NAVSCIATTS Expansion for Future

Photo By Leah Tolbert | 171130-N-JK586-009 STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The construction of a major building project at Naval Special Warfare’s Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School, located at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, continues to progress with the primary objective to pave the way for further increase in the international schoolhouse’s ability to build partner nation capacity.  

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, MS, UNITED STATES

06.01.2017

Story by Leah Tolbert 

Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The construction of a major building project at Naval Special Warfare’s Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School, located at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, continues to progress with the primary objective to pave the way for further increase in the international schoolhouse’s ability to build partner nation capacity.

“I’m so excited to see construction on our Applied Instruction Facility,” stated schoolhouse commander, Clay Pendergrass. “This building is just the beginning of the expansion of United States Special Operations Command’s International Training Center Campus that will eventually double our student-throughput and dramatically increase our partner nation capacity-building efforts.”

Pendergrass, a 27-year Navy veteran who has spent the majority of his career as a SEAL, went on to explain that NAVSCIATTS trains and educates partner nation special operations forces, SOF-like forces and SOF enablers through tactical, operational and strategic courses of instruction in order to develop partner nation capacity and strengthen strategic relationships.

Pendergrass added that the enhanced facilities will allow NAVSCIATTS to further its ability to meet emergent requirements from operational commanders, as the schoolhouse’s training engagements assist in maintaining long-term international strategic relationships over a span of decades in the attempt to protect the investments of the U.S. and its key partner nations.

“The Applied Instruction Facility will allow students to train in the classroom and in applied areas with the latest technology,” said NAVSCIATTS’ Facility Manager Gary Reviere. “This will enhance the students’ experience and provide superior training opportunities to our partner nations.”

NAVSCAITTS’ Instructor of the Year Petty Officer 1st Class Maria Bemowski, explained that both instructors and students will greatly benefit from the new facility.

“This modernized facility will significantly improve the training delivery of our courses by providing space for more training aids such as boats, engines, and welders; all of which enhance the learning experience,” said Bemowski. “It will also allow us to train more partner nation students per semester.”

NAVSCIATTS has expanded its course offerings to increase the schoolhouse’s ability to meet both U.S. and partner nation requirements. The new facility is under construction to provide the additional spaces needed to continue to deliver first-rate training to international students and is expected to be complete in November, 2017. “The global demand for our courses continues to increase as our reputation as an exceptional international Security Cooperation schoolhouse grows,” Pendergrass added. “The current expansion project and long-term campus vision will ensure we are able to continue to effectively fulfill our mission.”

Once complete, the $10.4 million, 21,395 square-foot Applied Instruction Facility will include a new International Military Student Office and administrative spaces to better assist students as they proceed through their respective courses of instruction. In addition, the state-of-the-art building will provide a large lobby, a hull repair classroom and lab that will include a large fiberglass booth; a weapons classroom, a locker room, armory, and a 300-seat auditorium with an interactive stage. The new facility will also feature a large classroom that will be utilized by the Security Cooperation schoolhouse’s flagship course, the Strategic Leaders International Course.

NAVSCIATTS currently offers 21 courses with an annual average of approximately 1,000 international security forces graduating from in-resident and mobile training events. Since 1963, more than 11,000 students from more than 110 partner nations have graduated from NAVSCIATTS. The schoolhouse’s training engagements help develop, shape and maintain long-term strategic relationships over decades and protect investments of the U.S. and its partner nations. The Security Cooperation schoolhouse operates under USSOCOM in support of the Foreign Security Assistance and geographic combatant commanders’ Theater Security Cooperation priorities.

For more information on NAVSCIATTS’ history and courses offered, visit www.public.navy.mil/nsw/NAVSCIATTS.

• Date Taken: 06.01.2017
• Date Posted: 06.01.2017 11:42
• Story ID: 235986
• Location: STENNIS SPACE CENTER, MS, US