Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13

war. He Is given military instruction
and instruction in swimming and the
handling of small boats. He receives
an elementary knowledge OF seaman
ship and of the ordinary routine aboard
a war ship. But, most OF all. he learns
to respond quickly and intelligently to
orders and lays the foundation for that
fine military bearing and neat orderli-
ness that characterizes the typical man
of-war s-man, no matter what his
training in civil life may have been.
At the end of this period of general
training at training stations. the re-
cruit Is ready to be sent to sea, or to
enter intensive training for some spe-
cialized NAVY trade at one OF the
Nays service schools. The number Of
men who can be kept in these schools
is limited to 1000. The kind and
number of schools maintained at any
time depends upon the needs Of the
service.
Trade Principles Taught.
The underlying principles OF the
trades taught in Navy schools are
identical with those taught by civilian
schools in connection with the same
trades. The naval electrician. radio
man or engineer must know the same
fundamental principles OF electricity.
radio or steam as thoroughly as men
following similar trades in civil life.
Much Of the practical work of these
trades that is taught in the Navy
trade schools Is Identical with the
practical instruction in any civilian
trade school. But in the Navy every
effort is made to familiarize the man
with the same types Of equipment and
the same types Of jobs that he will find
III T,, fro
the equipment used for the instruction
OF the men in any particular trade Is
the standard equipment of the Navy
ships in service.
The method Of placing men in the
various naval trades Is very careful
procedure. At each Of the four great
training stations to which all recruits
are sent Is an officer whose major duty
it is to study the possibilities OF the
thousands of young men who pass
through the station each year, to in
form and advise them in their choice
of trade, and to select for special
training in each OF the service schools
maintained for recruits the men best
fitted to succeed in the particular trade
taught at the school. Through lee
lures. printed material and personal
conferences men are given thorough
opportunity to Learn the nature OF the
various naval trades and the opportu-
mites offered in them. This enables
them to make an intelligent choice be-
tween the kinds Of work open to them.
Every recruit is given number OF edu-
cational and vocational tests that as
siSt in determining his suitability for
various trades, and the results of these
tests, together with other information
that will help officers to place a man
properly, is entered in his service rec
ORD that follows him throughout his
service career.
But the Nays task of training and
education does not end with the train
inG of recruits, or with the service
schools ashore. Most of 1t must be
carried on at sea, and the proper train
inG of his crew is responsibility OF
every commanding officer. The thou
sands of men who leave the Navy each
year and return to civil life include men
OF every degree OF experience and skill
and others must be trained to take
their places. Owing to the rapid change
of its personnel, the Navy cannot teach
a man the rudimentS of trade and
then depend upon his advancement and
skill through experience alone. Those
who have reached a high degree of
proficiency must still be trained to fill
the places of still better men.
Highly Trained Officers.
This continuous instruction is pos
sible because our Navy has always
placed its main dependence for training
in a corps OF highly trained and edu-
Gated officers, capable of giving the best
type Of instruction to the men of their
commands. Even at the most isolated
naval stations or on ships that patrol
the rivers of China, it is possible fol-
every enlisted man to be kept under in
struction and possible for him to earn
promotion ss he merits 1t.
Until recent years. the lack Of suitable
text books and other instruction material
that exactly meets the needs OF men IN
many of the naval trades has been q
serious problem. The Bureau of Navi-
CATION, which Is the personnel bureau OF
the Navy Department, has found the
solution OF this problem in the Navy
training courses now supplied to every
ship for the training Of enlisted men.
Some Of these training courses cover
general subjects. such as mathematics
and English. but many of them. rating
courses" are compiled by officers in the
Navy Department, to At the exact needs
Of men in the various naval trades
Perhaps there Is no other institution in
which men know so definitely just what
duties they must be able to perform and
just what knowledge they must have
to be eligible for promotion to higher