This will be a long-term blog style thread where I'll describe what its like to be a first tour DIVO on an LCS.
The LCS is a different beast for 1st tour Ensigns than other ships, due to its unique pipeline and rotational crew schedule. Because of that, I thought I'd start a thread that'd detail what it's like from day 1 after commission through earning my pin. I hope to accomplish a few things with this thread. First, I hope to ease future Ensigns concerns about being assigned to a LCS for their first tour (or maybe make them more concerned, who knows!). Second, I hope my experiences can be used by others so they can better understand how this program works for first tour Ensigns.
I’ll update this thread after specific milestone events, such as checking in to LCS Training Command, completion of specific schools/the pipeline, and officially checking in to my crew.
Shortly After Commissioning
I commissioned on February 27th, 2015. I received my orders, which stated my ultimate destination was LCS Training Command San Diego. My intermediate activities were Electrical Engineering Officer School and Basic Division Officer Course. This was the same for the other SWO’s in my class, with the difference being I was reporting to LCSRON for the training regimen. I spent a week at home before reporting to the Engineering School, spent 4 weeks going through that school and graduated at the end of March. I had the standard 10 days to arrive to San Diego.
Checking in to LCSRON/T2Q
The LCS Training Pipeline has two segments: Training to Qualify & Training to Certify. Training to Qualify (T2Q) is the individuals’ pipeline prior to reporting to their crew, while Training to Certify is at your crew/det. I checked in early April. I met my sponsor, who happened to be from my crew, on my first day. He was extremely helpful in walking me through the process to make sure I was properly checked in. This was standard check-in stuff, according to my sponsor, that is done. I met with admin, got my CSPP, got my N6 stuff submitted, etc. There is a check-in packet you’ll receive, which makes the process fairly idiot-proof. Everyone in T2Q was extremely helpful with answering questions. If you don’t have questions when you’re going through, you’re not paying attention.
Check In Date: April 8th. Officially Arrived: June 19th.
CSPP
Before we move on to the courses, I’m going to explain the CSPP real quick. This is your course schedule. It details your entire T2Q pipeline, which takes anywhere from 6-9 months. For me, it’s a 6 month pipeline (not including the Engineering School or BDOC). Some schedules will have a month in between courses, others will be packed together tightly. If there’s room, you can fill the blank space with whatever courses you qualify for, which makes this a prime opportunity to get in any schools that might interest you before going to your crew. I feel fortunate that my schedule has little ‘white space’, since my pipeline ends at the end of December.
Prior to BDOC
If you have the time before BDOC, then you have two options if you don’t have a course beforehand. You can muster at T2Q in the morning and go home or you can TAD with your crew. I went with the latter so I could get to know my crew. They were in the off-hull phase, (working in an office instead of a ship), preparing for on-hull. There was a variety of refresher training sessions going on, so there was a lot to learn. I also used this time to get familiar with the Captains Standing Orders, different instructions important to my future role (1st LT), rules of the road, etc. I highly suggest this option. You’ll put a face to the name, show initiative and get to know your division.
Basic Division Officer Course
This is a great overview of the knowledge you need to earn your pin. The only downside is the COVE portion has no LCS variant in the system. I drove an Arleigh Burke during Cove sessions as a way to learn standard commands, but other than that it doesn’t help with LCS driving. You’ll be told you’re using something else, so take it for what it is and enjoy the COVE time. There’s not much to go on here that you can’t learn from the website. Study Rules of the Road early/often and take time to study for each exam. It is possible to flunk out of BDOC. It happened in my class and that person is now trying to redesignate. As of the end of July, he hasn’t heard anything back and he submitted the package in May.
Completed: June 19th
LCS Academy
This is separated in to 4 different, non-consecutive weeks. Week A is the basic overview of the LCS ship, its systems and the program. Week B is DC/3M overview. Week C is Medical-related, where you learn basic first aid and CPR. If you already have CPR training from, then that’s one less day you have to attend the class. Week D is meeting LCSRON staff and includes training for Drug Awareness/ADAMS for Supervisors.
Overall, these courses aren’t bad and cover similar items as BDOC. It won’t matter if you do BDOC first or these LCS Academy courses first, you’ll hear the same information in both.
3M/DC/QA
This does not cover DIVO-specific things related to 3M or QA, but it will teach you the basics of all three. You’ll learn a lot about the enlisted side of things. DC is the same overview you’ve gone over a few times. You may or may not have this course, but it was in my CSPP. It could be in yours.
After Thoughts & Pros/Cons
So far, it’s been a lot of information. I’ve learned a lot and definitely feel more prepared going through the pipeline than if I only had BDOC to attend. I start JOOD School in early August, and have Week C, SRF-B, SRF-A, and JOOD Capstone left. I’ll finish my pipeline shortly before Christmas, making Commission to Crew a 10 month process altogether. This was posted in the Ship’s Type thread already, but I’m going to repost the Pros/Cons list that I have as of now. They will be updated periodically as I go. Things will probably change, but that’s just the nature of the beast. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
The LCS is a different beast for 1st tour Ensigns than other ships, due to its unique pipeline and rotational crew schedule. Because of that, I thought I'd start a thread that'd detail what it's like from day 1 after commission through earning my pin. I hope to accomplish a few things with this thread. First, I hope to ease future Ensigns concerns about being assigned to a LCS for their first tour (or maybe make them more concerned, who knows!). Second, I hope my experiences can be used by others so they can better understand how this program works for first tour Ensigns.
