RTC Divisions and Ships/Processing Days (P-Days)

Typically the first 4-10 days  after the new recruits arrive at RTC are called Processing Days or P-Days.  Around holidays and sometimes for unforeseen issues (flight delays, severe weather, etc.) P-days can last up to 14 days.  Although recruits are assigned to a ship and division upon arrival, these assignments are not final and they do not move to their designated ship until P-days are over.   Unplanned events may change that ship assignment.   Your sailor's recruiter may give you an address a day or two after your recruit arrived at Great Lakes with a particular division that may not be final. This is why NavyDads always advises you to wait for your sailor's form letter with his or her correct address.  That letter typically arrives 5-10 days after they have shipped to RTC. 

When a group of new Recruits arrives at the RTC, they go through a simple sorting provess - those with a Musician (MU) rating and those with music or flag/drill experience are assigned to a 900 division (if those are needed) and those going into Special Ops are sent to the 800 division. There are usually only 25 or fewer 800 divisions a year, so not every TG will have one, but some TG's have one or two 800 divisions. The remaining recruits are generally assigned randomly, mostly as they arrive, to additional divisions. Generally a TG has 10 or fewer divisions currently.  Seldom are more than four divisions filled on a particular day. In that case, recruits with similar ratings will end up in the same TG, but not necessarily in the same division. Once one division is full, they start filling another, so divisions often end up with groups of recruits from only a few areas. The Recruits' ratings do not influence which division they will be placed in except for those placed in an 800- or a 900-series division. Females are placed in integrated divisions, containing both males and females, or in an all female division. Males are placed in either an integrated or all male division depending on the sort as they arrive. 800-series divisions are all male most of the year, but can also be integrated divisions at times when there are female candidates for AIRR and/or EOD. Beginning in the summer of 2013, each TG will have one all female division, which will be the sister division to an all male brother division.