When is the Great Lakes graduation in October 2026?

Thursday, October 8, 2026. Graduating: Training Group TG-44, divisions 395 to 405, 944. From the official Great Lakes graduation schedule; dates can change if a recruit is recycled.

— Great Lakes graduation · one class

Great Lakes graduation, Thursday, October 8, 2026.

Graduating: Training Group TG-44, divisions 395 to 405, 944. Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Illinois. From the official Great Lakes schedule. Dates can move if a recruit is recycled, so confirm with your recruit.

–Days

–Hours

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— The day

Watch online. Yes. The Navy streams graduation on facebook.com/NavyRecruitTrainingCommand and youtube.com/c/RTCPublicAffairs. The link is the base's own; check it that morning.

Guest names go into the Navy's ticketing app by the Friday before graduation. Names added later cannot get on base.
Every guest picks up a free ticket in person at the Recruit Family Welcome Center off base, at the NEX Burkey Mall, 2650 Green Bay Road, North Chicago. Do not go to the base before you have your ticket.
Adults need a REAL ID, a passport or another accepted ID. Minors can use a student ID, driver's permit, Social Security card or birth certificate.

Getting on base, parking and the ten photos to take: the full Great Lakes guide.

Front of an example CardMyService card — Front

Back of the same example card, with the record of service and a code that opens the family page — Back

— After the ceremony

Every photo from this day can become a card like this.

Their name, rank and unit in gold on the front, numbered like it was issued. Their record of service on the back, with a code that opens one page the whole family can see, plus a video. The card shown is an example.

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Watch how it works on a phone, 30 seconds

— Source

Date from the official Great Lakes graduation schedule, checked September 2026. CardMyService is not affiliated with the Department of Defense or any branch.