Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC) Lackland paused to celebrate its record-breaking year of 1,994 graduates from Master-at-Arms "A" School Oct. 13.

Fiscal year 2016 was one of the most productive and arduous years in the history of NTTC Lackland with an unprecedented 24 percent additional graduates from previous years.

NTTC Lackland leadership and staff successfully overcame limited resources in manpower, administration, logistics, and berthing challenges to manage approximately 450 students daily.

The increased number of new accession students can be traced to the tragic events aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72), at the Washington Navy Yard, and the Chattanooga Reserve Center. In response to those events, the Mission Profile Validation-Protection (MPV-P) manning model required an increase of security billets to meet Navy security needs worldwide.

"It's not only the increase in the numbers of students trained this year, but also the very significant number of newly-arrived instructors," said Sonya Beasley-Lynch, Master-at-Arms "A" School course supervisor. "Many of our key positions, military and civilian, are being filled by new personnel who themselves were fighting through a steep learning curve."

Another challenge faced by the school was the potential lack of available berthing to accommodate the increase in students. NTTC Lackland worked closely with partners at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to expedite the renovation of barracks that were utilized for temporary housing of transient students.

By obtaining rooms from joint base partners, U.S. Air Force 37th Training Group, NTTC Lackland was able to shore up the berthing gap and coordinate support from base civil engineering to launch a major renovation project for the 30-year-old berthing facility.

"The collaborative efforts of Navy and Air Force towards this goal are not just a testament to operating in the modern joint environment, but they also demonstrate the joint commitment to our shared mission in service of our country," said NTTC Lackland Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Jeffrey Martin.

NTTC Lackland expects fiscal year 2017 to be another record-breaking year, and is seeking new ways to enhance the training experience for students through innovations in technology and training delivery.

Naval Technical Training Center Lackland provides eight courses of instruction -- Master-at-Arms "A" School, Life Skills, Corrections Specialist, Corrections Counselor, Brig Afloat, Military Working Dog Handler, Military Working Dog Kennel Master, and Dog Training School. The command trains more than 2,600 students each year to prepare the best for the worst in defending freedom around the world.

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For more information about Naval Technical Training Center Lackland, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/csf/nttc-lackland.