I'm all for chasing your dreams against the odds. My point is just that you should not go into one field with the idea of switching later. *Put in for SWO on initial entry as an officer or go to law school and apply to the JAG corps from there.* Don't count on being able to do the Harmon Raab thing.
All those SWO heroes are from WWII going back to the 1700s. I don't know the last valor medals to go to a SWO, but I suspect they were given to LTJG John Kerry on his Swift boat and to the XO of the Liberty around that time. Aviators get the chance to make history as JOs--dropping bombs, picking up troops/specops, etc. The ship's CO may get a BZ for a TLAM launch, but I doubt the LT on weapons will be noted anywhere but in the duty log. No offense to our SWO brethren, because I fear my entry will bring a deluge of angry replies, but it is a hard, thankless job. Same with JAG--one guy will get to defend 2ndLt Pantano, but most deal with drunk-and-disorderlies and things of that nature.
All those SWO heroes are from WWII going back to the 1700s. I don't know the last valor medals to go to a SWO, but I suspect they were given to LTJG John Kerry on his Swift boat and to the XO of the Liberty around that time. Aviators get the chance to make history as JOs--dropping bombs, picking up troops/specops, etc. The ship's CO may get a BZ for a TLAM launch, but I doubt the LT on weapons will be noted anywhere but in the duty log. No offense to our SWO brethren, because I fear my entry will bring a deluge of angry replies, but it is a hard, thankless job. Same with JAG--one guy will get to defend 2ndLt Pantano, but most deal with drunk-and-disorderlies and things of that nature.