The Navy Afloat Maintenance Training Strategy (NAMTS) program continues to support submarine tender Sailors by providing opportunities for them to earn Navy Enlisted Classifications (NECs) with on-the-job training.

The contractor support team from the NAMTS program has been providing Sailors aboard USS Frank Cable (AS 40) NECs since 2005, and has recently started the program aboard USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) following the ship's change of homeport to Guam.

James Heffelfinger, the afloat NAMTS coordinator in Guam and a retired senior chief petty officer who has served on the Frank Cable, said the program is vital to Sailors and Emory S. Land is fully behind it.

"What we are doing is bringing the maintenance training out to the fleet," said Heffelfinger. "Instead of having a brick-and-mortar school, Sailors can earn NECs while aboard the ship and doing actual work. We have all the equipment and material for Sailors to train and earn NECs. The Emory S. Land has about 66 Sailors participating. The repair leadership really took the program on board."

Petty Officer 1st Class Elvin Ermitanio, a job qualification coordinator aboard Emory S. Land, said the NAMTS program is intuitive and a great opportunity for Sailors.

"The process is easy to understand," said Ermitanio. "Sailors take a pre-test, attend an indoctrination brief, receive a job qualification requirement (JQR) book, get the book signed by subject matter experts, take a post-test and then, finally, an oral board. Once complete, they will receive a NEC in a particular trade skill they are pursuing."

"It's a self-paced program," said Heffelfinger. "We try to get a Sailor at least one NEC in a three-year tour. It's more like a basic JQR. You have three sections -- the 100 series, which is basic safety; then you have the 200 series, which is all the shop equipment [and] the Sailor knows the equipment and how to use it; the 300 series is when the Sailor puts hands on different types of equipment and learns how to maintain it."

The program currently provides 12 NECs including Ship Fitter, Outside Machinist, and Valve Repair, to name a few.

The NECs give Sailors increased professional value and an improved ability to meet advancement requirements.

"It helps provide qualified individuals the skills needed to making sure first-time quality is met," said Ermitanio.

Heffelfinger said he looks forward to working with more Emory S. Land Sailors and hopes to see more Sailors sign up.

Emory S. Land is one of two forward-deployed expeditionary submarine tenders homeported in Guam, conducting maintenance on submarines and surface ships in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations.

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