ZAU CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING THE LACK OF TRNG PROVIDED TO TAKE OVER ADDITIONAL SECTORS; CITING MGMNT PRESSURE TO MIN OJT HRS.

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I HAVE NEVER FILLED OUT THIS FORM BEFORE; BUT AM AWARE IT IS TO RPT UNSAFE SITUATIONS. I HAVE BEEN A CTLR FOR MANY YRS AT ZAU. IN THE SW AREA WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE ARE GETTING 2 NEW SECTORS: DANVILLE AND KANKAKEE FROM THE S AREA. MGMNT (OR THE TRAINING DEPT) HAVE GIVEN US 45 HRS TO TRAIN AND GET CHKED OUT ON THE 2 SECTORS. I TRAINED WITH LITTLE OR NO TFC. AND THEN YOU GOT AN ADDITIONAL 10 HRS IF YOU WERE NOT READY AT 45 HRS. I WAS AT MY 55 HRS (AT WHICH TIME I WAS NOT READY) AND I HAD 2 CHOICES: #1) CHK OUT AND SIGN THE BLUE SHEET; OR #2) GET PULLED FROM TRAINING AND MIGHT HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF A REVIEW BOARD. I HAVE BEEN A CTLR FOR A LOT OF YRS AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH MY SKILLS AS AN ATC CTLR WHEN I WAS TRAINED THOROUGHLY. I CANNOT SAY THAT NOW. WE HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO FEEL COMFORTABLE. I WAS PRESSURED TO THINK THAT IF I DID NOT CHK OUT; I WOULD HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF A REVIEW BOARD AND THAT SCARED ME; SO I SIGNED THE BLUE SHEET; HINDSIGHT MAYBE I SHOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED IT; AND FACED THE REVIEW BOARD SO THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND THE DIRE SITUATION WE FACE. IT IS IRONIC; BUT 2 DAYS AFTER I WAS CHKED OUT THEY HAD ME DO A CBI-SMS (SAFETY MGMNT SYS); AND IT ALSO HAD US WATCH A VIDEO ON THE 'CHALLENGER' DISASTER. A GENTLEMAN SAID ON THE VIDEO 'THE CHALLENGER DISASTER CAN NEVER BE CALLED AN ACCIDENT. HUMAN LIVES LOST NEEDLESSLY.' I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH THE DANVILLE/KANKAKEE SECTOR COMING TO THE SW AREA; THAT WE ARE BEING RUSHED TO BE CHKED OUT; SO WE CAN TAKE THE SECTOR OVER. AS LONG AS IT CAN BE MOVED FROM THE S TO THE SW; WHO CARES THE AMOUNT OF AIRSPACE IT IS; OR THE COMPLEXITY THAT IT WILL BE IN LATE SPRING; SUMMER; JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE ENGINEERS FOR THE CHALLENGER WERE BULLIED INTO AGREEING TO LAUNCH -- REGARDLESS OF THE DATA. I; AS A CTLR FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN BULLIED TO CHK OUT; REGARDLESS IF I AM READY TO WORK THE SECTOR; DANVILLE/KANKAKEE.