Welcome Aboard!  

The Naval Station Great Lakes Security Department investigates, apprehends, or detains individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States and the UCMJ.  We provide 24-hour service with a team of Military and Civilian Officers.

Whether you are visiting our installation or assigned here, it is our goal to provide a safe and secure environment to live, work, learn and train.

Visitor Information and Traffic Regulations

All personnel and their vehicles entering Naval Station Great Lakes are subject to inspection by Navy Security Force Personnel and/or Military Working Dogs.

Visitors in private vehicles are required to use the Main Gate entrance located on Farragut Ave.  Commercial vehicles shall use the Gate 5.  Visitors should have their identification and driver's license readily available when entering the base to expedite entry and to assist security personnel in keeping the traffic flow moving.  If stopped upon entry for an administrative inspection, follow the officer’s instructions.

Possession of weapons aboard Naval Station Great Lakes is prohibited under Federal Law. Violators will be apprehended and weapons confiscated. Please call the base armory at 847-688-6795 for any questions.

Speeding

The base-wide speed limit is 25 MPH unless otherwise posted.

Notable Exceptions:

• 5 MPH in all parking lots.
• 15 MPH in all housing areas.

Naval Station Great Lakes has a ZERO-TOLERANCE policy for speeding in housing areas.  Security Force personnel utilize radar for traffic enforcement.

Motorcycles – Naval Station Great Lakes regulations require the use of an approved D.O.T. helmet, proper outerwear, long sleeves, pants and boots to operate a motorcycle on base. A reflective vest is required to operate a motorcycle during the hours of darkness.  Personnel assigned to Naval Station Great Lakes are required to complete an approved Motorcycle Safety Course every 3 years before registering a motorcycle on base.

DUI - Security Personnel aggressively enforce DUI laws on base. Violators will be apprehended and their vehicle impounded.

Radar Detectors  - The operation of radar detectors and jammers on base is prohibited. Violators will be ticketed and the device confiscated.

Seatbelts  - Seatbelts are mandatory for all vehicle occupants while on base. Naval regulations mandate the use of seatbelts for all military personnel off base as well.

Cell Phones  - The use of cell phones, including in-ear hands-free devices, while driving on base is prohibited. Violators will be ticketed.

ID CARD. Address: Visitors Control Center, 2535 Sheridan Road, Bldg. 6130, Rm 105, Great Lakes, IL 60088-2915. Phone: 847-688-3928. 

The VCC has secured Saturday services until further notice.

For hours of operation, and to schedule an appointment, please go to: https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco/

Visitor Control Center is closed on the below Federal Holidays: 

• New Year's Day (January 1).
• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Third Monday in January).
• Washington's Birthday (Third Monday in February).
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May).
• Juneteenth (June 17)
• Independence Day (July 4).
• Labor Day (First Monday in September).
• Columbus Day (Second Monday in October).
• Veterans Day (November 11).
• Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November).
• Christmas Day (December 25).

Visitor Control Center is located in Building 6130 adjacent to the Naval Station Great Lakes Main Gate. Vehicle registration is conducted during normal working hours.  The following information is required for vehicle registration:

Vehicle registration.

• Current proof of insurance.
• Valid driver's license.
• DoD identification card.
• Borrowed vehicle drivers must present a notarized authorization letter from the vehicle's owner.
• Rental vehicles drivers must present a current rental agreement in the driver's name.
• Personnel residing in housing not on active duty or retired will be required to submit vehicle information to the base housing office. The housing office will conduct background checks and submit paperwork to Pass and ID for passes. At no time will general base access be granted to non-military affiliated personnel. 

Traffic Tickets

The Great Lakes Police Department aggressively enforces all traffic regulations on Federal property.  If you receive a traffic ticket on any installation property with a mandatory court appearance, you MUST appear in traffic court on the date specified on the citation. Failure to appear WILL result in the revocation of your base driving privileges. Additionally, military personnel could be subject to UCMJ action.  If you are a civilian or are non-base affiliate and receive a Federal Magistrate citation, the Magistrate's Court will notify you of your court date.  If you have questions regarding traffic citations, call 847-688-5555 x233.  

• Military personnel must appear in the uniform of the day and be accompanied by a representative from their chain of command.
• Dependents must be accompanied by their sponsor.

