AECF - FCs and ETs

Bondo88 call housing again and again, we just moved from there and there were so many open places and I happen to know of 5 people who are moving before Christmas. Some times the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing there in the housing office.

but they also have breed restrictions and one of my dogs is on that list, she's a husky and they have her breed restricted. we are contacting them tomorrow but it looks like my dog won't be able to come with us

 Good morning,

I got to see Aidan on Saturday, a short visit at McDonald's. Then he flew out to VA on Sunday (he flys by himself now, I took him on his 1st flight to Chrissy's PIR). Chrissy will be coming back with him.

Marsha went to her Dad's, so I am all alone right now. She will be back Christmas day. My boyfriend Glen came over yesterday and we watched football. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone.

Chelle15187, The folks at the Fleet and Family Support Center should be able to help you out. Here is the contact information for them.

Fleet and Family Support Center 
2601E Paul Jones Street
Building 42
Naval Station Great Lakes, IL 60088
888-231-0714
Main Number: (847) 688-3603

Good morning. I got to see Chrissy yesterday and I met her boyfriend. She seems happy. She likes her new ship. She is the senior FC on the ship and she said they all think she is smart, lol. I said "You are smart".

labradoodles my son is going to school in Great Lakes for FC.  He first went through ATT school which lasted a couple of months and is now in A School which has been the last month.  He is set to graduate A school in April and will receive orders for C school at that time.  All in all from the time he arrived for boot camp until he graduates A school he will be at Great Lakes for about a year.  As for where they spend their time - on their ship and studying. 

ATT is advanced technical training - if they do not pass ATT then they are set back.  I believe they get another chance.  Location of C school is dependent upon which specialty they have received like Tomahawk.  It's my understanding that they will find out whether they are ET or FC just before PIR.

They have to phase up to receive additional freedoms

I think so but I'm not sure

A married sailor must abide by the liberty phases until they are approved for Live Ashore.  The faster they can get the packet/request in, the faster they can live with their family.  If their grades slip, they can be ordered to live back on base.  Usually takes a couple weeks.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/training-support-center-tsc-great-la...

Also, between the hold times waiting for schools, and potentially waiting for orders, they are at Great Lakes for roughly a year.  C schools vary in length, but six months is not unusual.  FCs tend to go to system C schools, while ETs have more variety, sometimes systems, sometimes individual pieces of gear and more than one C school.

HI tay2sims!

Labradoodles, she can't take leave during A school unless it is the Christmas holiday stand down.  She may or may not be there for that next year.  She cannot have a car there, although some keep them offbase (expensive to find parking).  She doesn't really need a car.  The travel limit on liberty is 300 miles.  No flying home for long weekends!

Yes, she'd be allowed leave at Christmas if she is still at Great Lakes.  Out in the fleet, that's a huge maybe, especially if she is new at a command.  You can go visit her though, once she gets to phase three liberty and can have weekend nights offbase.

Once students are done with A school and move to the Cole barracks they can have their car on base but by that time they should be leaving soon with orders to C school. They really don't need a car to get around, but I can understand why they would want a car their.

Every sailor's story is different with how long they will be in Great Lakes. My husband was told a year at minimum, and up to 2 years but it was one year to the date which included boot camp.But one of his shipmate was there for 2.5 years. It all depends on orders.

Students are able to leave during A school for special circumstances if it doesn't interrupt with school days, ie long weekends IF they can get a chit approved. However they will face consequences if they miss school, the consequence could be any where from a talking to, set back in school, or more. I know this because when my husband was there a classmate of his flew back home over a long weekend to attend a wedding.

Great Lakes definitely has a college campus atmosphere. I person like the base, it has so much green and the lake is beautiful. On base there is a movie theater, few fast food restaurants, the NEX (kind of a like a target), bowling ally, very nice track and filed, few base ball fields, place to rent water equipment (paddle boards and such) place to grab pizza and play pool) library. And the train station is with in a mile so they can go into the city.

Last winter it wasn't nearly as bad as this one. The only time I was freezing was waiting for the train outside.

It all depends on phasing up because the have qualifications to meet. Usually only weeks in each phase.

Here's the liberty phase policy:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/training-support-center-tsc-great-la...

Yes, they can potentially go "out of bounds", with written permission, in special circumstances.  Some years it is simple to get approved, other times, not so much.   One of those can't hurt to ask situations.  

My ET1 is in Japan, married, and on his second enlistment.  He's an acquired kid, the kind who follow you home, you know?  Both hubby and I had been ETs, so he liked what he saw with Navy retirement as a foundation.  Yes, I went to A school at Great Lakes.  The barracks and chow hall I knew are still in use.  Funny, some things are 100% the same as 30 years ago.  Other things have changed, but there are still so many similarities that it is like a time machine for me.  

lab, I like learning, so it was easy for me.  We had a few fall back and have to repeat, and a few fail.  More get dropped because of getting into trouble, underage drinking, and such.  30%?  No, that's far too low.  It isn't that difficult!

The ATT section in all on the computer, but there's an instructor, and a schedule to keep up with.  They call it self-paced, but that's only partially true.  A school itself is a mix of instructor led and computer, and there is hands on trouble shooting.  They change it up now and then, so I'm not 100% on what they're doing today. Ha.

Chart?  Not sure what you mean.

