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Great Lakes Part II, leaving in 3 weeks

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https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/320601935/m/5520018515

June 19, 2025, 11:51 AM
OttoSig
Great Lakes Part II, leaving in 3 weeks
Leaving Augusta to head back to Pensacola for a month. Then I’ll check in first week of August at Greta lakes for roughly 6 months of training before finally reporting to my Ultimate Duty Station next February.

Looking forward to it and gonna see some of you folks on my way up from Florida. Got a lot of logistics to plan out between now and then.





10 years to retirement! Just waiting!
June 19, 2025, 12:11 PM
Mark in Michigan
OttoSig,

Do you mean Naval Station Great Lakes on Lake Michigan in Illinois?


Best regards,
Mark in Michigan
June 19, 2025, 12:39 PM
bcereuss
I took it to mean “Great Mistakes.”
June 19, 2025, 01:33 PM
OttoSig
quote:
Originally posted by Mark in Michigan:
OttoSig,

Do you mean Naval Station Great Lakes on Lake Michigan in Illinois?


Yes, RDC duty for the next 3.5 years.





10 years to retirement! Just waiting!
June 19, 2025, 01:49 PM
Mark in Michigan
Thank you.
I hope you will enjoy your assignment there.


Best regards,
Mark in Michigan
June 19, 2025, 03:10 PM
SpinZone
I'm looking forward to following your tour. I was an RDC there from 98 - 02. My son went through basic there around 2010 and the changes in those few years were substantial.

I'm interested in hearing your take how things are being done now.



“We truly live in a wondrous age of stupid.” - 83v45magna

"I think it's important that people understand free speech doesn't mean free from consequences societally or politically or culturally."
-Pranjit Kalita, founder and CIO of Birkoa Capital Management

June 19, 2025, 03:17 PM
SW_Sig
The military is changing under the current commander-in-chief. My son does not talk about it much but I can hear the change in his voice, he is much happier.

Otto, Texas is no where near your route but if you are ever in the Dallas area, you are welcome.
June 19, 2025, 03:23 PM
Valpo Fz
I’m about two hours away in Northwest Indiana right off the toll road. I make it up there about once every year or so.


" The people shall have a right to bear arms, for the defense of themselves and the State" Art 1 Sec 32 Indiana State Constitution

YAT-YAS
June 19, 2025, 08:28 PM
RR
quote:
Originally posted by SpinZone:
I'm looking forward to following your tour. I was an RDC there from 98 - 02. My son went through basic there around 2010 and the changes in those few years were substantial.

I'm interested in hearing your take how things are being done now.


98-02? How did you like it? Were you a brown shoe or black shoe. Seemed like most were E6 and E7 when I was there toward the end of 00.
June 19, 2025, 09:32 PM
92fstech
Congrats, I know you've been wanting to do this for a while, and it's awesome that it's finally happening! What does training for RDC duty involve?
June 19, 2025, 10:04 PM
vthoky
quote:
Originally posted by OttoSig:
Yes, RDC duty for the next 3.5 years.



Good luck with it, Mr Otto! Smile


(And what is RDC?) Big Grin




God bless America.
June 19, 2025, 10:34 PM
OttoSig
quote:
Originally posted by 92fstech:
Congrats, I know you've been wanting to do this for a while, and it's awesome that it's finally happening! What does training for RDC duty involve?


9 weeks on classroom training on leadership and RDC specifics. Then 9 weeks of reveille to taps 6 days a week, Sundays off, pushing a division as a blue rope. Then I go straight to pushing as an actual RDC red rope.

quote:
Originally posted by vthoky:
quote:
Originally posted by OttoSig:
Yes, RDC duty for the next 3.5 years.



Good luck with it, Mr Otto! Smile


(And what is RDC?) Big Grin


Recruit Division Commander, and thank you.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: OttoSig,





10 years to retirement! Just waiting!
June 21, 2025, 12:20 AM
SigSAC
An article I found about the "red rope"

https://www.usni.org/magazines...ry/wearing-red-rope#
June 21, 2025, 06:16 AM
Chris42
Fond memories. From September 1976. I did boot there, then A and C schools. Cold winters if Memory serves.
June 21, 2025, 07:05 AM
1flynDO
If you drive through columbus ohio happy to go to dinner!
June 21, 2025, 02:10 PM
SpinZone
quote:
Originally posted by RR:
quote:
Originally posted by SpinZone:
I'm looking forward to following your tour. I was an RDC there from 98 - 02. My son went through basic there around 2010 and the changes in those few years were substantial.

I'm interested in hearing your take how things are being done now.


98-02? How did you like it? Were you a brown shoe or black shoe. Seemed like most were E6 and E7 when I was there toward the end of 00.


I was sent there on involuntary orders which is it’s own story.
The short answer is it was one of the best jobs i ever had at the absolute worst command I was ever stationed at.

I was surprised to realize how much I enjoyed the day to day, nuts and bolts part of training a division. You started out with 92 snot nosed kids in the middle of the night, and 9 weeks later you put a completely different group on the bus. The change is pretty incredible. I would watch parents walk right past their child at mom and pop night without recognizing them.

The command did everything they could to prevent us from turning out the best new sailors possible.

I'm really interested in hearing OttoSig's take on how it has changed.



“We truly live in a wondrous age of stupid.” - 83v45magna

"I think it's important that people understand free speech doesn't mean free from consequences societally or politically or culturally."
-Pranjit Kalita, founder and CIO of Birkoa Capital Management

June 21, 2025, 03:11 PM
Sigmund
quote:
Originally posted by OttoSig:

Recruit Division Commander...


What is a division in the Navy? Us former Army people (Marines as well) understand our divisions, but I know it's very different with USN.

SigSAC (who probably understands squadrons and wings) posted a good article about recruit companies. Can I assume multiple companies comprise a division? Are there companies on ships?
June 21, 2025, 04:35 PM
OttoSig
quote:
Originally posted by Sigmund:
quote:
Originally posted by OttoSig:

Recruit Division Commander...


What is a division in the Navy? Us former Army people (Marines as well) understand our divisions, but I know it's very different with USN.

SigSAC (who probably understands squadrons and wings) posted a good article about recruit companies. Can I assume multiple companies comprise a division? Are there companies on ships?


At boot camp it’s your standard 90 recruit “group” that you go through the course with. Typically 3 RDCs per division. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd RDC, based off rank. That’s also how recruits address you during boot camp. Nobody gets to call anyone by their rate until they graduate and are actually a USN Sailor.

In the rest of the Navy it’s the lowest level of organization, consisting of 10-50’ish Sailors depending on the size of the Command or work center.

Division-Department-Command (Either a ship or shore Command). In joint-service we also have directorates after departments but that’s usually only for OPCON, not ADCON.

Probably most closely related to a platoon.





10 years to retirement! Just waiting!