The courtroom is located inside the Visitor Control Center building (6130).

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Q&A about marijuana laws for Illinois, military members

As of Jan. 1, 2020, possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana for recreational has been legalized in the State of Illinois.  However, use and possession of marijuana on a military installation, or by military members or Department of Defense employees, is still illegal under the Controlled Substances Act.

Members should be vigilant about the contents of what they eat, drink, and buy as marijuana, CBD, and hemp products become more prevalent.  This includes making sure that civilian friends and family don’t leave these products in a military member’s home or vehicle. 

Federal law establishes zero tolerance for drug use by any federal employee.  Because marijuana and its derivatives, including CBD, are still controlled substances under federal law, use or possession of these products could form the basis for security clearance revocation, disciplinary action, or removal from federal service. 

Individuals who are authorized to enter the installation may have their driving privileges revoked if they are suspected of driving under the influence of any intoxicant, to include marijuana.  Additionally, civilian employees, contractors, and dependents who bring marijuana or CBD products on base could also be barred from the installation.

The following are some answers to frequently asked questions.

How are hemp and CBD related to marijuana?

Marijuana, hemp, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and cannabidiol, or CBD, all come from the same plant – Cannabis sativa L.  Under the Controlled Substances Act, any derivative of the Cannabis sativa L. plant is “marijuana.”  Marijuana, and derivatives of marijuana, are Schedule I controlled substances.   

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the “Farm Bill”) created a small exception to this definition of marijuana.  Derivatives of the Cannabis sativa L. plant containing no more than .3 percent THC would be defined as “hemp,” not marijuana.  However, even though this definition removes “hemp” from the list of controlled substances, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not currently regulate hemp production.  Without FDA oversight, there is no way to know for sure that products labelled “hemp” actually contain less than .3 percent THC.  For that reason, products labelled “hemp,” “CBD,” “THC-free,” etc. should be treated with caution. 

 Are military members authorized to use any marijuana, CBD, or hemp products?

There are a small number of FDA-approved medications that contain THC or CBD that may be prescribed to military members.  If a member is prescribed one of these medications, he or she must consult with a military medical provider before bringing these medications on base.   

Otherwise, marijuana and its derivatives are controlled substances under federal law, and the use or possession of any such substance is punishable under Article 112a, Uniform Code of Military Justice. 

Military members are specifically prohibited from the knowing ingestion of hemp, and products derived from hemp.  This includes any CBD product labelled as “hemp-derived” or “THC-free.” The ingestion of hemp products is punishable under Article 92, UCMJ.  Ingestion means any way that a product or chemical gets into the body – regardless of whether the form is smoking, vaping, oral or intravenous use, or the use of transdermal patches or even creams and lotions absorbed by the skin.   

What is not authorized to bring on base?

Marijuana and CBD in all forms are prohibited on Naval Station Great Lakes.  However, individuals may be granted an exception for prescribed FDA-approved medications that contain THC or CBD.  Any military member or civilian prescribed an FDA-approved medication that contains THC or CBD should seek clearance from military medical providers, their supervisory chain, and the civilian personnel office, as applicable, before bringing those medications on base.

Hemp products – not including CBD – may be brought on base, but military members are prohibited from ingesting hemp.  Even so, all individuals should be cautious about the hemp products they consume or bring onto the installation, as the FDA does not regulate these products, and there is no way to ensure they contain less than .3 percent THC. Any product containing .3 percent of THC or greater is classified as marijuana. Examples of these products include hemp lotions, soaps, and oils that are labelled as being CBD or THC free.

 What about military spouses or family members?

Though affiliated with military, be it active duty, Reserves, or National Guard, military spouses are still treated as civilians in the eyes of the law and the military. So, if something is legal in your state, then military spouses are treated the same as any other civilian.

But that doesn’t give you free rein to use marijuana or CBD wherever you want. This is especially true on government property as these are still federally-controlled substances. Government property includes on base or in any military housing (on base or off).

Also, be aware that even if you can use cannabis, your service member cannot.  If you leave cannabis in a vehicle that your service member drives onto base, he or she has technically introduced an illegal substance onto a military installation.  The use or possession of an illegal substance could end a service member’s career.