Courtesy Photo | 200623-N-XX082-0002 MONTEREY, Calif. (June 23, 2020) Chief Cryptologic Technician...... read more read more
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By Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Michael Haggerty, Information Warfare Training Command Monterey
MONTEREY, Calif. -- The United States Navy holds training in high regard, and following the two months of rigorous “boot camp” which turns untrained civilian recruits into full-fledged members of the world’s finest Navy, these Sailors arrive at “A” schools that provide them with the technical skills they need to fight and win our nation’s conflicts across all domains.
When these initial-entry Sailors arrive at their “A” schools, they are enrolled in the Navy Military Training (NMT) program.
At Information Warfare Training Command, Monterey (IWTC) Monterey, due to the length of the Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive), or CTI “A” School program, this phase of training is a more extensive process than in much of the rest of the Navy.
The small cadre of staff members at IWTC Monterey use the NMT program to drill home the fundamentals that will empower our new Sailors to be personally accountable, capable professionals, ready for follow-on training and operational duty in the fleet. The NMT program employs evolutions such as quarters, personnel and barracks inspections, watch qualifications, and physical fitness to tie the Sailors’ daily routine to Navy Core Values and Core Attributes.
Qualified NMT instructors, or NMTIs, identifiable by their red and white aiguillettes, may at times seem to be the bane of their Sailors’ existence, but in reality, they provide mentorship with a firm hand.
Yeoman 1st Class and NMTI David Lee put it succinctly, “We are here to train Sailors.”
These NMTIs maintain a constant presence in and around IWTC Monterey spaces as well as within the various language schools at the Defense Language Institute, located at the Presidio of Monterey, California. They train and enforce standards with a focus on good order and discipline.
NMTIs conduct daily inspections of Sailors’ uniforms, ensuring that Sailors know how to properly wear the uniform, and wear it with pride. Weekly barracks rooms check for cleanliness promotes healthy living standards. It is essential that Sailors keep their rooms sanitary and in good order. Those who have served aboard a U.S. Navy vessel will be familiar with the notion of continuous cleaning. There is a reason that when something is a model of order and organization, it is said to be in “ship shape and Bristol fashion.” These evolutions are not only practical in the moment, but focus new Sailors on the attention to detail which will be essential to the sensitive work they do as CTIs.
Staff members do not report to IWTC Monterey ready to start inspecting Sailors. There is a rigorous qualification process that includes extensive study, training, and performance under instruction, as well as a qualification board. Qualifying NMTIs must demonstrate absolute competence before donning the red and white rope.
When asked what he thought makes a good NMTI, Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Brian Burrows remarked, “Boot Camp takes civilians and gives them the basic vocabulary of being a Sailor. It’s our job to take that vocabulary and make a story out of it. We’re conveying our history, our heritage, and our experiences. We’re not just ‘making’ them clean their room or wear their uniform properly, but instilling a sense of belonging to something greater than themselves. That sense of belonging and purpose will compel them to wear their uniform properly, and to wear it with pride.”
Burrows went on to describe how NMTIs must be many things at the same time to new Sailors, many of whom are away from home for the first time, have not had a job before, and may have difficulty adapting to the demanding lifestyle of a U.S. Navy Sailor.
Five new NMTIs recently joined the NMTI team at IWTC Monterey: Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Amos Hoover; Cryptologic Technicians (Interpretive) 1st Class Kelsey Hillis, Rebekah Seeger, and Sara Schmitt; and Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Krista Cutts.
Schmitt commented, “I never thought so much hard work would go into this qualification process. I can see that the NMT program here demands a lot of both IWTC Monterey staff and junior Sailors. I am happy to be a part of the team, and I’m super pumped to start training our Sailors.”
IWTC Monterey’s Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) Virginia Soto, operations department leading chief petty officer, was absolutely ecstatic that these hard-chargers qualified under difficult conditions.
“Way to go!,” said Soto. “I’m excited to get some new NMTIs out in the Shannon Kent Navy Yard to train our Sailors!”
The NMT program at IWTC Monterey gets stronger every day, bolstered by its motivated and passionate NMTI team. Experienced Sailors teaching new Sailors “the ropes” has been the Navy way for over 244 years, and with a strong NMT program in place at IWTC Monterey, that tradition continues each and every day.
Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Robert Taflinger summed up the NMT program nicely, “At the heart of the NMT program is the desire of the NMTI to pass on their knowledge to the next generation of Sailors, to give a little something of themselves, their Navy experiences and their life experiences to our newest Sailors to better prepare them for the seas of their tomorrow, be they rough or smooth.”
IWTC Monterey, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of foreign language training to Navy personnel, which prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations.
With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains over 20,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.
For more on Information Warfare Training Command Monterey, visit https://www.public.navy.mil/netc/centers/ciwt/IWTCmonterey/ and http://www.monterey.army.mil/Service_Units/IWTC_Monterey.html, or find them on Facebook.
For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training domain, visit www.navy.mil/local/cid/, https://www.public.navy.mil/netc/centers/ciwt/, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2020 05:50 |
| Story ID: | 372882 |
| Location: | MONTEREY, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 291 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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