sTUPID qUESTIONS aBOUT ocs

[SaltyDawg85]

Depends who you get. I never learned them and got by fine, but if you get asked for RLP and don't know them, "down up aye aye sir."

On that same note, must your verbal description of the insignias be word for word correct? Because I've seen different wording in several different places. For instance, is it going to matter if you say "gold five pointed star" as opposed to "five pointed gold star?"

 

[SaltyDawg85]

I know it's not the same, butI was having the same issue when I was learning them for boot camp...decided I'd just take the hit and make sure I knew the other stuff solid. Ha I've actually only met 3 so far in my career. And, from everyone I've talked to, I feel like many people in the Navy don't know the warrant ranks very well.

It doesn't help that on top of the four navy warrant officer rank insignias which don't seem to have any logic or pattern to them, the marines have a different set that are almost equally random.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

On that same note, must your verbal description of the insignias be word for word correct? Because I've seen different wording in several different places. For instance, is it going to matter if you say "gold five pointed star" as opposed to "five pointed gold star?"

Again, depends on class team. Some won't notice a difference, some might say "go by the OCR" or "go by the gouge book" (although I don't think they give those out anymore). For the record, I was taught "gold five-pointed star" in that case.

 

[Fronch]

It doesn't help that on top of the four navy warrant officer rank insignias which don't seem to have any logic or pattern to them, the marines have a different set that are almost equally random.

There is a pattern. Here's how I think about it: The higher-ranked Warrant Officers are related to insignia for higher ranked officers (at least O-1 and O-2):

• W-1 and W-2 are gold (like O-1), and W-3 through W-5 are silver (like O-2)
• The higher rank has less of the blue/red "breaks" (three breaks for W-1 and W-3, two breaks for W-2 and W-4, and just the thin line for W-5), making them "closer" to the corresponding officer ranks
• For the Navy sleeve patterns, again, the higher rank is "closer" to the single O-1 stripe: W-2 has three breaks, W-3 has two breaks, W-4 has only one break, and W-5 also has only one break as well as the thin stripe (which matches the collar device)

Also, the only differences between Navy and Marines are:

• Marines have W-1, Navy doesn't
• Navy has sleeve insignia and shoulder boards, Marines don't
• Navy's "breaks" are blue, Marines are red

 

[SaltyDawg85]

There is a pattern. Here's how I think about it: The higher-ranked Warrant Officers are related to insignia for higher ranked officers (at least O-1 and O-2):

• W-1 and W-2 are gold (like O-1), and W-3 through W-5 are silver (like O-2)
• The higher rank has less of the blue/red "breaks" (three breaks for W-1 and W-3, two breaks for W-2 and W-4, and just the thin line for W-5), making them "closer" to the corresponding officer ranks
• For the Navy sleeve patterns, again, the higher rank is "closer" to the single O-1 stripe: W-2 has three breaks, W-3 has two breaks, W-4 has only one break, and W-5 also has only one break as well as the thin stripe (which matches the collar device)

Also, the only differences between Navy and Marines are:

• Marines have W-1, Navy doesn't
• Navy has sleeve insignia and shoulder boards, Marines don't
• Navy's "breaks" are blue, Marines are red

Thanks, that actually may help.

 

[JoJoGoHard]

One taught the gun safety course while I was there. He was a W-5 who insisted we call him "Gunner." He was so chill. His brown leather belt on his NWU's was so out of regs that my officer candidate head nearly imploded.

There are only approx 165 AD CWO-5's in the entire Navy, so they are a very rare breed and completely untouchable... CWO-5's are bad asses!!!

 

[WEGL12]

On that same note, must your verbal description of the insignias be word for word correct? Because I've seen different wording in several different places. For instance, is it going to matter if you say "gold five pointed star" as opposed to "five pointed gold star?"

I had a senior CPO for 6th week PI that was very strict about the wording. He knew which ranks were described "gold five pointed star" and the ones using "five pointed gold star". This was while we were using the older OCR so the wording may be different in the new version. But like stated before some DI/CPO don't care while others are very picky. Also for RLP from my experience, DIs normally ask Marine ranks and CPOs ask Navy ranks. My inspector asked me to start at USMC E-1 and stated the sleeve markings all the way up to O-10. I never got to E-3 before having to come to attention and say "minus one aye aye sir" and get back on my face and start over again. You will learn once you get there but if you have to stop while answering a question always start the answer over and never start where you left off.

 

[WEGL12]

Also know your warfare insignia. It was amazing at how many people didn't know the description for there own warfare insignia. That is a go to question during inspections that should be easy to answer.

