Today we begin a regular feature to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the diverse Recruit Training Command (RTC), Great Lakes, staff who play vital roles in transforming civilians to Sailors during boot camp.

Up first is Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Angela Derosa, leading chief petty officer of Freedom Hall fitness training facility.

1. Bulletin: What can you tell us about this facility?

Derosa: "Freedom Hall has 182,000 square feet and cost $735 million to build in 2001, and was opened for use in 2002. It is named in honor of the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers and Pentagon. There are two floors and a mezzanine level consisting of four 1/8th-mile tracks so recruits can do physical training (PT) upstairs while other recruits are doing their Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) downstairs. We can have up to eight divisions at once in here for PT so when we have inclement weather, they will be indoors in a climate-controlled environment so it won't affect any training."

2. Bulletin: How long have you been here and how many on your staff?

Derosa: "I've been here one year and have 27 staff members."

3. Bulletin: What is something you like best about your job?

Derosa: "We see the stats for the baseline PFA (the recruits first attempt) when they come in during their first week. We have a 50 percent failure rate so half of all recruits fail this PFA. However, we write what we call the PT Matrix, which is what the Recruit Division Commanders (RDCs) use to do their PT with their recruits. So in the six weeks that they are here, when they come back in at the end for their final PFA, that 50 percent failure rate goes down to about a 5 to 6 percent failure rate. Knowing that we're not overly, excessively hurting recruits just to PT them, but the process we have here works. Watching the success numbers increase proves that we are providing fit Sailors to the Fleet and that is a great feeling."

4. Bulletin: Describe a difficult issue with which is difficult to deal?

Derosa: "When we have to fail a recruit. Once they fail their final PFA we have to break the news to them that they only have one more attempt to try to pass. If they fail again, especially if it's only by a matter of seconds, knowing they tried and still failed, and we have to tell them they will not be graduating unless they do pass is really difficult. We then send them to FIT (Fitness Improvement Training) division. While it's not the end of the road for them, they probably won't be able to graduate with their divisions and everybody that they've been training with because these few seconds keeps them from doing it."

5. Bulletin: Did you seek specifically seek out this position?

Derosa: "When I was up for orders I wanted to be an instructor here. When I arrived here I spent the first week in indoctrination and one of the chiefs that works at Freedom Hall came to speak to us. After listening to him I thought, 'I want to go work in the gym.' So I asked for this and this is where I've been."

6. Bulletin: Do you get to work out a lot?

Derosa: "I would love to and I originally thought that I'd be working in the gym and able to work out. However, our job is to be the safeties for the recruits during their PFAs, so we're not really the ones running along with them because we have to watch them while they run and be CPR-ready to respond to anything."

7. Bulletin: Any advice to Sailors contemplating coming to work in this facility?

Derosa: "Corpsman are always welcome here as we have a high demand for them. For those finishing up their duty as RDCs, the hours here are a lot better than being on push (training divisions of recruits). We work Monday through Friday and have a rotation to work Saturday for Captain's Cup (recreational event for recruits). Those who are working here before going on push say their eyes are open to actually what work has to go in before their divisions can do the PFA. It's a great experience to learn the other side of the counter in this department."

8. Bulletin: When your time is up at RTC what will you take away from here?

Derosa: "The diversity of all the different rates this command has to offer. I'm an AO, so I stick mainly with my job and I've never really worked outside of my rate before, so this is a challenging experience. It took a lot to understand that not everybody does my job so now I have to step back and try to relate to Sailors on their level and what their job is. This was very eye opening but it also created a great diversity of experience for me because I see things differently that I really didn't look at before."

9. Bulletin: "Do you recommend staff to take advantage of the fitness program for civilians?

Derosa: "If you have time in your day, you don't have to leave base to go work out. You can make time during lunch to work out or stay later as we stay open until 6 p.m. and are open on Saturdays too, It's free and you have wonderful opportunity to be fit. It can be hard to get to a gym after long day at work but if taking a walk across the street to work out here is advantageous."

10. Bulletin: Do you remember this facility when you were in boot camp?

Derosa: "I went through boot camp in July 2003, and I do remember this. It looked a lot bigger as a recruit and got really small really quick. When I was in boot camp I knew I would want to come back as one of the instructors so that's what made me want to return here. I came to be an instructor and wound up changing to help lead Freedom Hall and I don't regret it."

For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.