My son is in boot camp. He is supposed to graduate 4/14.
Before he left, he told me that A school for his job that he chose, ICE, Interior Communication Electrician, was 2 years at Great Lakes.
Now, in has last two letters, he says that his A school at Great Lakes is only 110 days. Did the Navy make him change his job?
Replies
In recent years, the Navy has shifted to computer based training in a lot of the A-Schools in an effort to streamline the process and get Sailors to the Fleet faster. As a result, time at A-Schools has been reduced (some drastically). Most likely, this is what happened to your son's A-School and the literature that describes the pipeline for his rate hasn't been updated to reflect the changes yet.
Thanks for the info. Looks like he was given incorrect/outdated info by the recruiter or misunderstood him.
See the story on Navy Links of the Day on the Main page for further information...
While I am not familiar with the schooling for ICE, your SR has signed a contract with the Navy. They will not change his job. The Navy has made recent changes to get Sailors into the Fleet more quickly. Some "on the job" training is involved. More advanced training usually occurs after some practical experience...
Click: https://www.cool.navy.mil/usn/enlisted/rating_info_cards/ic.pdf
Career Path After Recruit Training
Enlistees are taught the fundamentals of this rating through on-the-job training or formal Navy schooling. Advanced technical and operational training is available during later stages of career development.
Advance Technical Training, Great Lakes, IL 9 weeks of basic technical documentation, knowledge and skills of electricity and electronics. Basic mechanical theory.
Class A Technical School, Great Lakes, IL. 13 weeks of CPR, electrical math, basic schematics, AC/DC circuits, solid state characteristics, and logic systems required for the rating.
Some interior communications electricians who graduate from "A" school go on to advanced training courses such as gyrocompass and advanced TV maintenance. Others are assigned to duty stations where they can continue learning their rating through on-the-job training.
IC’s are assigned to ships and shore stations in the United States and overseas. During a 20-year period in the Navy, IC’s spend about 65 percent of their time assigned to fleet units and 35 percent to shore stations.