ETS members are chosen from across the nation and embody training professionals resembling superintendents, principals, professors, and lecturers. These members can then go aboard a U.S. navy ship and embark with the vessel and its crew for twenty-four hours. Educators then take what they discovered and skilled and assist educate the general public on the Navy’s mission.
It additionally acts as a necessary device for Navy recruiting.
Hearth Controlman 1st Class Colenan Kirn, an officer recruiter assigned to Navy Expertise Acquisition Group (NTAG) Mid America, reached out to Alajo to ask him if he wish to take part within the ETS program to which Alajo didn’t hesitate to conform to.
“When Petty Officer Kirn instructed me in regards to the ETS program, I knew it was an expertise I needed to do,” mentioned Alajo.
Alajo, an affiliate professor of nuclear engineering and the interim chair of the nuclear engineering and radiation science division at Missouri College of Science & Know-how, was a chief candidate for ETS. Due to his training, background, and place, he may assist NTAG Mid America recruit college students into the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program.
The NUPOC program, primarily geared towards college students already pursuing an undergraduate diploma, offers them the prospect to turn into a nuclear propulsion officer whereas getting paid to finish their diploma. As soon as they’re accepted into this system, they will obtain a month-to-month wage of over $4,000, a direct one-time sign-on bonus of $15,000, army healthcare, and nil army duties whereas in faculty.
“It is a fantastic program for college students,” mentioned Alajo. “They receives a commission to go to school, after which they’re assured a job within the nuclear subject proper after commencement. So I like to inform them, and potential college students, all about it.”
Nuclear energy is a significant factor and gasoline supply for the Navy. In order luck would have it, Alajo, who makes a speciality of nuclear engineering, received to fly out to one of many Navy’s best nuclear-powered vessels – the plane service USS Nimitz (CVN 68) – the place it was conducting routine operations within the Pacific Ocean.
Upon climbing out of the airplane and stepping foot onto the flight deck was when the expertise actually hit him.
“I rapidly realized that the Nimitz is greater than only a vessel,” mentioned Alajo. “It is an atmosphere. There’s a complete different degree of labor and exercise occurring to perform so many operations. Everyone seems to be liable for everybody else and their security.”
Whereas on the flight deck, Alajo additionally observed one thing fascinating in regards to the Sailors, most notably what they have been carrying and the way they have been speaking with each other.
“It was fascinating to see that everybody had a special color-coded jacket,” mentioned Alajo. “The yellow ones have been those directing the plane. The inexperienced ones did upkeep. The purple ones refueled the plane. There are all these colours and in addition an abundance of hand indicators. All the things was so in sync and seamless. So, taking all of that in throughout the little time I used to be already on the ship was fairly spectacular.”
Whereas aboard the service, he met with the Nimitz management, interacted with the crew, toured varied areas and places on the ship, and noticed flight operations.
“I used to be capable of see and perceive all of the roles folks play on the ship,” mentioned Alajo. “Being a civilian, I by no means actually considered ships having, as an example, docs. However seeing them there completely made sense as a result of folks can get sick or get injured whereas on deployment. Then there are the little issues, such because the MCs who determine what motion pictures get performed to the crew. It is small in comparison with every thing occurring however simply as essential as a result of it retains the crew’s morale excessive. So, seeing all of the totally different ability units and the way every thing flows and works collectively allowed me to understand and perceive how the Navy continues to maintain itself and function successfully.”
The embark additionally supplied Alajo an opportunity to speak to younger women and men comparable in age to his college students.
“Having the chance to fulfill with and communicate with all of the younger folks on board was nice,” mentioned Alajo. “Simply with the ability to ask them about their targets and future plans gave me a perspective into army life and allowed me to grasp what my college students ought to count on, particularly if they’ve questions in regards to the Navy and the NUPOC program. And if certainly one of my college students is keen on becoming a member of the Navy, I inform them that they should be 100% dedicated as a result of Sailors must have a sure degree of accountability, coaching, selflessness, and belief to succeed.”
Except for seeing how Sailors labored collectively, Alajo additionally observed the quantity of sacrifice wanted to be a Sailor within the U.S. Navy.
“It isn’t only a matter of sacrificing their time,” mentioned Alajo. “It is also, to a sure extent, sacrificing a sure degree of consolation. Sailors should sacrifice issues like their private house and ‘me time,’ amongst different issues. It is actually exceptional and humbling to see as a bystander.”
Alajo wasn’t the one educator who traveled to the Nimitz. He was accompanied by 15 different educators, most of whom have been center college and highschool educators.
“I loved talking with the opposite educators in my ETS group,” mentioned Alajo. “Largely as a result of they’re answerable for citing college students to go to school, which is the place I am at. So, with this pipeline and community between us, it is an awesome factor to leverage, particularly to get the easiest college students into the Navy. That will not solely profit the Navy, however it could additionally profit the scholar, us, and the nation.”
With so many issues to see and do and folks to speak to in someday, it was tough for Alajo to determine on his favourite a part of the embark.
“It is arduous to pin down my favourite half in regards to the ETS program,” mentioned Alajo. “Considered one of them was seeing the orchestration of flight operations, particularly for launching plane. There are all these security checks and hand gestures, after which earlier than you realize it – growth – the plane takes off and is gone. And that cycle repeats. Seeing that degree of synchronization, with folks working collectively, not lacking a beat, was wonderful. I may spend a whole day watching that.”
Contemporary off the ship with recollections and experiences to final a lifetime, Alajo needs different educators would hop on board the ETS program.
“I might positively suggest ETS to educators,” mentioned Alajo. “I believe there’s advantage in understanding the standard of individuals the Navy brings in and watching them work with each other seamlessly. As soon as educators see the Navy and perceive how the Navy operates, they will be capable to present the Navy with the younger adults it wants.”
NTAG Mid America, a part of Navy Recruiting Command, recruits the subsequent technology of Navy Sailors all through areas encompassing Missouri, Kansas, central and southern Illinois, and a portion of Kentucky.
