GREAT LAKES, ILL. — Three Recruit Training Command (RTC) petty officers were selected as Naval Station Training Command (NSTC) 2019 Instructors of the Year, Nov. 6.
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| Fire Control Technician 1st Class Kyle King |
“Prior to coming here, I was a fresh, terrified second-class wondering how I was going to do,” said King. “I’ve really come here and taken charge and matured a lot both in my career and also as a leader. That’s a huge deal.”
King has trained eight graduating divisions and two Sea Cadet divisions during his three years at RTC.
As a submariner, King has his eyes on qualifying as chief of the watch and dive officer of the watch as he next heads to Gold Crew, USS Maine (SSBN 741) in Bangor, Washington.
“I am meant for submarines," he said. "I didn’t know that before I joined but I absolutely love my job. If they for some reason they told me I was unable to go back to subs, I’d be distraught. It’s the minimalist concept and being shut off from all of the hustle and bustle and just the craziness that goes every day — you’re almost set aside in a time capsule. It’s very humbling.”
Along with his RDC duties, King also has taught motorcycle safety for the command as well as being a master training specialist team leader.
“I didn’t realize how much I loved teaching until I came here and it just came naturally,” he said. “You don’t really realize it before you come here how underneath everything it’s a mentoring, instructor role. Being able to really stretch my legs in that fashion and be able to expand in my ability to teach has been really great.”
King believes the opportunities that are available to sailors at RTC are unparalleled in the Navy.
“You’re going to have new abilities as a leader, as a sailor, and you’re going to be able to take on anything,” said King. “When I came here, I was worried about coming here, but this is probably one of the most successful commands that I’ve ever went for. It’s been an outstanding opportunity. In looking back, if I were to think, ‘Oh, I could have gone to submarine school and taught or I could have been a recruiter or this or that,’ there’s no way, there’s NO way it could have ever compared to what I’m leaving here with.”
Each instructor of the year from RTC was scheduled to compete for selection as the Naval Education and Training Command instructor of the year in their respective categories.
Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. More than 35,000 recruits are trained annually at RTC and begin their Navy careers.
For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/rtc/