US Navy sailors receive enhanced navigation training

As part of its efforts to building a safer and more combat-effective force on the aftermath of two deadly collisions in 2017, the US Navy announced that 19 sailors graduated from the updated Quartermaster (QM) “A” School curriculum during a ceremony at Surface Warfare Officer School Unit (SWOSU) Great Lakes, on 20 June.

Under the updated curriculum, the graduates head to their next command as certified operators of the Voyage Management System (VMS) 9.3, which features a streamlined user interface designed to improve the watch teams’ ability to navigate efficiently.

The updates ensure that the knowledge Sailors have gained during their eight week school will be aligned with current requirements in the fleet,

…said Chief Quartermaster Gregory Lorenz, leading chief petty offer at SWOSU Great Lakes QM “A” School.

The update to the instructor-led integrated learning environment includes increased laboratory time, four weeks of terrestrial navigation training, and an addition of 40 hours of celestial navigation training, which replaced obsolete training.

New QM curriculum provides updated material to align with the Fleet’s navigational guidance. QM students will experience challenges in VMS, celestial navigation and rules of the road training just to name a few areas in the newly updated course. Stepping up the knowledge level in our future QM’s, much will be expected of them once they report aboard their first command,

…explained SWOSU Great Lakes Commanding Officer Cmdr. Terrance Patterson.

Meanwhile,  enlisted Quartermasters and Operations Specialists are benefitting from significantly increased Automatic Radar Piloting Aid (ARPA), AIS, Lookout, and radar operator training, as outlined in the Readiness Reform Oversight Committee’s (RROC) Report to Congress.