Great Lakes A School Q&A

Momof4, yeah, you just have to keep breathing.  There's lots of ways to keep cookies fresh, the bread trick, or freeze them and pack them tight into a container. Honestly, the sailors love them even if they are hockeypucks.  This is practice for deployment, when a package can take 8 weeks to arrive when another mom got one there in a week.  So much fun.  And then there's the times the mail falls in the sea when the bags are being transferred.  Whoops.  Look on the bright side, Great Lakes doesn't require a customs form!

If you don't laugh, you will cry.  

Thank you all so much for the info. Not feeling so frustrated anymore!

I sure hope I get better at this Navy Mom thing!

Momof4, you're doing great.  You're here, you're learning, you care about your sailor.  There are many who can't or won't.  Before you know it, you'll be providing answers to the next set of new moms.  

Thank you Anti M.  Some days I do fine, other days I want to crawl up in a ball and pretend this isn't happening!

I am so proud of my daughter but at the same time I find myself wishing she wasn't such a strong woman! Huh, strong willed little girl turned into a strong woman, wonder why I'm surprised by that? lol

Do things get easier? My youngest son graduated on 01/10/14 I was able to attend and spend the whole weekend with him. I am so very proud of him but I can't seem to let go. Does anyone have any suggestions?

They have to have permission to have the desktop out, some of the barracks might not allow it.  Your sailor needs to ask the SDC directly what the policy is for their particular ship.  

Personally, I would not have a desktop at Great Lakes for three reasons: they change rooms/barracks at times.  New ship might not allow it, and if she has to carry everything she owns in one shot, she'd better hope she has friends who aren't busy.  The rooms are small, and there's theft, locking up a desktop each day would be a real hassle.  Portability again, you can't carry a desktop to the Loft for free wifi if the connection in your room sucks or is non-existent.   

They don't NEED a computer in their rooms at all, and many opt for a tablet instead. I just didn't want you thinking you HAD to go buy one if he didn't already have one :)

My daughter has her laptop with her but we bought her a Kindle for Christmas so that she can take it on the ship when she gets deployed.  She really likes the convenience of her Kindle because its small, compact and can do just about everything a computer can do.

Hi.  My SR will be transferring over to GL A school for Dive Prep.  He has asked me to bring his clothes.  Does anyone have any idea how much I should bring?  Are they allowed to wear anything they want?  I only got to speak to him once during his 10 weeks at BC and it was a short call.  I didn't get to ask him all these questions.  Are they allowed to go off base?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My son just transferred over to GL for school also.  I think they have to phase up before they can were civilian clothes.  I think each command is different though.  They have to be able to put all non navy items in there closet while not in the room so less is better at first.  They mostly stay in their uniforms at first.  They are allowed off base when on liberty as long as they are with other Sailors.  Or their parents.  I think though it depends on each command. Hope this helps some.

TJsMom - Hi - Our SR will also be transferring to A School for Diver Prep. 

He asked me to bring his running shorts and shoes.  I'm bringing him a few pr underwear, a shirt and pr of jeans, and 1 warm pj bottom and shirt.  May also bring a sweatshirt but don't know if it will fit in my already too packed suitcases. Also bringing laptop, iPod, and cell phone of course. 

Wondering about where the SRs get their taxes done for 2013?  I'm bringing him a copy of his tax return from last year and W2s, just in case he needs it when he gets his taxes done.  Wondering if NEX has someone providing tax prep svcs for sailors. Going to check the local area to see if there's an AARP tax service, which is free, and not just for seniors. 

Not many Divers in this group.  Hope they all become good friends.  They may have a wait to class-up. 

Here is the liberty policy for Great Lakes, which explains when they can wear civilian clothes, and their offbase liberty privileges:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/training-support-center-tsc-great-la...

As new sailors, they must earn the privilege to dress as they please (even then, there;s a dress code), and to go offbase and have later curfews.  

There is free tax preparation help on every Navy base.  Important to use the military version, because the preparers are familiar with military exemptions and allowances, which states don't tax military pay, extended deadlines for the military, and so on.

my son is EOD so he will stay there to, for dive prep...so we can bring them clothes?

