A flight deck crash and salvage team from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) completed refresher training at Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) Feb. 2.
“The week they were here we trained them how to fight flight deck fires, proper crash and salvage procedures and how to safely lift and remove damaged aircraft,” said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Geoffrey Wyatt, NATTC’s Air Department leading chief petty officer . “They’ll need these skills for their upcoming deployment this spring.”
George Washington’s crash and salvage team travels to NATTC, on board Naval Air Station Pensacola, every year and a half for the specialized training for new members and to refresh veteran members’ skills.
“The 18-month renewal requirement is to train the 40 percent of the ship’s team that has changed out since the last visit,” said Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Marcus Williams, George Washington’s Crash and Salvage Team leading chief petty officer . “The firefighting and aircraft lift training that we get here at NATTC just can’t be duplicated on the ship.”
For Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Anthony Valentine , who has been aboard George Washington the past three years, the training is important for team building and preparing new members for deployment.
“It’s very important that our new team mates get up to speed on how to safely operate on the flight deck,” he said. “NATTC’s instructors are subject matter experts that really know what they’re doing. They helped us work together comfortably as a team, refreshed our veterans’ skills and taught our new team mates how to do their job right.”
Since its commissioning in 1942, NATTC has been committed to delivering training and increasing readiness within the Naval Aviation Enterprise. NATTC graduates approximately 15,000 Navy and Marine students annually. The majority of the student population is made up of enlisted personnel attending “A” schools, where they are learning the skills and knowledge required to perform as apprentice level technicians in the fleet. The center also provides airman apprenticeship training, personal financial management, and shipboard aircraft firefighting training.
Advanced schools provide higher level technical knowledge for senior petty officers, and technical training for officers in aviation fuels, carrier air traffic control center operations, amphibious air traffic control center operations, aircraft launch and recovery equipment, and shipboard aircraft firefighting.
Additionally, NATTC supports the fleet by providing team training to ships personnel during their pre-deployment work-ups, to ensure that shipboard personnel have the proficiency required to take their ship on deployment, after a prolonged period in port.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, February 7, 2013; Image: NATTC