Operations Specialist ( United States Navy ) Operations Specialist ( abbreviated as OS ) is a United States Navy occupational rating . It is a sea duty - intensive rating , with most of its billets located afloat and assigned to warships , primarily guided missile cruiser s , guided missile destroyer s and frigate s , as well as aircraft carrier s , amphibious assault ship s and tactical air control squadrons . Brief history . The rating started from the Radarman ( RD ) rating . When the Radarman rating was split up into OS , Electronics Technician ( ET ) , and Electronic Warfare Technician ( EW ) ratings , the original RD rating badge continued to be used by the Operations Specialist . It symbolizes the radar scope ( circle portion of symbol ) the pipology ( radar pip displays on radar scopes ) showing the ability to read various sized radar targets at various distances ( the two spikes in the line drawn across the scope ) , and the arrow represents the ability to detect the azimuth or direction of the target . Description . Operations Specialists aboard U . S . Navy combat vessels work in the Combat Information Center ( CIC ) or Combat Direction Center ( CDC ) , aka : Combat , the tactical " nerve center " of the ship . Using a wide variety of assets available to them , they are responsible for the organized collection , processing , display , competent evaluation and rapid dissemination of pertinent tactical combat information to command and control stations , upon which sound tactical decisions may be made . Beginning training ( called " A " school ) for Operations Specialist ' s was centrally located in Damneck , Virginia ; the school has since moved to Training Support Center ( TSC ) NAVSTA Great Lakes in Illinois . Intermediate and Advanced training are in locations like California , Virginia , and various locations throughout the United States Navy . They maintain Combat Information Center ( CIC ) displays of strategic and tactical information , including various plotting boards and tables depicting position and movement of submarines , ships and aircraft as well as tote boards containing data relevant to the tactical picture . They operate surveillance , tracking and height - finding radar s , Identification Friend or Foe ( IFF ) equipment , HF , VHF and UHF radios , Tactical Data Link ( TADIL - A / Link 11 , TADIL - J / Link 16 , etc . ) systems and displays , and computerized consoles and peripheral equipment that allows them interface with the Aegis Combat System . They operate encrypted and non - encrypted long and short range radiotelephone equipment as well as intraship communication systems . With specialized training , they also may serve as combat air controllers for helicopters , anti - submarine patrol aircraft , and jet strike fighter aircraft in Anti - Submarine Tactical Air Controller ( ASTAC ) , Sea Combat Air Controller ( SCAC ) , and Air Intercept Controller ( AIC ) roles . They also serve as watch supervisors , watch officers , and section leaders underway and in port aboard ship and at commands ashore . Operations Specialists assist in shipboard navigation through plotting and monitoring the ship ' s position using satellite and other electronic navigation resources , as well as fixing the ship ' s position near landfall using radar imaging . They interpret and evaluate presentations and tactical situations and make recommendations to the Commanding Officer ( CO ) , CIC Watch Officer ( CICWO ) , Tactical Action Officer ( TAO ) , Officer Of The Deck ( OOD ) , or any of their commissioned officer surrogates during various watch or combat / general quarters conditions . They apply a thorough knowledge of doctrine and procedures applicable to CIC operations contained in U . S . Navy Instructions and Allied Tactical or U . S . Navy Tactical Publications . Operations Specialists are responsible for maintaining the physical space of CIC as well as performing minor planned maintenance care of the equipment they operate . A minimum of a Secret security clearance is required for this rating , with more senior personnel holding a Top Secret clearance . Operations Specialists provide to their shipboard or shore - based command a wide range of technical information and assistance related to Anti - Surface Warfare , Anti - Air Warfare , Anti - Submarine Warfare , Amphibious Warfare , Mine Warfare , Naval Gunfire Support , Search and Rescue operations , radar and dead reckoning navigation , overt intelligence gathering and transmittal , and other matters pertaining to the Operations Specialist ' s area . They also have a working knowledge of protocols and procedures in Electronic Warfare , though this area is normally covered by its own occupational rating , such as Cryptologic Technician ( CT ) aboard ship or ashore , or Naval Aircrewman ( AW ) aboard specific naval electronic warfare and reconnaissance aircraft . Duties . The duties performed by Operations Specialists include : The job of an Operations Specialist can be very intense and stressful while the ship is underway . They need to be able to think quickly , drawing on a large reserve of tactical and procedural knowledge and be able make calculations on the fly in the fast - paced and information - saturated environment of naval combat operations at sea .