US Navy Recruit Training Command - Keel Yearbook (Great Lakes, IL)

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usually about 700 Marines stationed at the Center, although their nutn- ber varies with the training sched- ule. 'lihe Administrative Connnand, which occupies inost ol' the original training station, is the nerve-center of Great Lakes. lt handles the phys- ical lnaintenance and overall achnin- istration ol' the entire Center. 'l'he Service School Connnand is made up of seven Navy trade schools, where Blue-jackets are trained for some ol the highly technical jobs in the Navy. 'l'he schools' courses range in length from l2 weeks at the Journalist School to 42 weeks at the Electronics Technicians School. Other units in this connnand are the lilectrician's Mates, Interior Connnunications, Engineinen, Fire Controhnen, and Machinists Mates schools. Equipped to provide prac- tical experience as well as classrooni instruction, the schools admit only especially selected inen. lvlany stu- dents enter innnediately after coni- pleting their recruit training. 'lihe largest ol' the four connnands at Great Lakes is the Recruit Train- ing Cltlllllllllllfl. More than hall' the inen entering the Navy receive their first training here. Great Lakes is also the home of the Navy's only ,Jw y qfxffafy wif ylsfxj - r 3 li 1-wa.q.mw. WM N W! fi' 1 f . 4 1 K! 1 r.,,,V,,.g ' Nfirkft 7 .. - ate! ' ,ff ,V-f -Msmfm we .pert 'ss-fa ,?'3+ . 4, -a gr-..g:5:,q.g .... .:g5f, 3 is the headquarters ofthe Naval Training Center. , 1 Service is the Navy's depart- ment store. 4 recruit barracks.

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.Xt its wartinie peak, Great Lakes hatl a crowclecl capacity ol' lllltllllll 111en. More tl1a11 a million liluejaekets, almost a thirrl ol' the lI1Cl1 i11 tl1e wartinie lleet. were trained at Great Lakes during tl1e war. On March 28. lil-lfl. the Secretary ol' tl1e Navy estahlishecl tl1e 'l'raining Station as a group connnantl anrl reclesignatecl it the U. S. Naval 'l'raining Center, Great Lakes. Illi11ois. 'l'he Center has lour suborrlinate connnancls: the Marine Barracks, ancl the .-Xclrninistrative, Service School, ancl Re- cruit Ylillitllllllg eonnnancls. I11 peacetime Great Lakes l'C1l1ZllIlS tl1e worlcl's largest naval training center anrl one ol' our Navy's 111ost important establish- ments. ters of tl1e Connnanclant, Ninth Naval Dis- trict. who has general supervision over Naval activities within tl1e clistrict's l5 states. One ol' the IIIOSI lIIlIJ0l'l21l1l lunctions ol' the Coninianclant is tl1e 2itllIlll1lSll'2lLlOll ol' the clistrict's civilian Naval Reserve. Two recent atlclitions to the CICIIICI' are the Naval Supply Depot. which is heconnng OIIC ol' tl1e Navy's large centers ol' supply rlistrihution. ancl the Navy Meclieal Research llnit. locatecl i11 Clllllp fil'CCll Bay. which is eonclucting research in respiratory cliseases anrl rheuinatie lever. A Naval Hospital. also loeatetl at Great, Lakes, has complete facilities lor nmintaining tl1e Navy's high Skedbdg inspections have changed very little lluilrliiw' l ol the Center is the heaclquar- h Naval Training Center is located on the shore of Lake Michigan. stanclarcls ol' physical elliciency. Here treatinent is giv- C11 to patie11ts ol' all the arrnecl forces. SCl'YlCClIlCl1iS rlepenrlents also are given nietlical treatn1e11t i11 the hospital's Depenclents' Care Department. Another activity ol' the Naval Hospital is the Hospi- tal Corps Sehool, where luture corpsnien lear11 the skills neetlecl i11 their work during a11 i11te11sive l6- week course. 'lihe Marine Barracks is chargecl with general clis- ciplinary ancl security controls. 'llhis eonnnancl also carries out a Nlarine training prograni. 'lll1Cl'C are A formation in what is now the service school area. since this picture was taken. Recruits now sleep in bunlcs instead of hammocks, however, and wear their ratings on their sleeves instead ot their cuffs. Com- pany commanders no longer wear leggings. Y I 2 if K if-M. za-.ve in---2-. X tmmrsmsl The four-wheeled 'field pieces were 'familiar equipment to recruits of years ago.

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Auditorium. Waxfe Recruit Training School, which is under the direction ol the Recruit. Training Command but lo- cated in a dillerent part ol' the Center. Men going through the twelve-week recruit training period are prepared both physically and mentally to take their place in the Navy. They receive instruction touching on almost every phase ol' Navy life, from the proper method of rolling a unilorm to techniques used in lighting fires. ln the course ol' his training the recruit receives both a basic indoctrination in the many skills he will need I -Headquarters of the Ninth Naval District. 4 houses a huge drill hall and Catholic chapel. as a liluejacket and a broad picture ol' the entire Navy, its history, traditions, and customs. Physical training, inoculation against diseases, and training in first aid, physical hygiene, and related sub- jects form another major part of the recruit training program. Coupled with wholesome food and the active but healthful environment of the training camps, this program results in a noticeable improvement in the physical condition of most recruits. A sharp break between civilian and Navy life, recruit training is the basic element in any man's time in the Naval service. It is the keel of a career in your Navy.