Thirteen active-duty and Reserve senior enlisted and Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) officers completed a recently updated Naval Construction Force Operations (NCF Ops) Advanced Course on Sept. 21.

Developed and coordinated by Civil Engineer Corps Officers School (CECOS) in Port Hueneme, California, the five-day NCF Ops Advanced Course underwent a complete curriculum update including a complete re-write of Maritime Prepositioning Force and NCF doctrine and the introduction of six new topics: Naval Civil Engineering and Expeditionary Combat Forces, Area Operations, Exercise Planning, Theater Security Cooperation, Operation Planning and Logistics, and leadership discussions with echelon III commands.

NCF Ops course director Lt. Joe Madge explained that the previous course was more of a refresher of NCF Ops Basic rather than teaching new information or teaching the topics at a truly advanced level. With the new curriculum changes, the course bridges the existing training gap for senior leaders transitioning to an echelon IV staff role in operations, training, and logistics departments.

“Currently, personnel take three to six months to get up to speed on new concepts introduced at the operational and strategic levels, relying on on-the-job-training,” said Madge. “This course should provide enough background for new staff to hit the ground running.”

The purpose of the course is to prepare NCF officers and senior enlisted with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to perform leadership and management duties upon returning to an NCF unit.  Classroom and laboratory instruction includes construction and contingency planning and operations, joint engineering capabilities, staff planning, and force programs. 

“The knowledge we gain from this course enables us to effectively work with our strategic partners and counterparts, ultimately affecting mission success for the Seabees and combat engineers we lead,” said Master Chief Constructionman Michael Hathaway, Naval Construction Group 2 training chief. He explained that NCF Operations extend well beyond construction and project management. All students taking the class are involved in mission planning and execution across all levels of the Department of Defense.

CECOS, as part of the Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering (CSFE), provides Seabees, civil engineer corps officers, facility engineers and environmental professionals with the necessary skills, knowledge, and education to enhance lifelong learning and to provide quality support to the fleet.

For more on CSFE, visit https://www.public.navy.mil/netc/centers/csfe/Default.aspx and https://www.facebook.com/CSFEPH/.

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