Any Questions....?

[USNsailor08]

As a recent graduate of ET "A" School in Great Lakes, IL....I can help you as far as what you have to do with getting to the point of getting orders and going to "C" school.

Post Boot Camp (RTC): You will take a bus "across the street" to NSTC Great Lakes. Your first 5 days there will consist of Student Indoc where you will be given your COC (chain of command) and the rules for base, liberty hours, what's expected of you, etc.

Surface Common Core (SCC): Upon completion of Student Indoc, you will probably be put on hold. While in the "Holds" status, you will be put on working parties to go across the base and work in different buildings or in your barracks. Holds will only last for about 2-3 weeks on average, but it all depends on how many people are on holds for SCC. SCC is a night class from 1530 to 2345. You will re-learn some of the things from boot camp and also learn some new things.

Apprentice Technical Training (ATT): ATT is your second school. ETs are now on a complete night schedule at ATT and "A" School, so your hours wont change. ATT is the introduction to electronics and the understanding of what everything does within an electrical circuit.

ET Apprenticeship ("A") School: Finally! What you came here for!!! "A" School lasts for about 3-4 months. While here, you will learn about CSOSS, 3M, Technical Manuals, Tools, Safety, and Troubleshooting. You will also learn about the Communications and Radar sides of being an ET.

Communications:
-High Frequency (HF) Transmitter.....T-827J
-High Frequency (HF) Receiver.....R-2368
-Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Transceiver.....WSC(3)-V6
-Communication Systems

Radar:
-Apprentice Radar..........radar theory
-SPS-64 Radar System
-Displays and Indicators
-Doppler Radar Theory
-SPA-25G Radar Display.....(put in for orders)
-SPS-67
-Radar Systems




That gives a brief overview of the entire trip from post boot camp to graduating "A" School. Hope this helps a bit. Any other questions, just send me a message.


ETSA Trevor.

[NavyMom2007]

Hey Trevor, thanks! That will be very helpful to many.

[Kim]

Thanks for the info Trevor!! and CONGRATS on graduating!!

[Craig]

Trevor...
It's always great hearing from the troops in the field about what goes on. I really appreciate that you posted this. It will help alot of others coming up through the pipeline understand what goes on.

Thanks again for posting this!!! It's always about helping your fellow sailors!!!!

[USNsailor08]

Its all good. When I started my recruiter told me I'd go straight to "A" School. I just wanted to let everyone know, that with being in AECF, you dont go straight to "A" School.


Thanks Kim!We now know that I survived 8 straight hours in front of a blue computer screen lol.

[navymom222]

Originally Posted by USNsailor08

Its all good. When I started my recruiter told me I'd go straight to "A" School. I just wanted to let everyone know, that with being in AECF, you dont go straight to "A" School.


Thanks Kim!We now know that I survived 8 straight hours in front of a blue computer screen lol.

USNSailor08
Good info and well spelled out. I think many people think A school starts the moment you walk out of boot camp and then they report to GL and find out about Indoc, SCC, ATT and ...finally A school! When did you graduate from A school? Our son is FC, he graduated in December.

[asailorswife]

ATT.. oohh I remember how much Tim HATED that. It was boring. long. boring. lol

[kforbs126]

Just like to update this a bit since I'm almost half way through ET "A". Everything Trevor said is right except they don't do SCC anymore. I guess they are doing some of it in ATT. Also ET A went from self paced to instructor based which has pushed the total time in school to 19 weeks. Also you go to school at night. Just anyone reading this that may be an ET, study and try to do your best. That's all I'm doing and I'm still at times struggling with some of the material. As long as you try hard you should have no problems.

[Arbyz]

4-5 months? 212days is a little over 6 months i thought? Am i wrong in thinking this?

[Laworlo]

I got a question. I have been hearing conflicting reports. I'm in AECF as well, shipping out in June. I have been told that due to the fact that "A" school is also in Great Lakes, I would have the weekend with my family after PIR instead of just a few hours, since there is no plane flight. Is that true?

[sweetmtn]

Originally Posted by Laworlo

I got a question. I have been hearing conflicting reports. I'm in AECF as well, shipping out in June. I have been told that due to the fact that "A" school is also in Great Lakes, I would have the weekend with my family after PIR instead of just a few hours, since there is no plane flight. Is that true?

That really depends on IF they move you across the street that PIR day or not, some move, some dont. You wont know for sure til close to your PIR. Also, even if they dont move you across that day, you get the rest of that Friday with your family and all day Sat. and Sunday with them, you just have to be back on base at the time they tell you each night.

[asailorswife]

Originally Posted by Laworlo

I got a question. I have been hearing conflicting reports. I'm in AECF as well, shipping out in June. I have been told that due to the fact that "A" school is also in Great Lakes, I would have the weekend with my family after PIR instead of just a few hours, since there is no plane flight. Is that true?

The only time you won't get the weekend with your family is if you are grad and go, and your school isn't in GL. You'll know that before you graduate. Since your a-school is in GL, if you are grad and go, you get the WHOLE weekend with your family - including overnight liberty. Let me tell you, I was PRAYING we'd get that when Tim was graduating.. lol We didn't, but getting to see him at all was a major bonus. Of course, again, this was 6 years ago..

[Laworlo]

Good to know! Confused on what you mean by Grad and Go...

[LT Guppy]

Grad and Go referred to the people who move out of the RTC barracks immediately after graduation.

My husband was a grad and go, but since he was just moving across the street for ASchool he got overnight liberty.

[Craig]

From U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command:
We are no longer using the term Grad & Go because it no longers means anything. Yes, the initial form letter home still contains the term but that's only because those letters were pre-printed and we're using them up before... the new letters omitting the term are used.

Years ago, Grad & Go referred to those recruits flying on the same day as graduation. Now it referred only to the recruits checking into their A School here in Great Lakes the same day as graduation. All other recruits either departed on Saturday or later in the week.

Today, all recruits depart either Friday (if staying in Great Lakes) or on Saturday (if going out of state for A School).

We are instructing the RDCs to stop using the obsolete term because, again, it doesn't mean anything.

The term has been removed from our website and we do not even use it on Facebook

I hope that helps.

[JSilva]

Thanks Craig for that clarification. My husband just started bootcamp and I wish he knew about this website! He is a ET and I was wondering since their schooling is in Great Lakes; will they have more liberty with family after graduation before A school?

[LT Guppy]

This thread is 4 years old. Please start a new thread rather than bumping an old one as information frequently changes and may be outdated.