SR Williams, Jeremiah E 3

wefithealthwellnes
5 days ago
4 min read

GREAT LAKES

DIV 240

BUILDING SKILLS & TEAMWORK

“THE SAILOR WITHIN EMERGES”

Week three marks an important turning point in your recruit’s training. The intensity of the first weeks begins to settle into a rhythm as recruits gain confidence in their new environment. This week blends classroom instruction with hands-on seamanship training, giving recruits a clearer understanding of what it means to serve aboard a Navy vessel.

From learning Navy traditions to practicing real shipboard tasks, your recruit is continuing the transformation from civilian to Sailor. Each lesson reinforces the discipline, teamwork, and professionalism required to operate safely and effectively at sea.

USS Marlinspike: Ship Comes To Life

One of the highlights of week three is training aboard the USS Marlinspike, a simulated naval training vessel designed to replicate life aboard a Navy ship.

Here, recruits begin learning

basic seamanship skills, including:

Line handling
Knot tying (marlinspike seamanship)
Shipboard communication
Boarding and disembarking procedures
Watch standing fundamentals

These lessons teach recruits how sailors operate together on deck and how critical teamwork is when performing shipboard tasks. Handling lines and mastering knots may seem simple, but these skills have been essential to naval operations for centuries.

Training aboard the USS Marlinspike helps recruits understand how every Sailor plays a role in keeping a ship safe, operational, and mission-ready.

Man Overboard— Training For Real Emergencies

Safety at sea is one of the Navy’s highest priorities. During Man Overboard drills, recruits learn how sailors respond when someone falls overboard.

This training teaches recruits how to react quickly, communicate effectively, and coordinate rescue efforts as a team. Recruits learn the procedures sailors must follow to locate and recover a shipmate in distress.

These drills reinforce one of the Navy’s most important principles:

Shipmates look out for shipmates.

Building Professional Sailors

Throughout week three, recruits also continue their academic training, studying subjects that build the foundation of naval professionalism.

Topics often include:

Navy history and traditions
Customs and courtesies
The Law of Armed Conflict
Shipboard communication procedures
Military professionalism and conduct

Recruits also receive instruction on the Navy’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program. This program ensures every Sailor understands the Navy’s commitment to maintaining a culture of dignity, respect, and accountability. The Navy promotes a professional environment in which Sailors look out for one another and misconduct is not tolerated.

During week three, recruits may observe the Pass-in-Review ceremony of a graduating division.

Donate Today

Watching newly trained Sailors march across the drill hall floor as they complete boot camp serves as a powerful reminder of what lies ahead. For many recruits, this moment reinforces their motivation as they see firsthand what they are working toward.

Before long, they will be standing in that same formation as proud United States Sailors.

The Power Of Letters

By week three, many recruits begin to feel the distance from their previous routines, and the challenges of training can start to set in. This is where letters from home become especially important.

Your words of encouragement help remind them why they started this journey and that their family and supporters are cheering them on every step of the way.

When writing your recruit this week,

consider asking about: