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Sue Coast Guard’s formal training and education system con-
by ®s Wore than 10% of the operating budget and is represented
1^ of the personnel “in the classroom” at any given time.
q e Astern is comprised of basic entry-level (recruit, Coast
Academy, Officer Candidate School [OCS]), basic rating
de school), advanced technical (“C” school), correspon-
i,_. , courses with servicewide exam for advancement, grad- uate/D
°Perati
Postgraduate education, basic flight, tuition assistance, and
•onal training.
J°gra,
ms
Managed by the Office of Personnel and Training
waning Center Cape May: Cape May, New Jersey (Staff: Ira ^*e C°a-st Guard’s sole recruit (boot camp) training center 0t)ns an average of 4,500 to 5,500 recruits per year, depending enl|SerV*Ce needs. It also provides regular, reserve, and prior P lfc<f reorientation training.
531 °ast Guard Academy: New London, Connecticut (Staff: t0rJ' This accredited higher education service academy annually
* 165!
38 deck
t0 fissions 50% of the Coast Guard’s officer accessions (150 per year). All graduates’ first assignment is afloat, either D, -* watch officers or student engineers. Prospective com- jnn. 'n8 officer/prospective executive officer (PCO/PXO) train- ls conducted for enlisted and officer afloat PCO/PXOs (180
to t
rjPer year). The Academy homeports the 295-foot square- Acai S^'P’ used as an afloat training platform for
d„, erriy cadets, officer candidates, and various enlisted ratings N “A” school.
Technical Training Center: Elizabeth City, North tCch !na (Staff: 106). This center provides basic and advanced (jj3nn'cal training for all Coast Guard enlisted aviation ratings to 900 per year).
The°°W Guard Institute: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Staff: 37). g 'nstitute administers nonresident training and testing pro- 13,. s for regular, reserve, and auxiliary personnel. Actual cor- lraj .ndence course development is managed at the respective lng center dealing with each particular rating.
Vir /P introduction UnitITraining Quota Control: Portsmouth, n'a (Staff: 12). This unit provides centralized quota man- ii)s[ nt for all afloat and selected shoreside advanced specialty trjj^don. It interacts directly with Navy quota managers and ^nitl8 centers.
Jjjfh Ser~ve Training Center Yorktown: Yorktown, Virginia (Staff:
' fhis is the primary resident training site for Coast Guard tec, rves; it provides regular and reserve basic and advanced Wea"1Cal training in three major programs: engineering and iritp^c>ns’ operations, and marine safety; provides support for iry National mobile training teams; and provides the training and sjj^rination of the second 50% of the annual officer acces- ) |.S' Trains close to 6,700 students per year.
200,
ngineering and Weapons: Electrician’s mate, damage con-
fiter311’ 8unncr’s mate, and machinery technician; MK-56 Gun- learK °ntr°l currently employs Coast Guard and Navy instructors k § Navy and Coast Guard students. si Prions: Reserve Officer Candidate and Direct Commis- 5|, Officer indoctrination (40 to 60 per year); National Aids to tj0n'phon trains personnel for supervisory positions, naviga- tj0 . aids (NavAids) servicing and maintenance, NavAid posing and district NavAid training teams; International Search-
The U. S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut homeports the square-rigged tall ship Eagle, used for training cadets, officer candidates, and some enlisted ratings.
">gs / October 1989
and-Rescue (SAR) School provides maritime SAR training for Coast Guard and other maritime nations and combat SAR for Department of Defense (DoD) resources; maritime law enforcement (MLE) provided for boarding officers; national boating safety training provided to state boating law enforcement trainers and law enforcement personnel.
►Marine Safety: Marine Inspection and Investigation, Marine Environmental Response, Marine Science Technician, Port Safety and Security (supports maritime defense), Port Security (Reserve), and Fire and Safety Technician (Reserve).
►Mobile Training Teams: Teams provide international training on all skills from SAR to MLE and Coast Guard organization in support of the Security Assistance Program.
