One challenge of a large base like Great Lakes has always been the logistics of moving personnel between
facilities to eat and attend classes (among other activities).  In the last few years, the Navy has started
replacing their aging facilities with state-of-the art buildings that each contain various meeting spaces
and other resources to allow recruits to spend more time within the same building and less moving from place to place

Within these "ships", individual rooms are called "compartments", and bunks are "berths".

These new facilities are bright, spacious, and provide high-tech classroom facilities.  A major benefit is
that nearly all the new "ships" have self-contained dining halls ("galley"), to further reduce outside movement.

Another interesting feature is the "coffin locker" - berths which flip up to store a recruit's gear.  While these
are similar to what a seaman will find on the average naval vessel, we're told these are somewhat larger.

In 2004 we had the privilege of spending weekend 1 "aboard” the U.S.S. Constitution,
which was nearly new in 2003.  CAP was the first non-USN organization to utilize this building.  

Weekend 2 found us assigned to the U.S.S. Arizona, another brand-new ship.  The Arizona is located in the
recently opened "Camp John Paul Jones" area of the RTC.  In fact the JPJ underpass didn't even exist in 2003.

In 2005 we were "stationed" aboard the U.S.S. Triton, another nearly new ship, and this time around we were able to mess "aboard"
ship - which meant meals were a quick walk downstairs.

For 2007 we were guests aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, one of the last ships completed on the base, and another outstanding facility.

Lokoing forward to 2008, we anticipate being housed in another new facility, and are hoping to be able to use the new ceremonial hall
being built in Camp Jone Paul Jones, for drill and P&R practice.

Bob Williams, Maj, CAP
2008 Spring Encampment Commander