When Roger Chaffee was trying to become an astronaut he was a part of the Navy. He received his bachelor of science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and that's when his career started to evolve into that of an astronaut. In 1957, Roger Chaffee started serving the Navy eventually climbing the ranks until he reached the rank Lieutenant Commander on February 1,1996. Starting his flight training in February, 1959 Roger Chaffee transferred to different training stations and units. He started in Advanced Training Unit TWO HUNDRED TWELVE at the Naval Auxiliary Air station. From there he transferred to the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. In September, 1959 he transferred to ATTACK SQUADRON FORTY-FOUR