Surface Combat Systems Courses Recommended For ACE Accreditation
by U.S. Navy Kimberly Lansdale
October 1, 2019

The U.S. Navy Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) recently announced that the American Council on Education (ACE), an academic accreditation agency, has recommended college credit for over 660 surface combat systems courses.

A team of academic experts in May evaluated five ratings; Fire Controlman (FC), Gunner's Mate (GM), Interior Communications Electrician (IC), and Sonar Technician (Surface) (STG), which were approaching academic expiration, and Fire Controlman Aegis (FCA), which was gaining college credits for the first time.

“The purpose was to determine whether a given military occupation contains the type of knowledge and skills that would be comparable to learning acquired in college-level courses,” explained Ms. Nadine Galazka, CSCS’ ACE program manager. “The academia subject matter experts interviewed Sailors from our sites and dets, who assembled at CSCS Det East, and conducted interviews via teleconference. The discussions focused on responsibilities, functions, duties, and skills of the job.”

Other commands and ships were involved in this vital effort as well, including Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic; Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet; Commander, Destroyer Squadron 22; Naval Sea Systems Command’s Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and repair; Afloat Training Group, Norfolk; Naval Air Station Patuxent River; Naval Station Norfolk Air Operations; Mid Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center; Navy Supply Fleet Logistics Center; Afloat Media Systems; USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51); USS Cole (DDG 67); USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79); USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81); PCU Delbert D. Black (DDG 119); USS Normandy (CG 60); USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77); and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

“The advantage of this accreditation is that many service members and veterans have been able to receive recommended credit at a college or university,” Galazka explained. “At approximately 500 dollars per credit, it is about a 331,000 dollars savings for Sailors seeking degrees.”

The ACE evaluation provides recommendations only and therefore, Sailors should visit a local Navy College Office to determine if the credits will be accepted at the college or university of their choice.

"The expertise of the surface combat systems community played a vital role in receiving these college, recommended credit hours for our students," Galazka said. "As a global, educational institution, CSCS strives each day to provide the tools that Sailors need to excel not only in the fleet, but in society as a whole.”

CSCS' mission is to develop and deliver surface ship combat systems training to achieve surface warfare superiority. CSCS headquarters' staff oversees 14 learning sites and detachments located throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, and Japan and manages and operates a Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) training division in Rota, Spain.

CSCS provides over 538 courses, awards 114 different Navy Enlisted Classifications (NECs), and trains over 38,000 Sailors a year. CSCS delivers specialized training for Officer and Enlisted Sailors to tactically operate, maintain, and employ shipboard and shore-based weapons, sensors, and command and control systems utilized in today's Navy.

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