The JU Midshipmen toured the Floor Fight Methods Coaching Command (SCSTC) Detachment Southeast’s LCS Coaching Facility (LTF), March 3. Throughout this tour, the Midshipmen noticed and skilled the advance services and coaching that new officers obtain previous to reporting aboard an LCS.
“The Midshipmen obtained to discover the LTF,” stated Lt. Michael Sefcik, a tactical motion officer teacher on the LTF. “They went by the bridge half process coach, the digital actuality labs, the mission bay coach, after which lastly, we took them all the way down to the built-in crew coach to have them follow driving the ship.”
The LCS is a quick, agile, mission-focused platform designed to function in near-shore environments. The LCS drives a brand new method to particular person, crew, and unit-level coaching to accommodate the minimal manning and rotational crewing ideas. Operational calls for don’t enable adequate time for underneath instruction watchstanding or proficiency coaching throughout operational durations, and crews shouldn’t have natural coaching groups or embedded coaching methods. This method drives the necessity for the shore-centric Prepare-to-Qualify (T2Q) and Prepare-to-Certify (T2C) ideas, which rely closely on high-fidelity shore-based trainers. Presently, there are two LTFs. The LTF, right here in Mayport, gives coaching for the Freedom-variant. The opposite LTF, situated in San Diego, is operated by SCSTC San Diego and gives coaching for each LCS variants.
“I just like the mission set and the mission capabilities,” stated Officer Candidate and prior Grasp-at-Arms 1st Class Mandy McCave.
When requested if she would select LCS for her first platform, McCave replied, “If I get chosen for Floor Warfare Officer? Completely. I just like the mission and likewise the alternatives that it holds.”
McCave was not the one Midshipman visiting the LTF that confirmed curiosity within the platform. Midshipman 2nd Class Emily Moore additionally noticed alternatives throughout the LCS pipeline.
“I feel the coach is a very nice technique to discover ways to do the fundamentals of every thing earlier than you really get on the ship,” stated Moore. “We obtained to see tips on how to drive the ship from the simulator and the way lifelike it truly is from the LCS that I have been on and toured. I feel you get a very cool mission set. There’s a lot that you are able to do.”
The LCS platform provides greatest in school coaching and distinctive capabilities making it a promising pipeline. The dynamic vary of management alternatives that include a small and versatile crew by an array of mission units, make them a superb selection for Midshipmen and Officer Candidates alike for his or her first platform.
