Lake Front Hwy/ Amstutz Expy Note: Buckley Road divides Camp Porter (Left) and Camp Moffet (Right). They connect to each other under the road
RTC Great Lakes ~ Ships Ship 1 USS Pearl Harbor Bldg 7122 3xxx Kansas Street Great Lakes, IL 60088-3122 Ship 5 USS Theodore Roosevelt 3610 Illinois Street Great Lakes, IL 60088-3118 Ship 10 USS Enterprise 3425 Sailor Drive Great Lakes, IL 60088-3525 Ship 14 USS Arizona 3410 Sailor Drive Great Lakes, IL 60088-3510 Ship 2 USS Reuben James 3600 Ohio Street Great Lakes, IL 60088 Ship 6 USS Constitution Bldg 7101 3510 Illinois Street Great Lakes, IL 60088-3119 Ship 11 USS Kearsarge 3505 Sailor Drive Great Lakes, IL 60088-3505 Ship 12 Ship 17 USS Mason Bldg 7121 2705 Kansas Street Great Lakes, IL 60088-3140 Ship 3 USS Hopper 3600 Ohio Street Great Lakes, IL 60088-3156 Ship 7 USS Chicago 3405 Sailor Drive Great Lakes, IL 60088 USS Triton 3515 Sailor Drive Great Lakes, IL 60088-3515 Ship 13 Ship 4 USS Arleign Burke 3600 Ohio Street Great Lakes, IL 60088-7103 Ship 9 USS John F. Kennedy 3415 Sailor Drive Great Lakes, IL 60088-3515 USS Marvin Shields 3420 Sailor Drive Great Lakes, IL 60088-3520
Description: This is a old picture of what RTC Great Lakes (Camp Porter) use to look like. All the square buildings with the open middle are now gone. The only reason I bring this picture up is to show you how close you are to Lake Michigan (on the top of the picture. The main gate to enter Camp Porter is on the lower left hand corner. From RTC, it is 35 miles north of downtown Chicago and four miles from Waukegan. Lake Michigan Main Entrance to Camp Porter
The bus ride to RTC Great Lakes This is where you will 1 st learn what it s like to be yelled at. When the Petty Officer is talking, Keep your eye open, and your mouth shut!
The bus ride to Great Lakes is kind of quiet ~ This is the time to reflect on your own life, and to realize that you are now an adult starting your own journey in life ~
CAMP MOFFETT RTC GREAT LAKES Bldg 1425 USS Indianapolis Combat Training Pool Bldg 1405 Golden 13 Recruit In-processing Center (Where Hell Begins Woo-hoo!) Bldg 1532 Uniform Issue/NEX/Tailor When coming from O hare airport to RTC Great Lakes just head north on I-94. Turn off at Buckley Road (mile marker 64) which is also called Illinois-137. Your bus will go this way on Buckley Road. Bldg 1410 USS Chief Fire Fighting Trainer & Gas Chamber Note: Bldg 1410 is actually a two floor building. On the bottom, the left hand side is the Gas Chamber, the right hand side is the fire fighter simulator. The second floor of this building is the training room for trainers on the bottom. Bldg 7121 USS Mason Ship 17 NAVET/OSVET In-processing Barracks Bldg 1523 USS Red Rover Medical/Dental Complex Bldg 7122 USS Pearl Harbor Ship-1 In-processing Barracks (P-days)
You will leave O Hare airport you will travel north on I-294, which will become I-94. You will exit at the Ill-137/Buckley Road exit. (mile marker 64). Your almost at RTC! Just travel about 8 miles down Buckley Road, and you will see RTC Great Lakes. Camp Moffett (where your new life begins) is on the left hand side. Camp Porter, where most of your training will be performed, is on the right. CAMP MOFFETT From O Hare I-94 Buckley Road (Ill-137)
Here is another view of Camp Moffett. Which shows the text better. However, this is shifted 90. You enter Camp Moffett here CAMP MOFFETT
You will enter Camp Moffett gate, and will be dropped off at the inprocessing center called the Golden Thirteen
The Golden Thirteen building is named after the first 13 African-American Navy officers. On the night of arrival at RTC recruits enter the Golden Thirteen in-processing building. The first thing you ll see is a prominent photo of those 13 officers, known as the Golden Thirteen, the building's namesake. Throughout history until World War I, African Americans were limited and segregated in what they could do as enlisted Sailors. Becoming a commissioned officer was not allowed. In June 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order that prohibited racial discrimination by any government agency. The Navy began officer training for 16 African-American enlisted men at RTC in March 1944. Twelve were commissioned as ensigns and one was appointed as a warrant officer. These men became known as the Golden Thirteen.
