Electronics technician ( United States Navy ) The United States Navy occupational rating of electronics technician ( abbreviated as ET or " everything tech " ) is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel ( BUPERS ) to enlisted members who satisfactorily complete initial Electronics Technician " A " school training . History of the rating . The electronics technician rating was originally established as radio technician in 1942 during the height of World War II . The rating badge adopted was that of the established radioman rating , and remained until 1945 , when the rating name was changed to electronic technician ' s mate . In 1948 , the Navy changed the name of the rating to electronics technician , and a new rating badge was created , both of which are still in use today . " A " School and " C " School Training . Surface 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 . Submarine ETs ( navigation and communications ) must complete Basic Enlisted Submarine School , ATT , Tactical Computer and Network Operator , and " A " School at Naval Submarine School in Groton , CT . Nuclear ET ' s attend " A " School at Naval Weapons Station Charleston in Goose Creek , South Carolina for Nuclear Field " A " School . While the Surface ET ' s " A " school was originally very hands - on , it is now entirely conducted through self - study computer based training 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 ETs 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 ETs 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 ) . ET subcategory specialty areas . Surface . Surface ETs maintain and repair electronics equipment such as radar , communication and navigation equipment . ETs can also perform the function of an IT by operating and maintaining computer networks depending upon what billet ( job ) they serve in . The ET and FC ( Advanced Electronics Computer Fields ) ratings comprise the basis of the ship ' s combat systems department aboard ships and are responsible for maintaining the ship ' s readiness for combat operations . Entry rates PO3 - PO2 ( E4 - E5 ) specialize as electronics communications technician , electronics data systems technician , or electronics radar systems technician . PO1 - CPO ( E6 - E7 ) are electronics systems managers . Submarines : radio and navigation . Submarine ETs are divided into two distinct job functions , radio ET ( R ) and navigation ET ( V ) . Radio ETs are responsible for maintaining , operating , and administrating the submarine ' s radio communication and ESM equipment , systems and programs , including the submarine ' s masts and antennas . Navigation ETs are responsible for maintaining , operating , and administrating the submarine ' s navigation and radar equipment , systems and programs . Nuclear . Nuclear - trained ETs perform duties in nuclear propulsion plants primarily in operating , maintaining , and repairing reactor instrumentation and control systems . Nuclear ETs may be assigned as an operator to a nuclear - powered aircraft carrier , as an instructor at a Navy nuclear power training command , or as a technician at a shipyard or other nuclear support facility . Additionally nuclear ETs may volunteer for nuclear submarine service . Nuclear ETs are the only rating in the Navy that can qualify as a reactor operator of a naval nuclear propulsion plant . Training . Nuclear ETs complete several different phases of training in order to be able to operate a naval nuclear propulsion plant . In order to be selected for nuclear training prospective Navy recruits must have a high enough cutscore on the Armed Service Vocational Battery ( ASVAB ) that score being greater than 88 and the Navy Advanced Placement Test ( NAPT ) that score being greater than 55 % . Prospective nuclear recruits are then sent to Navy boot camp where prospective nuclear trainees are selected in a 50 - 30 - 20 ratio to be trained as nuclear machinist ' s mates , nuclear electrician ' s mate , or nuclear electronics technicians . Those who are selected to be nuclear electronics technicians then enter the Navy Nuclear Pipeline to train to become a nuclear ET . In the first stage of training in the Navy Nuclear Pipeline , prospective nuclear ETs are trained for six months at the Nuclear Field ' A ' School ( NFAS ) at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command ( NNPTC ) in Goose Creek , SC . The curriculum at NFAS includes a mathematics refresher course , basic electronics theory , analog electronics theory ( EFUNDS ) , digital electronics theory , and instrumentation and control equipment ( I & CE ) theory and maintenance . The curriculum is presented in a high paced manner that ramps up over the term at NFAS in order to prepare students for the difficulties of Nuclear Power School . The curriculum is very similar to that which is presented to nuclear electricians except that nuclear electricians train in electrical motor and generator theory and maintenance instead of I & CE theory and maintenance . Due to the specialized training given at NFAS , nuclear ETs who have trained there instead of another ET ' A ' school are not qualified to be assigned to billets designed for non - nuclear ETs . Nuclear ETs are more highly trained in the fundamentals of electrical theory and thus the money spent on their training would be wasted were they to not pursue a nuclear career . Personnel who are disqualified from Navy nuclear work ( ' de - nuked ' ) or who fail to qualify for Navy nuclear work later in the pipeline are reclassified into another rating in order to remain in the Navy . In the second stage of training in the Navy Nuclear Pipeline , ETs are trained for six months at the Nuclear Power School at the NNPTC . The curriculum for ETs at the Nuclear Power School includes a higher level mathematics ( Calculus ) refresher course , introduction to nuclear propulsion systems , Navy nuclear mechanical , electrical , and electronics system design , reactor theory , health physics , basic materials science , and chemistry as it applies to nuclear power plants . The curriculum is similar for MMs , EMs , and ETs , except that each rating focuses more on their particular nuclear system design ( for nuclear ETs this means that they have additional training in nuclear electronics design ) . In the third and final stage of training in the Navy Nuclear Pipeline , ETs are trained for six months at one of four Navy nuclear prototype training units ( NPTUs ) . Two NPTUs are moored training ships ( MTS ) using S5W reactors located at the Naval Weapons Station in Charleston , SC . , and two additional NPTUs are land - based prototype units using a S7G reactor and a S8G reactor located in Saratoga Springs , NY . The curriculum for ETs at an NPTU includes detailed health physics training , design , operation , and maintenance of electronics systems for the NPTU , nuclear watchstanding procedures , and nuclear casualty procedures . Unlike the first two stages of the Navy Nuclear Pipeline where the curriculum is presented in a typical classroom format , training at an NPTU is self - motivated training where students are required to research different aspects of a nuclear propulsion plant design , operation , or theory and demonstrate this knowledge in an oral interview with a qualified nuclear instructor . Additionally , nuclear ETs must perform graded watches under the instruction of a qualified nuclear instructor where they operate a particular piece of nuclear equipment or respond to a casualty . The culmination of training for a nuclear ET is an oral board where a nuclear ET must demonstrate the knowledge of all procedures , equipment , theory expected for a nuclear reactor operator . Completion of NPTU qualifies a nuclear ET to stand watch on the NPTU or to train to operate nuclear propulsion plants on a nuclear aircraft carrier or submarine . Additionally , it gives the individual the nuclear ET Navy Enlisted Classification ( NEC ) , and the individual is then said to be " nuclear qualified . " Upon completion of the Naval Nuclear Pipeline , most nuclear qualified ETs are sent to nuclear aircraft carriers or nuclear submarines . On a nuclear - powered aircraft carrier , nuclear ETs are sent to a nuclear training division where they train to qualify to operate the nuclear reactors of the ship in a similar way to NPTU for about six months prior to being sent to a reactor control division . In contrast , on a submarine nuclear ETs are directly assigned to the Reactor Controls division and are directed to qualify different watches incrementally . Due to the smaller number of personnel on a nuclear submarine , nuclear ETs must also cross qualify on several nuclear electrician watches . Since nuclear ETs are required to stand watches , perform maintenance , and train and qualify on additional submarine systems , it is not uncommon for it to take over 12 months for a nuclear ET to become fully qualified as a reactor operator , shutdown reactor operator , and all intermediate watches . Upon subsequent transfer to an NPTU or another nuclear ship , operators are required to re - qualify the same watches in only about 6 months . Even upon completion of being fully qualified on all nuclear ET watches ( " qualified in rate " ) , additional proficiency and casualty training is required for all nuclear ETs . On a ship this generally includes general Engineering or Reactor Department training , Reactor Controls division training , periodic exams and interviews , monitored maintenance and operations , periodic watch re - qualifications , and monitored tactical or casualty drills . Usually after a nuclear ET is " fully qualified " the individual is sent to an " in - rate " technical school ETMS where the technician studies electronic troubleshooting and repair on shipboard equipment . Completion of this school allows the technician to be designated with the NEC 3373 . Senior nuclear ETs ( typically those who hold the rank of petty officer first class or higher ) are expected to qualify for senior supervisory watches . Self - motivated training for this includes the detailed operations of all nuclear systems on a ship ( not just the nuclear ET specific parts ) focusing on the big picture view of nuclear operations and casualty response . The training time required to qualify for senior supervisory watches depends on the individual .