First Supply Classes

First off, I have to issue a warning, compared to OCS, Supply School is going to sound somewhat bland. There are weeks of intense activity, anxiety and excitement but the focus is on creating a learning environment much like a college. For the most part, the classes we attend every weekday are no different from high school and college. There are some slight differences, one being the level of respect we show our instructors.

For the first two months, we studied Food Service Management (FSM) and Supply Management (SM). Food Service deals with aspects such as ordering food and supplies for the crew, managing that specific department, and auditing a massive quantity of paperwork. Overseeing a menu, keeping spaces sanitary and organized, and managing a budget are just a few of the responsibilities. FSM is probably the hardest department to oversee, feeding the entire crew is a massive undertaking and highly visible to everyone on up to the Commanding Officer.

Supply Management is critical to the operation and well being of the ship or boat in the case of a submarine. Prompt and consist maintenance is always the first consideration of a warship. Every warship needs to be kept in optimal fighting condition. However, it is inevitable that parts will wear out over time. When a part malfunctions or breaks, it needs to be fixed or replaced. Depending on the importance of the part in question, it can impact the mission capabilities of the ship. Most common parts are stocked on board and issued as required but some need to be special ordered. Depending on the importance of the part and current status of the ship there are strict procedures that need to be followed.

The typical structure of classes consist of units taught in a time period of one to two weeks, followed by an exam. Depending on how well students do on the exams, they will be ranked against each other. Unlike OCS, when ranks did not matter, these do. Ranks will determine the pecking order for billet assignments later on. Since the classes are relatively easy, this is the primary motivating factor. Some ships (platforms) are plentiful like Destroyers and Cruisers but others like Submarines and Minesweepers can be scarce.

Aside from classes, students are still expected to perform collateral duties like quarterdeck watches, colors and duty driver. We are encouraged to volunteer in the community, I chose to work with a local animal shelter every weekend. Some of my classmates volunteer for the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and Boy Scouts just to name a few. Giving back to the community is a big deal and part of the image we very much want to portray. Overall though, we have quite a bit of free time to do whatever we want. As much as I am loathe to admit it, I caught up on all my favorite TV series and movies I missed while at OCS.