The Golden Thirteen They are (top row, left to right): Ensign John W. Reagan, USNR; Ensign Jesse W. Arbor, USNR; Ensign Dalton L. Baugh, USNR; Ensign Frank E. Sublett, USNR. (middle row, left to right): Ensign Graham E. Martin, USNR; Warrant Officer Charles B. Lear, USNR; Ensign Phillip G. Barnes, USNR; Ensign Reginald E. Goodwin, USNR; (bottom row, left to right): Ensign James E. Hare, USNR; Ensign Samuel E. Barnes, USNR; Ensign George C. Cooper, USNR; Ensign William S. White, USNR; Ensign Dennis D. Nelson, USNR;
Leaving the bus to begin your new life many have followed the same footsteps that you are now taking Believe in yourself!
Your journey is about to begin as you go through boot camp, you ll think it s the hardest thing ever, by the 6 th week, you ll say that wasn t bad
The Yelling Begins (and you thought your mom bitched alot ~ha)
The Welcome sign as you enter Don t think the bow at the bottom is to make you feel special! ~ It s actually there to remind you that your RDC is wanting to strangle you for all the stupid stuff you re about to do ~
Lined up for your first yelling Why do they yell? It s to see if you can handle stress. If a missile was coming at your ship could you handle the stress when the Commanding Officer is yelling at you to shoot it down?
As you enter the building you will line up across from each other (Stand straight and look ahead, do not look at the Petty Officer!)
The Blue Line Notice the blue line on the floor, near the edge, that is where all new recruits must walk. Everything as a purpose in boot camp, by doing this, it actually helps you when you start marching (nice sharp turns) (btw: You will not earned the privilege to walk in the middle of the floor until you become a sailor)
The 15 second phone call. Recruits get THREE guaranteed calls home. 1) the "I'm here" call, the very short call that sounds scripted and last about 15 seconds. 2) the "I'm still alive" call - this one they get at the end of their third week of training. Most recruits spend a week in processing before they begin their first week, so it usually comes at the end of their fourth week in Great Lakes. 3) the "I'm a sailor" call, the day they pass Battlestations 21. While these calls are "guaranteed" in that RDCs are not allowed to prevent their divisions from these calls, some individual, unlucky recruits may have watch during these calls, and may miss out. Some RDCs will allow a recruit who had watch to make the call as an individual, but there is no guarantee. There are three other classes of calls. 1) earned calls - either earned as a group or as an individual. These are unpredictable. Some may earn as many as five or six, others never earn an extra call. Most of these calls come in the last few weeks of boot camp. 2) security clearance calls - they care calling from security offices to get more information for their security clearance. Only a few sailors get these calls, those going to high-security jobs working with computers or intelligence. They usually aren't supposed to chat, but some security workers let them talk anyway. This call can last for 30 seconds to a few minutes 3) problem phone calls - to let you know that they are sick or have been injured and are in holding until they heal, are being discharged, or ASMOed. ASMO - Assignment Memorandum - to be sent back in recruit training. RDC's frequently threaten their Division with being ASMO'd. Recruits do get ASMO'd for disciplinary or medical, or because a recruit has not passed a test.
~ When you arrive at RTC, you will begin processing by turning in your orders. Following a phone call home, you will be required to provide a urine sample for drug testing. You'll later receive complete medical and dental examinations (women will receive a pregnancy test), and any necessary dental work will be scheduled. ~ Your first day at RTC is called Night of Arrival. This is when you will begin your orientation, learn the basic routine and go through preliminary processing. At this time you will be issued the following items: PT Gear (shorts, T-shirts, Navy sweats), basic training materials, sea bag, hygiene items, combination lock, notebook, writing materials, sewing kit, shoe shine kit, towel, laundry and garment bags, shower shoes, and athletic shoes. Males will also receive underwear. The cost of this items will be deducted from your first paycheck. ~ During in-processing, you'll also be asked if all the information you've provided to recruiting personnel is completely honest and open. This is known as "The Moment of Truth," this will be your final opportunity to disclose any information that could affect your qualifications for enlistment. God knows why you would stand up and disclose these matters now. You should have discussed this way before now! You will see people stand up, and will never return. The main reason this happens is because some of you may have hidden a police record or have thought you didn t need to disclose something because you thought your police record was expunged or sometimes called sealed. Guess what? It s not.. The Federal government can see all records, regardless if a record is sealed, expunged, or dismissed when you turn 18.
