As the new year begins it can be fun to look back, and reflect, on the many changes, events, successes of Training Support Center (TSC) Great Lakes during 2018. 

The students and staff of the commands have created a year that was memorable in many ways.

TSC Great Lakes said farewell to two commanding officers and welcomed a new one. Capt. David Dwyer relieved Capt. Edward Heflin, who relieved Capt. Mark Meskimen as commanding officer.

The command’s Executive Officer Cmdr. Kevin Halfacre retired from the Navy after 22-years of honest and faithful service. Cmdr. Jason Juergens stepped in to replace Halfacre.

Incoming Sailors at TSC continue to be expertly trained during a four-day LifeSkills class that teaches them critical information they will need to know in order to have a successful Navy career. an indoctrination for Sailors arriving from boot camp before they attend any rating-specific courses. The course covers sexual assault intervention, military pay and entitlements, healthy relationships, navigating stress, operations security, banking and financial management service, and responsible alcohol use.

Navy Military Training Instructor Senior Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Orlando Garcia was given authorization to assume the title and wear the uniform of a master chief petty officer.

Fifteen first class petty officers were selected for promotion to chief petty officer and fourteen staff and students advanced to the rank of first class petty officer.

In an effort to bring stronger awareness to suicide prevention, TSC promoted the Navy's message of "1SmallAct" during special training sessions for staff and students.

Student barracks designed and presented their Suicide Awareness Prevention Month themed posters to be judged by TSC Great Lakes leadership increasing attention to the month’s messaging.

Held at the Epicenter, the event featured bowling, pizza, movies, live music and various other activities focused on raising attention to the theme "Every Sailor, Every Day."  The USS Porter was chosen as the winning barracks in the poster contest.

This year saw a number of foreign and domestic visits letting TSC show and share successes in getting Sailors ready for the Fleet.  Visits included Mr. Kirk Harris, Special Assistant, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense with direct assignment to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training; Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer, commander of U.S. 7th Fleet, and 7th Fleet Command Master Chief Benjamin Howat; Seven Royal Saudi Naval Force (RNSF); Twenty senior foreign students from Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) Foreign Students; and Congressional aides and members of the Federal Executive Board.

TSC Great Lakes' Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions Sailors were named the 2017 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award winners "Peer-to-Peer" Shore for the U.S. Navy. This is the third year in a row they received the award.

The award honors groups of junior Sailors that have excelled in encouraging other Sailors to embody the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment, and have worked together to promote peer-to-peer mentorship and reduce destructive personal decision-making and behaviors.

Sailors continue volunteering their time in the local community improving lives outside of the command.

TSC Sailors and students spend one morning each month reading books and answering questions from students at Forrestal Elementary School in Great Lakes as part of the reading buddies program.

Sailors team up with volunteers at Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville, Illinois, to help prepare meals for starving children around the world.

CSADD Sailors were doing their part to help improve the environment working in Independence Grove Forest Preserve. Every Thursday a group of Sailors travel to the forest preserve in Libertyville to maintain the forest and its natural beauty by clearing out invasive species of plants and replacing them with trees and plants native to northern Illinois. In addition to this, volunteers also help to maintain a community garden.

And, led by the TSC Holiday Committee and Petty Officers Association, Sailors were busy collecting gifts for two organizations that assist in the lives of kids during the winter season. Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts, and The Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program which provides gifts of new clothing and toys to thousands of children who otherwise might not have anything for Christmas.

Volunteering goes both ways with the great relations TSC has with the community. This is no more apparent than how the surrounding area opened their hearts and homes to ensure Sailors who cannot travel home have a happy holiday.

More than 400 students at TSC were invited by more than 140 local hosts to their homes and the McHenry VFW Post 4600 to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal as part of the annual Adopt-A-Sailor program.

To close the year, buses were loaded and students were making their way to various parts of the country as a Mass Exodus was in full effect for Training Support Center (TSC) Great Lakes.

More than 5,000 TSC Sailors gathered in the base Moral, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) gym facility, Navy Exchange, National Museum of the Great Lakes and the USO waiting for buses that transported them during the early morning hours to local airports and family members to pick them up. Present were numerous TSC, Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit Great Lakes and Surface Warfare Officer School Unit Great Lakes staff to assist in the process including Capt. David Dwyer, commanding officer of TSC.

The past year’s review, along with previous ones, is impressive. TSC has created a long annual tradition of successes proving that the command can look forward to great accomplishments in training, volunteerism and continued support with the surrounding community.

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