SWO description, career paths, and other basic questions

[Rickard]

Fresh out of college with an engineering degree, currently working in civilian desk job cube farm, bored as hell. Interested in the Navy as something more challenging and exciting. Looking for some more information about:
-what exactly a SWO does
-how is day to day life as a SWO while at sea
-how much different is it while in port
-what are the different career paths in the Navy that a SWO can take

(And please, don't comment just to bash SWO. I actually would like to learn some things, not just hear how terrible it is from you Air guys)

 

[PenguinGal]

Fresh out of college with an engineering degree, currently working in civilian desk job cube farm, bored as hell. Interested in the Navy as something more challenging and exciting. Looking for some more information about:
-what exactly a SWO does
-how is day to day life as a SWO while at sea
-how much different is it while in port
-what are the different career paths in the Navy that a SWO can take

(And please, don't comment just to bash SWO. I actually would like to learn some things, not just hear how terrible it is from you Air guys)

First, you are on AIRWarriors which means that the vast majority of posters either wear or want to wear brown shoes (why, I'll never know, lol). Due to that, expect at least a bit of tough love from them.
Second, your questions are super general. I know that there are threads around these parts that address them, but it is hard to do so. Daily life is going to vary due to a lot of things. First, what platform ship are you on? What is your DivO job? Have you already qualified? Etc etc etc. In the beginning life will be all about qualifying.

I can't answer the life at sea/in port other than to say in port you can go home at night provided you aren't on duty and when you are out to sea, well, you are home.

Career paths? Could you elaborate? There are actually a number of "specialty career paths" that SWOS (URLs?) can take once they reach a certain point. I don't know about them specifically but I do know that they have very low promotion rate to O5+.

Another resource, once you are done reading all of the SWO threads here, is to head to SailorBob. It is a SWO version of AW. I know that there are some SWOs here who are there too...and at least one aviator who posts regularly over there too. Heck, the SWOs that are here are likely to come in and tell you how wrong I have been in this post.

 

[Renegade One]

Did you already read the 178 separate discussions on this forum? In addition, if you Google "Surface Warfare Officer" in your browser, you'll find many other sources of info. Yeah, some of them are on Navy.mil sites and may therefore "accentuate the positives and eliminate the negative", but look like they'd give you a good start. Just a thought...

 

[AllAmerican75]

Words. . . BOLD WORDS ARE MINE
-what exactly a SWO does
A lot of different things. We're jacks of all trades.

-how is day to day life as a SWO while at sea
Days are long and sleep is hard to come by.

-how much different is it while in port
Days are long, but you can go home most of the time unless you're TAD, in school, on duty, or have too much work to do.

-what are the different career paths in the Navy that a SWO can take
Depends upon what you want to do, what's available when you're up for orders, and what qualifications you have. Also, the specialty career paths that everyone is so hyped-up about are for mid-career officers. As a SWO you won't be able to select one until you're past your department head ride (~8-10 year mark). They are small communities, with required credentials, and career longevity is iffy (i.e. BUPER/NAVPERS/NPC/Millington haven't figured out what they want to do with them).

(And please, don't comment just to bash SWO. I actually would like to learn some things, not just hear how terrible it is from you Air guys)
Too late; the SWO bashing has already started; and you may hate to hear this, but most SWOs have far more terrible things to say about the SWO community than the Airdales will ever have. But we also have a lot of good to talk about. If you have more specific questions, they can probably be answered by myself and my fellow SWOs.

Also, a quick note about SailorBob: Tread lightly. They take rank and courtesies very seriously over there. Your profile will have your rank or lack of one on it and you will see real world Commanders and Captains posting. Do not, under any circumstances, get into a pissing match with them; they could be your future CO.

 

[Recovering LSO]

And please, don't comment just to bash SWO.

No need man, they do it themselves.

Exhibit A:

They take rank and courtesies very seriously over there. Your profile will have your rank or lack of one on it and you will see real world Commanders and Captains posting.

 

[Renegade One]

Also, a quick note about SailorBob: Tread lightly. They take rank and courtesies very seriously over there. Your profile will have your rank or lack of one on it and you will see real world Commanders and Captains posting. Do not, under any circumstances, get into a pissing match with them; they could be your future CO.

