Great Lakes A School Q&A

Welcome LogansTeam. This group has been pretty quiet during the holiday stand down. Most of the sailors are on leave and will have to be back by Jan.6, 2013. Enjoy your time with your new sailor, I know I am.

Hello all! Another Mom who's sailor PIR'd 12-21-2012. My sailor will be flying back to GL on Jan 3rd. His A School is for AECF - FC. Looking forward to chatting with everyone. :)

Can anyone tell me what their barracks look like at A-school? Do they have their own rooms? Are they shared? What's it like?

SailorV'sWife: my boyfriend shares a room with three others. He says that they each have a closet and a bunk bed + desk (bed on top, desk and chair on bottom). He is currently at the Essex (spelling?) and has also been at the Missouri barrack. Hope that gives you some idea of what it's like! I think the room setup and # of roommates varies between ships though. 

Thanks navy GF.  I wasn't sure if it was apartment style with separate rooms and a common area or one shared room or what. I know it's impossible to really know til he's there (my husband graduates in 2 weeks!), but I just wanted a idea of what it was like. :)

Can you explain the liberty buddy? What does that mean?

My husband is going to graduate next Friday, we have known for a few weeks that i might not be able to go due to medical/personal reasons. I was wondering if he gets liberty on the weekends that way i could just fly out the following weekend if im able to do so. Does anyone know if they get liberty or do they have to class up first? If they have to class up first how long does that take.

If I could add to the comment from public affairs, the UP-N line leaves from Olgilvie Transportation Center. It is very close to Union Station but they run different lines. Also, everyone else may know this, but it took us by surprise. He should buy his ticket at the transportation center. We bought our tickets on the train coming into the city and didn't think anything of doing the same on our way back to GL, however there is a surcharge on each ticket you buy on the train when you're leaving the city. That was an unpleasant surprise. 

Enjoying Christmas Break with our son.  A School is almost over.  What can we expect next?  OS

If the schools are related, then they could end up with roommates of other rates. How many to a room depends on the barracks and how full it is.  They don't get to pick roomies, usually, they're just assigned.  Pretty much like a small college dorm room with a stricter dress code and a curfew.  And everything has to be inspection ready and they can't "decorate".  Some barracks don't allow food, some do. 

Where to check in should be on his leave papers, at least a phone number.

Good morning everyone. My son went back to start A school for AECF-FC on Saturday 1/5/2012. Looking forward to getting to know you guys on here.

My sailor just got back to GL last nite and is on watch this morning..at A school for FC.  He said while home that his whole ship..USS Wisconsin..is now FC school sailors, even the girls on the 2nd floor. there are some unassigned, or was is un-designated? in his building also. All students assemble each school morning and the whole group marches together to class...and anywhere else they go.  I don't know when classes actually start. Does someone on here know? Thanks.. I am Jane..a grandma in Florida where my sailor lives..lived.

Does anyone have someone waiting for ST's ATT school?

Hello everyone.  My sailor just had PIR last Fri., 01/04/13.  He is at GL for A School.  I'm looking forward to sharing the experience with you!

I should have added that he's undesignated.

Hello everyone. My son just PIR last Friday 1-04-13. He is going to A school for GM. He starts the 21st I believe. The Navy sure does practice patience... Our sailor called and said to meet up with him at 3:30pm. My goodness they did not show up until 5:30. Then we were told he had liberity's all weekend and then on Sunday found out that he couldn't leave base. But that wasn't until 3 when we he finally called to say that we should start driving home because he was unsure what was going. So the Navy sure did try my patience. I am thankful that we spent all day Sat together.... Hoping to plan another weekend away with him when he is further along in his phases.

Hello all, I really enjoyed the information that I received from this web site, so I was excited to join this group.  My son is a GM who left us for Aschool, 1/5/13.  We were overjoyed to have him here for the holidays and plan many trips to GL once he is able to have liberty.  Since he has his phone, I don't feel as cut off since he can text me at night.  Well looking forward to the info that this group has to offer...excited Navy Mom!

Hi, My son's PIR was Jan. 4th, had a great time. He is staying in GL for A-school. His rate is BM and he's suppose to stay there for 4 weeks. He's asking me to send him his indoor soccer shoes and a video game. Just wanted to make sure he can have these items. If anyone has any info. i would greatly appreciate it.

