DAHLGREN, Va. - Surface Combat Systems Training Command (SCSTC), its co-located learning site SCSTC AEGIS Training and Readiness Center (ATRC), and Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) hosted students and instructors from Stafford High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps (NJROTC) onboard Naval Support Facility (NSF) Dahlgren, March 28.
 
Over thirty-five NJROTC cadets and their instructors visited Dahlgren as part of an effort to help potential future warfighters learn more about the different careers and opportunities found in the U.S. Navy.
 
Leadership from SCSTC, SCSTC ATRC, and NSWCDD discussed their current duties in the Navy and provided brief overviews of their naval careers followed by a tour of SCSTC ATRC.  The tour included the Reconfigurable Combat Information Center Trainer (RCT) and Aegis Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT), highly effective tactical employment trainers that are part of the Director, Surface Warfare’s (OPNAV N96) program of record, Surface Training Advanced Virtual Environment-Combat Systems (STAVE-CS), which was introduced in 2015 as a means to invest in training technologies, devices, and facilities to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and availability of all surface training. A key tenet of our approach is to immerse trainees in realistic real world training environments by emulating, simulating, or providing the physical elements of the equipment and operating conditions.
 
In the RCT, the cadets were able to participate in a realistic training environment to detect and engage notional adversaries while operating a simulated underway environment.  With an emphasis on realism, the RCT is engineered to replicate the combat suite on our newest and most capable warships.  During the VMT demonstration, cadets experienced an immersive 3D gaming environment with virtual representations of the entire Aegis Weapon System computer network. 
 
“I believe the NJROTC students had lots of fun while learning first hand on our simulators and part task trainers,” said Cmdr. Shaun E. Dennis, SCSTC ATRC’s commanding officer. “They were given the opportunity to see both Enlisted and Officers from various walks of life and were very inquisitive about what it takes to get there.  We were able to get their minds engaged in thinking of [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] STEM degrees in college and opportunities that can open with those degrees. Overall, I consider the visit a huge win.”
 
The visit was educational and beneficial for both the students and Navy personnel. 
 
“The cadets were able to see firsthand how the Navy is providing high-end tactical training needed to ensure our Sailors become Combat Systems Warfighters who are prepared to fight, win and return home safely,” said Capt. George A. Kessler, Jr., SCSTC’s commodore. “This visit also afforded us an opportunity as Officers and Sailors to share our knowledge, experience, and expertise with these cadets who are the future generation of our warfighting force.”
 
Today, recruiting is an "all-hands-on-deck" effort, not only for Navy recruiters, but for our active and reserve fleet, retired Navy veterans, and community leaders.  Dahlgren has taken the initiative and is building and maintaining vital relationships with future Navy warfighters and the communities where they live. 
 
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For information about the Surface Combat Systems Training Command, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/SCSTC    
 
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