NAVAL RTC, Great Lakes

• Oldest Naval Training Center: Naval Station Great Lakes, home to Recruit Training Command (RTC), was commissioned in 1911, making it the oldest continuously operating Navy training center in the United States. • The Navy's "Boot Camp": RTC Great Lakes is the U.S. Navy’s only enlisted recruit training facility, training over 35,000 recruits annually. • World War II Expansion: During World War II, Great Lakes RTC expanded massively, training over 1 million sailors between 1941 and 1945. • First African American Sailors: In 1942, Great Lakes became the first U.S. Navy training facility to admit African-American recruits, who trained at Camp Robert Smalls. • Historic Buildings: The base features several historic buildings, including Building 1 (the original administration building), designed by renowned architect Jarvis Hunt. • Birthplace of the Bluejackets: Recruits graduating from RTC are called "Bluejackets," a term dating back to the earliest days of the U.S. Navy. • Liberty Bell Replica: The base proudly displays a full-sized replica of the Liberty Bell, a symbol of American freedom and patriotism. • Women in the Navy: The first women accepted for volunteer emergency service (WAVES) trained at Great Lakes during World War II, paving the way for female integration into the Navy. • USS Trayer (BST-21): RTC houses the USS Trayer, a 210-foot-long simulator ship used for realistic recruit training, including firefighting and damage control exercises. • Pass-In-Review Ceremony: The weekly graduation ceremony, known as Pass-In-Review, is a time-honored tradition where families and officials witness recruits become full-fledged sailors.