"A" School Staff
"A" Schools
- Fire Controlmen "A" School (CIN: A-100-0141)
- Gunnersmate "A" School" (CIN: A-041-0010)
- Electronic Technician "A" School (CIN: A-100-0149)
Mr. J. Mark Rickey
"A" School Lead Instructor
Training Support Center (TSC), CSCS Great Lakes, IL
Mark has been with San Diego City College since June of 2007, instructing at GM “A” School before being promoted to Lead Instructor in October of 2010. Mark is a Subject Matter Expert in every facet of the Gunners Mate Rating and holds three Navy Education Code’s for Range Master, Instructor, 3M System Coordinator, and was qualified Officer of the Deck Underway on the USS Salver ARS-52. For twenty two years Mark served in the U. S. Navy as a Gunners Mate Chief Petty Officer serving anywhere from the Middle East providing and deploying force protection measures for Naval Support Activity Bahrain, to being the Liaison to the Public of Korea for all United States Navy titled munitions on the peninsula of South Korea. Mark was the last Leading Chief Petty Officer of the original home of all Gunners Mates, The Green House, Building 521, Naval Gunnery School. The Rickey family, Kathy and Mark, have three sons, Jason, Chris and Sean. Jason and Chris are now serving on active duty in the Navy and son Sean is still attending High School.
Mr. John A. Caliendo
"A" School Night Lead Instructor
Training Support Center (TSC), CSCS Great Lakes, IL
John has been with San Diego City College off and on since May of 1999, as an instructor at GM "A" School. During the time away from San Diego, John has utilized his talents in a number of challenging positions such as; Manager of all 18 homeless shelters in Lake County IL, a family Educator for troubled youth at Kids Hope United, and finally as a field service engineer for Northrop Grumman Corp. John also enjoys teaching religious education on the weekends along with his wife of 21 years Diane. He has been blessed with a son Bryan a sophomore at Lakes Community High School. John is fully qualified and certified to instruct all areas in of GM school as well as supervise all Radar Labs for the ET and FC a schools. He has served on six different ships in his 20 year career. These ships include the USS Fort Fisher, USS O'Brien, USS Truxton, USS Bristol County, USS Kirk, and the USS Hurricane. John finished his career as the Admin Chief of Naval Gunnery School in 1999. John is thrilled to be back instructing at Great Lakes and considers it an honor to serve and work with the San Diego Staff.
Mr. Dwight "JJ" Johnson
Instructor
Training Support Center (TSC), CSCS Great Lakes, IL
JJ joined the TSC Great Lakes in 1982 after serving 7319 days in the Navy and retiring as a Chief Electrician Mate. He started as an instructor at Electricians Mate "A" School and was instrumental in setting up the first Model "A" School Learning Resource Centers (computer rooms) at TSC. He was then assigned to the Interactive Courseware Department (ICW) where he developed CBT lessons for several of the TSC schools and became the Lead Instructor before being reassigned as an instructor at Gunners Mate "A" School. As a Minesweeper Sailor "Men of Iron, Ships of Wood", J.J. served aboard the USS Pivot MSO-463 during Veit Nam, and later as Chief Master at Arms aboard USS Fearless MSO-442. Other duties include Armed Forces Police (Subic Bay) as Section Leader and acting Chief of Armed Forces Police. J.J then returned to TSC Great Lakes for a tour of duty at Electricians Mate "C" School, and retiring off the USS Caloosahatchee AO-98. Shortly after retiring, his interest in computers lead him to Lake County Computer Enthusiasts (founded as Lake County Atari Users Group) in 1983. J.J. is also a well respected freelance photographer, where he contributes his services to the Waukegan Township and Lake County Forrest Preserve. His appreciation for the arts, and service to the community give him the chance to perform on stage in a yearly fundraiser for homeless men women and children. He has two children, Gina, Dwight Jr., and two grandsons.
Mr. David K. Pavin
Instructor
Training Support Center (TSC), CSCS Great Lakes, IL
David has been with San Diego City College since Aug of 1995; instructing first at AETC (Advanced Electronics Technical Core School) teaching DC/AC, solid state circuits, and digital electronics. Then in 2000 was transferred to Gun School and has been teaching there for the last eleven years. David is an integral part of the school house and has seen the school house transformed from a formal class room setting to an Integrated Learning Environment back to a blended solution of formal instruction and the Integrated Learning Environment. David joined the navy in June of 1970 and became an ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) Gunners Mate and served on a total of five sea commands on the west coast, stationed at Naval Air Field, Moffett Field, California, Weapons Training Group Pacific, North Island, California, and two tours of the duty at Great Lake Naval Base, Illinois. David retired from the Navy in June of 1994 and now resides in Zion, Illinois along with his wife.