FASOTRAGRULANT Disestablishes, Celebrates Nearly 60 Years of Training Excellence
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS081009-03
Release Date: 10/9/2008 5:42:00 AM
By Kaylee LaRocque, Naval Air Station Jacksonville Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational Training Group, Atlantic Fleet, (FASOTRAGRULANT) Detachment Jacksonville (Jax) was disestablished Oct. 1 and merged with the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU).
"In 2002, there was an issue called the Revolution in Training where the Navy started looking at programs to see where they could cut, merge and consolidate training courses.
"At that time, the chief of naval operations mandated the consolidation of training so if any training throughout the Navy was duplicated or similar in structure, those training sites would be consolidated," explained Lt. Karensa Salazar, FASOTRUGRULANT officer-in-charge.
"That's what happened with us. The Naval Education Training Center had some of the same programs we had through CNATTU. We both offer maintenance training courses. The exception is that we also offered the Undersea Warfare (USW) and Electronic Warfare (EW) training classes – but those will continue to be taught through our new command," continued Salazar. "This has been a long process, and it's finally come to a resolution."
For the 38 military and civilian staff members, the changes will be minimal.
"Most of our staff members keep their same office spaces. Our USW division is moving to another building and should be up and running by Oct. 15 when they get their computers online. The aviation maintenance administration management division will remain in their same spaces. Ultimately, the goal was for this to be a transparent shift, and I think it's been pretty successful," Salazar said.
For the students, all the course numbers will remain the same; however, the way they sign up for classes has changed as quota control will now be handled through CNATTU.
"In the past, our staff has been extremely flexible in offering courses because the goal of FASOTRAGRULANT was to provide training to everyone whenever they needed it. Students will still be able to get the training they need; however, quota control will be more structured," Salazar emphasized.
Nearly 3,000 students have passed through the doors of FASOTRAGRULANT Det Jax each year. Although most come from Naval Air Station Jax squadrons, the detachment trains anyone in the Air Force Atlantic domain. Occasionally, students also come from foreign military branches after going through a thorough screening process.
"FASOTRAGRULANT is one of those places that many people don't seem to know about, but what is offered here affects everyone. The courses offered here are a huge part of readiness for operational squadrons," continued Salazar. "Squadrons are training to maintain readiness and be successful in the operational world. Most everyone comes through here at some point in their career."
Whether it's part of the initial training pipeline for those new to the fleet or as part of refresher training, this is the place to learn everything there is to know about the current technologies on how to maintain Navy aircraft.
FASOTRAGRULANT Det Jax was established in 1949 as part of Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit, Atlantic headquartered in Norfolk. Other detachments were located in Norfolk; Brunswick, Maine; and Cherry Point, N.C. Its name officially changed in 1972 to better describe the mission of the command which included familiarization, indoctrination and refresher training in the specialized operational and tactical employment of weapons systems and equipment as well as conducting survival, evasion, resistance and escape (SERE) training and other specialized training.
For more news from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, visit www.navy.mil/local/nasjax/.
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