Great Lakes A School Q&A

A school graduation is quick and low key.  We're talking 20~30 minutes quick for the shorter schools.

Most sailors go  home on leave right afterward.   If you have to travel far to get there, no.  If you're in the area, let your sailor know, they will need to escort you to the school.  There are no passes, so unless you have an ID, you have to figure it out.  

FC will often see a hold after school at Great Lakes waiting for C school orders.  If they are not going to take leave right away, a visit might be nice.  

He might not be able keep his car on base while he is in TPU, but policies for graduated students can be murky.  If he has a safe place to park it offbase, he should be okay.  He'll still be subject to the liberty policies, so maybe ask the Temp unit, see what they say.

Parking on base is a pain in the butt.

Hi...does anybody know information on cable in A school?  If they have their own tv is any type of cable service available?  Thanks for the help.

They can pay for service in their room.  Usually the roommates go in on it together.  I've heard Comcast does it on base.

I wonder if it takes so long because they have to put their rooms in order before they go on Liberty.  Make their beds, put their things away, etc.  plus the long line of people checking in at same time.

It is a lot of people to process all at once.  They have to pick up their stuff at RTC, take the bus over, assemble at their new barracks/ship, and be checked in.  They have to square away their rooms and attend a liberty briefing/indoc which tells them about the TSC side of the base, their liberty rules, and so on.  

MissingMySon when I was there in December for my boyfriend's graduation we got to pick him up in 2 hours. His went quick because he was the first group to go through processing. However my friend wasn't able to pick her boyfriend up until 3 and a half hours after he got there and he said it took so long because of waiting in long lines. So even though I was bummed that he didn't have much time to talk after PIR it was worth it for him to be done with processing first.  :)

Number of roommates depends on which barracks for which school.  Three in a room is normal, but I've seen four.  Some of the barracks are newer and nicer, and the old ones I was in 30 years ago are still in use!

Yeah, they have to get them sorted out that afternoon.  At least they aren't flying out the next day!  Small blessings?

We were lucky for my sailor's PIR in December. His was one of the first groups to go over so I'm thinking they do it in order. He was Div 028, the second in his training group. He called us earlier than we expected and he had pretty much the whole afternoon/evening with him. So I really think it depends on division # unless they change it up.

Does anyone have an address for sending a box of goodies. Had one for Boot Camp, but am sure it is not the same. 

Connor's Grandma your sailor will have his new address within a day or two of checking in. It's often posted on a billboard near their rooms. Also, I recommend using USPS for shipping as it gets to them much faster.

One question, after A School when they go back on hold. Do they get transferred to their C School location and then go on hold or do they go back to GL and go on hold until C School is ready for them?

They are held on hold at Great Lakes.  They might move to a different barracks.  They may or may not get to take post-A school leave, depending on how long the hold is.

They can have them right away, but they might be restricted on when and where they can use them.  I have heard some of the schools in MS restrict them first two weeks, but Great Lakes does not.  He just cannot take them into RTC at all.   Bring them, and he should be pleasantly surprised when he gets to keep them.

If there has been a policy change, and he doesn't get to keep them, be sure to post that!  Only way we know.

Which one?  Every rating has a different length program.

Wow, 27  weeks.  I had no idea that GM was so long.  That's long enough for a spouse to live there.  Of course, it will be even longer, as there will be indoc and then a hold while he waits to class up.  Also,  he'll have 9 weeks of ATT (electronic prep school) before he goes to A school.  Not sure if the ATT time is included in the 27 weeks or not.  

https://www.cool.navy.mil/usn/enlisted/rating_info_cards/gm.pdf

Good to know.  Will he get a C school?

Near the end of A school.

Jenny we were also told 27 weeks, but when he got there they told him 16 weeks, mine is set to grad April 1, he just started what I call the second semester , there are 3 of them to complete.  for this second school he was transferred to a new ship also.  Never will I be able to stay on top of all of what he does and the moving and the new jobs LOL, it's all good, he keeps me posted.  Good for have other GM Moms here !!

Mine PIR was 7/10/15, was on hold for a couple weeks, did his ATT school, then GM school. He graduation date was 12/4 but he came home on 12/3. No C school for him, he is a reservist. There is a group on here for moms of GM. He had his first duty weekend and already asked him to get his paperwork in for his 3 weeks. In Hawaii!!! For March and April!!

Elizabeth, depending how long he is on hold. I would say that is accurate. Mine left for bc in May and was home Dec. 3.

All weekend, with a curfew each night.  

I don't know if they need to sign in or out or need on base liberty buddies now, I only know the current off base policies. With the exception of the few off limits areas, I think they can go where they like during daylight hours on base.  

 When I was there, we did what we wanted as long as we were sober, on time, and in uniform when it mattered ... things have changed a lot.   

MissingMySon; ask your son for the address, because he will have a room number and there are differant floors, not sure about sending those supplements ex if they are in powder form like for protein shakes. they are not allowed anyfood in the rooms, a few messed it up for all. I do not know if there is anywhere he can store it outside of the room either. I would have him find out before you mail it, I know those can be quite expensive.

MissingMySon, make sure your son double checks on what supplements are allowed and what are not. My son was not allowed to take any of that stuff (and still can't).

There is a GNC store on the TSC base my son bought his stuff there.

And no sales tax on base.

Hard to know when specific classes begin, as it depends on how many graduate each week and get through indoc before their class forms up. 

Watches and duty days, hard to come by the details.  However, as far as I know, Great Lakes uses a four section rotation, which means they have duty every four days. A duty day is 24 hours, and during that time they cannot leave base.  During their duty day, they may be assigned a watch, and four hours is normal.  12 hours sounds a bit unusual to me, but not impossible for a student on hold.  They'd have meal breaks.   Of course, I'm speculating based on experience and what little I've heard on the board.  

Anyone have the experience

of sending a package to Great LakesA School via the post office

It goes to the mailroom, the sailor gets a notice, and has to go pick it up.  The mailroom signs for insured mail.  UPS and Fedex packages also go to the mailroom, same routine.

There is no food delivery service on base, so you'd have to try the mail again.  Difficult with cupcakes.  

No sailor gets to take leave between boot camp and A school.  The Army does that, not us.  I do not know who puts out such bad information.   Only exception is the ones who graduate during the holiday stand down in December.

They do get liberty, how much depends on where their A school is located.  After A school, and in some cases, after C school, then they can take leave and come home to visit.

For those who are confused about leave and liberty, read this:

http://navyformoms.com/profiles/blogs/leave-vs-liberty

I think the A school groups are so inactive because there are so many different ones, and once the student sailors get settled in, they can communicate, so there are fewer questions from family members.  Also, RTC has one set of rules, while things vary somewhat for each training command, and not all of them have a good online presence.

She'll get a notice during mail call, then have to go get the packages when she has time.