Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) are taking advantage of the opportunity to gain college credits through the Navy College Program for Afloat College Education (NCPACE).

NCPACE offers participating Sailors high-quality learning opportunities and experiences from accredited post-secondary institutions. The purpose of NCPACE is to provide shipboard personnel with educational opportunities comparable to those available to shore-duty personnel.

"I try my best to give Sailors the same training that I give my students back home," said Bridgette Callahan, a Central Texas College instructor embarked on board George Washington. "It's really a privilege to be here teaching them. They are so hard working. With the environment they are exposed to on the ship - with drills and everything - it can be tough to focus on school. So I make sure that I'm factoring those things in."

According to Operations Specialist 2nd Class Richard Knight, NCPACE instructors are very understanding and work around military drills, requirements and exercises, to provide a friendly learning environment.

Except for the cost of the books and materials, NCPACE is 100% tuition free.

"I believe everyone should take advantage of this opportunity. It's free education," said Knight. "Yes, it gets tough sometimes balancing school and day-to-day operations on the ship, but proper planning is what's getting me through. NCPACE is giving me the opportunity to finish my degree. It's helping me with self-discipline and giving me the structure to help me finish my degree this time around."

Callahan said she heard about NCPACE and immediately wanted to help deployed Sailors achieve their educational goals.

"My students have some of the most amazing jobs and the longest working hours that I ever could've imagined," she added. "I feel like I need to pay them back for all of the sacrifices that they're making. I couldn't articulate that until I got here. I initially came for the adventure, and now I just want to help these young men and women in the best way that I can."

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, are on patrol in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. George Washington will conduct a hull-swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) later this year after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan.

For more news from USS George Washington (CVN 73), visit www.navy.mil/