Fire control technician
Fire control technician (abbreviated as FT) is a United States Navy occupational rating.
| Fire control technician | |
|---|---|
 Rating insignia | |
| Issued by | United States Navy |
| Type | Enlisted rating |
| Abbreviation | FT |
| Specialty | Weapons / combat control systems |
Fire control technicians perform organizational and intermediate level maintenance on United States Navy submarines combat control systems and equipment, and associated test equipment including tactical computer systems and peripherals.[1]
The Fire Control Technician (FT) is responsible for all operational and administrative aspects of the submarines computer and control mechanisms used in weapons systems and related programs. You cannot enlist with a guarantee for this rating. You enlist in either AEF (Advanced Electronics Field) or SECF (Submarine Electronics and Computer Field). You are then assigned to be trained as an ETR (Electronics Technician Radio), ETNAV (Electronics Technician Navigation), FT (Fire Control Technician), or ST or STS (Sonar Technician or Sonar Technician Submarine, respectively). You may get your rating assigned randomly, by need.
A-School (FT Pipeline)
- Groton, CT-4 weeks (Basic Enlisted Submarine School)
- Groton, CT-Self Paced (Apprentice Technical Training)
- Groton, CT-4 weeks (Tactical Computer Network Operator)
- Groton, CT-18 weeks (FT "A" School)
Some students may be selected for advanced training ("C-School,") prior to shipping to the fleet depending on what kind of submarine they are given orders to. If they are in the top 10% of "A" School class and have an average of 90 or above they can choose to sign on an extra year to their contract and be advanced from E-3 to E-4 in 6 months automatically.
ASVAB Score Requirement
AR+MK+EI+GS=222 or VE+AR+MK+MC=222
Required Qualifications
- Must be U.S. Citizen
- Must have normal color perception
- Must have normal hearing.
- Must have no record of conviction by civil court for any offense other than minor traffic.
- Moral turpitude offenses are generally disqualifying.
- No history of drug abuse.
- This job prior to 2015 was closed to women.
Career Progression
Note: Advancement ( promotion ) opportunity and career progression are directly linked to a rating's manning level (i.e., personnel in undermanned ratings have greater promotion opportunity than those in overmanned ratings).
Sea/Shore Rotation for This Rating
- First Sea Tour: 54 months
- First Shore Tour: 36 months
- Second Sea Tour: 54 months
- Second Shore Tour: 36 months
- Third Sea Tour: 36 months
- Third Shore Tour: 36 months
- Fourth Sea Tour: 36 months
- Fourth Shore Tour: 36 months
Note: Sea tours and shore tours for sailors that have completed four sea tours will be 36 months at sea followed by 36 months ashore until retirement.
See also
References
- "Navy enlisted manpower and personnel classifications". Bureau of Naval Personnel. US Navy. Archived from the original on 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/career/enlistedcareeradmin/Pages/default1.aspx http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjob1/a/ft.htm