Commander, Naval Education and Training Command visits Recruit Division Commander "C" School

By Brian Walsh, Recruit Training Command Public Affairs Specialist

GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- The commander of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), Rear Adm. Michael White, visited Recruit Division Commander (RDC) "C" School at Recruit Training Command (RTC) July 17.

During his visit, he met and addressed the dedicated team of instructors and students going through the school.

"Thank you for choosing to become a RDC," said White. "Just being here in this seat proves that you stand out among your peers. We understand that this is a rough course of instruction, but, for good reason. You are entrusted with forging the next generation of Sailors."

RDCs, also known at RTC as "red ropes", are entrusted with the job of developing recruits into smartly disciplined, physically fit and basically trained Sailors.

Prior to being considered for duty at RTC, Sailors are extensively screened and recommended for duty by their commanding officer. After arrival, they are evaluated and trained by a team of seasoned RDCs that make up RTC's RDC "C" school instructors.

Currently, there are nearly 600 trained RDCs and 53 RDC "C" school students, known as "blue ropes" at RTC.

RDC "C" School is a 13-week long, physically challenging and intensive hands-on training course that prepares the "C" school students with the skills, perspective and physical readiness to be a RDC.

"The most difficult part for incoming students is the physical training and being held to an extremely high standard," said Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Eric Atkinson, a RDC "C" School instructor. "It takes commitment, a strong sense of attention to detail and dedication to be a RDC."

Atkinson says that all RDC "C" school students start their training in the drill, administration and the star phase. During this time, blue ropes work on things like folding and stowing, compartment and personnel inspections as well as dynamic material inspections. This includes the lockers and the way gear should be properly folded and stowed.

The next phase, the leadership phase, teaches the blue ropes specific leadership skills, which are tailored to the unique recruit chain of command structure.

The final phase of training is the shadow phase. During this phase, blue ropes follow a recruit division to observe the training by a qualified RDC.

Information Systems Technician 1st Class Jake Boles, currently going through RDC "C" School, says he decided to become a RDC because the leadership and mentorship opportunities while training recruits are hard to duplicate anywhere else in the fleet.

"Of all the people I have met during my time in the Navy, RDCs have been the most professional," said Boles. "I wanted to become a RDC because I believe I can live up to that standard in training the future of the Navy."

For recruits entering RTC, their RDCs are the first people they encounter that will prepare them to accomplish the Navy's mission. To ensure that recruits get the best training, RDCs are dedicated to not only giving recruits the information they need to succeed, but setting the example of the standards they should strive for while in the Navy.

Boot camp is approximately eight weeks, and all enlistees into the United States Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms familiarization, firefighting and shipboard damage control, lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. Since the closure of RTCs in Orlando and San Diego in 1994, RTC Great Lakes is, today, the Navy's only basic training location, and is known as "The Quarterdeck of the Navy." Today, approximately 38,000 recruits graduate annually from RTC and begin their Navy careers.

RTC is overseen by Rear Adm. Rich Brown, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), headquartered in Building 1; the historic clock tower building on Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill. NSTC oversees 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy. NSTC also oversees the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) at more than 160 colleges and universities, Officer Training Command at Naval Station Newport, R. I., and Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.