To  reenforce  principles  learned  in  the  class- room,  the  school  requires  students  to  engage  in “hands-on”   training,  This  includes  underway experience on yard-patrol craft and time in mock- ups  of  ship’s  bridges  and  combat  information centers.  It  also  includes  training  on  the  USS Buttercup, a damage control trainer that simulates a sinking ship. Upon  successful  completion  of  the  course  of instruction,   officer   candidates   receive   a   com- mission as an ensign in the United States Naval Reserve. They then serve 4 years on active duty and 2 years in an inactive Reserve status. The top 10  percent  of  each  graduating  class  receive recognition as distinguished naval graduates and are  offered  a  Regular  U.S.  Navy  commission. AVIATION  OFFICER CANDIDATE   SCHOOL The   Navy   began   the   Aviation Candidate  School  (AOCS)  Program  in Officer 1955. It provides  an  avenue  to  commissioned  service  for applicants  interested  in  serving  as  naval  aviators, naval  flight  officers,  intelligence  officers,  or aviation  maintenance  duty  officers. Candidates  selected  for  AOCS  attend  14  weeks of  indoctrination  training  at  Pensacola,  Florida. Subjects   of   instruction   include   seamanship, organizational operations, naval administration, sea   power, military  law,    naval    leadership, aeronautics,  engineering,  and  navigation.  Upon successful   completion   they   receive   their   com- missions as ensigns. Members  desiring  pilot  training  continue  their flight  training  for  12  to  18  months  after  com- missioning.  Following  successful  completion  of the   additional   flight   training,   candidates   are designated  naval  aviators  and  accept  a  7-year active-duty   obligation. Naval  flight  officer  (NFO)  candidates,  after commissioning, will   continue   their   training leading  to  designation  as  NFOs.  NFOs  incur  a 6-year   active-duty   obligation   following   their designation. Candidates   selected   for   the   intelligence program  and  the  aviation  maintenance  duty officer   program   undergo   additional   training following  commissioning.  They  must  serve  on active   duty   for   4   years   from   their   date   of commissioning. NAVAL   POSTGRADUATE   SCHOOL The  Naval  Postgraduate  School  (NPS)  was officially established at Monterey, California, in 1951,  although  the  original  postgraduate  school dates back to the early 1900s. The  current  total  educational  emphasis  of  this school is on graduate-level programs; the school meets 80 percent of the Navy’s graduate educa- tion  requirement.  NPS  has  over  40  programs  of study,  ranging  from  the  traditional  engineering and  physical  sciences  to  the  rapidly  evolving  space science  programs.  No  other  university  offers Navy-oriented  graduate  curricula  with  such  a broad  span  of  topics.  Studies  include  aircraft combat   survivability,   fiber   optics,   robotics, artificial   intelligence,   data   base   systems,   and light  weight  satellites. Lieutenant  and  lieutenant  commander  selection boards  screen  officers  for  NPS.  The  boards  also determine  the  officers’  areas  of  study,  based  on the   officers’   designators   and   academic   profile codes. Potential NPS students discuss with their detailers how the school can fit into their careers and  whether  or  not  they  wish  to  attend. NPS  is  accredited  by  the  Accrediting  Com- mission  for  Senior  Colleges  and  Universities  of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY  OF  THE  HEALTH SCIENCES The  Uniformed  Services  University  of  the Health Sciences was established to educate career- oriented  medical  officers  for  the  military  services. The  university  currently  incorporates  the  F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine graduate and continuing  education  programs.  It  is  located  on the   Naval   Medical   Command   Reservation   in Bethesda,  Maryland. A  faculty  committee  on  admissions  makes student  selections.  The  committee  bases  its selections   upon   candidates’   motivation   and dedication to a career in the uniformed services and  an  overall  appraisal  of  their  personal  and intellectual  characteristics.  Applicants  must  be U.S. citizens and meet the physical and personal qualifications for commissioning. They also must give evidence of a strong commitment to serving as  a  uniformed  medical  officer.  The  graduating medical student must serve a period of obligation of  not  less  than  7  years. The university’s F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine  now  has  an  enrollment  of  over  600 officers  in  training  for  their  M.D.  degrees.  It has   an   additional   enrollment   of   over   100 10-10