Naval Station Great Lakes

Naval Station Great Lakes at a glance

Naval Station Great Lakes is a Navy training installation on Lake Michigan in northeastern Illinois. It hosts Naval Service Training Command headquarters and Recruit Training Command, with shore support for schools and other tenant organizations. Its identity centers on preparing sailors for service and technical training, rather than serving as a seagoing fleet homeport.

The installation opened in 1911 and expanded sharply during both world wars. Later base realignment concentrated Navy recruit training at Great Lakes as the Orlando and San Diego recruit training centers closed. The modern station continues to combine recruit training with a broader school and support community. Its Lake Michigan location lies between the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas, with the surrounding region providing residential and transportation connections.

Also searched as: Great Lakes, Recruit Training Command.

Sources: Naval Station Great Lakes: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview

Mission and major activities

• Supports Navy recruit and sailor training.
• Hosts Naval Service Training Command headquarters.

Sources: Naval Station Great Lakes: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview

History and identity

Great Lakes opened on July 1, 1911. The 1993 realignment decision retained it as the Navy's sole recruit training location.

Sources: Naval Station Great Lakes: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview

Location and community

The station is on Lake Michigan north of Chicago and south of Milwaukee.

Sources: Naval Station Great Lakes: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview

Mission and institutional context

Great Lakes is a major Navy training installation and the headquarters location for Naval Service Training Command. Its official history explains how the consolidation of recruit training left Great Lakes responsible for transforming Navy recruits into Sailors, with Recruit Training Command subsequently rebuilt. The station opened on July 1, 1911, so training has shaped its identity for more than a century. Planning question: is the household researching recruit training, a subsequent student assignment or permanent duty? Those different reasons for arriving should guide which command's information and family-support contacts are consulted.

Official sources: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: installation overview

Understanding the local community

The installation is on Lake Michigan between the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. Its official profile uses both cities as geographic reference points, but they should not be treated as adjacent installation neighborhoods. The lakeshore setting and regional location provide context for comparing communities around the station. Planning question: is the planned stay a short training-related visit or a permanent household relocation? Answer that before using family-housing and school material. A parent attending a recruit milestone and a family moving under PCS orders need different information even though both may begin with a Great Lakes search.

Official sources: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: installation overview

Housing options and planning distinctions

Great Lakes' family-housing page identifies Hunt Military Housing and describes several privatized communities, including Forrestal Village, Fort Sheridan, Glenview, Halsey and Nimitz Village. The Navy Housing Service Center assists with eligibility, referrals, community rentals and current availability information; the property manager handles residence and maintenance matters. The separate unaccompanied-housing guidance ties accommodation to assignment status. Planning question: which residence category and community are actually under consideration? Do not infer a student's arrangements from a family-home listing. Ask the HSC and sponsoring command to clarify the applicable process before comparing permanent residential options.

Official sources: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: housing assistance; MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Great Lakes family housing

School systems and education transitions

The Great Lakes school liaison describes support for PCS school transitions, deployment, postsecondary preparation, homeschooling connections and special-education navigation. Its official education page includes separate state resources for families considering Illinois and Wisconsin. That makes the proposed home and state important parts of a school search, rather than an afterthought. Planning question: which district serves the exact address, and what transition assistance does the student need? Bring records and any support-plan questions to the receiving school and liaison. Confirm district requirements directly instead of assuming the same enrollment process across the regional state line.

Official sources: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: education and schools

Published addresses and access

Use the destination label below to distinguish visitor access, a service office and postal mail. A published address does not authorize entry. Confirm current access, sponsorship, appointments and reporting instructions with the official office before travelling.

Before you arrive

Use these questions with your sponsor or gaining organization. They are a starting point for planning, including assignments, courses and training periods that differ from a routine permanent change of station.

1. Confirm the organization, duration and reporting instructions shown on your orders. Ask which office handles your arrival.
2. Clarify lodging and housing arrangements before booking. Ask about availability, required approvals and how to handle a late arrival.
3. Before choosing a home, compare the commute, lease terms, school needs and your household budget. Ask the housing office about the options that apply to your situation.
4. Coordinate household goods and personal travel with the appropriate transportation office. Keep orders, receipts and important family records together.
5. Make a short list of contacts for medical care, schools, childcare and family support, where applicable to your assignment.

Official PCS planning resources   Housing allowance information

Sources: Naval Station Great Lakes: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overview

Resources for service members and families

Start with the official resources for Naval Station Great Lakes and ask which services your household can use. For a training site, rotational location or Reserve component assignment, confirm arrangements with your unit rather than assuming the services of a large residential installation are available.

From this mission to your next career

The mission at Naval Station Great Lakes suggests the following areas to consider when describing your experience. These are LockLeed career suggestions based on the public mission, not a list of vacancies or qualifications held by everyone assigned here.

Write down the equipment, systems, processes and teams you personally supported. Add a specific result you can discuss publicly, then match that evidence to the civilian role you want. Keep operational details and sensitive information out of your application.

Official transition resources   Explore SkillBridge programs

Official contacts and installation services

Use the named official resource for this installation or its support community. A directory link does not establish service eligibility, availability or a reporting location. Confirm arrangements with the office or your gaining organization.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and editorial notes

Installation facts above are drawn from the official sources below. Career suggestions and planning questions are LockLeed editorial guidance. Use official offices for current policies, eligibility and arrangements.

1. Naval Station Great Lakes: MilitaryINSTALLATIONS overviewSupports: overview, mission, local context, planning note, history
2. MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: housing assistanceSupports: expanded guide and official services
3. MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: Great Lakes family housingSupports: expanded guide and official services
4. MilitaryINSTALLATIONS: education and schoolsSupports: expanded guide and official services

Reviewed 2026-09-30. This independent guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense. Map points are approximate and are not routing or reporting instructions.