Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) stood up the first command indoctrination division (I-DIV) to prepare new Sailors for their shipboard responsibilities, Jan. 12, 2026.
I-DIV is tasked with welcoming new Sailors aboard and setting them up for success. New check-ins should expect to spend multiple weeks assigned to training department to get prepared for life at their new command.
“It’s a goal of mine to have Sailors after I-DIV be comfortable on the ship and be able to lead and help their shipmates,” said Logistics Specialist 1st Class Annysa Ortiz, I-DIV coordinator. “I would also like for Sailors to get more opportunities to get qualified before going back to their shops.”
The Sailors will earn several qualifications, with a focus on maintenance material management (3M) before going back to their divisions.
This new program is a result of command leadership requirements to incorporate 3M into indoctrination training so new Sailors get an opportunity to learn the basics upon checking into the ship. Having extra training on 3M and other qualifications helps Sailors acclimate and immediately become an asset to the command on a shorter timeline.
The curriculum for I-DIV encompasses a myriad of subjects that new Sailors entering the fleet need to know. Coordinators for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR), Command Managed Equal Opportunity (CMEO), suicide prevention, family planning and more deliver briefings on their respective programs.
“Knowing who your Deployed Resiliency Counselor (DRC), Embedded Integrated Prevention Coordinator (EIPC), and chaplain are and how to reach them is important for mission readiness,” said Ortiz.
In a fast-paced environment like an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific, having access to personnel support resources is critical.
“I got a good amount of information that I needed for the ship and they told me things I didn’t even know I needed to know,” said Culinary Specialist Seaman Austin Pepoli.
When new Sailors get back from I-DIV, they will have learned new skills, met the chain of command, learned shipboard policies and have qualifications needed for day-to-day operations.
Theodore Roosevelt, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 9, is currently pierside at Naval Air Station North Island in its homeport of San Diego.
For more news from Theodore Roosevelt, please visit https://www.airpac.navy.mil/Organization/USS-Theodore-Roosevelt-CVN-71/ and https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USSTR-CVN71. Join the conversation online at www.facebook.com/USSTheodoreRoosevelt and at www.x.com/The RealCVN71