Navy training begins at The Great Lakes Naval Training Center, on the western shore of Lake Michigan. The Navy camp processes over 54,000 new recruits every year. After several examinations and a mandatory haircut, you will begin physical training. You will begin with taking a swimming test which you must pass by the end of your eight week stay. Aquatic and land training will be intense and frequent during the first few weeks of training. You will also partake in classroom learning where you will learn what the Navy expects of you as well as Navy Core Values. Once these basic parameters have been set, you will learn Naval history, laws of combat, money managing techniques, ship communications, and seamanship. I suggest you pay attention and study with your free time since there are periodic written tests scattered throughout your stay at the training center which you must pass before graduation.
After the first three weeks, your superiors will begin to respect you more and the worst will be behind you. The body can adapt to rugged physical conditioning after three weeks so your performance will flourish and you might even be able to enjoy whats left of your training. To get a better idea of the physical requirements for Navy basic training check out this link About.com
For those of you who have completed basic navy training, what was the most difficult thing you encountered? What advice would you give to those interested in joining the United States Navy? We welcome your thoughts and insights about Navy training or a career in the US Navy.
