Is dedicated to celebrating San Diego’s naval and maritime heritage. Our role in this celebration comes in three parts or a triad. Each part of the triad is significant and relies and the other two parts to fulfill our vision. The triad includes a training facility, an archive and research center and a naval/maritime museum.

The training facility is the RECRUIT at the south end of NTC. The RECRUIT was built in the late 1940’s as a 2/3 scale model of a US Navy Destroyer Escort. Through the years the ship was upgraded to a Guided Missile Fast Frigate. We would use this facility in the same manner as which it was originally intended. As it was originally, it would remain with the capability for overnight stays with a complete standard US Navy berthing (sleeping) area, heads (bathrooms), and a galley would be added.

We will train and educate youth in the nomenclature of ships, naval history, basic deck seamanship, marine science, naval customs, courtesies and traditions.. In addition tours would be conducted, a memorabilia shop and information center opened, plus the immediate area would be used for nautical ceremonies and a few spaces could be rented for meetings and educational uses. This becomes a hands-on, interactive training facility, which would retain the original design and uses of such a historic and unique facility.

To maximize usage we have agreed to work with another organization that is formulating plans for a traditional small boat center and a very successful educational organization that would conduct the youth training programs. We will work with other organizations for educational or training use of USS RECRUIT.

The second part of the triad is a premier archive and research center using the latest technology to retrieve and publish information. The archives would be relative to naval and maritime history of the San Diego area. The center would provide the main control center for computer based training on the RECRUIT and computer based interactive kiosk that will be in the museum. The center will transfer historic documents into a digital format and will be capable of retrieving and reproducing any information that has been stored in the computer systems. The center would maintain a paper archive of items directly related to NTC and will work with other San Diego organizations to ensure important historical information is not lost.

In addition the center would have a library and computer systems available for anyone to conduct research. Some interesting items might include documentation of everyone who was trained at NTC, a pictorial library of US Navy ships that have been homported in San Diego, digitized US Navy Uniform Regulations from 1864 to present, and historical archives of all naval bases in San Diego. The system would allow visitors to pull up records of their relatives and the training that they received at NTC San Diego, pictures of these individuals and pictures of their training groups would be available both in digital and printed formats. We will work closely with other marine, veteran and maritime groups to build an electronic historical archive that could be accessed from any of the other organizations and to minimize duplicating work others had done.

The center would be responsible for running all computer systems in support of the naval/maritime museum and the USS RECRUIT. The USS Recruit would use computer-based training by video projection units in the classrooms and on the bridge. The computer-based training on the bridge of the RECRUIT could simulate all bridge operations of a vessel underway.

Additionally the Archive/research center would house the NTC Quarterdeck. The quarterdeck of a naval ship is a place to carry out official functions and the entry point to a ship. If you want to find someone on the ship or what operations are going on, the personal on the quarterdeck have the information or the authority to get it, or direct action as required.

The NTC Quarterdeck would serve as an introduction to the NTC historic core, OCEANS Village and the USS RECRUIT. Information would be available concerning all information centers at NTC and provide a common place for people to meet.

The third part of our triad is the museum/exhibition area of naval and maritime history in San Diego. The entire base would comprise part of the museum with displays in every historic building, a walking tour established, and computer kiosk throughout the base. The central core will feature; History of Navy Uniforms from 1900 to current uniforms and examples, History and pictures of NTS/NTC/SSC/RTC, history and pictures of San Diego commands, Fleet Sonar/Undersea Warfare items of interest, Ships Plaques, interactive computerized Kiosk, an OOD simulator, Navy Divers history, Navy Environmental Protection and traveling exhibits. The focus of the exhibits would be tailored towards the men and women who trained and were trained here.