Education professional's from San Diego took part in the Educator Orientation Visit (EOV) touring Training Service Center (TSC) Great Lakes and Learning Sites (LS) Oct. 26.

The purpose of the visit was to demonstrate the training used at TSC and LSs that provided 24-hour supervision, leadership, training and professional development of accession Sailors prior to their arrival to the Fleet.

The visit also provides educators and school administrators a first-hand look at Navy life to better inform them about the opportunities a career in the Navy has for their students.

Their tour began Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit (CSCSU), the EOV group toured Gunner's Mate 'A' School's Fire Arms Training Simulator and the T1 RADAR partial task trainer.

Kristy Kissel, counselor and military liaison for Valhalla High School in San Diego loved getting an eye opening view of what new Sailors will experience when they get to boot camp and continue on to their A Schools.

"I was impressed with the type of training A School students go through to learn their trade," she said. "In addition to classroom instruction and computer simulations, the labs that allow students to have hands on experiences like the radar trainer I feel is very helpful. That aligns more with what our kids need in high school. More hands on learning. I would definitely talk to my students if they were interested in joining the military about this experience. This is the only tour I've been on for any military branch and I think I've learned a tremendous amount of what is offered by the Navy."

The next stop on of the tour was at TSC's student indoctrination LifeSkills training. Upon graduation boot camp Sailors attend a 4-day class educates students about sexual assault intervention, military pay and entitlements, healthy relationships, navigating stress, operations security, banking and financial management service, and responsible alcohol use.

Assistant Principal Maureen Eckholdt from El Modena High School, Orange, Calif., was impressed with the LifeSkills training and had nothing but positive reviews of the tour.

"I liked that the tour was organized in short visits to all the places that Sailors will learn their trade," she said. "That allowed us to see a wide variety of what is going on when Sailors join the Navy. I've heard about the journey Sailors take when they join the Navy, but it is special to see it. About 60 to 70 percent of our students go to community college. They do not generally finish. To me this is a much better route for those who are not ready to go to college but want an education and a career."

At Surface Warfare Officers School Unit (SWOSU) Great Lakes staff led a tour of the training facilities of Basic Engineering Common Core (BECC).

BECC balances Computer Based Training CBT training with hands-on training labs, instructor-led classroom training with realistic simulations creating an Integrated Learning Environment (ILE). They also visited the Purifier Lab, LPD 17 Maintainer Course, and Engineman Apprentice School.

Adria Van Loan-Polselli, engineering teacher at Patrick Henry High School, San Diego, was surprised that the Navy employs strategies that her school does to fill the holes in a student's education through the LifeSkills class.

"The visit has been super educational for me," she said. "I went to college, so I got to see that path and am able to explain to kids who are going that way. But, I teach engineering class and have a lot of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps students who now I am able to guidance when they ask about the military. The Tour has helped open my eyes to the opportunities in the Navy."

The final leg of their tour of TSC and LS was at the Galley's Windy City Cafe where they enjoyed lunch with the Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD). CSADD put junior Sailors in a position to stop their shipmates from making decisions that will have negative impacts on their life and their Navy career. The program is geared toward Sailors E5 and below, between ages 18 to 25. They promote positive choices and develop leadership through organizing local social networks, facilitating discussion, producing visual messages, promoting community involvement and hosting recreational events.



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