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Is being a SWO really that bad?

The answer, which applies to every single command in the Navy, is that it depends on who your commanding officer is and the environment that he or she creates. Can be great (still hard work), could be awful. To date, though, I haven't heard of any baby SWOs dying of pure despair, so I'm sure that whatever happens it can be survived.
 
Depends on the person. I know people who transferred out as soon as they could into other communities but I also know my husband had the opportunity to transfer out and decided to stay SWO. He loves it.
 
I've had direct and indirect exposure to Shoes for much of my career. I did slightly under two years as a west coast Shoe on a frigate, saw a bit of them on the Boats I deployed aboard, and then again during a UAS operator deployment on an east coast frigate.

So I think my current attitude is, you can get assholes in any crowd; it's just amongst the SWOs, they have more opportunity to make your life directly miserable. If you luck out and get a good captain, Shoeing can be a good job. Flying is fun even if you have a lousy skipper.
 
PenguinGal and Uncle Fester have it about right.

In any community, military or otherwise, you've got your good guys, your complete toolbags and everything in between. I've come across a few Aviators & NFO's that were complete retardiots, and SWOs that were pretty cool dudes.

It comes down to the person, and what they want. Suffice it to say, it is fun to poke at the Shoes, but like any community, they have their quirks and the way they do things.

Besides, I have friends that are SWOs. I'm all for non-discrimination. But then, in the IP community, my Brown Shoes stick out like a sore thumb.
 
SWO is the worst thing you could ever do with your life, ever! /sarc

Seriously, SWO can suck. My first tour was rough. I had screamers and throwers for COs and my department heads weren't much better. I was also amongst the Old Guard; those crusty old, prior-E SWOs who've been in the Navy as long as I've been alive and came from a time when berating and abusing your JOs was the norm. Since I've transitioned to my second tour (I highly recommend the PC community), I've noticed that it's not so bad. The new crop of guys going up for their CDR boards and Command-at-Sea boards are part of the New Breed of Happy SWOs who put modern management and leadership practices into practice. Will you still have long days at sea? You sure as hell will. Will there still be assholes/jackwagons/dipshits/toxic leaders? Yes because that's a problem as old as the Sea Service. But, you can still have fun and have a lasting and enjoyable career as a SWO.
 
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