Surface Warfare Officer School Unit (SWOSU) Great Lakes and Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit (CSCSU) Great Lakes hosted participants in the Community Assistance Programs (CAPS) and Military Beyond Objectives, Obstacles, and Training Science (B.O.O.T.S.) programs, March 14.

More than 10 participants, ages 18-24 years old, traveled to SWOSU and CSCSU from the south Chicago area to tour the facility and ask staff questions about the Navy.

At SWOSU, staff led a tour of the training facilities of Basic Engineering Common Core (BECC).

BECC is a 13-day course where students learn engineering principals and theory. It balances computer-based training (CBT), hands-on training labs, and instructor-led classroom training with realistic simulations, creating an integrated learning environment (ILE). They also visited the LPD 17 Maintainer Course, where students gain knowledge and skills to maintain engineering control systems in the fleet, and Engineman Apprentice Training School.

"We are proud to give these young men and women the opportunity to meet our staff and tour our facility," said Lt. Cmdr. Andre Cleveland, executive officer of SWOSU Great Lakes. "It can be hard to decide what to do. I'm happy to be able to show them the excellent training and job opportunities in the engineering field."

At CSCSU, they toured USS Whitehat, a static boat used by the boatswain's mate apprentice and surface common core schools at CSCSU.

"Getting the opportunity to show those interested in joining the Navy what I do and telling them how I made my choice to join was tremendous," said Boatswain's Mate 1st Class William Steddum, leading petty officer of boatswain's mate apprentice and surface common core schools at CSCSU. "It can be difficult to decide what to do next. Providing them different options for their future paves the way for success. Maybe I sparked an interest in at least one of them to consider an honorable career in the Navy."

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For more news from Training Support Center, Great Lakes, visit www.navy.mil/.