Great Lakes, Illinois - Ms. Lynn Simpson, Executive Director, Total Force Manpower & Personnel (N1) for Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet visited Training Support Center (TSC) Great Lakes and Learning Sites (LS) September 20.
The purpose of the visit was to familiarize Simpson to the training used at the commands that provided 24-hour supervision, leadership, training and mentorship of Sailors.
“I wanted to see the larger training mission, do tours, talk to Sailors and not only talk about the complexities of what a Sailor goes through on a day to day bases,” Simpson said. “Being the head of manpower and personnel for the Pacific Fleet it was directly applicable to the work that I do from a policy and Fleet perspective every day.”
The day began with a tour of the student indoctrination’s Life Skills training. Sailors arriving on board from boot camp attend the training before any rate-specific courses. Subjects taught in the course cover sexual assault intervention, military pay and entitlements, healthy relationships, navigating stress, operations security, banking and financial management service, and responsible alcohol use.
At Surface Warfare Officer Unit (SWOSU) Great Lakes, command leadership led a tour of the training facilities of Basic Engineering Common Core (BECC).
BECC is a 13-day course where students learn engineering principals and theory. It balances interactive courseware training with hands-on training labs, instructor-led classroom training. They also visited the SICLOS Lab, and Purifier Lab and LPD 17 Maintainer Course where students gain knowledge and skills to maintain engineering control systems in the fleet.
“Getting the opportunity to host the executive director of manpower and personnel for the Pacific Fleet at SWOSU Great Lakes, and the chance to showcase what our sailors do day-in and day-out was tremendous,” said Lt. Megan Leis, executive officer of SWOSU. “This visit enables us to provide a snapshot into how our instructors leverage technology to stay current with the needs of today's fleet sailors while being responsible stewards in today's fiscally constrained environment.”
Their visit continued at Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit (CSCSU) Great Lakes at the Gunner's Mate “A” School's Fire Arms Training Simulator and Electronics Technician/Fire Controlman “A” school T1 RADAR partial task trainer.
The final leg of their tour of TSC and LS was at the Galley’s Windy City Café where they enjoyed lunch with the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD). CSADD put junior Sailors in a position to stop their shipmates from making decisions that will have negative impacts on their life and their Navy career. The program is geared toward Sailors E5 and below, between ages 18 to 25. They promote positive choices and develop leadership through organizing local social networks, facilitating discussion, producing visual messages, promoting community involvement and hosting recreational events.
“CSADD was an exceptionally talented group,” Simpson said. “They are so motivated and enthusiastic about serving and wanting to learn and grow. And the caliber of instructors that I saw was just outstanding. Prior to my trip here, I was at an executive engagement event in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where I had a number of questions asking about what I thought of the younger generation and our millennials; ‘do you have faith in them to serve in our military,’ … they asked. I said back to them … ‘I believe that our young Sailors are among the best our country has to offer; they are so devoted and passionate about service.’ And my visit today just reinforces what I told the group of people in Green Bay.”