I’ll update this thread after specific milestone events, such as checking in to LCS Training Command, completion of specific schools/the pipeline, and officially checking in to my crew.
Shortly After Commissioning
I commissioned on February 27th, 2015. I received my orders, which stated my ultimate destination was LCS Training Command San Diego. My intermediate activities were Electrical Engineering Officer School and Basic Division Officer Course. This was the same for the other SWO’s in my class, with the difference being I was reporting to LCSRON for the training regimen. I spent a week at home before reporting to the Engineering School, spent 4 weeks going through that school and graduated at the end of March. I had the standard 10 days to arrive to San Diego.
Checking in to LCSRON/T2Q
The LCS Training Pipeline has two segments: Training to Qualify & Training to Certify. Training to Qualify (T2Q) is the individuals’ pipeline prior to reporting to their crew, while Training to Certify is at your crew/det. I checked in early April. I met my sponsor, who happened to be from my crew, on my first day. He was extremely helpful in walking me through the process to make sure I was properly checked in. This was standard check-in stuff, according to my sponsor, that is done. I met with admin, got my CSPP, got my N6 stuff submitted, etc. There is a check-in packet you’ll receive, which makes the process fairly idiot-proof. Everyone in T2Q was extremely helpful with answering questions. If you don’t have questions when you’re going through, you’re not paying attention.
Check In Date: April 8th. Officially Arrived: June 19th.
CSPP
Before we move on to the courses, I’m going to explain the CSPP real quick. This is your course schedule. It details your entire T2Q pipeline, which takes anywhere from 6-9 months. For me, it’s a 6 month pipeline (not including the Engineering School or BDOC). Some schedules will have a month in between courses, others will be packed together tightly. If there’s room, you can fill the blank space with whatever courses you qualify for, which makes this a prime opportunity to get in any schools that might interest you before going to your crew. I feel fortunate that my schedule has little ‘white space’, since my pipeline ends at the end of December.
Prior to BDOC
If you have the time before BDOC, then you have two options if you don’t have a course beforehand. You can muster at T2Q in the morning and go home or you can TAD with your crew. I went with the latter so I could get to know my crew. They were in the off-hull phase, (working in an office instead of a ship), preparing for on-hull. There was a variety of refresher training sessions going on, so there was a lot to learn. I also used this time to get familiar with the Captains Standing Orders, different instructions important to my future role (1st LT), rules of the road, etc. I highly suggest this option. You’ll put a face to the name, show initiative and get to know your division.
Basic Division Officer Course
This is a great overview of the knowledge you need to earn your pin. The only downside is the COVE portion has no LCS variant in the system. I drove an Arleigh Burke during Cove sessions as a way to learn standard commands, but other than that it doesn’t help with LCS driving. You’ll be told you’re using something else, so take it for what it is and enjoy the COVE time. There’s not much to go on here that you can’t learn from the website. Study Rules of the Road early/often and take time to study for each exam. It is possible to flunk out of BDOC. It happened in my class and that person is now trying to redesignate. As of the end of July, he hasn’t heard anything back and he submitted the package in May.
Completed: June 19th
LCS Academy
This is separated in to 4 different, non-consecutive weeks. Week A is the basic overview of the LCS ship, its systems and the program. Week B is DC/3M overview. Week C is Medical-related, where you learn basic first aid and CPR. If you already have CPR training from, then that’s one less day you have to attend the class. Week D is meeting LCSRON staff and includes training for Drug Awareness/ADAMS for Supervisors.
Overall, these courses aren’t bad and cover similar items as BDOC. It won’t matter if you do BDOC first or these LCS Academy courses first, you’ll hear the same information in both.
3M/DC/QA
This does not cover DIVO-specific things related to 3M or QA, but it will teach you the basics of all three. You’ll learn a lot about the enlisted side of things. DC is the same overview you’ve gone over a few times. You may or may not have this course, but it was in my CSPP. It could be in yours.
After Thoughts & Pros/Cons
So far, it’s been a lot of information. I’ve learned a lot and definitely feel more prepared going through the pipeline than if I only had BDOC to attend. I start JOOD School in early August, and have Week C, SRF-B, SRF-A, and JOOD Capstone left. I’ll finish my pipeline shortly before Christmas, making Commission to Crew a 10 month process altogether. This was posted in the Ship’s Type thread already, but I’m going to repost the Pros/Cons list that I have as of now. They will be updated periodically as I go. Things will probably change, but that’s just the nature of the beast. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Pros:
1) Short deployments. For someone to get used to the idea of being on a ship for being an extended period of time, the 4-6 month deployment part of the cycle is a farcry from the 7-9 months (10 or 11 at times, yes I know...) other ships are seeing.
