SWO Journal #1, Part 1: April 13, 2001
SWO Journal Entry #1, Part 1: April 13, 2001
I've decided to do this first journal entry in three parts. In this first part I will cover some basic background information. In the second part I will cover things like what we are doing on the ship and discuss the daily routine of a SWO onboard ship. Finally, for the third part, I will discuss some things that I’ve done or been involved with since I’ve been onboard. I’m really up in the air about where I should start. So lets just start at the beginning.
All Surface Warfare Officers must attend a six month school up in Newport, RI called SWOS (Surface Warfare Officer’s School). For initial division officer training, SWOS is broken up into three phases. We first start out in DOC (Division Officer Course) for three months and then move onto the engineering phase and billet specialty training.
In DOC, we cover the following material broken down in Units:
Unit 1: Rules of the Road
Unit 2: Underway Watch Organization
Unit 3: Inport Watch Organization
Unit 4: Counseling, Advising, and Administration
Unit 5: Maneuvering Boards, Tactics, Navigation and Seamanship
Unit 6: Operation Administration
Unit 7: Propagation, Detection, Engagement and Command and Control Systems
Unit 8: Maritime Warfare: Strategy, Tactics and the Various Threats
Unit 9: N/A
Unit 10: 3-M/Supply and MDS (Maintenance Data System)
Unit 11: Damage Control and First Aid
Basic Officer Leadership Course
During the Damage Control part of school, we do the Buttercup wet trainer and the firefighting trainer. For more information and actual lectures, check out www.swos.navy.mil/doc/dcore1.htm
The Engineering phase is geared toward the type of engineering plant the ship you’re assigned to has as well as to the type of ship. Specifically, you’d get training on a gas turbine plant, diesel engine plant, or steam plant. However, a gas turbine plant on a frigate is not the same as the gas turbine plant on a cruiser or destroyer. Therefore, gas turbine engineering is further broken down to the platform level.
Here is the structure and academic topics for the gas turbine engineering phase that I went through. It is broken up into four units.
Unit 1: Common Theory
Course Intro
Basic Thermodynamics
Basic Steam Cycle and Boilers
Basic Diesel Engine
Basic Gas Turbine
Pump and Hydaulic Theory
Materials and Corrosion
Piping, Valves, and Gages
Fans and Ventilation
Electrical Fundamentals and Basic Magnetism
Inductance, Capacitance and AC Theory
Electrical Generation
Motors and Controllers
Unit 2: Main Propulsion
General Description
Engineering Organization
Engineering Control and Surveillance System
Fuel Oil Service System
Bleed and Start Air
Intakes, Exhausts and Base Enclosure
LM-2500 Gas Turbine Engine
Main Reduction Gear Lube Oil System
Controllable Reversible Pitch Propeller
Power Train
Ship Control Console
Unit 3: Electrical
Gas Turbine Generator Set
Governor/Voltage Regulator
60 Hz Distribution System
Electric Plant Control Console
400 Hz Distribution
Interior Communications
Degaussing
Unit 4: Auxiliaries
Fuel Oil and Transfer System
Sea Water Service System
Compressed Air System
Waste Heat Boiler
Damage Control Systems
Oily Water Seperator/Drainage
Distilling Plant and Potable Water
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Steering
Small Boats, Deck Machinery, and Aviation Support Equipment
Sewage and Solid Waste Management
Billet specialty training is geared toward what type of Divo (division officer) job you’re assigned. For instance, in my case I was sent to Harpoon Watch Officer course, Ammo Admin, and Gunnery Officer school. I was slated to be the new gunnery officer on the VALLEY FORGE. Because I was going to an AEGIS ship, I was also sent to AOCO (AEGIS Officer Console Operator) to learn how to operate the consoles in CIC (Combat Information Center) and shoot down aircraft.
Besides Gunnery Officer, other first tour division officer billets that you could be assigned include DCA (Damage Control Assistant), Communications Officer, Auxiliaries Officer, Anti Submarine Warfare Officer, Strike Officer, Electronic Materials Officer, 1st Lieutenant, and Electrical Officer. Often times, students will be slated for a particular Divo billet and attend all the schools associated with it. Then, once checking in at their ship, they find out that in fact they will not be assigned the billet in which they’ve already trained for. We had a new Ensign check in a couple weeks ago that is a textbook example of that. He was slated to be the ASWO and went through all the schooling for that (which is not fun). He then got re-slated to be the COMMO (communications officer) and had to go through that school. When he checked in, he and the old COMMO did their turnover. So he now has the COMMO stuff as well as PC Lan. Well, as it turns out, in June we will be getting another COMMO and she will be relieving this guy as COMMO. However, he will still keep PC Lan. The problem that we are having is that there are just way too many new Ensigns getting commissioned. We are having to create billets for these guys or even split up current divisions just so all the new divos get a billet. For example, the COMMO typically controls PC Lan. But with that new divo coming in June, that will not be the case anymore. We also have a Fuels Officer who deals with fuel/oil quality management and fueling/defueling evolutions. That job would normally be done by the MPA (Main Propulsion Assistant). We have an officer that is only responsible for the two CIWS (Close In Weapons System) mounts and the MK 86 fire control computer. That will soon be changing as it should be the gunnery officer who is responsible for those items. I told the Combat Systems Officer that I wanted to take over responsibility for the CIWS mounts and the MK 86, but only after that other divo doing that job, leaves in August.
Once a person is completed with their billet specialty training and any other follow on schools, they then typically take some leave and then report to their respective ship. And only then will they find out for sure what billet they will be given. Thankfully, when I checked onboard, they did not decide to give me some other job in which I did not train for.
Ok, so you know I am the Gunnery Officer. But really, what does that tell you? Not much, if anything at all. At first glance, it would appear that the gunnery officer would not have much to do inport since we’re only going to fire our two 5in/54cal guns when we are underway. The same applies to our missiles. However, I’ve got plenty on my plate to keep me busy.
I have 20 Gunners Mates that work for me; 1 chief, 3 first class petty officers, 3 second class petty officers, 5 third class petty officers, and the rest are seaman. I have 5 workcenters; one for each of the two gun mounts, one for each of the two missile launchers, and one for the armory. I am responsible for all the ammunition onboard, the magazines associated with them, and all the small arms weapons onboard. The types of small arms weapons we have are the 9mm pistol, 12ga shotgun, M-14 rifle, M-60, .50 cal, 25mm gun mount(s), M-79 grenade launcher, and MK 19 grenade launcher. The numbers of each type of weapon and the amount of ammo we carry onboard is classified. I am also responsible for all the administration that goes along with ordering ammo, onloading / offloading / transferring ammo, and expending ammo. I am also the Physical Security Officer and therefore, am responsible for all physical security and force protection matters. This is essentially a full time job in itself, especially now after the USS COLE incident. I am also the SCAT (Small Craft Action Team) coordinator and have to make sure we have a SCAT team that is properly trained and ready for action. I am also the VBSS (Visit Board Search and Seizure) coordinator and a Boarding Officer for when we will be doing boardings on our next deployment. Again, I have to make sure the VBSS team(s) are adequately trained for the task at hand.
That, in a nutshell is a very general statement of my responsibilities. It all definitely keeps me busy and the weeks tend to go by very fast. The days are over almost too soon just because I have so many things on my list to get done.
Well now, on to Part 2.
LTJG Steve Wilkins
Gunnery Officer
USS VALLEY FORGE (CG 50)
Edited by - steve wilkins on 04/14/2001 07:55:45