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Skills

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mattpeek

mattpeek

Registered User
Hi Steve:
I'm curious about surface warfare. I have a strong desire to do aviation but I don't feel I'm competitive enough. The choice behind that is surface warfare. What can I learn that would be useful in the real world once I leave the Navy as a surface warfare officer?? I can only think of leadership and managemant skills. Thanks for the help.
Matt
 
Steve Wilkins

Steve Wilkins

Teaching pigs to dance, one pig at a time.
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Matt,

Leadership and management skills are a very big part of being a Surface Warfare Officer (SWO). You either learn those skills quick or die a very painful death during your Division Officer tours. This applies to running a division and standing your watch. Running the division requires you to manage your personnel so that they accomplish tasks on time, but are also making preparations for events that are 7 months down the road. Take for instance standing Officer of the Deck (OOD) on the bridge. You have to maintain situational awareness, make decisions, and communicate those to your bridge team. Both entail using leadership and management skills to some degree. If you do two tours as a divo and decide to get out, you will be very marketable to many industries.

On the other hand, if after you get your SWO pin, you are still interested in going aviation, that is still an option for you. You simply put in a lateral transfer request as per the MILPERS instruction. Lateral transfer boards meet twice per year, usually in March and October (Nov this year). Depending on your performance as a SWO, your CO's recommendation, and all the other typical criteria that goes along with an aviation package, you could have a very good shot at being selected.

Another route for you may be the SWO (Nuke) option. It's good money and also very marketable on the outside world.

I hope this helps some for you. Take care.

--Steve
 
Steve Wilkins

Steve Wilkins

Teaching pigs to dance, one pig at a time.
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Super Moderator
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Yep, I remember seeing a number of "SWO's" going through flight training when I was there.

--Steve
 
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