Surface Warfare Officer - Conventional

CAREER PATHS

Legacy SWO Career Path

• Traditional First and Second Division Officer Tours with oppurtunity to Fleet-Up and remain onboard your first ship for your Second Tour (with approval) OR select from various billets available across the world
• Can sign Department Head as soon as selected and receive a Department Head Retention Bonus up to $150,000 
• Opportunity to participate in the Career Intermission Program (CIP)

Single Longer Tour Legacy SWO Career Path

• Career-minded First Tour Division Officers can request a Single Longer Tour (SLT) (36 months minimum) and remain onboard their first ship in any billet the ship desires
• A SLT must be requested prior to 24 months into your First Division Officer Tour and include:
  • Your Commanding Officer's endorsement
  • Letter of Intent to sign for Department Head (prior to first Department Head look)
    • Must be Department Head screened to execute SLT
  • 300 qualified Officer of the Deck Underway (OOD) hours recommended to apply
  • Prior to transferring from your SLT, you must complete a minimum of 600 qualified OOD hours, EOOW qualification, and one deployment or Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) patrol
• SLT Division Officers will complete ADOC and OOD Phase 2 after they receive their SWO pin and prior to transfer from their ship, when timing best meets ship schedule

Early Department Head SWO Career Path

• Increased geographic stability Post-Department Head, consistent time for family planning, graduate education, community/Joint tours

Later Department Head SWO Career Path

• Increased geographic stability Post-Division Officer, consistent time ahead of Department Head Tour for family planning, graduate education, production tour, or Talent Management programs

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI)

• “Legacy” Career Path
  • NOT required to sign Department Head (if timing is before Department Head School)!
  • Course of instruction (COI) can be completed between Division Officer Tours, post-Division Officer Tours, before Department Head School, or post-Department Head School
  • Late Department Head SWO Career Path allows for increased post-Division Officer time ashore with oppurtunity for completion of Talent Management/Graduate Education + WTI COI + Production Tour prior to Department Head School
  • Early Department Head SWO Career Path allows for multiple opportunities to complete WTI COI in concurrence with other required training OR following Deparment Head Tours
  • Can also attend COI TAD if command supports!

Talent Management

• FSEP (Fleet Scholar Education Program)
  • Pursue advanced education at America’s most prestigious institutions of their choosing (in CONUS). Degrees offered are Data Science, Engineering, Public Policy/Public Administration and Technology Innovation/Management.
• GET (Graduate Education and Teaching)
  • Apply to a university in the National Capital Region, pursue a one year Master's Degree in ANY concentration desired, and then teach that subject area at USNA for two years.
• LEAD (Leadership Education and Development)
  • Pursue a Master's Degree from NPS followed by a two year tour as a Company Officer at USNA.
• TWI (Tours with Industry)
  • The opportunity to work at Amazon, Google, LinkedIn, Apple, La Quinta, Walmart, UPS, Qualcomm, Memphis Grizzlies, etc.
• GEV (Graduate Education Voucher)
  • Pays up to $20,000 per year for a maximum of two years for graduate education, books and most fees.
• NPS (Naval Postgraduate School)
  • Pursue a Master’s Degree and JPME Ph I. Program lengths vary between 18-24 months and include programs within the National Security Studies, Operations Research, Engineering and Technology, and General Operations (USW, Computer Science, Network Operations, Space Systems, & Cyber Systems).
• LGEP (Low Residency Graduate Education)
  • This program offers 18 and 24 month graduate education opportunities at selected schools in strategic focused programs using a minimized on-campus model. It is ideal for officers to execute in conjunction with a tour at a valued community tour.
• PMRI (Purdue Univ. Military Research Initiative)
  • Pursue a Master's Degree or PhD (preferred). This program is 36 months and requires Aegis experience and Dahlgren training.
• MIT-WHOI (Massachusetts Institute for Technology - Woods Hole Institute)
  • Obtain a Master's Degree in an Oceanography based curricula. Practical / theater ASW experience preferred.
• USMC EWS (Expeditionary Warfare School)
  • Provides extensive training with the Marine Corp Planning Process during a 41 week in residence course at Quantico, VA.
• Professional Initiatives Abroad
  • Portsmouth, UK - Esquimalt, Canada - Marin, Spain - Canberra, Australia - La Spezia, Italy - Mons, Belgium - Lisbon, Portugal - Toulon, France! Expand your maritime portfolio via Instructor duty, BMD planner, Future Ops Maritime, and Maritime Lab Experimenter assignments.
• NROTC (Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps)
  • 2-3year programs to lead, mentor, and train future Naval Officers. Master’s Degree opportunities are school dependent.
• NO LIMIT TO WTI OPPORTUNITIES! COUPLE WITH TALENET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM!

For more information, be sure to check out the latest PERS-41 SWO Community Brief and PERS-41 Newsletter, and follow PERS-41 on Facebook and Instagram!