Iman Dennis

Iman Dennis is training with the U.S. Navy to be a boatswain’s mate.

submitted photo

GREAT LAKES, Ill. — At Naval Education and Training Command, instructors at advanced technical schools teach sailors to be highly skilled, operational and combat-ready war fighters, while providing the tools and opportunities for continuous learning and development.

Seaman Recruit Iman Dennis, a native of Kenosha, is a student at NETC, learning the necessary skills needed to be a boatswain’s mate.

A boatswain’s mate is responsible for the overall maintenance and preservation of Navy warships.

Students attend advanced technical schools after “boot camp.” They are taught the basic technical knowledge and skills required to be successful in their new careers.

Dennis, a 2018 graduate of Indian Trail High School, credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned growing up in Kenosha.

“I learned no matter how hard the job is, I have to get it done in a timely manner,” Dennis said.

NETC educates and trains those who serve, providing the tools and opportunities which enable lifelong learning, professional and personal growth and development, ensuring fleet readiness and mission accomplishment.

NETC is made up of six commands that provide a continuum of professional education and training in support of Surface Navy requirements that prepare enlisted sailors and officers to serve at sea, providing apprentice and specialized skills training to 7,500 sailors a year.

Dennis and other sailors said they know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, providing the Navy the nation needs.

“To me, serving in the Navy means I have courage and commitment to my country, and I’m part of a special fraternity of brave young and women choosing to fight for the freedoms and families of our nation,” Dennis said.

“Our priorities center on people, capabilities and processes, and will be achieved by our focus on speed, value, results and partnerships,” said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. “Readiness, lethality and modernization are the requirements driving these priorities.”