Photo By Matt Mogle | GREAT LAKES, Ill. (Aug. 24, 2022) Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, commander, Naval Education...... read more read more
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GREAT LAKES, Ill. – During his recent tour of Naval Station Great Lakes training commands, Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), stopped at Boatswain’s Mate “A” School to see old and new training methods that assists in the development of the newest Sailors in one of the U. S. Navy’s oldest ratings (established in 1794) – the boatswain’s mate (BM), here on Aug. 24.
While at BM “A” School, Garvin was able to attend an award ceremony for one of the students, Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Phillip Beene. The 23-year-old Kerrville, Texas, native was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in a simple ceremony in front of the USS White Hat Seamanship Trainer, a mockup of a Navy ship inside the schoolhouse known as “Ship in the Bottle.” USS White Hat is where future BMs learn line handling, shipboard refueling and underway replenishment. Garvin presented the medal to Beene with several fellow BM students in attendance to observe the presentation.
“It means everything in the world to have the admiral come here and present this award to me. I didn’t expect it at all. It really is special,” said Beene, who has been in the Navy for a year.
According to the award writeup, Beene was off duty near the base marina on Lake Michigan when he heard a cry for help coming from the water. He went over and found a swimmer and his dog struggling to climb out of the low tide water and onto land but was prevented because the ladder was too high up to climb for the swimmer carrying his dog.
“Seaman Beene’s off-duty actions were beyond the call of duty and exhibited the highest standards of honor, courage and commitment. Demonstrating disregard for his own personal safety, Seaman Beene single-handedly ensured the safe recovery of an (U. S.) Army veteran and his service animal from drowning. Seaman Beene’s exceptionalism, professionalism, unrelenting perseverance and loyal devotion to duty reflected credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States naval service,” the award citation said.
Following the award presentation, Garvin took some time to meet and talk to the other BM “A” School students.
“(You just heard how Sailors, like Seaman Beene) rise to the occasion,” Garvin told the students and future boatswain’s mates.
“It’s ship, shipmate, self. He (Beene) put himself at personal risk to take care of a shipmate, an Army shipmate, because we’re a (military) family,” the admiral said.
“One of the biggest differences about being in the United States Navy, or any service, as compared to being in the civilian sector is the hours and paychecks out there are a little better but they don’t have the brotherhood and sisterhood that we have (in the military). They don’t have that kind of camaraderie that we have knowing that I would fight and die for you, and you would do that for me,” Garvin said.
Garvin thanked the students and staff for their service and thanked Beene for saving the swimmer and his dog calling it “another shining example of a shipmate” answering a call to duty.
BMs are considered the leaders and backbone of every ship's crew. Boatswain's mates maintain the exterior surfaces of ships, deck handling machinery and equipment, handle cargo and operate small boats during a number of evolutions including anti-terrorism operations and maritime interdiction boardings of suspect ships. At the school future BMs are taught how to handle this equipment through hands-on training on equipment like USS White Hat and virtual training on computers taught by qualified and experienced boatswain’s mate instructors.
As part of a three-day visit at Naval Station Great Lakes Aug. 23-26, Garvin toured facilities and engaged with Sailors at NETC schools for surface warfare, combat systems and advanced swim preparation, including observing the latest in modernized training methods for hands-on and virtual reality simulations. The admiral also engaged with Recruit Training Command (RTC), the Navy’s only boot camp, Recruit Division Commanders, Sailors and recruits, while observing various phases of boot camp and speaking at a graduation as the reviewing officer for 909 of the Navy’s newest Sailors. As the owner of the Force Development pillar within MyNavy HR, Garvin leads the NETC mission to recruit, train and deliver those who serve the nation, taking them from “street to fleet” by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational and combat ready warfighters.
RTC is overseen by Commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC), Rear Adm. Jennifer Couture and her staff. NSTC oversees 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, including NROTC units at more than 160 colleges and universities; Officer Training Command (OTC) at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island; RTC as well as Navy Junior ROTC (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC).
For more information about NSTC, visit http://www.netc.navy.mil/nstc/.
For more information about Recruit Training Command, visit bootcamp.navy.mil/.
For more information about NETC, visit the command’s website at https://www.netc.navy.mil/ and follow MyNavy HR:
Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MYNAVYHR/
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mynavyhr/.
Twitter at https://twitter.com/mynavyhr/.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.01.2022 17:58 |
| Story ID: | 428551 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 186 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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