All about DCO Commissioning Ceremony

[iroessle]

Cargodog,
My board must've been sometime back in February because I was PRO REC'd back on March 3rd for Engineering Duty Officer. I had my interviews and paperwork all turned in back in November of 2008CE. Never found out what date the actual board was. I think I win the longest, bluest wait award. Went to the uniform shop yesterday and bought my service dress whites. The days are counting down, I'm actually waiting until SEP 25th to swear in. My day job is actually a Civilian working for the Navy and the command I work for is putting a program together. Asked my friend who's a retired Navy Captain to pin me.

Ian

 

[3912DCO]

Oh, no! There has been nothing of a steady pace in this process, except the hurry up AND WAIT. I think this has been the most painful process so far, and I have been selected before (and severed) in some very "select" communities and this process has been worse than that.

I like to think I have come up with a good use for my time (and like everyone on this thread seems to say, there is A LOT of it) while I wait for each step of this very long process. I have been focusing on preparing for a really nice commission ceremony. I have had several officers tell me to make it special and not just do it quick and dirty at the recruiter's office.

There are some pretty good resources on the web, so you don't have to re-invent the wheel. There should be enough information out there to help you include some nice Navy Customs and Traditions, to make your day really special and interesting for your guests in attendance.

Here are some of the resources I have found useful:

Here are a couple of Navy Commissioning Ceremonies that you can use for a base-line and then tweak to suit your needs:
http://navymustangs.com/pub-resources/

You can take bits and pieces from each and make it your own. For example, I took out the part describing what a CWO is and added in the origins of the Ensign rank. I also really liked incorporating, into the ceremony, the tradition of giving a silver dollar to the first enlisted person who salutes you. I'm doing this during the ceremony with a friend I went to Boot Camp and A-School with.

Also, it is a nice idea to give a coin to the people who are the participants in the actual ceremony (ex. your MC, the officer who administers your oath, the clergy who gives the invocation, etc.) I am a Scouting volunteer and will have some Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts I know, present the colors. Once the ceremony is done, I plan to give them a coin as well.

Here are a couple of websites that sell Ensign Coins (along with a whole host of other coins):

http://store.nwtmint.com/product_details/1467/Navy_Ensign/
The above site allows you to type in text that you may want to have engraved on the back, like your name and the date of your commission.

This coin has shoulder boards instead of gold bars but is not as easily engraved:
http://www.priorservice.com/naenrachco.html

These resources are not exhuastive but a good starting point for you to get the creative juices flowing. I hope this helps those of you who have been selected and are eager to get started but are waiting for what seems like an eternity.

It would be great to hear other ideas about what others are doing or may have seen in a commssion ceremony.

 

[xxxCharliexxx]

Commissioning Ceremony

That's great information.

I have a question for you or anyone that cares to give their input on the matter.

Is it ridiculous to have a ceremony as a DCO (a non-prior civilian)? I've never been in the military and this will be my first official 'event'.

I am the first in my family that will serve and I would love for my mother and father to be a part of the ceremony and tradition. However, if it's in any way unorthodox for a non-prior to go through all of this ceremonial business, then I would rather respect that and do it quietly.

I don't know anyone serving so I have no one special that I can ask to be my first salute either. How would this be handled?

Again, I am proud that I have been selected and I love Navy tradition and want to participate in it. But again, I don't want to disrespect those that served prior to commissioning by having the same ceremony. Is it even viewed that way?

Thanks,
Charlie

 

[das]

I've considered piggybacking on the commissioning ceremony of the Navy ROTC unit at my institution. They commission Navy and Marine Corps officers who are being commissioned via ROTC, STA-21, and BDCP, so why not DCO? I'm also taking some of the naval science classes and have gotten to know the staff there, so that helps. But if the timing is right (since this is likely to only happen in the May/June timeframe) and you have an alma mater or other nearby institution that is appropriate, that might be a neat alternative.

 

[3912DCO]

That's great information.

I have a question for you or anyone that cares to give their input on the matter.

Is it ridiculous to have a ceremony as a DCO (a non-prior civilian)? I've never been in the military and this will be my first official 'event'.

Thanks,
Charlie

Charlie,
It's not ridiculous at all. I've spoken with several Navy Officers who regretted not doing something special. You may not have the resources at your disposal to do everything in the examples but, at a minimum, have it at some place special/memorable.

It's not a bad idea to invite people who may have helped you along the way; it's a nice way to thank them.

This is a pretty big deal. A lot of really good people don't get selected, so your selection means you are something special, thus your swearing in should be something special as well.

Good luck and welcome to the United States Navy, Shipmate!

 

[xxxCharliexxx]

Thanks 3912DCO! You are very convincing! I'll do it right with Navy tradition

I have yet another question.

I am a 1635 DCO select. Does anyone know if there is any way I can ensure that I go into SPECWAR? Is there a way to get it into my contract somehow? I'm not certain of the protocol or process of how it all occurs.

If anyone can enlighten me, either in a reply to the post or in a message to me, I would be highly appreciative!

 

[dephyler]

Thanks 3912DCO! You are very convincing! I'll do it right with Navy tradition

I have yet another question.

I am a 1635 DCO select. Does anyone know if there is any way I can ensure that I go into SPECWAR? Is there a way to get it into my contract somehow? I'm not certain of the protocol or process of how it all occurs.

If anyone can enlighten me, either in a reply to the post or in a message to me, I would be highly appreciative!

There's no way to confirm it, and you'll have a fight on your hands. No one will pay any attention to you until you have your 9600 NOBC, which is 2 years down the road at a minimum. There's also a vetting process, including interviews, because they don't want any GI Joe intel types. Meaning, they don't want to take people looking at it just for the coolness factor of being assigned to a Team with hopes of shooting bad guys while jumping out of airplanes. The majority of people in my NIOBC (NITC) class want SPECWAR, but I doubt many of us will get it. Also, it's very very unlikely that you'll drill with a SPECWAR unit. It's usually only for a deployment, but there may be exceptions to that. There's only 1 reserve team that I'm aware of, so I'm sure there's competition, if a slot (or a few) exist.

If you really want it, kick ass at NITC and know your shit. The couple guys that I know who deployed with the teams had to prove themselves pretty hard before they were taken seriously. Then, when you start drilling at your assigned unit, network. You're not going to find SPECWAR deployment billets posted to the listserv, you've gotta find an in. It's not impossible, you've just gotta keep your eyes and ears open.

PM me if you want more details.

 

[suppo2010]

What is everyone going to do about a ceremony? I would love to get some feedback on this, ,my reserve center would like me to do it there, since they do not get to participate very often, and that would take care of the venue..... but I have no idea who to ask to be the key speaker.... the first salute...... and who else do you have participate? So many people from my reserve unit provided the support for me to get this that I do not want to leave people out.......

 

[xxxCharliexxx]

I have a different sort of problem, I'm non-prior so I don't know anyone I could ask much less have an option of souls to choose from.

What are the 'rules' lol. I would like one CMDR in particular (only one I know) to do the ceremony but if I don't have it at his base, will I have to pay for him to fly out? What are our restrictions?

 

[Devil Duck]

Charlie, the Navy will not pay to fly anyone to attend your ceremony. Now, if you can get this individual to travel to your location TAD for some other Navy official duty that happens to coincide with your commissioning that would allow him to attend, that they would pay for. Perhaps you can arrange some sort of a brief at your location that would require the attendance of this individual.

I'm prior service and prior civil service. Currently I work for the Army. My preference is to have something very small at the office with my direct chain of command (O4/O6). I have opted though, to allow my supervisor (GS14/LTC ret) to put on something a little bigger. I have a feeling I'll end up hosting half the building, our SES has already been invited. Oddly enough, to date I haven't invited any USNR folks as I don't know any. I'll see if that can change. I'd like to think that at 34 I'd be the oldest O1 around, but the reality is that at Ft. Benning that's more the rule than exception. A friend of mine was assessed through Army OCS from the NCO ranks at age 38 with 17 year of service and he wasn't in the top ring of age or experience. These are the days.

 

[3912DCO]

Charlie, the Navy will not pay to fly anyone to attend your ceremony. Now, if you can get this individual to travel to your location TAD for some other Navy official duty that happens to coincide with your commissioning that would allow him to attend, that they would pay for. Perhaps you can arrange some sort of a brief at your location that would require the attendance of this individual.

I'm prior service and prior civil service. Currently I work for the Army. My preference is to have something very small at the office with my direct chain of command (O4/O6). I have opted though, to allow my supervisor (GS14/LTC ret) to put on something a little bigger. I have a feeling I'll end up hosting half the building, our SES has already been invited. Oddly enough, to date I haven't invited any USNR folks as I don't know any. I'll see if that can change. I'd like to think that at 34 I'd be the oldest O1 around, but the reality is that at Ft. Benning that's more the rule than exception. A friend of mine was assessed through Army OCS from the NCO ranks at age 38 with 17 year of service and he wasn't in the top ring of age or experience. These are the days.

Charlie,
I would add to this, still go ahead and ask the CDR. The LCDR(s) who is coming in to do mine is paying his own way. It is quite an honor to be asked, so as long as it is not too terribly cost prohibitive, they probably won't have a problem with it. I know I am just trying to be as accomedating as possible and trying to have it more on his schedule and not mine. Which, as painful as it will be, may mean I have to wait a little longer, but what's a couple of more weeks?

