Electronics Technician (US Navy) - "A" School and "C" School Training

"A" School and "C" School Training

Non-Nuclear ETs must complete Apprentice Technical Training (ATT), followed by Electronics Technician "A" School. Non-Nuclear ET's attend ATT and "A" School at Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Illinois. Nuclear ET's attend "A" School at Naval Weapons Station Charleston in Goose Creek, South Carolina for Nuclear Field "A" School. While the Non-Nuclear ET's "A" school was originally very hands-on, it is now entirely conducted through self-study computer based training (CBT) with 7 hands on labs used to demonstrate the student's aptitude with the equipment they will be working with once out in fleet. Nuclear ET's "A" school is extremely hands on with a curriculum that includes basic math, basic electrical theory, electrical fundamentals, digital microprocessor design, and instrumentation and control equipment. Nuclear ET's endure eight hours of lecture and labs five days a week for six months with extra study hours ranging from voluntary to thirty additional hours per week. Once "A" school is complete, most ETs move onto a "C" school to learn more in-depth knowledge of electronics for one specific system used aboard ship. This earns them a DNEC, which is further used to determine where they will be stationed after schooling is finished. ETs may be in training for 2 years or more and the rating often requires the sailor to extend their enlistment to 6 years.

Non-Nuclear ET's are responsible for the electronic equipment used to send and receive messages, detect enemy planes and ships, and determine target distance. They maintain, repair, calibrate, tune, and adjust all electronic equipment used for communications, detection and tracking, recognition and identification, navigation, and electronic countermeasures.

Nuclear ET's are responsible for the electronic equipment used to monitor and control the nuclear reactors onboard US Navy vessels. They maintain, repair, calibrate, tune, adjust, and operate all nuclear electronic equipment responsible for safe operation of the nuclear reactor(s).