By Steve Vanderwerff, Naval Education
and Training Command Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Air
Technical Training Center (NATTC) hosted 39 civilian leaders of the Secretary
of Defense's Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) for a tour April 27,
highlighting how the Navy trains Sailors and Marines to become aircraft
mechanics and technicians.
Rear Adm. Don Quinn, commander, Naval
Education and Training Command (NETC), accompanied the group during their tour
of NATTC.
"As always, our young Sailors and
Marines at the Naval Air Technical Training Center stole the show. They
impressed these civilian leaders from the start, and showed them why our
training is our asymmetric advantage. The combination of superb people and
leading-edge training gives our maritime forces the capability to respond
quickly to crises and win in combat," said Quinn. "The technical
expertise gained, combined with developed critical thinking skills, gives our
Sailors and Marines the ability to defeat known threats, and deal with those
that are unexpected. While at the training center, JCOC visitors experienced
firsthand the training that goes into preparing our newest Sailors, enabling
them to fulfill their role in defending our nation.
"At NATTC and throughout the NETC
domain, we use blended learning solutions which combine instructor-led classes,
hands-on labs, simulation, interactive courseware, and computer-based training
to give our graduates the tools they need to succeed."
The JCOC program is sponsored by the Secretary
of Defense to provide civilian public opinion leaders greater knowledge of the
military and national defense issues. JCOC is the oldest existing Department of
Defense outreach program, having been held more than 80 times since its
inception in 1948. The group visiting NATTC included leadership from various
universities, county and city elected officials from several communities across
the nation, as well as national and regional civic leaders, and representatives
from professional athletic teams, and various news and entertainment media.
"What we hope is that the members
of the JCOC will learn more about the Department of Defense," said Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs for Community and Public
Outreach René Bardorf. "Each day we've visited individual branches of the
military. We want to educate them about the uniqueness of the human side of
each of the services. We'll show them the capabilities, but we want them to
return to their communities and be empowered to take action to help our service
members as they re-integrate after a decade of war, back into their
communities. We hope the experience will then cause them to take action to help
us to transition our service members into employment opportunities, education
opportunities and improve their wellness over the time their back in their
communities, and for the rest of their lives."
While at NATTC, the group was shown how
air traffic controllers are taught to safely direct incoming and outgoing
aircraft at both shore facilities and aboard ships. A portion of the tour
included how Sailors are taught electro-hydraulics in the Aviation
Electrician's Mate A-School, as part of the maintenance and repair aircraft.
They also saw how students are taught to
maintain and build aviation ordnance, including bombs and missiles. They
wrapped up their tour with a visit to the learning center's aircraft engine
lab, where Sailors are taught how to maintain and repair fixed-wing and rotary
aircraft engines.
When they return to their communities,
JCOC group members are encouraged to share their knowledge within their spheres
of influence.
"As president of the State Chamber
of Oklahoma, part of my job is to not only meet other people around the country
and those we have business connections with, but to also recognize and realize
the impact the military has on our economy, which we recently did a study
on," said Fred Morgan, president and chief executive officer, State
Chamber of Oklahoma. "Being a part of the JCOC and seeing the military in
the real world allows me to put it into context, which is very important to me
and my organization."
Morgan says he was very impressed by the
training that the Sailors receive at NATTC and the skills they have to support
the Maritime Strategy.
"We went to a very modern computer
training lab, and I wish all schools were using that type of system in our public
schools," said Morgan. "I was amazed by the level of education and
the quality of these young Sailors. It gives you hope in this generation of
young adults."
NATTC graduates approximately 15,000
Navy and Marine students each year. The largest part of this student body is
comprised of enlisted personnel attending "A" schools designed to
provide them with the knowledge and skill levels required to perform as
technicians at the apprentice level.
Advanced schools provide higher level
technical knowledge for senior petty officers, and specialty schools offer
specific skills not particular to any one rating, such as airman apprentice
training, maintenance, personal financial management and shipboard aircraft
firefighting. NATTC also conducts technical training for officers in aviation
fuels, carrier air traffic control center operations, aircraft launch and
recovery equipment, shipboard aircraft fire fighting and amphibious air traffic
control center operations.
"It's important that the people who
are part of JCOC have a better understanding of how we develop the youth of our
nation and the payback the youth get from their time in service," said
Capt. Terry Burt, commanding officer, Center for Naval Air Technical Training
Center. "The feedback I got from group members was that it rounded out
their experience. They were able to see a variety of operational type training
over the last few days and were impressed by the various levels of training,
from initial boot camp to taking them to the next step which is initial skills
training, which is primarily what we do here in Pensacola before they go out to
the operational units."
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