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New Generation of Training Started for AGs

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061018-05
Release Date: 10/18/2006 11:23:00 AM

By George Lammons, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Public Affairs

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. (NNS) -- More than 100 aerographer’s mates (AGs) and Marines in the weather career field are using computer communications technology to get ready for advanced training, ushering in a new generation in training that started this past summer for the Navy oceanography community.

Master Chief Aerographer's Mate (AW/SW) Jon Johnston, command master chief of Headquarters, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NMOC), said that the new online format has standardized the course and made it easier to administer.

“I think overall, you will see people going to the schoolhouse better prepared,” he said.

Since January 2006, three classes of AGs, both active and Reserve, along with Marines and new assessed meteorology and oceanography (METOC) officers, have enrolled in the two courses – Online Ocean Studies and Online Weather Studies, licensed through the American Meteorological Society. Both serve as prerequisites for follow-on training. One is also being used as a refresher for Sailors who have been “out of oceanography” for a few years.

Formerly, the prerequisites were taught as correspondence courses. AGs contacted the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Professional Development Center (NMOPDC), which conducts continuing education for the oceanography community. NMOPDC would send packets of workbooks and materials to the Sailors who would complete the work and mail the workbooks back.

The change from correspondence to online is following the Navy’s revolution in training approach by incorporating distance learning training through the use of the Navy’s integrated learning environment (ILE). Distance learning involves teachers and students at different locations with timely instructor feedback, weekly assignments, and a beginning and end date for a course.

The change came for a variety of reasons, including the need to update old courseware. Cmdr. Jim Berdeguez, former NMOPDC commanding officer, decided to accelerate the process after all of the correspondence courseware was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, Aug. 29, 2005.

“We came up with a 21st century replacement,” said Chief Aerographer's Mate (AW) Chris Olsen, project manager. “The next groups of students will receive a DVD featuring Gunny Hubler [Marine Gunnery Sgt. Kari Hubler] and I going over an example of each chart and showing the student how to analyze each one. This almost one-on-one approach is used in the highly successful Mississippi State University Operational Meteorology Program. The students are encouraged to interact with a local 7412 [AG Navy forecaster] using live data and build upon their skills with practice.”

NMOPDC worked with Carl Miles and Chief Aerographer's Mate (AW/SW) Bob Picchi, of the AG school at Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, to devise the solution for the hurricane-damaged materials that led to the Navy Knowledge Online (NKO)-based courses. The new courses had to meet the requirement, involve the local forecasters in a mentoring role, and be worthwhile for the target audience of young apprentice forecasters.

NMOPDC is using two first-year, college-level courses in meteorology and oceanography in a prepackaged turn-key format offered by the American Meteorological Society (AMS). Online Weather Studies replaced the Introduction to Forecasting (ITF). Online Ocean Studies replaced the Oceanography Module 1.

“One major advantage of these new courses is the AMS involvement,” said Dan Banks, facilitator of the Online Ocean Studies. “AMS updates the textbook, ‘Investigations Manuals,’ online imagery, and test bank. We, the facilitators, have access to a faculty mentor and resources. If a student has a question or needs a concept explained differently, AMS aids the local facilitator.”

The courses, each 12 weeks long, are available to members serving everywhere in the world via the Internet with assignments hosted on NKO. Students take a final exam through Navy E-Learning after finishing the course work. Successful course completion is automatically entered into an electronic training jacket through the Navy Training Management and Planning System.

Each week, a facilitator monitors the assignments, provides feedback, and grants access to the next week’s assignments. Students complete lessons in a workbook, along with additional assignments designed to emphasize the weekly topic, and turn in homework, via NKO forums, email, fax or other means available.

The Online Ocean Studies and Online Weather Studies courses are offered by more than 280 colleges nationwide through distance learning. Sailors have the option of enrolling, utilizing tuition assistance and receiving college credit for these courses or enrolling through NMOPDC and receiving their text books for free.