7. Maintain records of the overall performance of
each ship.
When awarding final grades for performance, type
commanders have broad authority. They may weigh
separate exercises and other performances to evaluate
the ships organization, discipline, and opportunities for
training. They may delegate their authority for fleet
training (except policy guidance) to subordinate
commanders of units that operate outside their
supervision and observation.
A training exercise must be observed and analyzed
if it is to be effective. If it will be graded, formal
observation is mandatory. Observers will come from
outside the observed ship if an exercise is important
enough. Observers should analyze and critique the
exercise as soon as practical after observing it. The
critique should identify errors and deficiencies in
material or procedures, and it should include
recommendations for improvement.
A critique of a training exercise is based upon the
ships readiness to deal with the situation simulated in
the exercise. However, the observers will consider
factors over which the ship has no control. The
observing command submits a recommended grade
with a report of the exercises observed. However, the
type commander or a designated subordinate awards a
final grade that is planned to establish uniformity within
the type. An evaluation of readiness includes the
performance of basic exercises and handling of actual
casualties.
SHAKEDOWN AND REFRESHER
TRAINING
A ship will undergo shakedown training if it was
recently commissioned. A ship will undergo refresher
training if it was recently activated or is leaving a
shipyard after a regular overhaul. In either case, a
designated Fleet Training Group (FTG) under the
direction of the Commander, Training Command, U.S.
Atlantic or Pacific Fleet, will put the ship through
intensive combat-readiness training. During that time,
the Commander, Fleet Training Group, has operational
control of the ship.
Fleet Training Group
The primary purpose of an FTG is to help ships train
themselves. To do that, FTGs have delegated authority
to control the assignment of operating areas, coordinate
and regulate training exercises, and supply training
services in their assigned operating areas.
An FTG is generally divided into an administrative
section and an afloat training section. The
administrative section schedules the activities of ships
in training for such services as target towing,
photography, and dual-ship exercises. The afloat
training section handles the actual training aboard ship.
It is organized into departments in the general pattern of
shipboard organization. However, the engineering
department is divided into two departments:
engineering and damage control.
The FTG usually holds training exercises in three
phases.
1.
2.
3.
A training readiness evaluation (TRE) for ships
in refresher training and an arrival inspection for
ships in shakedown training
The training itself
An operational readiness evaluation (ORE) at
the end of training for ships in refresher or
shakedown training
Training Readiness Evaluation
A TRE determines the ships organizational and
material readiness to begin refresher training. FTG
personnel do a TRE on a ship either in its home port or
when it arrives at an FTG site. The TRE check-off lists
are based upon standards prescribed by Battle Control,
NWIP 50-l(B), Naval Ship's Technical Manual, and
directives of the fleet and type commanders.
When a ship is scheduled for refresher or
shakedown training, the fleet training command usually
sends the ship information and instructions on the
conduct of training in the FTG. They also send
checklists for an arrival inspection or TRE. The engineer
officer should check his departments organization and
administrative procedures against the checklist(s). If the
engineer officer corrects most of his discrepancies
before the ship reports to the FTG, there will be more
time for training.
When FTG personnel begin the TRE, the ships
engineering department should provide the following
assistance to the team:
1. Furnish at least two ships personnel who are
familiar with logs, records, and publications.
2. Group logs, records, and publications in the
sequence required by FTG instructions.
3. Assign one person, who knows the spaces and
the locations of posted safety instructions and
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