Navy s Logistic Specialist A School Opens in Mississippi

Navy.mil Home Page. MERIDIAN, Miss. (NNS) -- Naval Air Station Meridian welcomed 150 Sailors and guests to a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Logistics Specialist (LS) School at Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC) Oct. 1. Logistic Specialist Seaman Recruit Edward Temme and his sister, Logistic Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jesselyn Temme, who joined the Navy together, attended the ceremony and will be among the first to graduate with the Navy's new LS rating. The LS rating is a result of a merger of the storekeeper (SK) and postal clerk (PC) ratings. "I think the merger is a great idea," said Edward Temme. "I'm looking forward to learning more before I get to my next duty station in Japan." Jesselyn Temme had a different thought on the merger. "I think the Navy is thinking about more efficiency," said Jesselyn Temme. "It will give Sailors in the LS rating more job experience." Capt. Bernard Dunn, commanding officer, Center for Service Support, Newport, R.I., and Capt. Scott Bailey, Naval Supply Systems Command, Millington, Tenn., attended the ceremony. Both captains held an all hands call with LS students to answer questions about the merger. "No matter if you're going to a shore-based command or a deployed squadron, they cannot be squared away without a squared-away supply department," Bailey said. "You should go out and set the pace for your ship or department - every job has its opportunities. Take the information you have learned here and apply it. Use this merger as an opportunity to learn." Dunn said the LS curriculum combines the SK and PC job responsibilities. "The merger takes the different and important aspects of each rating and gives the Sailors more intense training," Dunn told the audience. "As with all job training, it is always changing to meet what the fleet units need. Besides the computer-based individual training, more hands-on training may be added in the future - anything is possible." NTTC, commanded by Cmdr. Christopher Bownds, is the Navy's only school for the LS rating and was commissioned April 17, 1974. "I believe the Navy is becoming more streamlined and creating more well-rounded Sailors - thus creating more opportunities for Sailors," said Bownds. On average, NTTC has graduated 1,500 Sailors a year from its SK school. This total will rise by about 125 Sailors a year when the Navy's PC "A" School, currently housed at Fort Jackson, S.C., is consolidated with the SK "A" School at NTTC. "This new rating will translate to the real world much better when Sailors leave the Navy and transition to the civilian job force," said Cmdr. Rick Fabby, manager of the Supply Enlisted Community, Bureau of Personnel, Millington, Tenn., who was also in attendance at the ceremony.