Base housing in the US is privatized, so it is off base.  There may be exceptions I don't know about, but as far as I've seen over the last few decades, none of it is actually on base.  Overseas, it is.

Live Ashores at Great Lakes have been required to have a car in previous years.  Probably still the policy, so he needs to check on that as soon as he can.  

Hi Beth - my son just went over to GL on Jan 10th.  He seems to like it alot and has gotten to go with shipmates to Chicago and receive some fun personal items (like a TV and Playstaytion) to keep them entertained while they wait to class up.  Are you attending PIR?

Hi Madeline, your husband is both right and wrong.  While in uniform, sailors have to curb their public affection, but it doesn't apply to hugs at PIR.  As a matter of fact, it's a total hug and tear fest! Those first hugs after PIR are the best ever!  Make sure someone has a camera to capture the moment, as pictures at PIR are only allowed in the drill hall, not outside on the base.  It's a Kodak moment that is about as wonderful as those first baby photos. Congratulations to you and your new sailor!

Utilities are included, although internet is only free at some of the areas.  I don't see which housing area is for which paygrade, I think you have to go through them all on the site, or call housing and ask.

http://www.lincolnmilitary.com/lmh/

or

http://www.lincolnmilitary.com/lmh/installations/norfolk/

There is some variation between housing areas, so information can be hard to pin down.  

BAS is Basic Allowance for Subsistence.  It is money for food for a sailor who is not eating in government facilities.  Basically grocery money for when he is in port and/or  living at home.  This goes away if he deploys, so budget for that possibility.  Just over $350 dollars.

http://militarybenefits.info/2014-bas-basic-allowance-for-subsisten...

EM is Electrician's Mate, working with electricity, wiring and motors.  A good hands on job with transferable skills to the civilian world.  Sea-going, but that's the Navy, yeah? With BECC/ECC and A school, seat time at Great Lakes is 18 weeks.  Be assured he'll be there longer than that waiting to class up.  He may go to C school, but not every EM does.  

A school (TSC) is "across the street" from RTC.  Because so many go there to check in, they are sent in groups (by bus in this weather I believe).  You will go someplace else to wait, then can pick him up when he is done.  A rental car may be useful, as you have an ID, you can go get him at the barracks.  Be sure to give him his cell phone.

When he puts in for Live Ashore, he will submit the paperwork to get the car on and off base.  Do you have one?  He has to have one to live offbase.  As for where, check the discussions above. Some get into base housing (which is not on base), others prefer to rent.

Here are the liberty phases for Great Lakes:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/training-support-center-tsc-great-la...

Sorry Anti M, mixed up my letters, his rate is EN. 

Can the sailors stay at the navy lodge?, I know they can't stay at the hotel on the base. Thanks

Yes, they can stay at the Navy Lodge, no problem.

Question....Sorry for my ignorance but I'm not sure if A school is also called NSW prep school but I was wondering if anyone knows what it will like for them there besides what the website SEAL + SWCC states regarding what they physically and mentally are required to do.  I'm wanting specifics....like if they are given free time during the day? What they can have in their rooms (computers, tv, books, etc.) Are their weekends available?  Also, I know that following BC they go directly to this school for 6-8 weeks before they go to Coronado but once that's over, do they get to come home for a week or so before going straight to BUDS?  Thanks for any response.

A school is the school which teaches the rating, so no, not the same thing.  Not everyone goes to A school.  Yours would be in pre-BUDS at Great Lakes. 

They will follow the Great Lakes liberty phases, they have to earn their weekends off.  They will have daytime weekend liberty, with a buddy, right away, but civilian clothes and overnight privileges come later.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/training-support-center-tsc-great-la...

They can have private items in their rooms, but only what they can transport easily and items must be put away daily.  A laptop is fine, a desktop computer is not.  Some of the guys have gaming systems, but he will be there such a short time, I would not recommend it.

I;m not sure when they get to take leave, but probably between preBUDS and BUDS.

What does "Class Up" mean? Thanks!