Naval Service Training Command

Naval Service Training Command. A major component of the United States Navy's training enterprise, it is responsible for overseeing the initial accession training and professional development of the Navy's future officers and enlisted personnel. Headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois, the command reports to the Naval Education and Training Command and plays a pivotal role in shaping the foundational skills and core values of the naval service. Its programs instill the essential knowledge, physical readiness, and warrior ethos required for service in the United States Armed Forces.

History

The command's lineage traces its origins to the establishment of the Naval Training Center Great Lakes in 1911, a historic installation that has served as the primary "boot camp" for the Navy's enlisted force for over a century. Following the Base Realignment and Closure process that consolidated training facilities, the current Naval Service Training Command was formally established in 2003 to centralize oversight of officer and enlisted accession pipelines. This reorganization merged elements from previous commands, including the Naval Recruiting Command's training oversight and the Chief of Naval Education and Training's preparatory schools, creating a unified authority under the United States Department of the Navy. Key historical milestones include the integration of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program management and the ongoing modernization of training curricula to meet evolving threats, as seen during the Global War on Terrorism.

Organization

The command is structured under a flag officer, typically a rear admiral, who oversees a headquarters staff organized into directorates for operations, resources, and policy. Its major subordinate activities include the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps units at over 160 colleges and universities, the United States Naval Academy's preparatory school, and the Officer Training Command Newport in Rhode Island. For enlisted training, it commands the Recruit Training Command at Naval Station Great Lakes, which is the Navy's sole boot camp. The command also maintains close liaison with the United States Marine Corps for certain joint training initiatives and falls under the broader purview of the Naval Education and Training Command within the Chief of Naval Operations' organization.

Training programs

The command administers a diverse portfolio of programs designed to transform civilians into naval professionals. The enlisted accession path is centered at the Recruit Training Command, an eight-week curriculum covering basic seamanship, physical fitness, firearms familiarization, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. For officers, it oversees the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship program, the Officer Candidate School at Naval Station Newport, and the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School. Specialized preparatory courses, such as the Naval Science Institute for Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps instructors and the Seaman to Admiral program, also fall under its authority. All training emphasizes leadership, naval heritage, and the core values of Honor, Courage, Commitment.

Facilities

Primary training facilities are geographically dispersed but anchored by the command's headquarters at Naval Station Great Lakes, home to the massive Recruit Training Command complex including the iconic USS *Trayer* (BST-21) battle stations simulator. Other key installations include Officer Training Command Newport at Naval Station Newport, which utilizes historic facilities like McCarty Hall, and the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School at Naval Support Activity Annapolis. The command leverages a network of Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps units at host universities such as University of Texas at Austin, Purdue University, and University of California, Berkeley, alongside training areas at Naval Air Station Pensacola and Naval Submarine Base New London for specialized warfare introductions.

Commanders

Leadership has been provided by a succession of senior officers since the command's inception. Notable former commanders include Rear Admiral David F. Steindl, who later served as Chief of Naval Personnel, and Rear Admiral Mike Bernacchi, who subsequently commanded the Naval Information Forces. The commander is typically selected from officers with extensive experience in both surface warfare and naval aviation, and often has prior command of a major training activity like the Recruit Training Command or a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps region. The position serves as a critical developmental assignment for flag officers before advancing to higher echelons within the United States Navy.

Category:United States Navy training commands Category:Naval Station Great Lakes Category:2003 establishments in the United States