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50 more female RDCs sought

The Navy is looking for more women to push boots at Great Lakes — and it is willing to offer extra perks to those who volunteer.

Since the Navy plans to bring in 7,996 female recruits this year, 522 more than in 2009, leaders will need more women to help train those recruits. Officials plan to increase the number of female recruit division commanders to 127, and while they have 102 now, they expect to need 50 more female RDCs to make up for projected losses.

Female sailors E-5 and up who are accepted into the program will be allowed to leave their sea tours up to one year early and be allowed to get a second shore tour — perks not offered to male sailors who go RDC.

Being an RDC is much like being on deployment, considering the high number of hours involved, said Command Master Chief (SS/SW) Richard Dodd, the top sailor at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill. RDCs must be up at 4 a.m. most mornings to wake up the recruits and stay past lights out at 10 p.m.

“The difference here is you do get to go home at the end of the day,” he said. “But there’s only time to get a bit of sleep and change uniforms for the next day.”

To read more about the perks available for RDCs, read the next issue of Navy Times which hits newsstands Monday. To read it online, login here, or subscribe now.