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**UPDATE 4/26/2022** Effective with the May 6, 2022 PIR 4 guests will be allowed. Still must be fully vaccinated to attend.
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In light of observed changes and impact of the Coronavirus Delta Variant and out of an abundance of caution for our recruits, Sailors, staff, and guests, Recruit Training Command is restricting Pass-in-Review (recruit graduation) to ONLY fully immunized guests (14-days post final COVID vaccination dose).
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So what actually happens in Groton?
my son will be to Groton after bootcamp and I am very confused as to what happens. He will be a sonar tech. I have heard things like bess, att, and a schools. I was told he would be there 6 months but am reading different things. I am just trying to make some sense of everything! I do have a considerable amount of time, yes, but I just like to be "in the know". Any information you have will help! YIKES!
Views: 1603
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by MamaMiri (FT) on
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It sounds like your son is in the SECF program. Selecting STS (sonar tech), FT (fire control tech), or ET/Nav or ET/Comm (electronics tech/navigation or electronics tech/radio) happens during BESS. All sailors in the SECF program go through BESS, ATT, and TCNO. These stand for Basic Enlisted Submarine School, Apprentice Technical Training, and Tactical Control Network Operations. BESS is 8 weeks long, ATT and TCNO are each about 4-5 weeks long. There may or may not be a hold of a few days to a few weeks between schools depending on how backlogged the classes are, which can slightly affect the total time your individual sailor is in Groton. After they have completed all 3 courses, they will start their A School for their individual rate. The length of school varies for each one, and if I remember correctly STS and ET *might* have part or all of their school in another location...but I'm not sure about that so hopefully someone else will jump in on that. The FT A School is 18 weeks long and all of it is in Groton. My husband is almost done with his A School as an FT. He will graduate just shy of a year from when he started BESS, but he also had a hold of 4 weeks between BESS and ATT.
Anything can change at any time in the Navy. So just go with the flow, relax and be ready for anything, no matter what the "plan" says. ;)
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Permalink Reply by PatricksMom on
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That explains quite a bit. Thank you very much.
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Permalink Reply by jackiequeen/ship09div076 on
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wow! that sure helped clear some confusion up! I was basically told "A" school followed basic but then reading for forums, found out that really is not true...I am definitely going to share this with my son as I don't think he is aware either! We were told 6 months but it souns like he could be in school for a year? All in Groton or not. Thank you thank you!
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Permalink Reply by Nana Donna (nanaTo2Saliors) on
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Just a note - my grandson is in Groton doing his A school for a Sonar Tech he has been there since early May. he had BESS when he first got there then ATT & TECHNO just started A school the end of October. From what I have heard the Navy is doing away with the ATT $ TECHNO schools so your son's process may go faster It is suppose to go into effect the first of the year
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well, Chris starts Boot on Jan 5th so it sounds like he would be in that wave! Thanks for that information Nana Donna!
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Very interesting about ATT & TCNO. My husband says he has heard they have been saying that for the last year. So they will probably go away at some point but who knows when it will actually happen. He also says STS A School is approx same length as FT school, ET/radio is the only one that is longer. So 10 months to a year is about right, assuming he has ATT & TCNO still.
Also the command is really not great about giving the sailors a good timeline of what and when everything is supposed to happen. They sort of tell you the next step and that's about it. Message boards and asking other wives is how I got a close enough picture of what would be happening. Things tend to change about the way they do things from time to time so info from 5 years ago will usually not be accurate either. Frustrating, but that's kind of the way it is for the military in general.
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Well....I guess I do understand change but sheesh... I just sooo grateful for these message boards! I have gotten so much information that I have shared with Chris...far more than he has gotten!
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Permalink Reply by Jeffsmom1380 on
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My son started A school Dec 2010 & finished Sept14 2011. BESS has a definite amount of weeks, the others are self paced. My son took more time with everything after BESS to make sure he knew everything & did well. There really is no rush. He graduated & is in Newport News, VA waiting for his sub to be finished in 2013. He will be doing his dolphin training & taking more classes in his field of ETNAV. Good luck to your son!
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Thanks! What is Dolphin training?
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Once they finish A school and get to their boat, they begin the process of "qualifying" (also called doing "quals") which involves several months of study and training on various systems. After they have met all of the requirements, they are considered "Qualified in Submarines" and are awarded their Dolphins- the shiny pin with the dolphins that they wear on their chest, above the ribbons. Also referred to as "getting their fish". Once they have their Dolphins they are considered fully trusted members of the crew and reliable in all aspects of running the boat. Until then, they are somewhat affectionally referred to as a "Nub" or "non-useful body".
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i just LOVE all the termonology...its worse than texting! lol!
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It's true! You ain't seen nothin yet. The Navy has endless acronyms and weird terms for literally everything.
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