---------------- Night Before: Get sleep at least 1 night or more before ship date. It is essential! This is important!! -------------------- Ship Date: P-1 Day - MEPS processing, as usual, hurry up and wait. Urinalysis, instructions on where/when flying to Great Lakes, IL. Around noon you might be lucky to be leaving for the airport after taking 2nd oath (if active duty only). Family is allowed at MEPS and Airport. They can ask the airline ticket agent for a gate pass to be with you until you fly out. - When get to O'Hare Airport, get luggage, eat and you have until 22:30 to go to the luggage area or Terminal 2 where the yelling begins. Thanks NavyDEP for preparing me for this! - The Petty Officers get you information. Make sure you listen, follow directions. They go through items you brought and if they don't like it, they will throw it away right then and there, or donate the closed stuff (shampoo, shaving cream..etc). - You will get on the RTC bus which will be your last time to talk and ask questions to the Sailor that's accompanying you. - When you get to RTC you walk inside, get in a line, one on each side of the bulkheads (walls). If you have a cell phone, they let you use it, so take it. It's a lot faster, heck you can text, if you like. That way if your family or friend don't pick up, you can still say something. - Your "Ditty Bag will be issued, you change into your Smurf's (New clothing). You can donate your clothes, send them home, or throw them away. Remember, you pay for how heavy "The Box" is. - Stay awake, take time to walk in circles, and drink from the scuttlebutt (water fountains) for yet another urinalysis, listen to the Chief's and Petty Officer's (Know the difference between them). - Walk in a military manner, do not talk. They take height and weight and will decide who is in the 800-900 Division. 800 is for Special Operations, 900 is for Performance - Band, Choir, and Drill Team (Flags). - They take your picture for your I.D. card, try to not look like a zombie, you keep this for 4 years!!! - Grab ditty bag, go to temporarily ship (building where you sleep), notebook in hand. Division is randomly done. Go to you compartment (large area in building where you sleep). Choose your rack and 1st bunkmate. Hang ditty bag on rack. --------------------
--------------------- P-2 Day - Up at 0000 (Midnight)L Grab notebook and walk out. This is the hardest time to stay awake. - Keep hydrated and keep up posture. Hands away from face. - Write down Chain-of-Command (it helps if you know it BEFORE!). Study it, learn it, study 11 general orders, rank and recognition. - Around 0500-0530 they let you go get breakfast. It's buffet style. NO TALKING IN THE GALLEY!! - Haircuts for male and females (It's a crappy job even for males), so cut before shipping to RTC. - MOMENT OF TRUTH: Don't worry, it's no big deal. Nukes, EOD, Aircrew, etc are set aside. Nukes go to a Nuke briefing for further criminal record information as well as the CT's and IS's, etc. You may have To-Go lunch in rating office (11:00-12:00). - Go back to temporary ship and get ready to stamp Last Name, Last four of SSN, and Division number on items as well as initial with permanent marker in Recruit Handwriting! - 17:00-18:00 Dinner, Return to ship, hygiene for 8 minutes but that's too long so more like 5 to shower and have pt shorts and shirt, socks and shoes on and at attention in front of rack. Get ready for bed. - Sleep from 20:00-05:30 (which is lucky). ---------------------
------------------------------------- P-3 Day - Breakfast, go to the Navy Exchange (NEX). - First marching but 3 abreast, no front or division body. - More stamping and initialing of uniforms. - Store locker compartments - Lunch, then to get TB shot. Always hydrate (8 to 12 canteens). - Dinner, clean the deck in compartment, hygiene, Tattoo (lights out) and Taps. You will most likely start Roving and Night watch. ------------------------------------
------------------------------------ P-4 Day - 06:00 Breakfast - Learned how to fold and stow. - Marching - Lunch can be between 10:30-13:00 - Lectures on various procedures, trainee guides, salutations, etc. - Dinner can be between 17:00-19:00 - Laundry Handouts (passing out clean laundry) which is a night routine ------------------------------------
Recruit being issued the 8-point cover (hat)
Females are issued the Navy working uniforms
Time to try on the new Navy uniforms
Did you use to shop at Old Navy? Well this is New Navy Don t worry about the price!
Shoes are issued
The Box These boxes are used to send all your personal items home. This is called The Box. They do this to prevent you from even thinking of leaving. You ll have no clothes.
You will pack The Box with all your civilian items (Inside goes your cell phone, shoes, and all clothes you wish to keep. Most sailors will just donate their unwanted item. Why keep a worn out pair of shoes, or clothes?
