First CIA-trained specialists to TR battle group.

JO2 Jd Walter

The Navy's first class of 24 culinary specialists to attend the Culinary Institute of America's (CIA) foundation course instead of Mess Management "A" school reported to their first commands, all ships of the Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) battle group, home-ported in Norfolk, Va. The course is one of many projects helping the Navy determine the feasibility of incorporating civilian training with its own.

The three-month pilot program is the first time the institute has been used in place of an already established military school. "This initiative is about finding the best possible training solutions to ensure the success of our Sailors," said Cdr. Tala I. Welch, CO, Navy Technical Training Center, Lackland AFB, Texas. "Whether that solution is a military course or a civilian institute, we want what is best for our people."

The Revolution in Training, a CNO initiative to increase mission accomplishment by refocusing attention on individual excellence, brought the Navy and the CIA together last year as part of a project to revamp the mess management specialist occupation by incorporating college credits and industry certifications into professional development to maximize individual Sailor potential. "We must have a commitment to education and learning that will arm our Sailors to excel," said CNO Adm. Vein Clark. "We owe those who promise to serve the best possible training throughout their Navy experience so they can succeed and prosper in their professional and personal lives."

For more on the Revolution in Training and the culinary specialist professional continuum, visit www.excel.navy.mil.