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USAREC Great Lakes Battalion

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USAREC Great Lakes Battalion, Michigan

United States Army Recruiting Great Lakes Battalion in Michigan is, like many Army recruiting operations, a geographically dispersed operation. Headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, USAREC Great Lakes Battalion recruits and assigns recruiters through the entire state.

Find information about USAREC Great Lakes Battalion, Michigan including the main commercial and DSN numbers for the base, information on basic services, base transportation, lodging for TDY and PSCing personnel, and inprocessing.

Mission & Units

USAREC Great Lakes Battalion is all about recruiting–officer, enlisted, and warrant officer recruitment through the entire state of Michigan. The Battalion is made up of companies which include:

  • Battle Creek Company 
  • Bay City Company 
  • Grand Rapids Company 
  • Lansing Company 
  • Pontiac Company 
  • MT Clemens Company
  • Dearborn Company

The Great Lakes Battalion falls under the jurisdiction of the 3rd Recruiting Brigade, which is described as “the center of Army recruiting activities for an area stretching across the north central United States and tasked with the recruiting mission in all or part of eleven states”.

Contacts

Main Address And Phone Number

6500 Mercantile Way, Suite #2
Lansing, MI 48911
517-887-5771

Important Contact Phone Numbers

  • Battalion Headquarters 517-887-5771
  • Executive Officer 517-887-5771
  • Battle Creek Company 269-963-6655
  • Bay City Company 989-671-1729
  • Grand Rapids Company 616-363-4879
  • Lansing Company 517-323-4660
  • Pontiac Company 248-698-2640
  • MT Clemens Company 586-465-3924
  • Dearborn Company 313-662-3999
  • Advertising & Public Affairs 517-887-5782
  • Training 517-887-2597
  • Soldier & Family Assistance 517-887-2597 
  • Budget & Accounting 517-887-5782
  • Information Technology (S-6) 517-887-5783
  • Education Specialist 517-887-5773
  • Human Resources (S-1) 517-887-5774
  • Mission Market Analyst (S-2) 517-372-3210
  • Operations (S-3) 517-887-5780
  • Logistics (S-4) 517-887-5777
  • Virtual Recruiting Team 517-372-3189

Surrounding Area

Those assigned to the Battalion could work in any number of locations in the state of Michigan so what is available to you in terms of travel, recreation, and family activities will depend greatly on where you are assigned.

The headquarters is located in Lansing, which is roughly 90 minutes from Detroit. This location in general is excellent for midwest travel and not just to the Motor City. The following destinations within reach from Michigan

  • Windsor, Canada
  • London, Canada
  • Toledo, Ohio
  • Cleveland, Ohio
  • Akron, Ohio
  • Fort Wayne
  • Columbus Ohio

Seasonal conditions can make prolonged drives challenging depending on the amount of snowfall and other factors but in general most of these destinations are accessible year-round. That said, it pays to research Canadian destinations in the winter before you commit to the drive.

Inprocessing and Check-In

All PCSing troops are directed to coordinate arrival and check-in with their sponsor. In-processing requires hand-carried documents such as your medical records, education records, current orders and amendments, DEERS updates for new family members where applicable, and other details. 

Assume you will be required to check-in the next duty day following your arrival in Lansing or same-day depending on circumstances. All PCSing troops should be assigned a sponsor–request one if you get your orders and no information is forthcoming within a reasonable amount of time after receiving them.

Health Care

All troops assigned to the Battalion will enroll in TRICARE Remote for their healthcare needs. Contact your TRICARE rep to update your coverage options and choose care providers in the network where you will physically serve. Not all assigned to the Battalion work at its headquarters in Lansing; there are a large number of assignments physically located throughout the state.

Child Care

All inbound soldiers PCSing to the Great Lakes Battalion are directed to seek out child care options using MilitaryChildCare.com, which is a Department of Defense website that can help you request military child. Depending on where you will physically serve once you have in-processed to the Battalion, you may or may not have access to a nearby military childcare facility such as the CDC, Family Child Care, etc. 

You should contact your sponsor as soon as you have PCS orders to determine what your options might be assuming you have already been assigned to a geographic location within the state. However, you may find that your actual duty location may be selected after you have inprocessed.

Household Goods

Inbound soldiers are directed to track and manage their household goods shipments via the Defense Personal Property System at Move.mil. 

Dependent And Retiree ID Card Renewal, Replacement, New Issue

Depending on what part of the state you physically perform your daily duties in, you may or may not have access to a Michigan-area military base. Ask your sponsor about your options to renew ID cards and get other services depending on where you will be assigned.

Schools

School choices will be determined by where you live within the state of Michigan. Remember that many soldiers PCS to the Battalion without being assigned to the headquarters there in Lansing, so you’ll need to refer to the  U.S Department of Education state contacts page for information for your area. You can also get local help at Battalion HQ from the Soldier & Family Assistance Office at 517-887-2597 or the Education Specialist at Education Specialist 517-887-5773.

Housing

Housing choices will vary greatly depending on where you are assigned within Michigan. Contact the Great Lakes Battalion Housing Office at 517-887-5771 or 517-372-3127 for assistance with making plans for housing once you arrive–contact them as soon as you have PCS orders to learn about your options for Michigan housing.

Transportation

The nearest major airports near Lansing, MI include:

  • Capital Region International Airport (five miles away)
  • Bishop International Airport (55 miles away)
  • Gerald R. Ford International Airport (60 miles away)
  • Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (90 miles away)

The usual ride sharing and commercial taxis may be available depending on your arrival time, demand, tourist season, etc. It’s best to discuss your arrival with your sponsor to determine the best way to proceed once you have collected your baggage at the airport.

Vehicle Registration And Driver’s License

The State of Michigan requires certain minimum auto insurance coverages including no-fault insurance. You cannot register a vehicle within the state without this insurance coverage. If you are assigned to Michigan with a vehicle that has a title in your name in another state, you must submit a copy of the title or current out of state registration. 

Do not submit originals as they will not be returned. Michigan law requires drivers to register their vehicles as soon as they become state residents. If you register to vote in the state, you will be required to register your vehicle.