So…not as "warm and nurturing" an environment as AW?

 

[zippy]

Fresh out of college with an engineering degree, currently working in civilian desk job cube farm, bored as hell. Interested in the Navy as something more challenging and exciting. Looking for some more information about:
-what exactly a SWO does
-how is day to day life as a SWO while at sea
-how much different is it while in port
-what are the different career paths in the Navy that a SWO can take

(And please, don't comment just to bash SWO. I actually would like to learn some things, not just hear how terrible it is from you Air guys)

I've done some time as a boat guy so I'll try to keep it in simple terms for you.

Low level to mid level management of many disgruntled employees while being managed by micromanaging, abrasive upper-level management. Supervise and inspect underfunded maintence programs where you don't have the correct tools or manpower to complete the job correctly, and issues are ignored by senior leadership until there's a program review where they could get in trouble, then you and everyone you work for spend every available hour attempting to complete months of blown off work at the last minute.

Spend every 3rd to 5th day onboard the boat for 24hrs, working a full work day before and after because you have to be there.

As a new guy, Underway a backwards sliding watch rotation where you learn to drive your boat and when to wake up your big boss to let them know there is a potential impediment to driving that will turn into a collision at sea in the next 2 hours if you don't make basic course changes.

As a senior guy, you direct the new guys on how to drive the boat after reviewing all of your sensor data and asking the guy on the big ship you're with how he wants you to drive your boat because you're too afraid to look bad waking up your big boss and need someone to blame if the decision you make isn't to his liking.

Occasionally do something interesting, or be a small part in large scale, CNN making operations or world events.

Long periods of time spent away from home with little communication in a zero defect environment where ideas of fun are limited by higher managements fear of negative publicity and diplomatic incidents resulting in their employment termination.

Many of these concepts are transferable to all other facets of military service in other communities.

 

[robav8r]

I've done some time as a boat guy so I'll try to keep it in simple terms for you.

Low level to mid level management of many disgruntled employees while being managed by micromanaging, abrasive upper-level management. Supervise and inspect underfunded maintence programs where you don't have the correct tools or manpower to complete the job correctly, and issues are ignored by senior leadership until there's a program review where they could get in trouble, then you and everyone you work for spend every available hour attempting to complete months of blown off work at the last minute.

Spend every 3rd to 5th day onboard the boat for 24hrs, working a full work day before and after because you have to be there.

As a new guy, Underway a backwards sliding watch rotation where you learn to drive your boat and when to wake up your big boss to let them know there is a potential impediment to driving that will turn into a collision at sea in the next 2 hours if you don't make basic course changes.

As a senior guy, you direct the new guys on how to drive the boat after reviewing all of your sensor data and asking the guy on the big ship you're with how he wants you to drive your boat because you're too afraid to look bad waking up your big boss and need someone to blame if the decision you make isn't to his liking.

Occasionally do something interesting, or be a small part in large scale, CNN making operations or world events.

Long periods of time spent away from home with little communication in a zero defect environment where ideas of fun are limited by higher managements fear of negative publicity and diplomatic incidents resulting in their employment termination.

Many of these concepts are transferable to all other facets of military service in other communities.

Zippy - your comments make me want to drink and avoid at all cost the dreaded disacociated sea tour. Was your experience THAT bad

 

[zippy]

Zippy - your comments make me want to drink and avoid at all cost the dreaded disacociated sea tour. Was your experience THAT bad

Pretty standard actually.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the rotten/ spoiled fruits and veggies they serve with over/under cooked proteins and carbs.

 

[AllAmerican75]

I've done some time as a boat guy so I'll try to keep it in simple terms for you.

Low level to mid level management of many disgruntled employees while being managed by micromanaging, abrasive upper-level management. Supervise and inspect underfunded maintence programs where you don't have the correct tools or manpower to complete the job correctly, and issues are ignored by senior leadership until there's a program review where they could get in trouble, then you and everyone you work for spend every available hour attempting to complete months of blown off work at the last minute.

