Surface Combat Systems Courses Recommended for ACE Accreditation

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- The Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit Dam Neck (CSCSU) Dam Neck) announced, April 30, that the American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended college credit for 14 Surface Combat Systems Courses.

A team of academic experts in early March evaluated 13 courses at CSCSU Dam and one course at CSCS Detachment East. While at the learning facilities the academics were shown how students are taught to maintain and operate a ship's self-defense systems. Of the 14 courses evaluated, seven had not previously been assessed, which increased recommendations for 32 additional college credit hours.

As a result, 64 college credit hours were recommended for Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS), Gun Computer System (GCS) MK 160 MOD 11, GCS MK 160 MOD 4/6, Ship Self-Defense System MK2 OA Maintenance, Total Mission Requirement (TMR) 8092 HF Command & Tactical Computer Modeling Analysis and Simulation (TACMAS) Operations/Maintenance, Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) MK 15 MODS 11-14, 21,23,25-28, TACMOBILE System Operations and Watch Officer, Tactical Support Communications (TSCOMM) Maintenance, Tactical Command and Control System (TC2S) and Intel Center Maintenance, MK31 Guided Missile Weapon System (GMWS) Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) MOD 1/3 and Boatswain's Mate Supervisor.

"The expertise of CSCSU Dam Neck's Director of Training, Learning Standards Office, and course supervisors played a vital role in receiving these essential, college recommended credit hours for students that graduate from our curriculum," said Capt. Luis Boticario, commanding officer, CSCSU Dam Neck. "The results of this assessment will have beneficial impact on the academic credit our students receive in the new Joint SMART transcripts."

According to the ACE website, the purpose of an installation site visit is to review and evaluate military training (courses) and experiences (occupations). The evaluation team analyzes materials, identifies learning outcomes, and recommends postsecondary credit based on its findings. Because the ACE evaluation provides recommendations only, Sailors will need to visit a local Navy College Office to determine if the credits will be accepted at the college or university of their choice.

"It's important for ACE to see how the course material is applied to real equipment," said Fire Controlman 1st Class Kathryn Walston, Instructor Certification and Evaluation (ICE) representative. "The technical training equipment we use provides hands-on experience and plays a vital role in how we train our students to use the equipment on a ship."

The Center for Surface Combat Systems provides surface combat systems training and its headquarters' staff oversees 14 learning sites, including CSCS Unit Dam Neck and CSCS Det East, and provides 67,000 hours of curriculum and 682 courses a year to more than 43,000 Sailors. CSCS's mission is to develop and deliver surface ship combat systems training to support fleet operations and readiness. CSCS Unit Dam Neck and CSCS Det East provide many different curriculums, and are primary training facilities for several Navy combat systems ratings.

For more information on courses recommended for credit visit http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/Military-Guide-Online.aspx .

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