 

[Mr Spenz]

I had a senior CPO for 6th week PI that was very strict about the wording. He knew which ranks were described "gold five pointed star" and the ones using "five pointed gold star". This was while we were using the older OCR so the wording may be different in the new version. But like stated before some DI/CPO don't care while others are very picky. Also for RLP from my experience, DIs normally ask Marine ranks and CPOs ask Navy ranks. My inspector asked me to start at USMC E-1 and stated the sleeve markings all the way up to O-10. I never got to E-3 before having to come to attention and say "minus one aye aye sir" and get back on my face and start over again. You will learn once you get there but if you have to stop while answering a question always start the answer over and never start where you left off.

Great advice lol. I spent half of RLP on the General Orders of a Sentry because my inspector kept cutting me off and making me either get on my back, face or run in place with my rifle. Also DO NOT forget your rifle number and if you finish say i.e the General Orders start it over until they tell you otherwise. Don't wait for them to ask you another question.

 

[LFCFan]

Don't sweat the WO ranks. I have never, ever heard of them being asked when I was there (about a year ago). I've heard people even say "if they ask you those they are trying to screw with you."

There are only approx 165 AD CWO-5's in the entire Navy, so they are a very rare breed and completely untouchable... CWO-5's are bad asses!!!

I was stashed working with two of the "unicorns" at once (yeah it was the CWO/LDO program office at OTCN so I was sort of cheating). Both very cool dudes.

http://terminallance.com/2013/01/18/terminal-lance-245-myths-and-legends-v/

Also for RLP from my experience, DIs normally ask Marine ranks and CPOs ask Navy ranks.

When I was doing RLP scoring during candio phase:

RDC: Naval Officer ranks, go!
OC: Sir! An O-1 in the United States Navy is a 2nd Lieutenant! Sir! An O-2 in the United States Navy is a 1st ...
RDC: NO! I Said NAVY!
OC: *pause* Sir! An O-1 in the United States Navy is a 2nd Lieutenant! Sir! An O-2 in the United States Navy is a 1st Lieutenant! Sir! An O-3...
RDC just looks at me with sheer bewilderment on his face. Guy lost all his gouge points for that one!

 

[WEGL12]

When I was doing RLP scoring during candio phase:

RDC: Naval Officer ranks, go!
OC: Sir! An O-1 in the United States Navy is a 2nd Lieutenant! Sir! An O-2 in the United States Navy is a 1st ...
RDC: NO! I Said NAVY!
OC: *pause* Sir! An O-1 in the United States Navy is a 2nd Lieutenant! Sir! An O-2 in the United States Navy is a 1st Lieutenant! Sir! An O-3...
RDC just looks at me with sheer bewilderment on his face. Guy lost all his gouge points for that one!

At least he didn't second guess himself. Sometimes if you just stick with an answer even if it is wrong it won't cause you to get hits for bearing. The guy across from my hatch on RLP gave the wrong answer then said "umm" while making a face. He ended up having 8 hits off of one question before ever getting into his room for the actual inspection.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Don't worry about learning the Navy Hymn unless you are AFU, because that's usually only asked to knock more points off because the DI/RDC genuinely wants you to fail. I've only ever heard it asked twice, both times were to fail the candidate and roll them back into the next class.

When I was doing RLP scoring during candio phase

One of the best times any of you future candidates will have. Either be the PAO or adjutant so you can witness this from the outside looking in. It's so much more hilarious than you realize when you're actually doing it. One guy was holding his rifle backwards with his finger on the trigger, so the RDC left the room and came back with the candidate's DI.
There was probably a bit of schadenfreude going on there on my part, but by the time you become candios, you realize how jacked up you used to be just a few weeks ago.

 

[Fronch]

Also know your warfare insignia. It was amazing at how many people didn't know the description for there own warfare insignia. That is a go to question during inspections that should be easy to answer.

The IDWO insignia isn't listed in the document. I can describe it in my own words, but is there an "official" description I should learn?

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

The IDWO insignia isn't listed in the document. I can describe it in my own words, but is there an "official" description I should learn?

I don't think you need to know the IDC ones. Just NA, NFO, SWO, Sub, Spec War, and all the Supply Ones. I think that covers them all.

 

[LET73]

I don't think you need to know the IDC ones. Just NA, NFO, SWO, Sub, Spec War, and all the Supply Ones. I think that covers them all.

Eh, much as it may pain me to admit it, the IDWO insignia is a warfare pin, and since it looks like Fronch got picked up for IW, someone may ask him to describe his future pin. From the instruction:
3. THE INFORMATION DOMINANCE WARFARE OFFICER (IDWO) INSIGNIA IS A
TWO- AND THREE-QUARTER INCHES BY ONE- AND ONE-EIGHTH INCHES, GOLD
MATTE METAL PIN SHOWING A BACKGROUND OF OCEAN WAVES, A CROSSED
NAVAL OFFICER'S SWORD AND LIGHTNING BOLT, A FOULED ANCHOR, AND
A GLOBE.