The US Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia

Yorktown, Virginia

Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....

 is one of three in the nation. The others are Training Center Petaluma

Training Center Petaluma

Training Center Petaluma is a Coast Guard training facility in the northern California counties of Sonoma and Marin. Approximately 4,000 students train there each year. It was formerly the U.S. Army Two Rock Ranch Station....

, and Training Center Cape May

United States Coast Guard Training Center Cape May

United States Coast Guard Training Center Cape May is the home of the Coast Guard enlisted corps and is the Coast Guard's only enlisted accession point and recruit training center. It is located on 1 Munro Avenue, Cape May, New Jersey....

. Training Center or TRACEN Cape May is the only US Coast Guard Base used for Basic Military Training or "boot camp". TRACEN Yorktown and TRACEN Petaluma are locations for Coast Guard "A" Schools.

"A" School's

The US Coast Guard offers seven "A" school courses at TRACEN Yorktown.

• Port Operations
• Gunner's Mate
  Gunner's Mate
  The United States Navy occupational rating of gunner's mate also known as gunsmens mate is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel to enlisted sailors who either satisfactorily complete initial Gunner's Mate "A" school training, or who "strike" for the rating as a deck seaman by...
  
  
• Electrician's Mate
  Electrician's Mate
  Electrician's Mate is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard occupational rating.Electrician's Mates stand watch on generators, switchboards, control equipment and electrical equipment; operate and perform organizational and intermediate maintenance on power and lighting circuits,...
  
  
• Boatswain's Mate
  Boatswain's Mate (US Coast Guard)
  The most versatile member of the Coast Guard's operational team is the boatswain's mate . Boatswain's mates are masters of seamanship. BMs are capable of performing almost any task in connection with deck maintenance, small boat operations, navigation, and supervising all personnel assigned to a...
  
  
• Marine Science Technician
• Machinery Technician
  Machinery Technician
  Machinery Technician is an enlisted rating in the U.S. Coast Guard that is responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of a cutter's propulsion, auxiliary equipment and outside equipment, internal combustion engines , environmental support systems , hydraulics, generator sets, and areas...
  
  
• Damage Controlman
  Damage Controlman
  Damage Controlman are the Navy's and Coast Guard’s maintenance and emergency repair specialist.Coast Guard Damage Controlmen assigned to cutters are responsible for maintaining watertight integrity, emergency equipment associated with firefighting and Shipboard flooding; plumbing repairs; welding...
  
  

International Training

The US Coast Guard offers opportunities for foreign Coast Guard members to experience US military training. This training enhances military skills and advances technical understanding. This International training is 15 weeks long.

TRACEN Yorktown History

In 1917, The US Navy purchased 400 acres of the Yorktown peninsula to serve as a fuel depot. In 1942 the US Navy housed their Mine Warfare Training School on the land. The US Coast Guard took possession of the school in 1957 and established the Reserve Training Center or RTC. The purpose of the RTC was to become the home of Coast Guard Officer Candidate School and a large summer training program for reservists. Today it serves as one of three training centers in the nation.

Training

Training at TRACEN Yorktown is extensive. The training is designed to not only instill a profound understanding of technical skills but also leadership skills in order to perform duties in a leadership role as a Petty Officer

Petty Officer Third Class

U.S. NavyGood conductvariationU.S. NavyPetty officerthird classinsigniaPetty officer third class is the fourth enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above seaman and below petty officer second class, and is the lowest rank of non-commissioned officer, equivalent to a corporal in...

. Training is 10 to 19 weeks depending on which "A" school course you are taking. Personnel on the base range from instructors, to students, and support staff, to foreign students. Thousands of active duty, reserve, auxiliary, and civilians come to train here.

Base Services

The Coast Guard is unique in that all other military branches have large bases with many services. The Coast Guard has many small stations that do not have those services. However, there are a few bases that the Coast Guard operate with all the services that other branches have on their bases. TRACEN Yorktown is one of those bases.

The Training Center has a number of services:

• Auto Hobby Shop
• Barber Shop
  Barber
  A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
  
  
• Chapel
  Chapel
  A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
  
  
• Clinic
  Clinic
  A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
  
  
• Credit Union
  Credit union
  A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
  
  
• Cyber Cafe
• Dry Cleaner
• Coast Guard Exchange
• Dining Facility
  Cafeteria
  A cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
  
  
• Gym
  Gym
  The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
  
  
• Subway
  Subway (restaurant)
  Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
  
  

Reporting

All students reporting to TRACEN Yorktown will go through an indoctrination. So when students arrive, they are urged to follow the instructions in their orders to the word. All students reporting for "C" school will report to a different location depending on their paygrade.

Base Information

Any information needed about the base like closures, security level, class schedules, and directions can be found on the base's website.

External links

• http://www.uscg.mil/tcyorktown/ - Training Center Yorktown Website
• http://www.uscg.mil/PETALUMA/ - Training Center Petaluma Website
• http://www.uscg.mil/hq/capemay/ - Training Center Cape May Website
• http://www.uscg.mil/ - US Coast Guard Website
• http://www.gocoastguard.com/ - Coast Guard Recruiting Website