Naval Station Great Lakes…
The Quarterdeck of the Navy
Naval Station Great Lakes is a large and busy place. More than 25,000 military and civilian personnel work, train and live here. Our training commands and schools proudly graduate thousands of recruits and Sailors every year.

The base soon will be 100 years old. It, along with the mission here, has been in constant change, allowing us to prepare Sailors for an increasingly sophisticated and technology-based Navy.

Our mission here at Great Lakes is simple: Deliver highly skilled, technically proficient, disciplined and motivated Sailors to the fleet.

Since the first group of recruits reported for training July 1, 1911, more than 3.5 million Sailors have started their Navy careers right here in northern Illinois. Their experience in “boot camp” transformed them from civilians into Sailors, and it is an experience that continues to be a source of pride for all who have earned the right to wear the uniform of a United States Sailor. Naval Station Great Lakes is the largest military installation in Illinois and the largest training center in the Navy. The base includes 1,153 buildings with 39 on the National Register of Historic Places. Naval Station Great Lakes sits on 1,628 acres and uses 50 miles of roadway to provide access to the center’s facilities.

The high quality of Sailors trained at Great Lakes has supported the Navy through World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War and, most recently, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). Great Lakes Sailors have stood watch on every sea and on every corner of the world for the past 99 years. It is here that famous Navy heroes—such as the Fighting Sullivan Brothers; Master Diver Carl Brashear, subject of the movie “Men of Honor”; and the Golden 13, the Navy’s First African-American officers—started their careers. It is also here that countless others, whose identities are not as well known but whose contributions are just as important, embarked on their Navy journey. They are America’s sons and daughters and our biggest supporters.

Naval Station Great Lakes hosts the Navy’s only Recruit Training Command. Each year approximately 40,000 men and women complete the requirements to become Navy Sailors here.

Naval Station Great Lakes is also home to Naval Hospital Corps School and the Navy’s technical training schools for surface warfare excellence at Training Support Center Great Lakes. Yearly, more than 25,000 students attend these initial and advanced training schools where they learn the basic skills of their Navy jobs. Naval Station Great Lakes is a dynamic environment where training occurs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It continues to be a preferred duty station, which attracts the finest Sailors in the Navy to serve as Recruit Division Commanders, instructors and in support positions throughout the base.

Situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, Naval Station Great Lakes offers exciting recreational and sightseeing opportunities. Both Chicago and Milwaukee have major sports teams, museums, concerts, theaters and restaurants. During the spring and summer months, Lake Michigan features great fishing, swimming, sailing and camping opportunities. In the winter months, the nearby Chain O’ Lakes area offers ice fishing, snowmobiling, skating, sledding and other seasonal activities. Several ski resorts are within an hour’s drive from Naval Station Great Lakes. See the “Leisure” section for more information on these activities.

Write to us at:
Naval Station Great Lakes
Public Affairs Office
2601E Paul Jones St.
Great Lakes, IL 60088-2845
Our phone number is (847) 688-2430

Arriving by Airplane
All major airlines serve O’Hare International Airport, which is located about 30 miles southwest of Great Lakes. Taxi and limousine service are both available from O’Hare at all hours, with limousine service costing $25 to $30, and taxis considerably more. However, military personnel need to remember that PCS/TAD personnel will be reimbursed for taxi fare only when no bus service was available and then only if a receipt is provided.

Arriving by Automobile
Although driving in the Chicago area can be intimidating, Naval Station Great Lakes is easily accessible from a major interstate highway, and also from U.S. 41. The Naval Station is located approximately 15 miles south of the Wisconsin state line, several miles east of Interstate 94 and U.S. 41.

From the south, follow either Interstate 94 (West) or Interstate 294 (Tri-State toll way) toward Wisconsin. Interstate 294 is generally the less traveled of these two roads and would be the wiser choice during rush hour. Interstate 94 and Interstate 294 eventually converge about eight miles north of Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Interstate 94 (West) passes near downtown Chicago and continues in a northerly direction following the shoreline of Lake Michigan. As it passes through Chicago, it includes portions of several named expressways (Bishop Ford, Dan Ryan, Kennedy and Edens). At the north end of the Edens Expressway, one can either continue straight ahead onto U.S. 41 or exit onto a ramp and follow Interstate 94 in a northwesterly direction. Either choice will work, but from that location, the shortest route to the Naval Station is by continuing straight ahead, following the signs that say “U.S. 41 north to Waukegan.” If you choose to stay on Interstate 94, you’ll find that you will soon merge together with Interstate 294 near Deerfield Road. Both Interstate 94 and U.S. 41 eventually intersect with Buckley Road (Route 137). Turn east (right) onto Buckley Road and go a couple of miles to the Naval Station.

From the north, the Naval Station is easily reached from either Interstate 94 or U.S. 41. Just turn left at Buckley Road (Route 137) and go east a couple of miles to the Naval Station. Once on Buckley Road, to reach the Recruit Training Command, turn right at Illinois Street. To reach the Main Gate, go under the train overpass at the end of Buckley Road and follow the signs.

Arriving by Bus
Bus travelers will find it necessary to transfer to a Waukegan-bound bus either in Chicago or in Milwaukee. Buses from Chicago will usually stop at the main gate to discharge passengers, even though there is no official stop here.

