Question:
What is Naval A school like?
?
2016-01-26 08:48:40 UTC
I'm doing more looking into my future job in the Navy as an AECF, and with that I'll be in A school (and I think C school as well) for about 2 years (I thought it was only about one year but my friend who has the same job said it's 2 years). I'm trying to look more into A school, but I'm having a bit of trouble because nowhere seems to really talk about it too much, so I guess I'll just have to ask. Whats is Naval A school like? I already kind of understand what I'll be learning, but what are the classes like? What about free time, are you able to go off campus and roam around like college or are you usually doing something else? What can you do in your down time, are you able to relax and watch tv or play videogames, or is it similar to boot camp where you mostly just lay down or talk with people in your spare time? And one last question, do you get paid while your in it? Thx!
Eight answers:
Dave
2016-01-26 16:38:12 UTC
I'm an FC in the "A" School that you're asking about.



Your first 10 weeks you are going to be in a classroom with 23-24 other students studying CBT slides. We call this ATT. You will be learning about the basics of electromagnetic theory and different types of circuits (RL, LC, RLC) in your first four weeks. I should inform you that there is no real instructor, you're on your own most of the time. By the sixth week, people start dropping like flies. We started out with 23 and ended up in a graduating class of 21. (2 people got dropped, 3 rolled-backed and 3 new students came in from being rolled back). People who are seriously bad at understanding the materials or have math issues will struggle, but that's not usually the case since everyone scored high on the ASVAB. The lowest ASVAB in my class was an 83, the highest was a 99.



After you are done with ATT, you go on to A School, which for me is 15 weeks. This type of schooling really works on your memory muscles. Everything that is on the CBT slides is testable so you end up memorizing the content verbatim. You do not want to end up at AES, so keep your average up, its ok to get am 87% here and there but balance it with a 100% a few times. When you get out of non-equips module, everything is going to be about signal flow tracing and using a tech pub.
Mutt
2016-01-26 11:36:28 UTC
My experience was back before AECF, but I did attend FC "A" School, then followed that with a "C" School for Mk86 Mod 3, 4, and 5 GFCS - Data (it was back in the mid 80's). So while I cannot comment on the exact subject matter today, the "A School life" probably has not changed a whole lot, or if it did, not by much.



You will have class all day. You have classroom lecture time, and you have lab time. You get a break for lunch, then go back in the afternoon. After class, you will have time off, unless you are on duty that evening (you will be assigned to one of 4 or 5 duty sections that are rotated as to which is on duty). If you are on duty, you will likely have a watch to stand (could be Quarterdeck watch, Messenger, Shore Patrol, or what ever they have now). You may also have to other duties, like clean up common areas and such.



The barracks also have room inspections that (when I was there) takes place while you are in class. So you have to prepare during YOUR time for the inspections. You do not get time off from class to prepare. What you will get time off from class for would be personnel inspections, which involves everyone.



Other than that, you are free to come and go as you like. Just remember that you can't "call in sick" and have to actually show up for morning muster. I'm also not sure what the current barracks are like, but when I was there, they were like a 4 person dorm room. We were allowed to have TV's and stereos, but they had to be checked for safety, and if they didn't have the tag on them, the cord got cut. PC's back then were TRS-80's, Commodore 64's, and such, and no one had even heard of the Internet back then, so of course there was no Internet access. I can't say if there is today in your room or not, but I can only guess that there might be.





*EDIT* - And you will get homework. Make sure you do it. It is not just homework, but it is also considered a lawful order. We had a guy that got OIC Mast (Article 15 Non-Judicial Punishment - It was done by the Lieutenant in charge instead of the Commanding Officer when I was there) for not doing his one night. You can be restricted to base for a couple weeks and assigned extra duty, along with a fine and possible reduction in pay grade, all just because you didn't do your homework.
NavyCrab
2016-01-26 09:03:16 UTC
In general, classes are like any of the classes that you were in back in high school, the teacher/instructor will teach, and you will listen, take note etc. (no sleeping, bull $hitting, or disrupting class like when you were in h.s. though). There may be small breaks after couple of hours and then there is a lunch break for about an hour. Additionally, there may be "lab time" as well for the more hands-on training.



During time off (and you do not have duty), then you can go walk around the base; there are enlisted club, arcade, movie theater, the beach, museum, shopping area etc... right on base (the school is located within NAS Pensacola). And when you are allowed (after first few weeks), you can also go off-base as well (FYI: the Navy takes alcohol-related incident seriously, especially, while you are still in training).



Yes, you are paid twice a month.
Weasel McWeasel
2016-01-26 09:22:03 UTC
A school is pretty skate..........you attend your classes......should have a decent dorm room, which some choose to trick out, depending how long you are there.......you eat meals in a cafeteria setting with pretty decent selections..........and if you are doing well with your studies.......what you do in your free time is up to you.

There was a bar and club, of course.........but like college.......people forget why they are there, and take the partying a little too seriously. Blowing off a little stream is allowed and even expected.........but getting stupid drunk, is not tolerated.



It's NOT a Frat house........it's still a MILITARY school......and you're expected to remember that at all times.