Spend every 3rd to 5th day onboard the boat for 24hrs, working a full work day before and after because you have to be there.

As a new guy, Underway a backwards sliding watch rotation where you learn to drive your boat and when to wake up your big boss to let them know there is a potential impediment to driving that will turn into a collision at sea in the next 2 hours if you don't make basic course changes.

As a senior guy, you direct the new guys on how to drive the boat after reviewing all of your sensor data and asking the guy on the big ship you're with how he wants you to drive your boat because you're too afraid to look bad waking up your big boss and need someone to blame if the decision you make isn't to his liking.

Occasionally do something interesting, or be a small part in large scale, CNN making operations or world events.

Long periods of time spent away from home with little communication in a zero defect environment where ideas of fun are limited by higher managements fear of negative publicity and diplomatic incidents resulting in their employment termination.

Many of these concepts are transferable to all other facets of military service in other communities.

I've never seen the SWO experience encapsulated so perfectly. The only part you forgot is the constant back-stabbing by your peers because they want to look good and kiss ass so they can get their pin faster, or not get yelled at, or get the EP FITREP, or go home early and stick you with the shit work, etc. Oh, and then you finally get to shore duty and are so burnt out that you skate by doing the bare minimum.

A Note for all FUTURE SWOs: The above perfectly captures the life and career of many of the more senior members of the SWO community who were raised in a zero-defect, work until you collapse, "if you go to sleep in the same day you woke up then you're a failure," environment. These guys and gals are also the screamers, yellers, and throwers that you read about in Navy Times. Hopefully, you get one of the progressive COs, XOs, and DHs who are trying to stop this vicious cycle of poor leadership and even poorer management and make SWO life good again. I hope for your sake that you do, otherwise you will end up one of two ways: the dude who embraces the suck with every fiber of his being and perpetuates the cycle, or the burnt-out, disgruntled, bitter JO who hates everything about the Navy and is counting down the days until they can punch out. Either of those options are bad.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Interesting thread over at SailorBob about whether or not the SWO "brand" is improving. But head AA75's earlier warning about the different "climate" over at that site.

 

[zippy]

I've never seen the SWO experience encapsulated so perfectly. The only part you forgot is the constant back-stabbing by your peers because they want to look good and kiss ass so they can get their pin faster, or not get yelled at, or get the EP FITREP, or go home early and stick you with the shit work, etc. Oh, and then you finally get to shore duty and are so burnt out that you skate by doing the bare minimum.

A Note for all FUTURE SWOs: The above perfectly captures the life and career of many of the more senior members of the SWO community who were raised in a zero-defect, work until you collapse, "if you go to sleep in the same day you woke up then you're a failure," environment. These guys and gals are also the screamers, yellers, and throwers that you read about in Navy Times. Hopefully, you get one of the progressive COs, XOs, and DHs who are trying to stop this vicious cycle of poor leadership and even poorer management and make SWO life good again. I hope for your sake that you do, otherwise you will end up one of two ways: the dude who embraces the suck with every fiber of his being and perpetuates the cycle, or the burnt-out, disgruntled, bitter JO who hates everything about the Navy and is counting down the days until they can punch out. Either of those options are bad.

Hey, I didn't forget it. I was just trying to be positive about boat tours.

While the VP community made me the former type of guy, my boat tour reshaped me into the latter type, real quick.

 

[azguy]

Lots of comments in here about "back stabbing" SWOs. That word can mean a lot of things. I'm not going to deny that there is some of that at play on ships, but I don't think that makes us very different from most work environments where you have a lot of people working to get ahead and move up in the organization.

I'm on shore duty with mixed bunch of URL JOs, and I'll tell you as we head in to LT FITREP season, the "back stabbing" exhibited by pilots and NFOs (facing low O-4 promotion rates) is probably the most epic I've seen in the Navy.

 

[Recovering LSO]

the "back stabbing" exhibited by pilots and NFOs (facing low O-4 promotion rates) is probably the most epic I've seen in the Navy.

what community?

 

[azguy]

what community?

It's a pretty good cross section- mostly NFO, but I think almost each of your communities is represented, save for C-2s.