Training Center Petaluma: Petaluma, California (Staff: 359). This center provides leadership and management, MLE, training systems, and basic and advanced technical training for support and electronics ratings, both regular and reserve. Trains close to 5,300 students per year, including: electronics technician, hospital services technician, radioman, storekeeper, subsistence specialist, telephone technician, yeoman, emergency medical technician, MLE for boarding team members, Coast Guard Instructor Basic and Course Designers training, Leadership and Management training for regular and reserve. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy, and enlisted officer-in-charge for shore unit.
Postgraduate Education: Normally 240 to 290 personnel (officer and enlisted) attend some form of postgraduate education program throughout the year. The programs also include participation in the various staff and war colleges. The Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, is one of the sources used routinely.
Coast Guard Training Through DoD
►Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
►National Defense University, Washington, D. C.
►Mine Warfare Training Center Charleston: ASW
Trainer e
►Naval Air Technical Training Center, Memphis, Tenness Naval Aviation Engineering Instructor
►Fleet Training Center Norfolk Naval Base: Instructor^
►FleASWTraCen Pacific, San Diego: Diving and
School e
►Navy Damage Control Training Center, Philadelphia: Dam Control Officer Instructor
Attack
Salva§e
colt1'
► The Coast Guard maintains three regional recruiting mands (Norfolk, St. Louis, and Seattle) and participates m
Military Enlisted Processing system. Nineteen permanent are provided for this program.
biHets
Training Facilities!Functions Managed by Offices Other the Office of Personnel and Training
TI0
Command Display and Control (ComDAc): Portsmouth. ^ ginia (Staff: 34) (G-T - Office of Command, Control, and L° ,
munications). This facility provides maintenance
and operation
training for the ComDAC systems employed on the 13 270-f°
;tenlS
medium-endurance cutters. It also supports ComDAC syst ^ design and software maintenance. It trains approximately students per year. pli
National Motor Lifeboat School: Cape Disappoint111 Washington (Staff: 39) (G-N - Office of Safety and Water* Services). This facility provides special training in opera -
►Fire Control Technicians: Service Schools Command Detachment, Great Lakes, Michigan (25 per year)
►Public Affairs Specialist: Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana (810 per year)
►Sonar Technician: Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Training Center (FleASWTraCen) Atlantic, San Diego (40-45 per year) Coast Guard Personnel Instructor Billets at DoD Schools:
►NAS Pensacola: Basic Flight Training and Rescue Swimmer Instructor
►Naval Amphibious School, Little Creek: Shiphandling
►Patrick Air Force Base: Human Relations Training
►Chief of Naval Air Technical Training, Corpus Christi: Basic Flight Training
Coast Guard motor lifeboats in extremely adverse sea con^l'^ei to enhance prosecution of search and rescue and various o missions. It trains approximately 200 students per year.
Aviation Training Center Mobile: Mobile, Alabama (
243) (G-O - Office of Law Enforcement and Defense DPv_ tions). Provides Coast Guard aviation pilot training, aircraft sition training, and special aviation equipment training f°r cer and enlisted personnel. .
ArealDistrict Training Teams: Each area and district ma|n ^ training teams for continuity in training for operational miss1 within their geographic regions of responsibility. aSt
Fleet Training Group (FTG)IFleet Training Unit (FTU)- ^ Guard personnel are assigned as ship riders to train Navy Coast Guard units at FTG San Diego, FTG Guantanamo FTG Pearl Harbor, and FTU Little Creek. Coast Guard cU participate extensively in Refresher Training.
_______________________________ On Second Thought-------------------------------------------- —
I was just beginning to recover from the awful illness of Dengue fever when my ship, the USS Prairie, crossed the equator near the coast of East Africa. From sick bay, I could hear the sounds of mayhem as the “Pollywogs” were initiated by the “Shellbacks,” those sailors who had previously crossed the equator and had already been through the ordeal.
The ship’s doctor asked me if I wanted to go through the initiation so I could have my Shellback’s card, signed by “King Neptune’s Royal Judge.” 1 was still very weak and didn’t show much enthusiasm for the idea. “I really think you ought to be initiated,” the doctor said. “Look, I’ll go along to make sure you’re not treated too roughly. If you don’t go now, eventually we’re going to cross the equator again, going north. At that time, there’ll be 600 Shellbacks aboard this ship and only one Pollywog, you. Want to wait ’til then?”
“I’m ready now,” I said.
Ross W. Murphy
160
Proceedings
/ October