i have enlisted as a CTI, and i'm off to basic on sept 18 (very soon!). i was just curious if i get sent straight from great lakes to monterey, or if they send me home beforehand?
I was in a "grad-n-go" division in bootcamp, so they shipped me to Monterey the day I graduated from Great Lakes.
As far as I know, you will be shipped there directly, with no chance to go home in between. Of course, things always change, so there might be more info that I'm not aware of.
Yeah, as novemboy22 said you go straight from boot camp to DLI. Your family might have the option to come visit you, but some divisions leave the day they graduate, "grad and go", so there's no time to see family. I'll be half way done with Arabic when you get here. The time at DLI goes so quickly. The time at boot camp is another issue though. Boot camp will suck and will go by slowly, at least it did for me. Just remember that once you graduate, the real Navy is nothing like boot camp. You'll wonder why you were so afraid of Petty Officers after you're here for a week. Good luck and I hope you get a language you want.
Originally posted by saxquiz: Yeah, as novemboy22 said you go straight from boot camp to DLI. Your family might have the option to come visit you, but some divisions leave the day they graduate, "grad and go", so there's no time to see family. I'll be half way done with Arabic when you get here. The time at DLI goes so quickly. The time at boot camp is another issue though. Boot camp will suck and will go by slowly, at least it did for me. Just remember that once you graduate, the real Navy is nothing like boot camp. You'll wonder why you were so afraid of Petty Officers after you're here for a week. Good luck and I hope you get a language you want.
thank you, i appreciate both your answers. a couple more questions actually pertaining to DLI:
is it fun? what are the living situations like? i've heard it's more like a college campus than a base, but i'm curious if it's like an apartment or what? do you guys get free time (weekends, nights) to go out and roam the streets of monterey?
The rooms that you move into first are pretty small. You've got bunk beds, a small fridge, and 2 desks. You can have dsl internet if you want to pay for it, but it's ridiculously slow after school. After you're here for a while (it took 4 months for me), you get to move into better rooms. You actually have a bathroom that you share with your roommate which is very nice after using community bathrooms for 6 months. After school and on weekends you get free time. You have to stand a 6hr watch about once a month, but it's not so bad. You can study while you're on watch. There's no drinking for Navy anywhere on base and you can't have alcohol in your room. All the other branches are allowed to drink at the PX except us. It doesn't bother me because I rarely drink, but some people are annoyed with it. As for fun, it's very relaxed here compared to boot camp at least. I don't know how it compares to other bases. Whether you like it here all depends on if you like learning your language or not. Hope that helps.
thank you so much, saxquiz. i've always wanted to be fluent in many languages, so i'm sure i'll enjoy it.
a couple more questions if you don't mind, haha. when you get freetime, are you allowed to go off base? and/or are there restaurants, movie theaters, etc on base? are the people you're in class with (teachers and students) friendly?
i'm just nervous that i won't have anyone to really relate to once i get out there, i guess.
Just wondering...how do most people get around there? Do you need a car? I'm leaving for boot camp on October 1st so I guess I'll see you in DLI, Lauren.
Originally posted by meli1000: Just wondering...how do most people get around there? Do you need a car? I'm leaving for boot camp on October 1st so I guess I'll see you in DLI, Lauren.
Many people buy a car, or have one prior. You can also call a cab, or bum a ride from someone with a car.
Walking was quite popular too.. lots of places to go within walking distance. Be ready for some huge hills, though.
Originally posted by saxquiz: ...There's no drinking for Navy anywhere on base and you can't have alcohol in your room. All the other branches are allowed to drink at the PX except us...
What a joke. That command is awful. Thank God for Duffy's.
I'm almost positive the number has gone up. B/c people have to go out in town to get drunk now, they get caught either driving (which few do or at least get caught at), or walking back (public drunk, which many do, and the cops are always on the lookout for). Unless they go to Duffy's, which is the only bar right off the base. Fortunately tho, people seem to cope. Maybe it's b/c the majority at the DLI are UNDER 21. Remember, this fact is the primary reason that they don't lift the drinking ban. The OIC is really big on alcohol safety, and you've gotta protect the underaged majority!
As far as personal items, you'll obviously have more room than in boot camp. You wont be able to return home until after coming to the DLI (either during Christmas holiday, or your class break, whichever comes first), so you will be able to see how much space you've got. Remember tho, everything has to be able to be neatly put away, and all valuables are required to be locked up (I'm sure ppl who actually *live* in the barracks will tell u more), so keep that in mind when your parents/whoever sends you stuff.
Originally posted by DIRSUP_KORLING: I'd be interested in seeing some number of alcohol related incidents before and after securing consumption at the Gazebo...
Typical CYA behavior IMHO...
Agreed 100%
While we're on it, I want to see stats for "securing the bush." I have secured the bush many times myself, and I can't bear to think about how not secure the bush must be in light of recent developments.
It is amazing those bushes are alive. I suppose they are thriving due to the alcohol ban.
I'm glad to hear Duffy's is still open...do they still have the cheap margaritas and the nacho bar on Fridays?
Damn, I remember when they built the gazebo, and who built it (it wasn't all on the up and up!!!) I was also not a big fan of the alcohol consumption that went on there...not that I have any problem with drinking, but I have a problem when my room was right next to the gazebo and I was trying to study and ignore a bunch of drunks whooping and carrying on.
Not to turn this into the gazebo remembrance thread, but I felt a great sorrow, as if the voices of hundreds of sailors singing drunkenly cried out in protest and were suddenly silenced, when I saw the signs officially banning alcohol go up.
The part that pisses me off the most is that the Air Force, of all people, get to have alcohol in their barracks. First-term airmen at DLI, who tend to have the responsibility and maturity of kindergarteners, are more trusted with alcohol than sailors are. I've got nothing bad to say about this command, but the stick it has up its *** about alcohol is annoying.
Par for the course....back in my day they were actually handing out article 15s like candy for SMOKING. Not smoking in the room, or even on post...they would send you to mast for smoking PERIOD (even if you were off base) if somebody ratted you out.
I saw a lot of people lose a lot of rank over that. I heard from several reliable sources that the article 15s were eventually overturned and that our dipstick of an OIC got in serious trouble for overstepping his authority because of it, but I do not know what happened for certain.
All I can say is....DLI is the high school after high school.
Let me just say that as MY OWN PERSONAL OBSERVATION as a private citizen, if you feel you are being railroaded or the article 15 charges are ridiculous, request Court Martial, don't accept the mast.
That said, the VAST majority of the article 15's I have seen have been well and truly deserved, and that the process was very fair and above board...with the exception of the above cases and one other involving freedom of religion. Remember you haven't given up your rights, and they can't court martial you for refusing to obey an illegal order. That said...make DANG sure that it IS an illegal order, not just one you don't like
