TDA Status after OCS and before BDOC

[otejay]

I was wondering what sort of work unqualified SWOs do at their assigned ships while they wait for a BDOC class. I've been reading much about how the process used to be but have not found much on BDOC. Given BDOC is relatively new, I wonder if anyone had any insights on how it is. I assume you are taught some basic stuff that will better prepare you for what you will learn at BDOC; however, I assume you're entire day does not consist of shadowing some poor JG that can't wait till you leave for school.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Larick]

Basically yeah just learn hands on stuff that you'll eventually see in a powerpoint at BDOC. You can also start on some qualifications while you're there. Knockout OOD-inport.

 

[otejay]

Basically yeah just learn hands on stuff that you'll eventually see in a powerpoint at BDOC. You can also start on some qualifications while you're there. Knockout OOD-inport.

I might've just replied to you on another thread with the same question. Sorry about that.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

You get to experience the ship while still having the training wheels on. More times than not you won't be assigned a division yet, so take advantage of the time to knock out some PQS including OOD I/P, Helm Safety, etc. You should also get a chunk of OOD u/w, CICWO, and SWO engineering knocked out oo.

 

[azguy]

There is no hard and fast answer to your question; it will depend entirely on whether your ship is deployed, going through INSURV, in a maintenance period, etc.

Hopefully, you get time to learn your way around the ship and be involved in a variety of basic ship evolutions, from sea and anchor details and underway watches, to zone inspections and maintenance work that the enlisted perform, to wardroom meetings and the like. One of the issues with the original SWOSDOC many years ago was that they took officers directly from their commissioning source, before ever setting foot on the ship. It can be challenging to fully grasp lessons on things like a CICWO watch or conducting a maintenance spot check if you have no frame of reference for what that is, in a practical sense.

I can almost guarantee you that most of this "dead time" spent on your ship, prior to BDOC, will be unstructured. Meaning that you have to- or 'get to' (if you're a self starter)- go out and find things to do for yourself. I'm sure that the JOPA and the CPO mess will help you out, if you show some initiative.