General
great mistakes
What does great mistakes mean?
A wry name for Naval Station Great Lakes, the Navy's recruit training center.
"He froze through winter boot camp at Great Mistakes."
Origin
U.S. Navy; pun on 'Great Lakes.'
Frequently asked questions
What is 'Great Mistakes'?
It is a wry sailors' nickname for Naval Station Great Lakes, the U.S. Navy's recruit training center.
Why 'Mistakes' instead of 'Lakes'?
It is a pun on 'Great Lakes' that captures how miserable recruits find boot camp there, especially in the brutal winters.
Where does the nickname come from?
It comes from Navy recruits and sailors as a play on the base's real name.
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