Last Updated on November 16, 2023
This guide provides helpful information about the various locations of U.S. Navy Officer’s basic and advanced training.
Basic Training Locations
Most of the initial training is conducted in Naval Station Newport.
Naval Station Newport
Naval Station Newport is at Newport Rhode Island, United States. The base was established in 1845 and has been used for military purposes since then. The main purpose of the base today is to provide training for Navy personnel, especially Naval Officers.
The following training facilities are in Naval Station Newport.
Officer Candidate School
The Navy Officer Candidate School (OCS) prospective officers for their careers as commissioned Naval Officers.
OCS is an intense experience where candidates learn how to lead others through rigorous physical and mental challenges. Candidates must pass all phases of OCS before they can attend the next phase of training.
Civilian officer candidates and prior enlisted candidates who are selected to become Line Officers attend OCS.
Officer Development School
The Navy Officer Development School (ODS) trains junior officers on the job skills needed to perform effectively as leaders in the fleet. It prepares officers for command positions in surface ships, submarines, aviation squadrons, and shore commands.
Junior Officers in the Staff Corps attend ODS.
Limited Duty Officer/Warrant Officer/Chief Warrant Officer Academy
The Navy Limited Duty Officer/Warrant Officer/Chief Warrant Officer Academy trains warrant officers and chief warrant officers in leadership and management skills. Students receive advanced training in areas such as logistics, engineering, finance, human resources, and other key areas of business administration.
Officers with less than five years of service attend this academy.
Naval Science Institute
The Naval Science Institute is a two-year program that trains midshipmen in science, mathematics, and technology. Midshipmen spend half of each year studying subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. They also take part in a variety of activities, including sailing, diving, and swimming.
Midshipmen attending the institute have the option of pursuing a career in the Navy or going into industry after graduation.
This is a preparatory training for those selected in the Seaman to Admiral (STA-21) commissioning program.
U.S. Naval Academy
The U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the country. Founded in 1798, it is the only institution of higher education authorized by Congress to grant bachelor’s degrees.
The Naval Academy is divided into several departments: academic, athletic, and support services.
Academic schools include the following departments:
- College of Engineering
- Department of Mathematics & Natural Sciences
- Department of Physics
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Department of Marine Biology
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of English
Athletic schools include the following departments:
- Department of Physical Education
- Department of Recreational Sports
- Department of Sailing
- Department of Rowing
- Department of Swimming
- Department of Tennis
- Department of Track & Field
- Department of Wrestling
- Department of Women’s Rowing
Students at the Naval Academy are known as “mids.” There are approximately 1,000 mids who graduate from the school every year.
The USNA is on the grounds of Fort McNair in Washington D.C., which was once home to the Army’s Infantry School.
Quick Trivia: When do Naval Officers wear whites?
Advanced Training Locations
The following are the advanced training locations for some of the most popular Navy Officer positions.
Surface Warfare Officer
Navy Surface Warfare Officer School is at Newport, Rhode Island. The school provides training for officers who plan and execute naval operations from shipboard and shore locations.
Students attend classes during the academic year and receive instruction through classroom lectures, practical exercises, and field training.
Navy SEAL Officer
The United States Navy SEALs training takes place at various locations around the world, such as Coronado, California, San Diego, Texas, Virginia Beach, Florida, and Pensacola, Florida. These locations offer different training for both enlisted personnel and officer candidates.
The initial training for Navy SEAL Officers is at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, California. This facility offers specialized courses in small boat handling, land navigation, survival skills, weapons marksmanship, demolitions, and underwater demolition.
Navy Pilot
The U.S. Navy has two major training centers for naval aviators: Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, and Naval Air Station Whiting Field near Milton, Florida. Both bases offer flight instruction and ground school courses. Pilots also receive basic training at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, and advanced training at NAS Jacksonville, Florida.
The initial training for Navy Pilots is at NAS Pensacola, Florida; this base offers a variety of courses including flight training, instrument rating, and carrier qualifications.
Naval Flight Officer
Naval Flight Officer training takes place at the U.S. Navy Flight Training Command at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. The course lasts for about 9 months and comprises two phases: initial entry training and advanced individual training.
During the first phase, students learn how to fly aircraft such as the T-34C Turbo Mentor, P3 Orion, and C-130 Hercules. After completing the initial training, they move into the second phase, which focuses on flying the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet.
The initial training for Naval Flight Officer is at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia. This base offers a wide range of courses, including flight training and instrument rating.
Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Officer
The U.S. Navy has two training centers for EOD Officers: Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at Kings Point, New York, and Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Virginia. Both schools offer courses for new officers, refresher courses, and advanced coursework.
The initial training for Navy EOD Officers is at Kings Point. This base offers courses in explosive identification, explosive ordnance disposal, and mine warfare.
Navy Intelligence Officer
The United States Navy has two primary training centers for Intelligence Officers: Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and the National Security Agency (NSA) in Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Both schools offer graduate degrees in intelligence studies.
The initial training for Navy Intelligence Officers is at the NSA’s headquarters in Fort George G. Mead, Maryland. This base offers courses in cryptology, linguistics, and computer science.
Navy Supply Corps Officer
The U.S. Navy Supply Corps Officers Training School (SCOTS) is at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. This school trains officers for all branches of the U.S. Navy. SCOTS has three main training areas: Logistics Management, Operations Analysis, and Strategic Studies.
Navy Information Warfare Officer
The U.S. Navy has two major training centers for Information Warfare Officers. One is at Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and the other one is at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. Both schools offer courses in computer network operations, cyber security, and electronic warfare.
