Military foreign officers of the Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) toured the Navy’s only boot camp, Recruit Training Command (RTC) and Training Support Center (TSC) Oct. 1.
    NETSAFA is the U.S. Navy’s agent for international training. They coordinate and supply training support to international governments and organizations. As a field activity of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), NETSAFA serves as a focal point for all security assistance training program issues, coordination and advice within the U.S. Navy. NETSAFA is an integral part of the Navy International Programs Office (Navy IPO).
    The 10 officers from eight different countries toured RTC to observe Navy training and see how civilians are transformed into sailors. The tour included Battle Stations 21, which is the culmination of eight weeks of training by recruits. Battle Stations 21 is a grueling 12-hour test of a recruit’s skills in several shipboard scenarios, including firefighting, combatting flooding and transporting casualties. It is held on board the 210-foot-long Arleigh Burke-class destroyer replica, USS Trayer, the Navy’s largest simulator.
    Many of the NETSAFA officers are involved in military training, manning and human resources in their home countries. Being able to compare training at the U.S. Navy’s only boot camp along with follow-on instruction at TSC with their country’s training is a major reason for the NETSAFA course.
    “These officers are definitely looking at how the U. S. military prepares recruits,” said Guy Abbate, a retired U.S. Navy captain and senior instructor for NETSAFA. “Almost all militaries around the world are transitioning from a draft to an all-volunteer force like the United States. They need to gain knowledge on how we do this, how we educate our force and how we pay them better to voluntarily serve.”
    Abbate said the NETSAFA classes also are given the opportunity to see officer training at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., visit Officer Training Command (OTC) at Naval Station Newport, R.I., tour other secondary enlisted training at learning centers on Navy bases around the country, observe reserve training and see how recruiting is accomplished in the Navy.