Can I Retrain or get out of SWO?

[e_man]

I am getting ready to go to OCS in September. I am going for SWO, but talking to people and doing some reading and YouTube videos, life of a SWO will be very challenging. I have a retired navy officer at my work talking me out of going SWO. My thought is once I get in, I can always do something else, meaning switch to a different community. My interest has always been something in medical.
1. How difficult will it be to switch out of SWO?

Also, the SWO community boast of allowing members the opportunity to pursue a masters degree program.
Can I choose a program of my choice or it has to be something related to leadership or SWO related?

 

[parin365]

I am headed to OCS in June as a SWO as well, and one of my hopes later on in my career is to eventually switch over to EDO or AEDO after getting a master's. Right now, my primary goal is to be commissioned as a military officer and be able to serve, as this is one of the long-term goals I've had.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I am getting ready to go to OCS in September. I am going for SWO, but talking to people and doing some reading and YouTube videos, life of a SWO will be very challenging. I have a retired navy officer at my work talking me out of going SWO. My thought is once I get in, I can always do something else, meaning switch to a different community. My interest has always been something in medical.
1. How difficult will it be to switch out of SWO?

Also, the SWO community boast of allowing members the opportunity to pursue a masters degree program.
Can I choose a program of my choice or it has to be something related to leadership or SWO related?

In most cases anything medical is going to mean getting out and going back to school, then applying for that specific medical designator.

Doing a lateral is possible but never a guarantee given the many factors that come into play.

 

[Renegade One]

I am getting ready to go to OCS in September. I am going for SWO, but talking to people and doing some reading and YouTube videos, life of a SWO will be very challenging. I have a retired navy officer at my work talking me out of going SWO. My thought is once I get in, I can always do something else, meaning switch to a different community. My interest has always been something in medical.
1. How difficult will it be to switch out of SWO?

Also, the SWO community boast of allowing members the opportunity to pursue a masters degree program.
Can I choose a program of my choice or it has to be something related to leadership or SWO related?

Hey... the Surface Warfare Community DOES NOT SUCK!!! Do your time...be a fuckin' warfighter...then go to Medical School or whatever floats your boat. Do NOT listen to the old retired guy talking in your ear. We are legion...and quite often out of touch (as I've been told many times...). Just my $.02....

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I am getting ready to go to OCS in September. I am going for SWO, but talking to people and doing some reading and YouTube videos, life of a SWO will be very challenging. I have a retired navy officer at my work talking me out of going SWO. My thought is once I get in, I can always do something else, meaning switch to a different community. My interest has always been something in medical.
1. How difficult will it be to switch out of SWO?

Also, the SWO community boast of allowing members the opportunity to pursue a masters degree program.
Can I choose a program of my choice or it has to be something related to leadership or SWO related?

I am getting ready to go to OCS in September. I am going for SWO, but talking to people and doing some reading and YouTube videos, life of a SWO will be very challenging. I have a retired navy officer at my work talking me out of going SWO. My thought is once I get in, I can always do something else, meaning switch to a different community. My interest has always been something in medical.
1. How difficult will it be to switch out of SWO?

Also, the SWO community boast of allowing members the opportunity to pursue a masters degree program.
Can I choose a program of my choice or it has to be something related to leadership or SWO related?

It sucks but the best way forward isn’t to go back.

Be the best SWO as possible, get qualified and apply for a lateral transfer once you’re eligible.

Trying to DOR, etc. will only hinder coming back under a favorable program.

 

[hlg6016]

Focus on completing OCS and learning to be a leader first. Every other worry should be secondary for you at this time.

 

[Griz882]

First, there are plenty of grad school opportunities in the military - they will all come at the low, low cost of spending more time in the service.

Second, You in five or six years talking to your college friends who are currently working at their third or fourth job.

“There was this evening, out on the middle-of-nowhere Pacific, and I was on bridge watch. I remember watching the night follow the sun over the horizon like someone pulling down a shade and soon the sky was filled with more stars than I have ever seen. A few days later we did a port call in Australia and had a blast. But it wasn’t always that interesting. I had one seaman apprentice that worked for me who simply shouldn’t have been in the military. He was crap at his job and I think spent more time trying to get him up to par than I did working with the great people in my department. Sure, the paperwork and admin stuff sucked but being at sea could be interesting.”

Them…

“You saw stars?”
“You got to go to Australia?”
“You managed people?”
“Now you’re going to graduate school while working as a NROTC instructor? (Or on FSEP, GET, LEAD, NPS, LGEP…)?”

Last bit of advice…spending the first four years of your life “career” at sea and in the service of your country beats the crap out of spending four years as a nug in a corporate cubical. There will plenty of time for cubical life later.

 

[BackOrdered]

Don't listen to older guys who are products of their time and may have had a point. They don't know about SWO life in 2025. Times change.

The SWO community has changed since I joined 18 years ago. The vocal and kinetic theatrics of the captains on the bridge and the "stab, stab, look, stab, stab" culture have calmed down (thank God....). SWO qualification has also become way more standardized. Take your quals seriously and you will have a good time as a SWO JO. They also eased up some on taking time in for Masters attainment.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Don't listen to older guys who are products of their time and may have had a point. They don't know about SWO life in 2025. Times change.

The SWO community has changed since I joined 18 years ago. The vocal and kinetic theatrics of the captains on the bridge and the "stab, stab, look, stab, stab" culture have calmed down (thank God....). SWO qualification has also become way more standardized. Take your quals seriously and you will have a good time as a SWO JO. They also eased up some on taking time in for Masters attainment.

That's good to hear. The SWO culture I saw on AD through 2019 or so was something I wouldn't wish on my friends.

 

[IKE]

I started my Navy time as a surface sailor, it was great. Now I'm a helicopter pilot, but I gotta say the best 3 months of my 24 years was as Air Det OIC on a DDG, working closely with SWOs.

If grad school is an interest, SWOs generally see that as normal career progression - paid for by the Navy - and done in residence. With few exceptions, aviators usually have to do it remotely, at night, etc.