CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS' MESSAGE ANNOUNCING "RM" RATE CHANGE TO "IT"

BUT RETAINING THE "SPARKS"

ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE

ROUTINE

R 041419Z NOV 99 ZYB MIN PSN 867826J37

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//

TO NAVADMIN

UNCLAS file://N01220//
NAVADMIN 293/99

MSGID/GENADMIN/N13//

SUBJ/RADIOMAN (RM) RATING NAME CHANGE TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN (IT)//

REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/051331ZSEP95//

REF/B/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/191850ZFEB98//

NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN (215/95) DATA PROCESSING TECHNICIAN AND RADIOMAN MERGER. REF B ANNOUNCED THE RM-DP MERGER SURFACE WARFARE TRAINING AND READINESS REVIEW (SWTRR) HELD IN MAR 98.//

RMKS/1. THIS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCES NAME CHANGE OF THE RADIOMAN (RM) RATING TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN (IT) EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

2. ACCELERATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN TELE-COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS DISCIPLINES REVEALED THE NEED FOR A NEW RATING NAME THAT BEST REFLECTS SKILLS AND ROLES OF SAILORS IN THIS RATING.

3. THIS NAME CHANGE IS CONSISTENT WITH ONGOING NAVY EFFORTS TO PROPERLY MAN AND TRAIN THE RATING TO HANDLE THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT OF THE INFORMATION AGE. NEW RATING NAME ALSO REFLECTS NAVY COMMITMENT TO IT-21, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, AND SERVES AS AN ATTRACTIVE RECRUITING TOOL FOR POTENTIAL RECRUITS INTERESTED IN THESE SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL SKILLS.

4. PER REF B, AN RM-DP CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN MAR 98. ATTENDEES OVERWHELMINGLY AGREED A NAME CHANGE WAS NECESSARY FOR THE NEW RATING.

ATTENDEES CITED FOL JUSTIFICATION:

(1) NEW NAME SHOULD REFLECT CHANGING ROLES AND FUNCTIONS;

(2) NAME SHOULD BE SEPARATE IN NATURE FROM THE HISTORICAL PARADIGMS OF RM AND DP;

(3) NAME NEEDED TO REFLECT RATINGS NEW COMBINED ROLES, EXPERTISE, AND SKILLS; AND

(4) ANY REFERENCE TO COMMUNICATIONS OR COMPUTERS IN THE NEW NAME WOULD NEGATIVELY PORTRAY A DISTINCT AND PREFERRED EXPERTISE.

5. IT'S OPERATE AND MAINTAIN NAVY GLOBAL SATELLITE TELE-COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS. THEIR DUTIES INCLUDE DESIGNING, INSTALLING, OPERATING, AND MAINTAINING STATE OF THE ART INFORMATION SYSTEMS. THESE SYSTEMS INCLUDE LOCAL AND WIDE-AREA NETWORKS, MAINFRAME, MINI AND MACRO COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND ASSOCIATED PERIPHERAL DEVICES. THEY PROVIDE COMMUNICATION LINKS AND CONNECTIVITY TO EVERY SHORE STATION AND SHIP AT SEA ACROSS EVERY BAND OF THE RF SPECTRUM.

6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE RATING HAVE EXPANDED WELL BEYOND TRADITIONAL RADIO SETS AND MAINFRAMES. THE IT RATING BETTER REFLECTS THOSE SKILLS AND ROLES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RATING TODAY, AS WELL AS IN THE FUTURE.

7. IN KEEPING WITH THE PROUD TRADITION OF THE RM RATING, THE RATING BADGE OF ELECTRONIC SPARKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RATING IS BEING RETAINED.

8. RELEASED BY VADM D. T. OLIVER, N1.//

BT
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