 

[USAF.Boom]

Ceremony Items

What is everyone going to do about a ceremony? I would love to get some feedback on this, ,my reserve center would like me to do it there, since they do not get to participate very often, and that would take care of the venue..... but I have no idea who to ask to be the key speaker.... the first salute...... and who else do you have participate? So many people from my reserve unit provided the support for me to get this that I do not want to leave people out.......

Suppo2010:
I would love to have it at the RESCEN but when I called them they baulked. They said that I could hold it there but they really didn't provide any support or anything for it during a drill weekend. Which is a shame, since I have the ranking member of the congressional seapower and marine force select committee more than likely coming to it, and to speak. Plus the Senator that I work for will also be there. Plus about 40 other guest.

I have the opportunity to hold it at USTRANSCOM HQ since that is where my unit will be and where I use to drill before I transfered to the AF. But it is rather far from home 70 miles and would be a royal pain to get everyone on base and for them to drive that far.

As far as what it should (most) include:

Chaplain
Color Guard for posting of the colors
Something for the National Anthem
RESCEN commander, Unit commander, etc
Master of Ceremonies
Officer to issue oath (may be same as MoC) most are not though...at least the ones I have been too
First salute, give them a REAL silver dollar. Mine cost me $53 last week to obtain
"pinning" of your shoulder boards and/or removal of black tape from your SDB coat
Your remarks...Thank your wife/husband or you will be in trouble, etc
Then off to lunch somewhere
and then the "wetting down" ....a bar somewhere


If anyone can think of something I missed please jump in.

 

[USNGRL]

Suppo2010:
I would love to have it at the RESCEN but when I called them they baulked. They said that I could hold it there but they really didn't provide any support or anything for it during a drill weekend. Which is a shame, since I have the ranking member of the congressional seapower and marine force select committee more than likely coming to it, and to speak. Plus the Senator that I work for will also be there. Plus about 40 other guest.

I have the opportunity to hold it at USTRANSCOM HQ since that is where my unit will be and where I use to drill before I transfered to the AF. But it is rather far from home 70 miles and would be a royal pain to get everyone on base and for them to drive that far.

As far as what it should (most) include:

Chaplain
Color Guard for posting of the colors
Something for the National Anthem
RESCEN commander, Unit commander, etc
Master of Ceremonies
Officer to issue oath (may be same as MoC) most are not though...at least the ones I have been too
First salute, give them a REAL silver dollar. Mine cost me $53 last week to obtain
"pinning" of your shoulder boards and/or removal of black tape from your SDB coat
Your remarks...Thank your wife/husband or you will be in trouble, etc
Then off to lunch somewhere
and then the "wetting down" ....a bar somewhere


If anyone can think of something I missed please jump in.

Don't forget to sign your documents! Gotta get paid!

 

[HAL Pilot]

Suppo2010:
I would love to have it at the RESCEN but when I called them they baulked. They said that I could hold it there but they really didn't provide any support or anything for it during a drill weekend. Which is a shame, since I have the ranking member of the congressional seapower and marine force select committee more than likely coming to it, and to speak. Plus the Senator that I work for will also be there. Plus about 40 other guest.

I have the opportunity to hold it at USTRANSCOM HQ since that is where my unit will be and where I use to drill before I transfered to the AF. But it is rather far from home 70 miles and would be a royal pain to get everyone on base and for them to drive that far.

As far as what it should (most) include:

Chaplain
Color Guard for posting of the colors
Something for the National Anthem
RESCEN commander, Unit commander, etc
Master of Ceremonies
Officer to issue oath (may be same as MoC) most are not though...at least the ones I have been too
First salute, give them a REAL silver dollar. Mine cost me $53 last week to obtain
"pinning" of your shoulder boards and/or removal of black tape from your SDB coat
Your remarks...Thank your wife/husband or you will be in trouble, etc
Then off to lunch somewhere
and then the "wetting down" ....a bar somewhere


If anyone can think of something I missed please jump in.

Or maybe keep it simple? Officer administering the oath and immediate family at the recruiters office?

You aren't THAT important....

 

[USAF.Boom]

Or maybe keep it simple? Officer administering the oath and immediate family at the recruiters office?

You aren't THAT important....

True I am certainly NOT that important, but being an enlisted person and having paid the price in the trenches politically for people, they (my friends) want to attend. Sorry the happen to be in powerful positions. So it's not like I called every swinging dick out there, just all the people that helped me along the way.

And for me the ceremony is not about ME, its about all those..mainly family, that have helped me get there. And helped my family whenever I have been deployed. They have earned it as much as I have...