2016 promises to be a great year for improving technology that sailors rely on.
Officials expect to roll out a new online "Sailor Portal" that allows one-stop access to every important training and personnel site. No more remembering dozens of passwords to log into separate sites just to complete online training or review your service record. These sites will all be lashed together under the Sailor Portal.
Officials say the portal won't do everything right away, but over the next few years and budget cycles, they expect to accomplish this consolidation of information.
Five years ago, the Navy was working hard to convert all paper service jackets to electronic records and have been pushing sailors to manage their service records online. But over the years, there's been documented issues of inaccuracy of what is online and complaints that sailors must access too many separate Web sites to properly keep tabs on their information. This latest move, officials hope, will make that task easier.
The Navy also hopes to make strides with its tablet testing in 2016. Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois, will expand its tablet testing by recruits in hopes of finding durable and useful devices that will help sailors through their careers. They're also developing apps and videos to teach new recruits basic skills. Similarly, trainers are set to introduce more training apps for your phone, like the "Naval OPSEC" app that lets you complete your annual training with a few thumb taps.
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Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
