Afloat Training Group (ATG) Norfolk, the executive training arm of Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic, provides dynamic, quality afloat training to Navy and Coast Guard Sailors to ensure we have a combat ready force capable of performing a broad spectrum of maritime missions. 

Special emphasis is placed on training ships' training teams, special evolution teams and watch teams to sustain and improve combat readiness throughout an employment cycle.

ATG Norfolk helps to prepare and train ships, while increasing readiness.  Most recently, ATG Norfolk assisted the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and ships of the Lincoln strike group, which include the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and the guided-missile destroyers USS Nitze (DDG 94) and USS Mason (DDG 87).  Throughout the training, ATG Norfolk ensured Sailors and ships met the fundamental capabilities required to operate safely and effectively at sea in their basic phase of training.

Basic phase is broken down into two separate focuses.  Tier one focuses on training the "bread and butter" skills including navigation, seamanship, medical proficiency, and damage control.  Tier two delves into warfighting areas with an emphasis on unit-level defense capabilities: combat information center operations, ballistic missile defense, surface warfare, air warfare and cryptologic fields. 

The dynamic force employment (DFE) concept forces naval assets and the supporting training to be fluid, agile and adaptable.  DFE is designed to allow our forces to be strategically predictable to our Allies, partners and friends, while at the same time, being operationally unpredictable to adversaries and competitors.  

While the concept provides a layer of tactical advantage for our forces, it will also present challenges to the traditional training program; challenges, however, Capt. Zoah Scheneman, commanding officer of ATG Norfolk, is certain will be met without any sacrifice to the high training standards enforced by his team.

"We have to deliver the same standards regardless, so we will," he said. "This is what being dynamic is about - providing the right training, at the right time, at the right place, while keeping a high level of quality control."

Regardless whether the training cycle is normal or flexed by DFE, ATG Norfolk will continue to make sure surface Sailors are ready to meet the challenges that face our Nation and maritime security. 

"For a long time we strived to maintain a predictable path to readiness in accordance with the Surface Force Readiness Manual and the Surface Force Exercise Manual," said Scheneman. "We now have to be flexible, we have to be able to be on the fly, we have to respond to the fleet's needs - to be dynamic and not rely on a fixed schedule."

ATG Norfolk is currently working with the strike group, destroyer squadron, and ships to accomplish their mission and maintain quality standards during the basic phase of training.  

On board the Lincoln and the other ships, basic phase training followed a five-step process to develop fleet readiness across the core competencies, which are required of navy ships that operate independently at sea.  Readiness starts with an administrative and material assessment and then advances to the training and development of individual and watch team skills, with an emphasis on watcher stander proficiency and team cohesion.  When ready, ships execute basic phase certification events, which then result in Type Commander awarded qualifications. 

"ATG Norfolk is committed to ensuring ships are trained and proficient across the waterfront in order to support mission essential tasks and potential operational tasking, said Senior Chief Operations Specialist Mark Bell, ATG's CVN Training Liaison Officer. "Ship's entering basic phase should feel confident in their ability to react effectively to threats in order to successfully overcome damage and hostile action."

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