Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit Great Lakes Year in Review

GREAT LAKES, IL, UNITED STATES

01.10.2020

Story by Brian Walsh 

Training Support Center Great Lakes

As the new year begins it can be fun to look back, and reflect, on the many changes, events, successes of Center for Surface Combat Systems Unit (CSCSU) Great Lakes during 2019.
The students and staff of the command have created a year that was memorable in many ways; too many to include in a single article.
CSCSU Great Lakes held a ribbon cutting ceremony unveiling a new Voyage Management System (VMS) lab for Operations Specialist (OS) A School July 26.
Staff overhauled a space that was previously used for chart plotting and converted it into the new VMS lab. Eight instructors were dedicated to the process working a total 320 man-hours creating the lab that will be used in the training of students to meet fleet VMS requirements.
Without the hard work and determination to finish the lab, the class would not have been ready for the implementation of OS Ready Relevant Learning (RRL).
The benefits of opening the new VMS lab allows the school to alleviate lab bottleneck concerns, which can result in lost training time when another class is already in the lab. CSCSU can also raise their annual throughput of students because of the additional VMS lab.
VMS is a computer-based system for navigation planning and monitoring. Its primary purpose is to contribute to safe navigation. The system is designed to increase the situational awareness of watch standers on the bridge and at other shipboard locations where the system is made available.
A Senate Armed Services Committee professional staff member witnessed the modernized OS training course at CSCSU Great Lakes Nov. 14.
Led by Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, commander, Naval Education and Training Command, Jason Potter toured the OS “A” School and received demonstrations of the first course to be taught using modernized delivery under the RRL framework.
Ten first class petty officers were selected for promotion to chief petty officer and fifteen staff advanced to the rank of first class petty officer.
This year saw a number of foreign and domestic visits letting CSCSU show and share successes in getting Sailors ready for the Fleet.
Visits included U.S. Sixth Fleet Command Master Chief Johannes Gonzalez; fifteen senior foreign students from Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity; Republic of Korea Fleet Master Chief Yong Hee Kwon and Command Master Chief for Naval Forces Korea Christian Detje; San Diego area educators; Military Legislative Assistant to Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Matt Lampert; and Commander, Naval Education and Training Command, Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad.
Sailors continue volunteering their time in the local community improving lives outside of the command.
CSCSU Great Lakes Sailors spent their free time volunteering at Northern Illinois Food Bank. Staff donated their time at the food bank’s North Suburban Center in Park City and the command collected three pallets of boxed and canned food to benefit the Warren Township Food Pantry.
Sailors from CSCSU Great Lakes are fixtures in LEARN 10 Charter School in North Chicago spending time students assisting in any way they could at their After School Enrichment program.
Habitat for Humanity also benefited from staff members in their efforts building homes in Waukegan.
The past year’s review, along with previous ones, is impressive. CSCSU Great Lakes has created a long annual tradition of successes proving that the command can look forward to great accomplishments in training, volunteerism and continued support with the surrounding community.

• Date Taken: 01.10.2020
• Date Posted: 01.10.2020 10:26
• Story ID: 358689
• Location: GREAT LAKES, IL, US