Great Lakes A School Q&A

You're welcome.  I surely don't know everything, but usually can find out, or know where else to ask.  Have you heard from him?  He's probably going to catch up on sleep.

My son had PIR 10/16/15 and is in GL for A school for aec fire control which has not started classes yet.  He is being asked to be yeoman = will this affect his plan to take aec

He cannot be both a YN and an FC.  If he is being asked to give up AECF for yeoman, that is very odd.  He'd have to go to school elsewhere, MS I think.  What he might mean is he's being asked to handle the paperwork for his ship/barracks, which would also be titled "yeoman" as is any secretarial work.  In which case it has nothing to do with his school or what he'll be doing in the fleet.  Sounds like he is just being given an indoor job to do while on hold, and he'll give it up once school starts.

My daughter is at Great Lakes A school. Will she have liberty for Thanksgiving? Do they get a 4 day weekend? She told me she will have duty on the 29th, Sunday. 

Yes, Thanksgiving is a federal holiday, so she will have it off.  Friday is technically a working day, so I assume a muster and then special liberty (no school though).  She should have Saturday off, and will need to stay on base on Sunday.  She may or may not have a watch on Sunday, so visiting might not happen.  She will only get an overnight if she has earned phase three already.

There will not be school, however they do still have duty responsibilities. My son has duty on Thanksgiving day, so he won't get to take liberty until Friday afternoon when his duty is complete. 

Okay, thanks to both for the reply. I'll be traveling up there to see her for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to see her. I miss her so much. :)

Your very welcome!! My daughter and I will be traveling to see my son for Thanksgiving as well. I am not sure I have ever been more excited for anything in my life!! :-) 

So elated and proud, my son passed all his examines today.

Good morning, my son had PIR on Friday, there for Fire/Damage control. Can someone tell me how long it will be before I get his address? Also I am not sure, he even knows what to expect this week. 

I know this sounds odd since I am still here in GL, but I realize he won't be home for Thanksgiving, I am willing to come right back up here just to have that meal with him. Even if its for a day, can anyone help me with finding out if this is possible? I know there will be many holidays without him so I figured while within my reach, I would try to come to him.

Thanks for any and all help!

You certainly can visit him on Thanksgiving.  He should have the day off, if he doesn't have duty.  Even then, you should be able to spend time together on base.  He'll probably be in phase one still, so not wearing civilian clothes.  He can ask for you to be his liberty buddy, or you can take him and two other "buddies" for a meal.

Here are the liberty phases for Great Lakes:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/training-support-center-tsc-great-la...

He can get his address right away if he asks for it.

Thank you Anti M, I will ask him to send me the address; Do you know when they will know if they have duty that day or that weekend? Thank you again for your help!

This question may not be for this group, so my apologies if that is the case....my son is there for ATT School and then A School for his IC rating... he is supposed to go to a C school afterward, we have no idea where just yet. I have been told that his C school designation would depend on the needs of his ship that he receives orders to. So am I understanding this correctly that he will receive his actual orders for his first duty station and/or ship before or  after his A school graduation and before he goes on to his C school?  Sorry, hope this even makes sense the way I posed the question. Thanks in advance.

@ Rocksmom, duty will depend on the duty rotation, knowing a schedule will depend on how often the watchbill is posted. But he should have some idea well in advance, it isn't hard to figure out your duty days.  I think Glakes has a four section duty rotation, but I can't swear to it.

@KYNaymomma ... yes, that's about the way it works.  Orders come in toward the end of A school; if he is going to a C school, it will be on the same set of orders as for his ship/new command.  He should be able to take leave between A and C school, depending on his report date. In some cases, they take leave after C school.  No way to know that in advance.

For ratings with very long C schools (FC comes to mind), the orders may be for the C school alone.  Any school over 20 weeks tends to be a set of orders on its own.

Anti M- Thank you!  

You'll have use something like google maps, or check with the visitor's center.

use waze app much better than google maps

To ensure accountability.  Same with liberty buddies, has to return with those checked out with.  Implies the sailor spent the time with the person who checked them out, not just taking off on their own and getting someone else to sign them in.

In planning for Christmas, I'm wondering what the best plan is to get sailors from GL to Midway   airport.   Any suggestions or guidance is truly appreciated.