Sara, an FC is Fire Controlman.  Fire as in fire a weapon.  They work with the systems which guide and fire the missiles on ships, the weapons systems.  

A desktop at Great Lakes is a Bad Idea.  I replied over in the Glakes groups, but for anyone reading here:  they need a portable device in case they have to move rooms/barracks, or they need to go to a wifi spot because connectivity in some ships is really bad.  They may not be allowed to leave one out in their room, and there's theft.  They do NOT need a personal computer for school.  It would purely be for communication and entertainment.  

Hi All-if anyone has had a similar situation and can shed some light it would be great.  My son chose his assignment today.  His training in Great Lakes ends March 7th.  He is putting his AEFC training in ET to work in NSW- Naval Special Warfare.  I believe he is heading to Virginia for training.  Trading in his camo blue for tans.  Hoping to learn something here.  Thanks.  Sue

Susan: Sorry, I don't know anything about the NSW other than it is "boots on the ground" (generally not on a ship during deployment). But, just thought I would mention that my husband is in your son's class! And, I've actually met him before haha! My husband and I went to watch a play off game at a friends' house and he was there as well. Good luck in the search for more information though!

Too funny Abby! Must have been the Pats game.  I hope he behaved himself.  Do you know where you're headed next?

lab, ETs or FCs don't do navigational work, although ETs may work on the gear if that's what they are assigned for C school.

Howdy!

New here ... My sailor had PIR on Friday and will start ATT school on Monday.

Anyone know when the results of the ET2 testing will be in?

Can anyone give a good summary of what AECF is and the length of A-school in laymen terms?  I have a link but it might as well be in greek - ha ha!

GoldnG8r - what is INDOC and ATT?  I have a cheat sheet but I can't find it.  I'll have to reprint so I can learn the lingo.  He wants to do FC so that means he would be in GL for approximately 4 months before being stationed somewhere else?  That is what I was most curious about - very helpful.

INDOC is short for indoctrination.  This is like an intro to base and command policies, duty rotations, liberty, etc.  Every time he goes somewhere new, there will be indoc.  

ATT is Apprentice Technical Training.  Basically, electronics prep school.  Many rates at Great Lakes take it, not just AECF. 

There will be hold time waiting to class up, perhaps a hold after school waiting for orders, expect his stay at Great Lakes to be about a year.   

ATT is nine weeks, and FC is 20 weeks.

(Your computer may say this link is unsafe, but it is okay to use)

https://www.cool.navy.mil/enlisted/rating_info_cards/fc.pdf

VERY helpful - thank you!!

Sorry, new at all this! My son signed up last week for AECF. He took his nuc test yesterday and passed so they want him to switch to nuc. From everything I had read I was very happy with AECF and kinda scared about the nuc program ( hard, dropping out, etc) so should he switch??

Does he want to be a nuke?  Yes.  If not, then no.  

AECF offers many good duty station options.  The school is moderately difficult, and chances for advancement are not as good as for nukes.  However, as an ET, I found the work enjoyable.  Many different options for C schools and duty stations.  Very much a mainstream Nvy experience.

Nuke school is very difficult, and yes, many flunk out.  More are reclassified because of stress or underage drinking, or even being around others who are drinking.  Two years of school.  Only the larger ships have nuke power plants, and the volunteer submarines.  Fewer liberty ports overseas.  Nukes are first on the vessel to power it up, and last off when they get home.  Nukes do have large reenlistment bonuses and advance well... but that is a perk, not a main reason to choose a rate.

My nephew is a nuke on a sub, he loves it.  I was an ET, as was my husband, and my sailor who is in Japan.  We all loved our rate.

He should choose what interests him most.  He will be doing it (or something similar) the rest of his life even if he does not stay in the Navy.

Thanks for the helpful comments. They told him that if starts nukes and drops out he can go back to AECF rate, is that correct? or does he just get stuck with whatever is available?

thanks ssbeach. Thats kinda what I thought. Ultimately it is his decision but I would be happy if he stayed in the AECF rate.

I answered over in the forums.  Yeah, he does not get a fallback choice.  If he makes it through A school, and fails Power School, he gets to be the conventional version of what he already studied (ET, EM, MM).  Usually.  If he really messes up, then he could end up undesignated.  This is not the end of the world, but it is far more fulfilling to have chosen your rate.

I have sons that are both ET's; one is a nuke and the other went AECF. The nuke went first of the two. I actually tried to convince him to go the AECF route before he started, but he had his mind made up. I know several ex-nukes and did quite a bit of research on the training pipeline. That's why I suggested he change. 

After going through the pipeline and then seeing what the AECF training entailed (through his younger brother), he admitted to me that he wished he had gone that route. He has done well as a nuke, however. It hasn't affected his motivation.

I know I've asked this before, but can't find the answer. Can anyone tell me the best place to find E-2 advancement results? Also, when they are or were due to be released?

Thank you

E-2?  E-1 to E-2 is pretty much automatic after nine months, no exam required.    If you mean E-4, then carry on!

how bad for E-4 to advance to E-5?

Does anyone know what are the majority of jobs available for the aecf rate after the navy?

After?  Anything to do with electronics.  Or government jobs on base, similar to what they did in the Navy.

No, actually I meant ET-3 to ET-2. When you read the results on Navy Times, do you look under the E-4 or E-5 heading? In other words, do they list them by what they currently rate or what they will if they pass?