Damage Controlman School

The Damage Controlman rating is an extremely diverse rating. A single Damage Controlman in today's Coast Guard has the knowledge and skills of numerous civilian professional trades. Welder, plumber, carpenter, and firefighter are a few examples of the trades and skills learned and practiced by the Damage Controlman. If you think you may be interested in a career that challenges your abilities in problem solving, allows you to fabricate repairs, provides you with the satisfaction of creating and building, and calls on you to act quickly in the event of an emergency, then the Damage Controlman rating is for you. Training to become a Damage Controlman starts with training at Damage Controlman "A" School in Yorktown, Virginia. Many units in the Coast Guard also provide on-the-job training to become a Damage Controlman. The skills and knowledge learned and practiced by the Damage Controlman carry over well into the civilian trades, providing you with many opportunities for a career after the Coast Guard.

Damage Controlman Class "A" Course (DC "A")

This 14.8-week course is conducted primarily in Taylor Hall and teaches selected non-rated personnel to perform as junior petty officers at an entry level in the Damage Controlman rating. Students are taught the basic principles of:

  • Leadership
  • Oxy fuel Cutting/Brazing
  • Engineering Administration
  • Finish Carpentry
  • Rough Construction
  • Watertight Closure Maintenance
  • Welding
  • Plumbing and Pipe Fitting
  • Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Warfare Defense
  • Shipboard Firefighting Procedures
  • Practical Damage Control

Damage Controlman Class "C" Courses

These courses consist of limited classroom theory and extensive hands-on training in a controlled environment.

  • Advanced Steel Welding - (DC-01)
  • Aluminum Welding - (DC-02)
  • Small Cutter Damage Control (DC-06)

Coast Guard Employee Access

It is recommended each Coast Guard employee visit TCYorktown's Portal site for additional Damage Controlman training information. Coast Guard Employee Access.