He can.  Don't overnight them as any package goes through the mailroom anyway.

Txs Anti M, Do you happen to know how long it takes for him to receive the package? Another question: my son is suppose to come home on leave after school for 10 to 14 days. Does he have to bring all his belongings home or does he go back to GL first before flying out to his permanent station and he could leave some of his belongins in GL while he comes home?

what happens aft pir they report to A school across the street and then....

@beardmom93 - after PIR those sailors that will be attending A school in GL have to go check in and move into their new ship. This process takes about 3 - 5 hours depending on the number of recruits. When your sailor has completed this process they will call you (either from a phone on base or another sailor's cell phone) and you can pick them up outside the main gate. The closest parking is the visitor center which is right next to the main gate. Be prepared it is a small parking lot and when my son graduated it was almost impossible to navigate due to the number of other families, cabs, etc. I was glad that I had another adult with me so that person could go and wait for my son while I circled the lot trying to find a parking spot. Make sure you keep your PIR gate pass as you will need to go and sign your new sailor out for liberty and this pass will allow you to drive them back to their ship. Good Luck and congrats on your new sailor.

Hi Ladies, I have another question...it's about leave after a-school. Can someone explain to me how it works? Can they only take the time they have accrued which would be about 7 days for my son or can they take more time?

They can borrow time, but it is not encouraged except at the holiday stand down.  A week is about right for after A school, plus he will have a travel day or two.  

I think those sailors recently back from holiday stand down who are readying for the new FC classes to begin are now on the late shift and on hold for the classes. These classes will have the FCs finishing class at 11:00 or so in the evenings and the new ET class will flip to day classes. Quite an adjustment after having to be up and going early mornings since boot camp and thru ATT school. Anyone know a start date for the classes or more details? Very little communication with the new schedule:((

Is there any type of break in the (31 weeks?) of FC school for those classes that begin next? Any "Spring Break"?  Are the FC students allowed any Leave time during the school schedule?  I'm trying to get an idea how long before he can be back home again.

No such thing as Spring Break in the military.  Leave is rarely granted during A school, other than the big Christmas break.   Even a long weekend would require leave papers to travel over 300 miles, and those aren't usually approved for the students.

Thanks so very much for the feed back. It really helps to know a few "Navy" procedures. My FC sailor is in the USS Wisconsin and said during holiday stand down when he was home that his whole ship now is FC students except for a few undesignated. Even the 2nd floor female sailors in his ship are FC.  He is now on the late shift . some on the list have said some FCs in GL waitng C school assignments have been waiting almost a year. I guess they DO have a backlog.... Maybe soon those C school FCs will get orders!!

Bella7177, My son just graduated last friday and is in school in Great Lakes. Yes, your daughter will be able to call you, as long as she has your number. Don't expect a phone call until 3:00-4:00. When my son called he said to be there at 3:30 and they did not come out until 4:30 or so. So, expect to wait a while once you get there. Also, when your daughter calls, she will give you the address of where you should go (it's not the same as where graduation was). Once you get there you just have to go to the visitors parking lot and wait with everyone else. If you are not driving you don't need the pass, she will meet you at the visitors parking lot. As far as getting there, i guess call a cab as soon as your daughter calls you. She will call you in advance. Hope this helps.

Bella7177, My son had liberty until 10:00 pm needed to be there @9:45 we left at 9:00 to drop him off to give him plenty of time to walk to his ship. But like RebeccaProudWife said it may different for you.

Hello Ladies, so my husband is currently at Great Lakes for A school, he is AECF and he's E2. Me and my daughter will be visiting him next month for his birthday and I wanted to know if he will be allowed to go into Navy Gateway? I looking at hotels and would love to know before I book the room. 

No, the Gateway is off limits to him as a student sailor.  You can book the Navy Lodge though.

Hi Jenn, I was reading your post below (thanks for all the info, it will be helpful to me too).  You said that "there's only 2 phones... everyone has to use them... No one gets a cell phone until after"... after what? can I give my son his cell after PIF (before he transfers to his new ship) or do I have to wait until... when?