But it's fairly easy duty, and yes, they pay you the Whole time..........so, what more do you want?
Sheryl
2016-01-26 15:54:27 UTC
By the end of boot camp you will given a hard copy, indicating whether or not you will be an FC or ET. You will be trained at Great Lakes, Illinois.



The first third of your pipeline is ATT (Apprentice Technical Training) and it will be 10 weeks if you are an FC, 11 weeks for ETs. The entire course is CBT, there is little to no instruction. You will sit in front of a computer screen, take notes and complete lab work through the NIDA console. Every week you will be given a test, the minimum passing grade is a 75%. Failure to achieve a 75% or above per test will mean an automatic visit to the CPO's office along with academic probation (Mandatory Night Study). If you fail two tests in a row, the chiefs will decide whether to put you in setback mode or drop you from your rate. Typically people who are given a second chance and fail again are dropped from their rate. You will find out that not everyone makes it through ATT, usually 3-7 people per class get rolled back or dropped.



Once you've completed ATT, you move on to A School. For FCs, A School is 15 weeks and for ETs it is 19 weeks. At this point, you have more instruction from the petty officers. A third of "A" School is CBT-based, but it is more lab focused. For FCs, you will be studying non-equips and radar systems. ETs on the other hand will be studying non-equips, communication systems and radar systems. At "A" School, GPAs are very important, not just for orders but also meeting minimum standards. For FCs/ETs, you must achieve a minimum of 92% or above to be clear from academic remediation (Assigned Extra Study). People who score below an 88% will be put on academic probation (Mandatory Night Study). Keep in mind that your ATT GPA carries over in A School. At "A" School they take test failures very seriously. A prospective FC/ET who fails the same test twice is normally re-rated or sent undesignated seaman/airman/fireman.



By the time you get to "C" School you've completed two-thirds of your pipeline. Your "C" School will vary according to the needs of the Navy.
?
2016-01-26 09:11:02 UTC
I unfortunately can't talk specifically to those A / C schools but I can talk in general about what I saw at my school and what I've heard about others.



It'll be a combination of theoretical classroom training and practical training, broken up into modules with progress tests. You'll have a GPA at the end of it, and traditionally, the higher you perform in your A/C Schools, the better your selection of orders when putting together a wish list at the end of the training.



You'll get evenings, most weekends, and federal holidays off.



As far as homework goes, there may be some coursework that is take home and written, other stuff you might have to stay late in the class/building to study.



When you get there, you might be in a holding division where you do things like quarterdeck watches (answering phones, doing fire and security roving watches, raising and lowering the flags for Colors, being a duty driver for folks who need a ride to/from medical, etc.), clean up / collect trash, do other janitorial/landscaping type jobs until your class starts. Once you're in class, you'll probably be assigned to a duty section that meets a certain number of times a week - at a minimum you'd probably muster with your duty section. On the weekends you'll have to do cleanup duty, and weekends/weekdays you may be expected to stand a quarterdeck watch when it is your duty section's duty day. They understand it's a school environment, you will have downtime even during the watches during which you can study and do classwork.



You'll live in the Barracks, more than likely with a roommate. You'll both be responsible for keeping the room clean - it will be inspected typically once a week, and you'll get a feedback sheet that shows you what you got docked points on. Repeated room failures can lead to administrative action, like restriction or extra military instruction (ie, cleaning facilities and whatnot or writing an essay on the importance of maintaining a sterile environment). ALSO while you live in the barracks, you'll probably have a work day (could be on the weekend, ours was on Sundays around 7 PM) where you get together and clean the shared spaces, such as hallways, lounge rooms and bathrooms.



You will probably have to muster in the mornings with your division before class, and march to class as a unit (as you would do in boot camp).



Besides all this... There's more than likely going to be a liberty phase system. Ours was broken up into 3 phases, and I wish I could remember the specifics of it... The first phase you weren't allowed off base during the week if I remember right, but on weekends you could leave, but had to wear your dress uniform, had a curfew and you had to have a battle buddy. Phase Two let you go out during the weekday... I think you could wear civilian clothes, but you still had to have a battle buddy and you still had a curfew. Phase Three let you do basically whatever IIRC. "Phasing Up" took about a couple weeks each step, and obviously getting in trouble (from academic perspective to failing room inspections to having contraband in your room) could result in you losing your phase privilege.



Also... because you're living in the barracks, you'll basically be getting just your base pay. You won't get a housing allowance and you won't get a meal (subsistence) allowance because your meals are provided for in the chow hall. If you're allowed to go out in town, you can of course buy whatever you want to eat.

If you do know a foreign language, it behooves you to take the time to take the DLPT, if you can schedule one while you are in A/C school. Depending on your scores, you can get an NEC (navy enlisted code) for the language that goes on your record, and depending on the language, you could be eligible for bonus pay for it.
Mrsjvb
2016-01-26 11:32:55 UTC
its all on campus and NOTHING can leave the school house. you will get ZERO and I repeat ZERO advance gouge whatsoever on ANYTHING.



you will be told what you need to know when you need to know it. to include the Liberty Phases and how you can advance and earn off base privileges.
I love my baby
2016-01-26 08:49:18 UTC
Great


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