USS America hosts First ASVAB Booster

23 April 2021

From Seaman Apprentice Theodore Lee, USS America (LHA 6)

SASEBO, Japan – The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) provided Sailors an opportunity to improve their careers by administering the Armed Forces Classification Test (AFCT) here April 15.

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Senior Chief Navy Counselor Scott Lane, left, from Malvern, Ohio and Chief Navy Counselor Anita Felix, right, from Houston, both assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), proctor the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery in the Fleet Activities Sasebo Community Educational Center. America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region

SASEBO, Japan - Senior Chief Navy Counselor Scott Lane, left, from Malvern, Ohio and Chief Navy Counselor Anita Felix, right, from Houston, both assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), proctor the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery in the Fleet Activities Sasebo Community Educational Center. America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region

America was approved to be an official testing site for the AFCT in January, which is a secondary test for active duty service members who have already taken the Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and want to improve their score. America is the first amphibious ship to be approved to administer this test.

“When we heard the Navy College Office was closing its doors in Sasebo and the opportunity for Sailors to retake their ASVAB test would no longer be an option, we had to take action,” said America’s Command Master Chief Randy Bell. “The Sailors we are entrusted to lead and care for deserve the best opportunities possible and our future depends on them and their ability to grow and progress in their careers.”

Each military occupational specialty requires different scores. The overall score and the individual scores for each section, including mathematics, verbal comprehension, and general science, dictate the applicant’s qualification for each specialty.
“We’re giving Sailors a chance to change careers to something they would prefer within the Navy,” said Chief Navy Career Counselor Anita Felix. “Providing this service to the Sailors is a great feeling, and it’s a great day for America to help Sailors strive for their goals in the Navy.”

America’s testing option is the only one available in the Sasebo area and is open to every command on the base.

“I really appreciate having the opportunity to test myself and see if I can qualify for a job in either engineering or administration,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuels) 3rd Class Latasha Velez, from Tampa, Fla., assigned to America. “It’s scary to think that this opportunity almost went away.”

America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners, and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

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