Parents call this The Kid in the Box (When you pack this box it means your old life has ended, and you are starting your new life )
Urine check Used Drugs? Pregnant? They will find out Yes, someone (of the same sex) will watch you fill this bottle. (modesty goes out the window at boot camp)
Lined up for the Tailor
Shoe size are measured (by a State-of-the-Art computer system)
The Hair Cuts For both Male and Females (Dang, at 1 st glance, this guy looks like a Hare Krishna )
Moment of Truth (if you stand up here, something's wrong. You should have already solved these problems before this moment)
The Dental Check up begins (the cavity check here is a lot more easier than the ones the TSA does at the airport)
Eyes are checked (it looks like their sucking out her brains with that hose)
Shots (Stand by to be poked)
The Peanut Butter shot fricken hurts. (the peanut butter shot goes in your butt, so why is this guy complaining? The best is yet to come)
Medical and Barracks (Bldg 1523)
P-day Buildings Bldg 1405 Far left Bldg 1405 - Golden 13 Far back right 1532 - Uniform Issue/NEX/Tailor Far right Bldg 7122 USS Pearl Harbor
Golden 13 Uniform Issue/NEX/Tailor
~ You will more that likely sleep at the USS Pearl Harbor (Ship 1). ~ I won t go into much detail here. The ships (barracks) used for sleeping will be in another slide show. Since it is extremely hard to acquire photos of RTC Great Lakes, I don t have any picture of the USS Pearl Harbor. However, since all the ships were built exactly alike, here is an example of what it will look like (yours will look similar).
The USS Arizona is an example of a ship (barracks) (on the left is the galley/chow hall, in the middle is the Quarterdeck, and the right is the berthing compartment)
The Ships (barracks) (all the barrack at RTC are built the same way. This is an example of one)
Quarterdeck of the USS Marvin Shields
The Galley (chow hall)
The Quarterdeck
Inside the Sleeping Compartment ~ you see how these recruits are sitting in those chairs? Don t do it! You have not earned the right to sit in those chairs ~
The Navy has a lot of traditions.one of which is: When you have completed your P-days, and at other times while at boot camp you will march through the tunnel that runs underneath the main road (Buckley Road). Under road tunnel is here Question: What happen when you march through that tunnel?
Going to Camp Porter, you will sing the 1 st verse: Anchors Aweigh (1st verse) Stand Navy out to sea, Fight our battle cry; We ll never change our course, So vicious foe steer shy, y, y, y; Roll out the T.N.T.; Anchors aweigh; Sail on to victory, and sink their bones to Davy Jones hooray! (Below picture from 1970) Going to Camp Moffett, you will sing the 2 nd verse: Anchors Aweigh (2nd verse) Anchors aweigh, my boys, anchors aweigh. Farewell to foreign shores. We sail at break of day, day, day, day. Through our last night ashore. Drink to the foam. Until we meet once more. Here s wishing you a happy voyage home. Ooh, rah, (Division #) Go Navy! Smooth Sailing!
-The largest single training facility for the U.S. Navy is a thousand miles from the nearest ocean. - Great Lakes Naval Training Station, located in North Chicago, formally opened in 1911 on land donated by the Merchants Club of Chicago. - It was a product of the expansive nationalism of the era following the Spanish-American War, as well as aggressive self-promotion by Chicago businessmen and Illinois politicians. - Ideally located at the nation's rail hub and near its population center, the camp gained great significance during World War I, but reached its lowest point when it was closed to new trainees between 1933 and 1935. - Within a month after Pearl Harbor, the navy announced that a $33-million expansion would increase its recruit capacity from 10,000 to 45,000; by the end of 1942 75,000 were on base. - During the course of World War II, Great Lakes supplied about a million men, just over a third of all personnel who served in the U.S. Navy. With the Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee interurban and Chicago & North Western stations adjacent to the base, sailors had ready access to Chicago's recreational opportunities. - African American seamen were trained at a base-within-a-base, Camp Robert Smalls, which was named for a Civil War hero and former slave. - The segregated facility was hailed in its time as a major advance because it represented the first genuine training camp opportunity for African Americans. - While many of those who passed through Camp Smalls were relegated to noncombat roles, in 1944 a group of African Americans nicknamed the Golden Thirteen became the first to enter the regular officer candidate school and receive commissions as ensigns. - Although scaled down after victory in 1945, Great Lakes remained an important naval facility and expanded again during the Korean War. By the late 1980s, however, it became the target of budget cutters who criticized its freshwater location. The number of recruits on base dropped to 18,000. In 1993, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission instead decided that economy lay in centralization at Great Lakes. --- - By 1997 the recruit ranks reached 50,000. - Not only did Great Lakes grow, but it marked two other milestones. In 1992 Rear Adm. Mack Gaston became the first African American commander of the base. Two years later, it began training women for the first time in its 83-year history.
Completion of the P Days. Once the P days are complete, it s time to move across the street to begin your boot camp training your 8 weeks of training now begins
Famous Sailors Eddy Albert (Green Acre s) President John F. Kennedy Fred Gwynne (The Musters) Larry Flynt (CEO) Hustler Magazine
Famous Sailors Dr. Henry Heimlich (Heimlich Maneuver) Bob Barker Bill Cosby
Famous Sailors Ernest Borgnine (McHales Navy) John Dillinger (Bank Robber) Tony Curtis (Movie Star)
Famous Sailors Paul Newman MC Hammer Rick James (Super Freak)
Famous Sailors Are you next?