DAMAGE CONTROLMAN (DC)

OVERVIEW

Damage Controlman (DC) is the U.S. Navy's shipboard damage-control rating — firefighting, dewatering, chemical-biological-radiological (CBR) defense, and the maintenance of every ship's damage-control fittings, repair lockers, and emergency systems. DCs are the in-port and underway lead for fire parties and Repair 5 (CBR) on every U.S. Navy ship.

DCs run damage-control training schools afloat, qualify shipboard personnel as fire fighters and investigators, and supervise repair lockers staffed by every department on the ship.

The general community covers the U.S. Navy's traditional shipboard ratings — deck, engineering, weapons, and combat-systems Sailors who keep surface combatants and amphibious ships in the fight. Sailors in this community typically rotate between sea and shore tours and are eligible for a wide range of NECs, instructor billets, and enlisted commissioning programs.

A-school for the rating runs ~9 weeks at Surface Warfare Engineering School Command, Great Lakes, IL, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score VE+AR+MK+AS=205 and an enlistment obligation of 4–6 years. DCs advance through the standard enlisted paygrade structure (E-1 through E-9), competing in the Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) at E-4 through E-6 and via the Selection Board at E-7 through E-9. Senior DCs typically serve as Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Work Center Supervisor, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), or Command Master Chief (CMC), and may pursue Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), or commissioning programs such as STA-21, MECP, or OCS.

Across the active force, DC Sailors are essential to the Navy's mission readiness, and the rating remains an in-demand career field with strong reenlistment bonuses (SRB), advancement opportunities, and pathways into Navy Reserve, civilian DoD, and industry careers after service.

WHAT DCs DO

DCs install, inspect, and repair the ship's installed firefighting and damage-control systems — AFFF foam, fire mains, CO2 hose reels, watertight doors, magazine sprinklers, eductors, and CBR washdown systems. They lead investigation teams during general quarters, train repair-locker personnel, and serve as the captain's subject-matter expert on hull integrity and battle-damage repair.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• DCs install, inspect, and repair the ship's installed firefighting and damage-control systems — AFFF foam, fire mains, CO2 hose reels, watertight doors, magazine sprinklers, eductors, and CBR washdown systems. They lead investigation teams during general quarters, train repair-locker personnel, and serve as the captain's subject-matter expert on hull integrity and battle-damage repair.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior DCs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the DC work center as Leading Petty Officer or Work Center Supervisor — managing maintenance documentation in 3M/MFOM, parts ordering, and personnel qualifications.
• Support general military training (GMT), damage control, force protection, and watch-bill assignments common to every Sailor regardless of rating.

HISTORY

Damage Controlman was established in 1948 by consolidating the Carpenter's Mate, Painter, and Shipfitter ratings after lessons learned from World War II — the war demonstrated that ship survivability was a discipline requiring a dedicated rating. The DC rating absorbed firefighting and CBR defense responsibilities as those threats matured through the Cold War.

Like all surface-Navy general ratings, the rating evolved alongside the U.S. Navy's transition from sail to steam, then steam to gas-turbine and electric-drive propulsion, and continues to adapt to today's distributed maritime operations and integrated combat systems.

Today the Damage Controlman (DC) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern DCs benefit from the Sailor 2025 personnel-system reforms, the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) training continuum, and credentialing through the Navy COOL program — turning rating qualifications into industry-recognized certifications and licenses.

The rating's structure, training pipeline, and operational employment continue to evolve alongside the Navy's transition to Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Project Overmatch, and the Force Design 2045 fleet architecture, ensuring DCs remain central to the warfighting mission.

TRAINING PIPELINE

1. 1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeks
   Naval Station Great Lakes, IL
   Initial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors at the Navy's only boot camp.
2. 2. Damage Controlman A-School~9 weeks
   Surface Warfare Engineering School Command, Great Lakes, IL
   Initial rating-skills training for accessions
3. 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
   Every commissioned U.S. Navy ship
   On-the-job training and qualifications in the DC rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

1. E-1/E-3
   Apprentice DC
   A-school in the general pipeline; first tour with a fleet unit.
2. E-4/E-6
   Petty Officer DC
   Lead a Damage Controlman work-center, qualify in core watchstations and platform-specific tasks.
3. E-7+
   Chief Damage Controlman
   Senior enlisted leader of the rating in the command; instructor, detailer, or department leading chief assignments.

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

• Every commissioned U.S. Navy ship
• Repair lockers and Damage Control Central afloat
• Shore damage-control training schools (Farrier FFTC, Buttercup)

EXAMPLE NECs

• DC-4944 Advanced Hull Maintenance
• DC-4946 Surface Ship Damage Control Trainer Operator

RELATED RATINGS

• HT · General Surface & Combat
  Hull Maintenance Technician
• MM · General Surface & Combat
  Machinist's Mate
• EN · General Surface & Combat
  Engineman

RELATED BASES

• Navy Base · IL
  Naval Station Great Lakes
• Navy Base · VA
  Naval Station Norfolk
• Navy Base · CA
  Naval Base San Diego

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCES

• Navy Damage Controlman (navy.com)
• My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
• Navy COOL — Rating Detail