Gunner

Gunner (abbrev GN) is an enlisted technical specialty or rating utilized by the Royal Manticoran Navy.

Description

Gunners operate and maintain all gunnery equipment, guided-missile launching systems,counter-missile launchers, beam weapons, point defense clusters, and associated equipment. They repair electrical, electronic, molytronic, hydraulic and mechanical systems, and make detailed casualty analysis. They test ammunition, missiles, and their ordnance components. Gunners train and supervise personnel in the handling and stowage of ammunition, missiles, and assigned ordnance equipment. They are also trained in small arms (pulsers, plasma rifles, flechette guns, and others), crew served weapons (tribarrels, plasma guns, SAM's, and grenade launchers), pyrotechnics, hand grenades, non-lethal weapons, force protection and anti-terrorism. They also operate shooting ranges and armories and are responsible for the storage and issue of ammunition. Gunners must be qualified in all weapons technology. The prerequisite courses for Gunner include the Beam Weapons and Missile Tech courses.

Historical Overview

The United States Navy occupational rating of gunner's mate (GM) is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) to enlisted sailors who either satisfactorily complete initial Gunner's Mate "A" school training, or who "strike" for the rating by showing competence in the field of ordnance. When "striking" you do not need to be a seaman, but you do need to be one of the three undesignated rates; Fireman (FN), Seaman (SN), or Airman (AN). You can also "cross rate" to Gunner's Mate. "Cross rating" is where you cross from your current rating to another rating of your choice if your ASVAB scores are high enough and the Navy has any open slots for that rate; for example, Intelligence Specialist third class (IS3) can cross rate to a Gunner's Mate, then that sailor becomes a Gunner's Mate third class (GM3).

The Gunner's Mate "A" school is held at Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Illinois. While the school was originally very hands-on, it is now primarily conducted through self-study computer-based training (CBT). The training focuses on the operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of naval guns, missile launchers and torpedoes as well as a strong emphasis on basic explosives, guidance and tracking systems, small arms, Naval ammunition classification, and safety. Upon completion of this basic training, enlisted members often continue on to a specialized "C" school, where they learn a particular weapons system.

A GM will specialize in weapons such as the M500 shotgun, M60 machine gun, M14 rifle, M2 Browning machine gun, M9 pistol, M11 pistol, M16 rifle, M240 machine gun, M203 grenade launcher, M79 grenade launcher, M1911 pistol, M1 Garand, Mk 19 grenade launcher, Mk 18 Mod 0 Carbine Rifle, 5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun, M242 Bushmaster chain gun, Vertical launching system, Missiles, torpedoes, pyrotechnics, hand grenades, non-lethal weapons, force protection & anti-terrorism, as well as operating shooting ranges, armories, and the storage and issue of ammunition.

On February 26, 2007 the Chief of Naval Operations approved the merger of the gunner’s mate (GM) and torpedoman’s mate (TM) ratings into the GM rating. The move was made to leverage the strengths, knowledge, skills and abilities found in the two ratings to meet mission needs now and in the future.

“The training Sailors receive after basic training for their ratings on an apprentice level has been the same for both gunner's and torpedoman's mates,” said Senior Chief Torpedoman's Mate Sherry Secrease of the Navy Personnel Command. “This makes the merger easier to accomplish.”

The Gunner's Mate rating is primarily surface warfare-based. Closely associated Naval occupational ratings are Fire Controlman (FC), Aviation Ordnanceman (AO), Missile Technician (MT), Mineman (MN). The Gunner's Mate rating is one of the original ratings created as a result of the Naval Armament Act of 1797. The others include Boatswain's Mate (BM), Quartermasters (QM), Master-at-Arms (MA), and Yeoman (YN) .[2] The rating is also among the top five source ratings for enlisted Naval Special Warfare candidates.

TRMN Training Information

Members desiring to qualify to serve at the different skill levels within the Gunner's department must pass the following exams and prerequisites:

Bureau of Training Information for Gunner
Course Name	Course Code	Prerequisite(s)
Basic Gunner "A" School	SIA-SRN-29A	SIA-RMN-0001	(Basic Enlisted)
		SIA-SRN-27A	(Basic Missile Technician)
		SIA-SRN-28A	(Basic Beam Weapons Technician)
Advanced Gunner "C" School	SIA-SRN-29C	SIA-RMN-0002	(Basic Non-Commissioned Officer)
		SIA-SRN-29A	(Gunner)
		SIA-SRN-27C	(Advanced Missile Technician)
		SIA-SRN-28C	(Advanced Beam Weapons Technician)
Gunner Warrant Officer "W" School	SIA-SRN-29W	SIA-RMN-0011	(Warrant Officer)
		SIA-SRN-29C	(Advanced Gunner)
Gunner Division Officer "D" School	SIA-SRN-29D	SIA-RMN-0101	(Ensign)
		SIA-SRN-29C	(Advanced Gunner)
		SIA-SRN-27D	(Missile Technician Division Officer)
		SIA-SRN-28D	(Beam Weapons Technician Division Officer)

Notes

RMN Technical Specialties
Command:	Boatswain - Master-at-Arms - Operations Specialist - Intelligence Specialist
Admin:	Personnelman - Navy Counselor - Yeoman
Logistics:	Steward - Storekeeper - Disbursing Clerk - Ship's Serviceman
Tactical:	Fire Control - Electronic Warfare - Tracking Specialist - Missiles - Beam Weapons - Gunner
Engineering:	Impeller - Power - Gravitics - Environment - Hydroponics - Damage Control
Communications:	Data Systems - Electronics - Communications - Sensors
Astrogation:	Helmsman - Plotting Specialist
Flight Operations:	Coxswain
Medical:	Corpsman - Sick Berth Attendant