Arriving by Train
The Metra Union Pacific North Line, which is part of the Regional Transportation Authority (METRA), offers commuter service to and from downtown Chicago and to and from Kenosha, Wisc. A one-way fare from the Naval Station Great Lakes to the Chicago terminal for military personnel in uniform costs half the normal fare.

Base Pass and Security
Private automobiles may be operated on the base only if they meet minimum insurance requirements with an approved company. The Naval Station Great Lakes Visitor Center, near the main gate, issues base decals. You must have a current valid registration, valid proof of insurance, a current valid State driver’s license, and a military or civilian ID card. For more information, call (847) 688-5648. For passes after hour, vehicles may pull up to the Main gate #1, with the above listed requirements. One day passes will be issued for access. Patrons must visit the Badge and Pass office for permanent/extended passes during normal working hours.

In addition to providing sentries for the base, the Department of Public Safety also includes the Great Lakes Police Department and Great Lakes Fire Department, which provide police and fire protection for the entire Naval Station. The Investigation section is responsible for investigating suspect thefts, drug abuse and other related offenses. The Fire Fighting Division has established a well-planned fire-prevention, inspection, EMS and fire-fighting program. The Great Lakes Fire Fighting Division also has mutual aid agreements with local civilian fire departments.

Motorcycles
Naval Station Great Lakes requires a motorcycle decal to gain access to the base. To obtain the decal, base employees—including Department of Defense (DoD), Department of the Navy (DoN) and all contractors—must complete the safety foundation rider course. The decals must be permanently affixed and displayed in a prominent position on the motorcycle (no removable or hand-held placards).

Motorcyclists must also wear basic safety gear, such as sturdy over the ankle footwear, long sleeved shirt or jacket, long trousers, full-fingered gloves or mittens designed for use on a motorcycle, a DOT or Snell Memorial Foundation certified helmet and eye protection designed for motorcycle operators. reflective outer garments or vest shall be worn during nighttime hours.

Motorcycle training certification expires three years from completion of required certification course. Base decal expiration will coincide with motorcycle training certificate expiration date. For dates and more information, please visit our Web site at http://www.cnic.navy.mil/greatlakes or call the Naval Station Great Lakes safety office.

Personal Property
If you have shipped furniture or other personal property, the Personal Property Department will be one of the first stops you will need to make. Shipping specialists will help you determine the status of your shipment. Ensure the office has a phone number where you may be contacted. Upon establishment of a permanent residence, incoming personnel must contact the Personal Property Office to make arrangements for delivery of their belongings. A minimum of five working days notice must be allowed for delivery from storage. Personnel who are unable to obtain permanent quarters upon arrival may have their goods placed in storage for 90 days. A second 90-day period of free storage may be granted after completing and submitting a Storage Necessity Certificate, which is available at the Personal Property Office. If, upon delivery of the personal property, there are any damaged or missing items, these should be noted on the pink form 1840 and signed and dated by both the owner and the moving company representative. Three copies should be left with the owner. Any additional loss/damage discovered after the movers depart should be noted on the 1840R (reverse) side of the form. All three copies must be submitted to the claims office within 70 days. Further instructions will be given at that time concerning the claim process.

Arrangements for outbound shipments can only be made Monday through Thursday and are normally made by appointment. You may go to www.smartwebmove.navsup.navy.mil. Some restrictions apply. Call the Personal Property with any questions.

Personal Property Department
Monday through Friday
7:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.
(847) 688-5371 or (800) 637-5401
Great Lakes Navy Lodge

Lodging is available at the Great Lakes Navy Lodge located in the Forrestal Housing Village. The Navy Lodge offers 50 kitchenette units, with two units designed for handicapped personnel. No smoking and connecting units are also available. A mini-mart and gas station, open 18 hours a day, are located nearby. Check-in is from 3 to 6 p.m.; checkout is at noon. All ranks, active-duty (on duty or leave), reservists, retirees, DoD employees on orders, and other authorized guests (including families of recruits graduating from basic training) can make reservations.

Navy Lodge
(847) 689-1485
Fax: (847) 689-1489
Toll-Free Number: (800) 628-9466

Recycling
Everywhere you look, Green initiatives, Green living ideas and Green products are helping us to lead an eco-friendly life. However, the truth is that 23 percent of Americans don’t recycle anything. So why should Naval Station Great Lakes recycle? Waste disposal costs money, fills land- fills and pollutes our oceans. As a country we produce so much waste that we are literally running out of space to bury it, or dispose of it in other ways without contaminating the environment. Also, recycling reduces energy consumption, since it generally takes less energy to recycle a product than to make a new one. The motivation cited most often is that recycling conserves resources. Resources are finite, and the processes required to extract them from the earth are intrusive, risk lives, and leave a big environmental scar. It only makes sense to reuse the materials we already have when possible.

Our military community has an ability to lead and provide a positive example to others. Take a moment to use your paper recycling bin or throw your aluminum can or plastic bottle in the correct bin. Every person can make a difference. If you do not have a recycling program in your building, talk to BMS about getting one started.
Use the bins in your work area to recycle:
• Aluminum cans
• Plastic containers (#1 and #2)
• Mixed paper
• Computer paper
• White paper
• Colored paper
• Magazines
• Catalogs
• Phone books
• Cardboard
• Corrugated boxes • Moving boxes