recent ocs grad, wondering what are my options on possibly redisgnating to swo. currently nfo, and headed to pensacola in 2011. who can i contact to possibly change, and is it even an option. first and formost, i want to be a naval officer, but having second thoughts about designator. Any gouge would be helpful.
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Redesignating
- Thread starter jdhvb
- Start date
I'm pretty sure you can get hooked up with SWO. Why though?
mtsupilot09
"We lookin fo you. We gon find you!"
I'd keep NFO for the time being if I were you. Here's why: people are getting the boot from IFS and API all the time right now. They go to redesignation boards for SWO, intel, CEC, supply, etc. At last check, about 15% were being retained, regardless of commissioning source. Yes, even the USNA grads are not being kept once they don't do so well in IFS or API. Primary is another story. If you want to be here, and work hard, you'll succeed. Primary is not the monster everyone makes it out to be. Anyways, why the change of heart? I doubt you'll have the chance to change your orders between now and the time you report down here. Why the long wait between OCS and API? The NFO pipeline isn't backed up like the pilot pipeline was, I only had a 3 month wait between OCS and API. Maybe you're TADing, I don't know, but best of luck to you. Just get down here and see what aviation is about before you decide to call it quits. Just make sure you really want to be a SWO before you go knocking on that door. I have plenty of friends who are SWOs but I wouldn't trade places with them for anything. They have a really interesting job, but dude I'm telling you, strap into a T-6A and tell me you'd rather be on a ship. Maybe it's just me, but I think flying is the jam. Good luck, congratulations on finishing that 12 week kick in the nuts called Navy OCS. Hope you make it down here.
Regardless of the reasons, I wouldn't bet money one way or another regarding actually getting picked up for another designator. I know several people who left aviation before, during, and after API who were not selected to move to another warfare community.
Someone with more experience can chime in here, but my advice would be to to talk to someone in bldg 633 when you get down to NASP. They are familiar with the lat-transfer process.
Someone with more experience can chime in here, but my advice would be to to talk to someone in bldg 633 when you get down to NASP. They are familiar with the lat-transfer process.
Before making any rash decisions I recommend you take a deep breath and get down to Pensacola to see what it's all about. I don't know if somebody got inside your head, but you will be making a horrendous mistake if you leave our community and the chance to live in Pensacola for several months without having a care in the world. Good luck with the decision and the redes if you go through with it though.
That's what I was thinking but I was going to give him/her a chance to explain before proselytizing. It happens all the time at TBS where the air guy wants to go do something else. I see dudes every day here in Meridian that I know were thinking seriously of dropping their shot at flying. Looking back, they wonder what the hell they were thinking just 2ish years ago.
jdhbv asked a legitimate question with many possible answers. D_Rob and firefriendly's responses (and others) are simply quick draw excercises.
I'll give you 2 reasons.
1. You wan to be an effective leader and Officer.
2. You want to make a difference in a warfare specialty that is in dire need of good leadership that doesn't forget what it's like to be a JO towards the end of one's career.
It IS a noble warfare specialty if you're there for the right reasons.
I assure you as an 0-2 OOD you will be on the mid watch one night and you will occasionally have to make sound decisions quickly without mom or dads input, and you better be 100% sure of yourself.
I'll give you 2 reasons.
1. You wan to be an effective leader and Officer.
2. You want to make a difference in a warfare specialty that is in dire need of good leadership that doesn't forget what it's like to be a JO towards the end of one's career.
It IS a noble warfare specialty if you're there for the right reasons.
I assure you as an 0-2 OOD you will be on the mid watch one night and you will occasionally have to make sound decisions quickly without mom or dads input, and you better be 100% sure of yourself.
If the OP posted his question on sailorbob and switched around NFO and SWO prior to his first ship, I'm sure there would be very similar responses to D-Rob and firefriendly's.
You're points can just as easily apply to NFO as they do SWO. One can be an effective leader and Officer in any designator, and all communities need senior leadership that remembers what its like to be a JO. Replace O-2 OOD with O-2 Mission commander in your scenario and the result is the same.
I agree that SWO provides good leadership opportunities and responsibility, but SWO is not the only community that offers them. Unfortunately many in the SWO community act like it is only community that provides such experiences. While it makes for a good recruiting slogan, the SWO leadership and Officer experience is neither unique nor special in the Navy. There are plenty of other communities where it can be found.
+1
Zippy- You are absolutely correct. I take every opportunity that I can to assist in promoting my former community. All Navy specialties should be nurtured when the opportunities present themselves. SW just seems to need more TLC than others.
OP - feel like sharing why you're having second thoughts on being an NFO? And most especially why SWO seems better, because that's the part that's blowing my mind.
I won't go Shoe-bashing. There are some good dudes in the SWO community. Suffice it to say - I know many SWOs who've become brownshoes, including yours truly, and not one of us regretted it for a second. I know of no aviators - none - who went the other way by choice. That should probably tell you something.
This guy went air to subs and it worked out for him. But that was 50 years ago and he was John McCain's roommate, so YMMV.
I won't go Shoe-bashing. There are some good dudes in the SWO community. Suffice it to say - I know many SWOs who've become brownshoes, including yours truly, and not one of us regretted it for a second. I know of no aviators - none - who went the other way by choice. That should probably tell you something.
This guy went air to subs and it worked out for him. But that was 50 years ago and he was John McCain's roommate, so YMMV.
Your'e right. SWOs are constantly challenged by tough, time-sensitive decisions.
"Bridge, Combat: Surface contact, bearing 360, 75,000 yards, 1.5 knots closure."
"Bridge, aye! Heading 360, 1 kt. Set new course 001, set speed 2 kts."
"Combat, aye! Gutsiest move I've ever seen, Bridge."