For the barracks, they have to purchase wifi from a provider such as Comcast.  Roomies often split the bill.

@mom2stg ... there will be MWR shuttles, they can reserve seats when the info is put out.  I think its around $15.  Don't plan on any flight before 10 or noon, there are a LOT of students to check out that morning.

Good morning wondering. Son will put chit in today for Christmas break, how long will it be before he gets answer? 

Also we going there over Thanksgiving and also wondering when they post duty schedule for that weekend? 

Thanks in advance for help! 

The usual answer for chits is two weeks max, but because they are doing dozens or hundreds of them en masse, i'm not sure if that speeds it up or slows it down.  

Watch bills are usually posted well in advance.  He should know already if he knows his duty section rotation.

Thanks Anti M, I just love N4M, I would be lost for sure!

I have another question,  does anyone know what restaurants serve Thanksgiving dinner? I will cook and bring everything if I have to, but would prefer to go out? 3 of his friends have talked me into road trip, it's 12 hours min.. They are such close friends, they miss him so much, of course I agreed. so I am thinking 4 plus son and a Sailor or 2, would hate for anyone to be alone. I just can't imagine cooking a 15-20 lb turkey and trimmings and hauling it along...lol... so looking for nice restaurant that is making traditional thanksgiving. 

Thanks again for any and all help!

thanks Myboysmom, I will check into it.

Here is the Great Lakes MWR bulletin for November:

http://www.mwrgl.com/special_services/FunTimes_NOV2015_sm.pdf

And maybe ask on FB, there is a Great Lakes TSC and a Naval Station page.  Someone may have a good suggestion.

Hi Anti M...do all sailors receive this bulletin? 

I think they're around, but I'm pretty certain the aren't issued individually.

My son indicated that they will rev at 0300 on the morning of December 18th before they are released for Christmas break.  Approximately how long will processing take for sailors to be cleared to leave?  He is looking at a ticket that would leave Chicago at 0700, and I'm worried that he is cutting himself short on time.  Does anyone have recommendations or more concrete details?

my son said to make it 1 or later..

I don't think he'd make a 0700 flight.  Not even sure if the MWR shuttles run early enough to make that.

Thank you so much for your replies!  We will plan accordingly.

Help! I booked the Navy Lodge for Thanksgiving weekend the DOD just said that my son had to be there for. Us to check in, they said nothing about him not being able to come there, then someone posted on the FB page that they aren't allowed at Lodge after PIR, I don't understand, I told them we were there for PIR 2 weeks prior and all they said was that he would just have to be there to check us in. Anti M, help!!!!!!

Now all filled with that anxiety again.

Dang sorry this is happening, but that is the rule.

PIR weekend is the only time they are allowed in the Lodge, and the only time you can book in their name and check in without them.   Once they are in A school, it is off limits, and you have to be an authorized DOD card holder to stay there.

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

F. Liberty Boundaries and off-limits areas

          2) Students are prohibited from entering Bldg 30 (Boorda Hall), Bldg 62 (Navy Gateway Inns and Suites), the 400 complex (with the exception of BEQ 439) and on-base housing (which includes the Navy Lodge) and Forest City Housing unless you are listed as a resident. During recruit graduation weekend from Recruit Training Command, if recruits attaching to to TSC-GL have family staying in the Navy Lodge or Gateway Inns and Suites, they will be required to route a special request chit to the OIC to be able to enter and meet the family at their room. 

Thank you Anti M, I will cancel Lodge, I booked the Marriott today. I wonder why that do not tell you this when you call to make a reservation?  Anyway, again, I cannot thank N4M for helping me navigate thru, I would be in big trouble with it..

with out it

The folks working Navy Lodge are civilians, and while they may know the rules, they kinda expect you to know them too.  I'm glad you got it sorted out now!  

I'm sorry for asking so many questions, of course I have another one, when they are stationed lets just uase San Diego for example, if I want to visit him, will I be able to stay at that Lodge? If so will he be able to come there? Thanks!

He could, and you could only if the room is booked in his name. But honestly, the Lodge in SD is near 32nd street base, not the nicest neighborhood.  It is a tourist town, you could find better deals, and nicer places.  Also, it gets very crowded with families PCSing.