Who to call, week by week, for your move to Naval Station Great Lakes
Pick your report date and a few answers. You get the steps in order, the official guidance behind each one, and the local businesses and base offices to call.
Who and what is moving with you?
15 steps for your move to Naval Station Great Lakes. Your answers never leave this page.
As soon as you have orders
Start now
- 1
Call your transportation office to schedule the military move
As soon as you receive your PCS orders
Military OneSource says contacting your local transportation office to schedule the shipment as soon as orders arrive improves your chances of getting the moving dates that work for you.
- 2
Moving yourself? Check your entitlements, then line up local movers
Before you start a full or partial PPM
Military OneSource says it is best to contact your transportation office before a full or partial personally procured move, so you understand all of your entitlements.
- 3
Call the base housing office
As soon as you know you are moving
Call this office when you get orders to Great Lakes, even if you plan to rent off base. It handles family housing...
Source: Military OneSource installation directory (matches Naval Station Great Lakes phone directory)
Who to call
- Navy Housing Service Center(847) 688-3440
- 4
Request child care and call centers near the base
As soon as you know your duty station and tentative arrival date
MilitaryChildCare.com says requesting care then gets you on the waitlist, and suggests requesting several programs and program types, such as a child development center and family child care.
- 5
Buying a home? Compare VA lenders
Once you have orders, before you shop for a home
VA says lenders offer different interest rates and fees, so shop around for the loan that best meets your needs.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Buying a home with a VA-backed loan
Before you arrive
The weeks before your report date
- 6
Reconfirm your child care request
45 days before the date you need care, if you asked more than 60 days ahead
MilitaryChildCare.com says a request made more than 60 days before you need care must be reconfirmed 45 days before your date care needed.
Source: MilitaryChildCare.com, FAQs
- 7
Talk to a real estate agent
After you are notified of the assignment; buy only once orders are in hand
Military OneSource suggests starting to look at places to live once you know your next assignment, and cautions against permanent decisions, such as buying a home, until you have orders.
Source: Military OneSource, Arranging a Personal Property Shipment
- 8
Renting? Check the lease for a military clause
Before you sign a rental contract
Military OneSource says to make sure the contract has a military clause that lets you break the lease if you are reassigned or deployed.
Source: Military OneSource, On- and Off-Base Housing and Living
- 9
Buying? Book a home inspection before you close
During the purchase, before closing
VA strongly recommends an inspection for major defects before you buy, and notes that a VA appraisal is not the same as an inspection.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Buying a home with a VA-backed loan
- 10
Reserve base lodging
Before you travel
Call for a room on the main side of Naval Station Great Lakes when you are traveling on orders or visiting. The inn is...
Source: Navy Gateway Inns and Suites (DoD Lodging)
Who to call
- Navy Gateway Inns and Suites lodging(224) 637-2104
- 11
Arrive before your household goods, or line up storage
A day or more before the delivery date
Military OneSource recommends arriving a day or more before your scheduled delivery so your things do not go into storage, since getting a stored shipment delivered again can take up to a few weeks.
The week you arrive
Your report week
- 12
Stop at the visitor center for passes
When you first reach the gate
Call before your visit if you need a visitor pass or a base badge to get onto Naval Station Great Lakes.
Source: Naval Station Great Lakes phone directory (CNIC)
Who to call
- Visitor Center (Badge and Pass Office)(847) 688-5648
- 13
Clean the new place before the movers deliver
Before the movers arrive at the new home
Military OneSource suggests pre-cleaning the new bathroom and kitchen, and leaving enough time so you are not cleaning around boxes.
- 14
Keep pets safe on moving days
On pack, pickup and delivery days
Military OneSource asks families to make sure pets are secured and out of the way whenever packers and movers are at the home.
- 15
Visit the family readiness center
Your first days on base
Call for help settling in, relocation, deployment support, and family programs, and to ask about hours and walk-in...
Source: Naval Station Great Lakes phone directory (CNIC)
Who to call
- Fleet and Family Support Center Great Lakes(847) 688-3603
About this plan
When should I start calling people before a PCS to Naval Station Great Lakes?
As soon as you have orders. Call your transportation office to schedule the military move, Moving yourself? Check your entitlements, then line up local movers, Call the base housing office, Request child care and call centers near the base, Buying a home? Compare VA lenders. Each step on this page shows the official guidance it comes from.
Do my answers or my report date get sent anywhere?
No. The plan is built in your browser and your answers stay on your device. Nothing is sent to us or to any business until you choose to call or send a Get Quotes request.
Where do I find BAH and schools for Naval Station Great Lakes?
MilitaryLineup covers who to call. BaseReady.app covers what to know, including housing allowance from the official rate files and school districts.