Chapter 1 — AEROGRAPHER'S MATE RATING 



and upper aircharts; decode and plot APT pre- 

 dict messages and extract tracking data; demon- 

 strate APT satellite gridding procedures and 

 techniques; and construct and prepare for trans- 

 mission a radiological fallout plot. The AG2 

 must also be capable of analyzing bathythermo- 

 graph data for mixed or sonic layer depths and 

 for thermal gradients and sound channels and of 

 analyzing sea condition charts. He must also 

 interpret oceanographic analyses and forecasts 

 for operational use, and maintain weather office 

 files of applicable notices, instructions, and 

 manuals. 



It might be profitable to explore a few billets 

 by tracing the possible career of one Aerog- 

 rapher's Mate for his first 4-year enlistment. 

 Assume that the man was assigned to a fleet 

 weather central in the United States upon grad- 

 uating from Aerographer's Mate School, Class 

 A, and was classified as an AGAN. The man 

 was given the job of taking surface weather ob- 

 servations and entering synoptic reports on a 

 weather chart. At first this work was done under 

 close supervision. At times he assisted in tak- 

 ing pibals or rawins and radiosonde observa- 

 tions. 



As an AG2, if you are to perform the tasks 

 referred to in the preceding paragraphs, you 

 must know the primary, secondary, and tertiary 

 circulations of the earth's atmosphere; types of 

 weather associated with fronts, air masses, 

 and cyclonic and anticyclonic systems; basic 

 functions and general operating principles of 

 standard electronic meteorological and oceano- 

 graphic instruments; and the physical proper- 

 ties of sea water and major current systems 

 and water masses of the oceans. You must 

 also know the principles and procedures of 

 radiosonde and rawinsonde observations, the 

 principles of radar observations, and the pro- 

 cedures for requisitioning meteorological sup- 

 plies, equipments, and publications. 



From the above general description of the 

 professional requirements of Aerographer's 

 Mates 3 and 2, you can readily see that only the 

 highest caliber of personnel are desired for 

 training as Aerographer's Mates. 



As Aerographer's Mates, you are aware that 

 there are many types of billets to which men of 

 your rating may be assigned. A person con- 

 templating a 20-year naval career could not, if 

 serving normal duty tours, serve in each type 

 billet to which Aerographer's Mates are as- 

 signed. A few types of duty assignments are 

 Fleet Weather Centrals, instructor duty, polar 

 expeditions, naval air stations, and shipboard 

 duty on various types of ships. 



As for the future, it is impossible to antici- 

 pate the billets that will be established and the 

 ones that will be abolished. Technical develop- 

 ments; changes in policy, organization, and op- 

 erational requirements; and modification of 

 meteorological concepts will all play a part in 

 the determination of the billets of the future. 



After a 6-month period, assume that he 

 completed the prescribed practical factors and 

 successfully passed the rating examination and 

 was advanced to Aerographer's Mate, Third 

 Class. He continued to do the same type of 

 work, but with less supervision. He also began 

 learning to analyze weather charts and to make 

 short-range forecasts. One year after being 

 advanced to AG3 and upon the successful com- 

 pletion of the advancement requirements and 

 passing the rating examination, he was advanced 

 to Aerographer's Mate, Second Class. After 

 his normal tour of shore duty expired, he was 

 transferred to an aircraft carrier. Aboard ship 

 he took surface and upper air observations and 

 supervised lower rated personnel. At times he 

 ordered supplies and made out monthly and 

 quarterly reports. Occasionally he analyzed 

 weather charts and made short-range forecasts. 

 During his tour of duty aboard the aircraft car- 

 rier his enlistment expired. 



During this 4-year period he has been a part 

 of the Navy. He has learned what it is to be a 

 part of an organization. During the latter por- 

 tion of his enlistment, he must give this one 

 question some very serious thought: Shall I make 

 the Navy my career? By this time he has been 

 told of the many benefits the Navy affords, 

 such as pay, travel, fringe, and retirement. 

 With this knowledge of the security and mone- 

 tary gains the Navy gives him, he also has 

 the feeling of pride that being a part of the Navy 

 team gives him. He knows that he is playing 

 an important role in the defense of our demo- 

 cratic way of life, and to preserve this way 

 of life, he will want to keep on being a member 

 of this Navy team. After carefully studying 

 the situation, he will realize that by making 

 the Navy his career, he will be doing his country, 

 his family, and himself a great service. 



