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June 14, 2019
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Shore enterprise commander visits the Navy’s only boot camp
Story, photo By PO1 Amanda Kitchner Naval Service Training Command The top leader of the Navy’s shore enterprise visited Naval Station Great Lakes and Recruit Training Command (RTC) May 30-31 to observe advancements in training designed to improve the basic warfighting skills and toughness of the Navy’s newest Sailors. Vice Adm. Mary Jackson, commander of Navy Installations Command, oversees 10 regions and 71 installations located throughout the world that sustain the fleet, enable warfighters and support families. “The Navy shore enterprise continues to play a key role in accelerating the Navy’s advantage,” Jackson said. “The Navy’s capability of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas would not be possible without the installations.” While at Naval Station Great Lakes, Jackson toured base facilities that serve as rate-specific training centers for a portion of the Sailors who are newly graduated from the Navy’s only boot camp. During the tour, she met with Rear Adm. Jamie Sands, commander of Naval Service Training Command, and Capt. Ray Leung, the installation’s commanding officer, to discuss the impacts the changes to training have had as well as ongoing efforts to improve training for
Commander, Navy Installations Command, Vice Adm. Mary Jackson (right) speaks with Commander, Naval Service Training Command, Rear Adm. Jamie Sands, left, during a visit to Naval Station Great Lakes and Recruit Training Command (RTC). Jackson is visiting to observe advancements in training designed to improve the basic warfighting skills and toughness of the Navy’s newest Sailors and also served as reviewing officer for a graduation class of 528 new Sailors during her visit. More than 35,000 recruits are trained annually from the Navy’s only boot camp.
enlisted personnel, officers and Reserve officers. Jackson also observed the restructured training facilities at RTC. The command recently replaced extensive computer-based training with hands-on learning, using multiple repetitions of basic skills applied in increasingly complex and realistic training. Through hands-on learning, recruits undergo various training, including physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline for approximately
eight weeks. “This process culminates during battle stations, an overnight, scenario-based, high stress evaluation where recruits are expected to self-organize and perform tasks, which simulate routine and emergency situations at sea,” Capt. Erik Thors, commanding officer, RTC, said. Jackson also served as the reviewing officer for the graduation class of 528 new Sailors. The ceremony is the formal recognition of the end of their basic training, after which they will report to advanced training specific to their rating or to the fleet for
their first commands. “We will ask a lot of you, and like ships that go to sea, you will project power, you will deter conflicts, and you will be expected to sail into troubled waters and do what it takes to keep our homeland safe,” Jackson said to the graduates. “You should feel amazingly proud of what you’ve accomplished here in Great Lakes. I know that your families are proud too. Proud of the honor, courage and commitment that you show. Proud of the competence and character that you display and that they instilled in you and enabled you to stand
here today.” Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. More than 35,000 recruits graduate annually from RTC and begin their Navy careers. For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit https:// www.navy.mil/local/rtc. RTC is supported by Rear Adm. Jamie Sands, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), and his NSTC staff at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, and Naval Air Station Pensacola. NSTC supports 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy’s Citizenship Development program. This includes the NROTC units at more than 160 colleges and universities; Officer Training Command (OTC) on Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island; RTC, the Navy’s only boot camp, at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois; and Navy JROTC/Navy National Defense Cadet Corps units at more than 600 high schools worldwide. For more information about NSTC, visit https://www.netc. navy.mil/nstc or visit the NSTC Facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/NavalServiceTraining.
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