NeL Afloat Records More Than 200,000 Course Completions During FY12

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Education and Training Command, announced Nov. 8, the Navy's Web-based training system, Navy e-Learning (NeL), set a record in Fiscal Year 2012 for the most course completions by afloat units.

Nearly 217,000 course completions were recorded by 191 ships and submarines during the year.

"As we work to constantly improve the afloat side of Navy e-Learning, and we are seeing increased usage and better results as this application matures," said Hank Reeves, NeL project director. "We've seen steady increases in usage and availability each year since the inception of NeL in 2001"

NeL afloat offers more than 1,600 courses, ranging from Information Assurance Awareness training required of all Sailors to hull-specific training for individual units.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) was one of the top NeL afloat performers in 2012 with more than 19,000 course completions.

Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Halfacre is Vinson's training officer and appreciates the flexibility that NeL offers his Sailors.

"Our crew is able to complete all of their required General Military Training (GMT) courses using NeL and that helps us manage our schedule while underway or pierside," said Halfacre. "We don't have to schedule classes, classrooms or instructors onboard; the flexibility and 24/7 availability of courses through NeL afloat works very well for us."

The computer server hosting NeL afloat is resident onboard each platform and runs independently without a constant Internet connection. When connectivity is available, the server can transfer information back to the shore side for updating Sailors' Electronic Training Jackets (ETJ) and transmitting the latest training and personnel information. NeL software and courseware updates are pushed to afloat units on a monthly basis. Each month, ships receive 50 to 100 new courses via training amendment packages.

"Navy e-Learning is a great tool for Sailors onboard aircraft carriers. It allows them to complete required shipboard training such as the Damage Control Petty Officer (DCPO) course. But, it also supports their personal and professional development by offering Professional Military Education and foreign language courses," said Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Gregor, Aircraft Carrier Training Readiness Officer for Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Although online courses are available on all of the Navy's sea-going platforms, operational limitations can vary system performance throughout the fleet.

"Due to the nature of the submarine operating environment and bandwidth limitations of submarine communications networks, NeL is challenged to provide the same quality of service experienced by other fleet Sailors," said Mark Steele, knowledge manager for Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. "We are optimistic, however, that with hardware upgrades and the development of tailored software solutions, we are headed in the right direction to optimize the NeL experience for our submarine Sailors."

On the ashore side, the NeL environment consists of a comprehensive catalog of distance learning course offerings available internationally to Active and Reserve component Navy military personnel, DoN civilians, contractors, dependents and retirees. The catalog currently contains more than 8,000 courses (including the 1,600 available through NeL afloat), and supports Navy "A" and "C" schools with content and learning management services.

"As NeL continues to grow, we look forward to improved performance from both the shore and afloat versions," said Reeves. "Our ultimate goal is to have the same connectivity and performance for Sailors regardless of where they are located, providing the training that the fleet needs."

The acquisition effort to modernize Navy e-Learning (NeL) capabilities is called the Enterprise Training Management Delivery System (ETMDS). The ETMDS modernization represents a significant upgrade to existing shore-side NeL capabilities and offers a pathway for introducing additional capabilities in the areas of Total Force workforce management and development. The system is currently in the testing phase.

To visit the full Navy e-Learning catalog, click on the NKO Web site at https://www.nko.navy.mil and after logging in, click on 'Navy e-learning online courses' under the 'learning' tab on the top right of the page.

For more news from Naval Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnet/.