Are stories of the SWO community valid?

[BackOrdered]

Unless they drive their car through a coned-off construction zone without stopping while drunk...with their department head in the back seat. That person had 1 hour to get off the ship after Mast concluded. True story.

That's impressive work, in a negligent homicide kind of way.

I've seen worse from non-priors. Long story short, we had to pack their stuff for them. An hour was too much notice for reasons too hot for TV or internet

Now that I recall, I would say it was a land speed record.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Seems like you are more worried about losing a carrier lifestyle than anything else. Everything you said is just life outside a carrier and isn't exclusive to SWOs.

As far as leadership and qualifications, I observed priors and LDOs having the least trouble. They know what they are getting into and encounter the least trouble earning that pin.

I have seen a mixed bag from prior enlisted and many were my friends, some just can't get out of the "CPO" or "PO1" mindset.

 

[McHale's Navy]

As far as leadership and qualifications, I observed priors and LDOs having the least trouble. They know what they are getting into and encounter the least trouble earning that pin.

I hope this is true. With 4 years on a reserve squadron, I've never been on a ship.

 

[Beefalo]

I hope this is true. With 4 years on a reserve squadron, I've never been on a ship.

And I thought I was fish out of water

 

[BackOrdered]

I hope this is true. With 4 years on a reserve squadron, I've never been on a ship.

It's not about being on a ship. It's politics. As a rule, priors and LDOs don't have to play the same reindeer games non-prior SWOs play. The worst I have seen a prior get came from the fact he was from another branch and no one explain to him what being a SWO meant.

 

[BigRed389]

It's not about being on a ship. It's politics. As a rule, priors and LDOs don't have to play the same reindeer games non-prior SWOs play. The worst I have seen a prior get came from the fact he was from another branch and no one explain to him what being a SWO meant.

Umm...I wouldn't count on that.

 

[BackOrdered]

Umm...I wouldn't count on that.

I agree there are exceptions, but I've seen LDOs get ALOT of leverage a non-prior would only dream of having.

 

[Spekkio]

LDOs are not SWOs, so that would probably explain why they are treated differently in a SWO wardroom.

 

[BackOrdered]

LDOs are not SWOs, so that would probably explain why they are treated differently in a SWO wardroom.

Neither are aviators or chops, yet I wouldn't say either are regarded the same way as an LDO (unless they are an LDO).

My point was regarding how quick a prior enlisted of any flavor can complete the SWO PQS compared to a non-prior. A lot of the "JO training" pieces get cut out of the process.

 

[BigRed389]

Neither are aviators or chops, yet I wouldn't say either are regarded the same way as an LDO (unless they are an LDO).

My point was regarding how quick a prior enlisted of any flavor can complete the SWO PQS compared to a non-prior. A lot of the "JO training" pieces get cut out of the process.

Well, you kinda summed it up with wardroom politics.

Most new DH's are lost without a good LDO to back them up. Engineering LDO's get a freebie on bridge and combat systems stuff because their job is to just be good at their specialty, and time spent learning stuff that'll never get used anyway is time that could be focused on Engineering assessments coming up that can weld the boat to the pier. What goes around comes around.

A prior enlisted SWO doesn't have the same leverage, so you get to go beg for the scraps of knowledge from inflated egos, I mean SMEs, with the other JOs. Same goes for the ASUPPO or embarked pilots trying to get quals if the DH's and above are feeling nasty. No leverage? Then let the games begin...
Best case, you can transfer some quals and knowledge that carry over from being a prior and skip the basics....but there's still a shit ton of stuff you won't know.

 

[BackOrdered]

Well, you kinda summed it up with wardroom politics.

Most new DH's are lost without a good LDO to back them up. Engineering LDO's get a freebie on bridge and combat systems stuff because their job is to just be good at their specialty, and time spent learning stuff that'll never get used anyway is time that could be focused on Engineering assessments coming up that can weld the boat to the pier. What goes around comes around.

A prior enlisted SWO doesn't have the same leverage, so you get to go beg for the scraps of knowledge from inflated egos, I mean SMEs, with the other JOs. Same goes for the ASUPPO or embarked pilots trying to get quals if the DH's and above are feeling nasty. No leverage? Then let the games begin...
Best case, you can transfer some quals and knowledge that carry over from being a prior and skip the basics....but there's still a shit ton of stuff you won't know.

I will say that a smart prior may get a break if he is clever about it. The priors that fail are the ones who genuinely think earning the SWO pin is a breeze and requires 0% political finesse, "because I already have an ESWS" not realizing "the game" has begun months ago and they are way way way behind.

 

[Gatordev]

I will say this... You SWOs provide a lot of entertaining drama for someone sitting on the blue couch enjoying whatever TV show I have on my laptop.

 

[BackOrdered]

I will say this... You SWOs provide a lot of entertaining drama for someone sitting on the blue couch enjoying whatever TV show I have on my laptop.

And can you believe somewhere out there, there is a JO on terminal leave as a O-1/O-2 because he didn't heed these amusing quirks and never got a SWO pin?

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Isn't the first step learning to eat your young?

 

[HAL Pilot]

Well, you kinda summed it up with wardroom politics.

I thought SWO wardroom doctrine (politics) was straight forward...... STAB, STAB, LOOK, STAB......