VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Navy Service Support Advanced Training Command (NSSATC) conducted their first virtual iteration of the Command Managed Equal Opportunity course Sept. 28 – Oct. 2.

NSSATC, under the leadership of Center for Service Support (CSS), adapted the course to an online environment to accommodate fleet-wide policy due to Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

Twenty-three Sailors attended the course from the privacy of their homes, with some stationed more than 3,000 miles away from their instructors. The movement from in-person to an online course meant that certain portions needed to be adjusted, something the instructors and students easily adapted to.

“This was an exciting time in the Navy to learn how to deliver CMEO virtually in a synchronous platform,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Jennifer Mahan, one of two course instructors and the CMEO training manager. “Some of the key differences that I observed during delivery was the ability to engage students. I am used to student engagement in the classroom, however, during this course, in order to ensure the students were paying attention, I asked a question and the students answered in chat. It took practice to work through this platform to provide the material, monitor all students and have discussions, but by the second day, it was easier.”

The modified classroom also provided a significant monetary value to the fleet.

“The benefit to the Navy is that the fleet is getting the training it needs, without having to spend thousands of dollars in travel to have Sailors attend the training,” said Robert Inverso, CSS’s knowledge management specialist. “Through the removal of the lodging and transportation cost, the fleet has more opportunity to ensure their Sailors get the training they need to meet mission readiness.”

Students had a favorable experience with the online learning, with some preferring the virtual move for the course.

“This course should set the standard for moving forward into virtual curriculum,” said Fire Controlman 1st Class Kevin Modlin, assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61). “This allows instructors to gain a wider reach with their courses, more flexibility in scheduling for surface ships, and if bandwidth is available, allow Sailors to attend courses while underway or forward deployed without the need to spend money transporting Sailors halfway around the world to attend a course. All of this can be done without sacrificing the personal feel that comes with receiving instruction in person.”

CMEO is not the only course CSS & NSSATC are making virtual. Other courses in the process of adapting to an online version by CSS and NSSATC include Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor and Adams for Leaders.

“These are courses that our Sailors need throughout the fleet,” said Cmdr. Lindsay Carter, NSSATC commanding officer. “As the entire Navy does, we will continue to adapt and provide the highest level of training possible without sacrificing anything when it comes to quality or relevance. We have a responsibility to the Sailors and to the fleet that our students have the necessary knowledge to perform their jobs, and we will ensure that happens for each and every course that we develop.”

Headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, with a staff of over 400 professional instructors and educators worldwide, CSS provides Sailors in the Naval Administration, Command Support Program Management, Logistics, Maintenance Coordination, Media, and Security Management communities the necessary professional skills, knowledge, and education to support the fleet’s warfighting mission. CSS also develops and delivers General Skills Training that builds personal and professional growth and development.

NSSATC’s mission is to deliver advanced education and training opportunities that build personal, professional, and service support competencies to achieve fleet readiness.

For more information on CSS, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Center-for-Service-Support/.

For more information on NSSATC, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/Commands/Center-for-Service-Support/Navy-Service-Support-Advanced-Training-Command/.