Ceremonial Guard: The boot camp experience

This is an informational posting for moms, spouses, families, friends and significant others. Please use this as an introduction to what your Sailor recruit is going through during their CG boot camp experience. If you have questions regarding anything here, please post them on the main board for all to read. Eventually the most asked questions will be collected to create an FAQ.

First, when your Sailor is selected to be a recruit with the Ceremonial Guard, it is a great honor! Most likely they have just finished Navy boot camp. Now they will be headed to Washington, D.C. for another boot camp situation which has the same restrictions as the one they just came out of. In other words, they will be in a controlled environment which has little contact with the outside world. The reasons are the same as they were for their initial boot camp, to keep them focused on the training they are about to receive. They may be allowed phone privileges on Sunday, but there is no guarantee to that.

Your Sailor will not be allowed to have their cell phone or any other electronic gadgets, nor should you send them food or civilian clothes (with the exception of running shoes). If they already have their cell phones with them, then their Squad Leader will keep it safe for them until the end of boot camp. You can send them letters, cards and post cards which they will be very grateful to receive. You should keep in mind that the mail processing is not as fast there as it is at other places and it can take 10 - 14 days for them to receive your mail.

The address for a Sailor in training must look exactly like this:

U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard
c/o Training Platoon
SR [Last Name] [MI], [First Name]
2798 Doherty Drive SW
Anacostia Annex
Washington, D.C. 20373

For the next 6-9 weeks your Sailor will be going through inspections that will be done over and over because they are not easy. The following is a list of the inspections in the order which they will take place:

1) UT's (or Utilities)
2) B's
3) A's
4) Gate Standing
5) Full Dress
6) Lockers
7) and lastly they must "Drill Out" to finish the boot camp training before graduation.

Please remind your Sailors that they still must follow all rules and regulations at all times, even after successfully drilling out, or they can and will be sent back into training before graduation - threatening their graduation status. For those who have a gap of weeks before graduation, they will be assigned things to do, like assisting at funerals and events. They will not be hanging out doing nothing and they will probably enjoy doing these events.

FINALLY:
Your Sailor is about to embark on a much more physical and mental challenging boot camp then they recently experienced. You should know up front that the Ceremonial Guard has a high drop out rate. There are three circumstances that will release a Sailor from training: injury, not following guidelines they agreed and signed to when they arrived, and not meeting the set deadlines for inspections. There are no thoughts of dishonor regarding a dismissal and ultimately, what everyone wants is for the Sailor to have the best experience possible while they are part of the U.S. Navy. No matter what the future holds for a Sailor, they are always considered a valuable asset and will be treated as such.

GRADUATION:
In general, your Sailor must drill out by the end of the first week of any month in order to graduate in that month. The graduations are always scheduled for the third Friday of the month. If a month does not have the required minimum for a graduation then it will be moved to the following month.

If you have questions about this information, please post them on the main board. THANKS!

PS: Ellie Hardnack is the Command Ombudsman. She is here for the Guardsman, their spouses, and their families. Please feel free to email her at usncgombudsman@yahoo.com or call 202-255-0024.

Or post questions to her ongoing discussion here:

http://www.navyformoms.com/group/ceremonialguardfamilies/forum/topi...