What happens after OCS

[Roosterj]

FNG Questions

I have lots of questions and my recruiter is not all that helpful, hoping someone here can give me some good gouge?

After OCS, can i bring my wife out to SWO school?

How long is SWO school?

Do I get to choose engineering or Combat at school?

What are my chances of getting a small ship (I want to avoid a carrier at all cost)?

Since I have already used up all but 5 months of my GI bill, can i give the rest of it to my wife so she can finish a master degree?

Is 29 or 30 after training to old to be an officer?

A little background, I am 29 married former sailor. I did 6 years in the Navy as a corpsmen, stationed at Camp Lejune (green side) and a hospital in New London, CT (Shit side). I have the FMF warfare device, and no clue about the blue side of navy life..

 

[Spekkio]

After OCS, can i bring my wife out to SWO school?

Yes, but SWOS isn't that long, and I don't think the Navy will pay for the move until you get PCS orders to your permanent duty station.

What are my chances of getting a small ship (I want to avoid a carrier at all cost)?

It is rare for a conventional SWO to be assigned to a carrier, period. Also, it behooves you to qualify on the Aegis system, so your first sea tour is likely to be on a DDG or CG.

 

[Roosterj]

Thanks for the response.

Should I expect a long wait between finishing OCS and the start of a SWO class?

 

[navy09]

After OCS, can i bring my wife out to SWO school?

How long is SWO school?

You'll go from OCS directly to your ship. After a while (anywhere from maybe 8-18 months) you'll go to SWOS for a short period of time, then you'll go back to your ship for the final board to earn your SWO pin.

Do I get to choose engineering or Combat at school?

Depends entirely on the command, some yes, some no- probably not.

What are my chances of getting a small ship (I want to avoid a carrier at all cost)?

Very good. You're pretty much guaranteed a CG/DDG/FFG if you want it. There's also a lot to be said for the Amphibs, I have heard good things. You won't go to a carrier.

Is 29 or 30 after training to old to be an officer?

You'll be older than most, but younger than some. There are STA-21 and LDO guys that will be a lot older than you. Being a prior will likely garner you more respect from many sailors that you'd get as a 22 yr old boot Ensign. I can't think of any way age would hurt you (I'm 21 though, so maybe some of the more 'experienced' guys could chime in there ).

EDIT: I may have misunderstood your last question. If you're asking if you are too old to be accepted into the program, I don't know- that's definitely a question for your recruiter.

 

[Roosterj]

You'll go from OCS directly to your ship. After a while (anywhere from maybe 8-18 months) you'll go to SWOS for a short period of time, then you'll go back to your ship for the final board to earn your SWO pin.

Is that correct?

 

[navy09]

Is that correct?

Promise. They stopped sending newly commissioned Ensign's through a 6 month SWOS program years ago.

Go here: http://www.npc.navy.mil/Officer/SurfaceWarfare/

Find the 'SWO JO Brief' towards the bottom of the page. See the 5th slide.

The green 'Billet Specialty Training' doesn't always apply, but it can include sending you to Legal Officer school, an AEGIS pipeline, etc.

SWOS is now a 3 week program that you go to after you've qualified Officer of the Deck underway (which takes up to a year and a half). Once you get back from SWOS, you go to your SWO board with the CO to earn your pin.

 

[dudemack]

SWOS current gouge

Things have changed concerning SWOS.

The latest is ATG is now teaching SWOS for 4 weeks (sometimes 5) soon after you're commissioned.

For those OCS guys, you will go directly to SWOS after OCS for 3 weeks still, but that will eventually change into the 4 to 5 week program taught by ATG, if it hasn't already.

I say sometimes 5 weeks, because there is an additional week where you can work the sims and other fun stuff, but as of right now it's command optional.

IMHO, it's an outstanding course. The fact that ATG is involved is great, because why not have a SWO course taught by the same people who will be working with you throughout your SWO career.

Mack

EDIT: They are also reworking the post-OOD Underway SWOS to be move away from basics and delve deeper into tactics.

 

[Spekkio]

Promise. They stopped sending newly commissioned Ensign's through a 6 month SWOS program years ago.

Go here: http://www.npc.navy.mil/Officer/SurfaceWarfare/

Find the 'SWO JO Brief' towards the bottom of the page. See the 5th slide.

The green 'Billet Specialty Training' doesn't always apply, but it can include sending you to Legal Officer school, an AEGIS pipeline, etc.

SWOS is now a 3 week program that you go to after you've qualified Officer of the Deck underway (which takes up to a year and a half). Once you get back from SWOS, you go to your SWO board with the CO to earn your pin.

Bad gouge. You go to SWOS after OCS. It is 3 weeks long. Then you go to the ship.

EDIT: Looks like the guy above me got it. It was 3 weeks long for SWOS as of late June, did not know of the change. I guess it's good that they're changing post OOD SWOS since every SWO I've encountered says that it's an absolute waste of time.

 

[skim]

When I graduated OCS in april, I went to SWOS that monday. The class before me waited 2 weeks.

 

[Praying4OCS]

You'll go from OCS directly to your ship. After a while (anywhere from maybe 8-18 months) you'll go to SWOS for a short period of time, then you'll go back to your ship for the final board to earn your SWO pin.

Bad gouge.....The navy is really looking into the competance levels of junior SWO's due to some fleet issues. SWOS will be directly after (could wait about two weeks) OCS and it is now four weeks long.

 

[TheBubba]

sailorbob.com

Its like AirWarriors, only gay... I mean, its a forum for SWOs and SWO-wannabes... eh.. same difference.

 

[m0tbaillie]

When I graduated OCS in april, I went to SWOS that monday. The class before me waited 2 weeks.

Any idea what you'd end up doing if the next class doesn't open up for a couple weeks?

 

[TheBubba]

Any idea what you'd end up doing if the next class doesn't open up for a couple weeks?

Working at Mama Leone's

 

[skim]

You could take leave, or they stash you there.

 

[m0tbaillie]

You could take leave, or they stash you there.

Stash you there? As in what, various menial duties/busywork?