EPT
Firearms Qualification
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We received some training on the M9 service pistol. They started by having us carry around plastic (fake) handguns in holsters and perform mock shooting sessions. The next day they assigned us real M9s but only gave us dummy ammunition. We went step by step through the shooting test except when we pulled the trigger no bullets came out. Finally, we went to a real gun range and they gave us real ammunition. We took turns practicing while shooting paper targets, then conducted the actual test. By the end of the session, everybody had passed the test and earned their M9 qualification. Some people performed well and earned a "sharpshooter" or "expert" ranking. I did not, primarily because I had a bit of trouble getting used to the first trigger pull. The M9 is "double-action" meaning the first time you pull the trigger you need to apply a lot of force in order to bring the hammer back. For subsequent shots the hammer is already back and it's a lot easier. I've never practiced firing double action before so my first shot for each set was pretty poor. The good new is I have no practical need for the higher score.
Naval Security Forces Training
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We were pretty much dressed like that except we were carrying plastic M4s. The goal of this training was to teach us how to move around a hostile environment while carrying an assault rifle, and how to clear out a building of hostiles. Some of it was similar to what you see on TV when the SWAT team is moving in, but the instructors pointed out some significant differences which I won't go in to. My favorite moment was when we came around a corner in a hallway of the schoolhouse and a random person happened to be walking the other way. They must have jumped 3 feet in the air when they saw us. Apparently, not everyone got the memo of what training was going on that day.
Land Warfare Indoctrination
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First we measured our pace-count and used topographic maps to study an area of woods near the school. We received fake intelligence briefings that Al Qaeda had set up shop in the woods nearby. The instructor gave us some lessons on how to perform recon missions and then how to assault enemy positions. We planned and briefed a recon mission and then went out to the woods to execute. Instructors and other staff members were actually in the woods roleplaying as the enemy. It turns out the school screwed up and gave us the wrong coordinates for one of the points of interest in our simulated intelligence documentation. The company commander had to re-engineer the plan in the field, but we got pictures of the enemy encampments without being seen. The next day, we received orders to plan and execute an attack mission. We were equipped with airsoft rifles (basically bb guns), and the "enemy" had them as well. The company executed simultaneous attacks on two positions from multiple directions. We even captured two of the combatants but I heard from another attack team that they escaped and committed "suicide." They say the enemy lies within. I think the greatest enemy on these missions were ticks.
Small Boat Operations
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The school is on the banks of a large river that connects to the Chesapeake Bay. We launched some boats from the school's piers and took turns driving them around. While in a Zodiac-like craft we performed high speed turns and then practiced recovering from a man-overboard scenario. Essentially, the instructor would throw an empty life vest overboard and we'd have to perform the correct type of turn in order to quickly line back up with the floating vest. One of the other groups managed to run over the vest, but fortunately it's unlikely any of us will actually be driving boats around for our job...
Seamanship Course
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First a retired merchant ship Captain gave us training on seamanship and things like how to chart routes using nautical maps and "rules of the road." Then we were thrown into full-bridge simulators and performed the duties of the conning officer (helmsman), officer of the deck, and the like. The instructor dropped us into one of the busiest shipping channels in the world, and large ships are not very responsive. The instructor communicated with us via radio and role-played as the captains of the other ships, complete with accents and emotions. The best part was when the group in the other simulator (they are all networked together but control different ships in the same area) accidentally scraped the side of their ship up against a small boat. The "captain" of the small boat was "screaming" into the radio for help and to save him. I don't think he made it.
Firefighting
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I think it was 100 degrees (F) when they had us put on full firefighting gear. We had received about a day of classroom training and were ready to take on walls of flame. I'm not really kidding there. The first time my hose team (me and one other person) entered the compartment we were assigned, the flames were passing over our heads and terminating somewhere behind us. We put them out. An instructor told us to stand up higher for a moment, and I could feel the heat gradient. That apparently is what 400 degrees feels like... thankfully in full firefighting gear. By the end of the third or fourth fire I fought I was about ready to pass out from the heat (due to the weather, not the fire). I went through half a dozen bottles of gatorate and water in like... 90 minutes. I was worried breathing from a tank would freak me out, but the dispensed air was actually cooler than the ambient air so I was quite comfortable entrusting myself to its oxygen.
Damage Control
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I've been through similar training before, but we learned how to use various tools to plug holes in bulkheads or pipes while water is streaming through them. At the beginning of the exercise, I was selected to be the on-scene commander, receiving reports and directing all of the teams to take various actions. There was the team going into the flooding compartment to try and fix it, the de-watering team setting up pumps, the logistics team collecting and transporting supplies, and a simulated bridge from whom I could request additional resources or help (e.g., request the chief engineer secure electricity to a given space). After a while we rotated and I eventually got to enter the damaged compartment and fix some leaks. Amazingly, every time we would get a leak covered up a new one would spring up somewhere else...
Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense
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We received training on how to respond to a chemical or biological attack by an enemy. First they gave a short lesson on the history of use of various poison gases as well as the impact of nuclear attacks. Then they taught us how to equip gas masks and other gear. The course director was granted the authority to yell "GAS! GAS! GAS!" at any time throughout the day. Starting at that moment, we had 5-10 seconds to get our gas masks on or else we were "dead." Eventually we dressed out in full gear and walked around the campus a bit just to see how the gear felt in terms of mobility and keeping cool. If we had left the campus in that gear we may have scared the heck out of members of the public.
Machine Shop
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We spent a day welding and cutting steel using a lathe. Arc welding using sticks is pretty tricky and takes some getting used to. I used a MIG welder for a bit and that was both easier and more fun. I won't go into the details. I also eventually got the hang of the lathe... after cutting away some material the instructor showed me how to add screw threads by cutting away the material that wasn't needed. It came out well (and they let me keep the piece), but it took a long time just to make and thread one piece of metal.
Diesel Pull
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We got some hands-on training with large diesel engines. Occasionally, the pistons need to be pulled out of the cylinder for maintenance. On a diesel of that size you need a crane in order to do it. There were a lot of steps that needed to be completed by hand as well. We also performed a similar operation for a much smaller diesel engine. In that case, we were able to remove the piston using only a couple of hand-pulleys.
Ship System Engineering Course
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We received several days of training on the academic side of large-ship propulsion. We started by re-learning the steam cycle, then focused on diesel engines and gas turbines. There was a lesson on material science (e.g., corrosion), and a day focusing on electrical power distribution. It was a lot of PowerPoint but I enjoyed most of it. There was even a short lesson on nuclear propulsion, but that's what I do for my day job so it wasn't particularly exciting.
All in all, they squeezed a lot of training into a relatively short period of time. I covered most but not all of the training in my discussion above. A few activities were cancelled (due to COVID-19) including a planned trip to a steam-powered ship in Baltimore to tour the engineering spaces. The food was really good by the way... I put on like five pounds while I was there. I definitely got more out of this than I did out of my annual training last year. I went out on a Navy ship for two weeks and absorbed what I could. Next year, I spend two weeks at a shipyard learning everything they do (COVID permitting).
