Naval Station Great Lakes is located in Great Lakes, Illinois, near North Chicago along the shore of Lake Michigan. It is the only enlisted Navy boot camp in the United States, which means every Sailor who joins the U.S. Navy passes through Recruit Training Command (RTC) here. For Navy parents and families, this base becomes the starting point of your Sailor’s Navy journey and is where boot camp and graduation (Pass-In-Review / PIR) take place.
Great Lakes is the largest training installation in the Navy. The base covers thousands of acres and supports not only Recruit Training Command but also multiple technical training schools and support commands. On any given week, there are typically 8,000–12,000 recruits in training, along with tens of thousands more Sailors, students, instructors, and staff assigned to the installation. Because of this, it runs very much like a small city — with medical facilities, housing, schools, training centers, and support services all on base.
For new Navy parents, it helps to know that RTC is a highly structured environment focused on discipline, teamwork, physical fitness, and Navy fundamentals. Communication is limited at first, then gradually improves through letters and approved calls. Graduation day is held on base and is one of the most meaningful milestones in a Sailor’s early career. From Great Lakes, your Sailor will move on to A-School or follow-on training — but this is where the transformation from civilian to Sailor begins.
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