2) 3 Ensigns. This gives ample opportunities to learn material and stand U/I watches for the pin; You can't hide either. Not that it matters how long it takes to get the pin before the deadline, but the word is 9-12 months once someone is a part of the crew. Because of the crew size, all the ensigns will be taking part in all the major evolutions.
3) Training to Qualify. Before arriving, you become qualified in things like basic DC and JOOD before arriving. The goal here is to arrive, ready to stand some watches. If done right, the downtime between schools can be used to earn bigger PQS, like OOD In-Port, and getting to know the crew.
4) A mostly senior crew. For an ensign to have so many senior folks from different backgrounds in one spot, it can yield a lot of information and possibilities to learn. The mission module detachment are mostly senior folks as well, and everyone is more than happy to help the Ensigns learn.
6) More port visit opportunities.
7) You're always busy and always doing something. The small crew size makes learning time management fast and efficient.
Cons:
1) Training to Qualify. This is also one of the biggest downsides for an Ensign doing LCS for their first tour. I've been on my ship, been with my crew, but have not been able to participate in the On-Hull underways. I graduated OCS in February, did an Engineering School in Newport in March, did BDOC April-June and started the LCS T2Q the following Monday. I won't report to my crew until January, however that is when the clock for earning my pin will start.
2) Off-hull period. This is 4-6 months where it's just admin/various trainings. You're not on the ship, you're in an office building. However, going TAD on other crew is common in this time period to help Ensigns. I've seen the Ensigns on Pre-Com crews do this.
3) People not knowing what to do with you. Most of the Senior enlisted on a LCS hasn't had an Ensign DIVO in years, so there is an adjustment for them and their interactions with you. They're not used to having an unpinned Ensign, so a big part of the interaction is asking questions.
4) Short deployments. Not a lot of deployment time, but the on-hull underways add to the time at sea. It's not as much sea-time as your Amphib or Crudes counterparts though, which can be a disadvantage.
5) Older wardroom/crew. For a young Ensign, it can feel a little alienating at times in the wardroom when there's one person who could relate to you at your stage of life (just graduated, single/recently married, etc).
6) It's not traditional Navy. The Navy is changing fast, but I still feel this is more of a Con than a Pro. We're learning a lot that will have to be re-learned later when we go to other ships.
7) Constant changes. As we learn more about the LCS capabilities and limitations, the instructions changes constantly. The good to this is even Ensigns are directly influencing those instructions as we become more integrated into the program and work as 1st tour DIVO's.
1) Short deployments. For someone to get used to the idea of being on a ship for being an extended period of time, the 4-6 month deployment part of the cycle is a farcry from the 7-9 months (10 or 11 at times, yes I know...) other ships are seeing.
2) 3 Ensigns. This gives ample opportunities to learn material and stand U/I watches for the pin; You can't hide either. Not that it matters how long it takes to get the pin before the deadline, but the word is 9-12 months once someone is a part of the crew. Because of the crew size, all the ensigns will be taking part in all the major evolutions.
3) Training to Qualify. Before arriving, you become qualified in things like basic DC and JOOD before arriving. The goal here is to arrive, ready to stand some watches. If done right, the downtime between schools can be used to earn bigger PQS, like OOD In-Port, and getting to know the crew.
4) A mostly senior crew. For an ensign to have so many senior folks from different backgrounds in one spot, it can yield a lot of information and possibilities to learn. The mission module detachment are mostly senior folks as well, and everyone is more than happy to help the Ensigns learn.
6) More port visit opportunities.
7) You're always busy and always doing something. The small crew size makes learning time management fast and efficient.
Cons:
1) Training to Qualify. This is also one of the biggest downsides for an Ensign doing LCS for their first tour. I've been on my ship, been with my crew, but have not been able to participate in the On-Hull underways. I graduated OCS in February, did an Engineering School in Newport in March, did BDOC April-June and started the LCS T2Q the following Monday. I won't report to my crew until January, however that is when the clock for earning my pin will start.
2) Off-hull period. This is 4-6 months where it's just admin/various trainings. You're not on the ship, you're in an office building. However, going TAD on other crew is common in this time period to help Ensigns. I've seen the Ensigns on Pre-Com crews do this.
3) People not knowing what to do with you. Most of the Senior enlisted on a LCS hasn't had an Ensign DIVO in years, so there is an adjustment for them and their interactions with you. They're not used to having an unpinned Ensign, so a big part of the interaction is asking questions.
4) Short deployments. Not a lot of deployment time, but the on-hull underways add to the time at sea. It's not as much sea-time as your Amphib or Crudes counterparts though, which can be a disadvantage.
5) Older wardroom/crew. For a young Ensign, it can feel a little alienating at times in the wardroom when there's one person who could relate to you at your stage of life (just graduated, single/recently married, etc).
6) It's not traditional Navy. The Navy is changing fast, but I still feel this is more of a Con than a Pro. We're learning a lot that will have to be re-learned later when we go to other ships.
7) Constant changes. As we learn more about the LCS capabilities and limitations, the instructions changes constantly. The good to this is even Ensigns are directly influencing those instructions as we become more integrated into the program and work as 1st tour DIVO's.