The Carl Vinson Advancement Team (CVAT) commenced group study sessions Jan. 4 to assist Sailors assigned to Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 with their professional military knowledge (PMK) in preparation for the March exam.
The classes, led by Information Systems Technician 1st Class (SW/AW) Nina Brewington , Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1’s N6 Division assistant leading petty officer, are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Mondays and Saturdays for E-6 candidates, Wednesdays for E-5 candidates and Fridays for E-4 candidates.
Brewington noted the common factor in the advancement exam across the rates is PMK, and chose to focus the group’s attention there. The classes vary in presentation styles, ranging from PowerPoint lectures to “Jeopardy!”-style quizzes. “I asked myself if there was anything offered for advancement. I’ve gone to different advancement boot camps in my career, and I wanted to start a team focused on the March exam,” she said.
Information Systems Technician 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jonathan Dowz , an El Paso, Texas native, is CSG 1’s N6 Division assistant information assurance manager. He advanced to the rank of petty officer second class off the Sept. 2010 exam, and credited Brewington’s mentorship for his achievement.
“She made advancing a priority in N6. She printed the bibliographies, shared her way of how to memorize the material, and showed me how to manage my time to study everything I needed,” Dowz said. “My second time up was a great improvement over the first, and I was a lot more confident.”
Brewington praised the quick response from the E-6 ranks and select outstanding E-5s who provide their time and knowledge to their shipmates.
“I put together the schedule, and within the first day, I had people e-mailing me. Everyone has been really proactive and very interested. It’s awesome to get this support, ” she said.
Brewington emphasized how important it is for the volunteer instructors to share their experience. “As a leader, it’s not so much what you can do. It’s what you can do for others. That’s leadership in a nutshell,” she said. “It’s part of giving back. If you don’t give back to the people who work under you, what are you really doing? You have to show your junior Sailors what they should do as leaders.”
Logistics Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) Nadine Gue , Morale , Welfare and Recreation’s (MWR) leading petty officer , was happy to lend her expertise. “I started a study group with some of the first classes, and it didn’t really hit like it was supposed to. So I took this opportunity and ran with it, ” she said following the conclusion of instructing her topic, military conduct and justice . “I think today went really well,” she said after the first session. “People learned things they didn’t know. A lot of people won’t study unless you help them. It’s not fair if you make it and you don’t help others get to that level.”
Following the class, Vinson’s 2011 Blue Jacket of the Year, Ship’s Serviceman 3rd Class (SW) Teca Sneed, explained her singular goal – advance to the rank of petty officer second class on her first time up for the E-5 exam. “My rate is pretty closed, so any information helps. My chain of command has set me up with all the tools I need to make second, but I still have to make time for this so I can advance and do more things they expect of me,” she said. “It’s good to see other people trying to learn as much as I am. The instructors are so enthused to be teaching us, and that hour-and-a-half went by quickly. I’m going to drag some people here with me next time.”
Although the classes are tailored for March exam cycle candidates, Brewington invited all interested personnel to attend. “I’m never going to say ‘no’ to knowledge. If you want to come in and join and you’re not eligible for the test, that’s no problem,” she emphasized.
Brewington encouraged attendees to provide feedback for the classes, acknowledging the ultimate success of the program will be measurable only after the exams and the PMK scores for attendees are available. Suggestions now, she said, will assist in the program’s evolution. “This is for the Sailor. It’s overwhelming as a young Sailor to look at the bibliographies, see all those topics, and wonder where to start. This is a start. Some of the material just makes people want to go to sleep, but come test time, you may remember going over that dry material,” Brewington said.
Carl Vinson and CVW 17 are conducting underway operations in support of a Western Pacific deployment.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff , January 10, 2012; Image: navy